• Korean Journal of Ecology and Environment
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• v.53 no.1
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• pp.63-72
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• 2020

In this study, to discuss on the applicability of eDNA as a new method to investigate fish diversity at streams, we applied eDNA at 4 streams (Geum River, Ji Stream, Hwangji Stream, Seomjin River), where endangered species are inhabits, with conventional survey (cast net and kick net). The average (±standard deviation) number of species investigated by eDNA were 19 species (±4.4), and it was relatively higher than average of conventional survey, 10 species (±4.8). Most of case, in this study, eDNA was more efficient than conventional survey. However, there were errors on species identification of Korean endemic species and aliied species from eDNA, and it seems the universal primer (MiFish primer set) is not suitable for them. Furthermore, some of endangered species, caught by conventional method, was not detected by eDNA. As the present universal primer is not suitable for identify the every freshwater fish species in Korea, the complementing or development of universal primer is needed, and the eDNA application after species specific marker development for detecting specific species like endangered species should be considered. In conclusion, if the manual for field survey method by eDNA is developed, we expect applicability enlargement for water ecosystem survey.

• Korean Journal of Ecology and Environment
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• v.45 no.2
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• pp.190-199
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• 2012

The reproductive ecology of an endangered species, Gobiobotia macrocephala (Pisces: Cyprinidae), was investigated in the Seom River, a tributary of the Han River drainage system, from March 2010 to February 2011. During the non-spawning season, no difference in the external morphology was observed between males and females; however, during the spawning season, clear differences merged for the depth and width of the body, preventral length and preanal length in the standard length. The sex ratio of females to males was 1 : 1.01. The spawning season was estimated to last from late April to middle of June, at water temperatures of $15{\sim}25^{\circ}C$. The number of mature eggs in the ovary averaged about $2,134{\pm}930$ (mean${\pm}$SD), and the mean diameter was approximately $0.88{\pm}0.04$ mm. The spawning area was composed of pebble and cobble bottoms (3~10 cm), with current velocities of 13~24 cm $s^{-1}$ and water depths of 12~18 cm. Spawning behavior between males and females was observed in a water tank 14~15 h after injecting females with Ovaprim to promote reproduction. Fish spawned near the water surface with monogamous pairing.

• Korean Journal of Ecology and Environment
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• v.44 no.2
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• pp.136-143
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• 2011

Early life history of the endangered species Gobiobotia brevibarba was investigated to provide baseline data for biological characteristics and restoration. Adult fish were sampled by spoon net capture at Hongcheon-gun, Gangwon-do, Korea, in April 2010. Eggs were obtained after injection of Ovarprim and were artificially fertilized by the dry method in the laboratory. The mature eggs were slightly adhesive and transparent with greyish and average $1.24{\pm}0.07$ mm in diameter. The hatching of the embryos took place about 120 h after fertilization at a water temperature of $23^{\circ}C$. The newly-hatched larva averaged $5.5{\pm}0.29$ mm in total length. Four days after hatching, they averaged $7.4{\pm}0.26$ mm in total length and their yolk sacs were completely absorbed. From 15 days after hatching, they entered the juvenile stage and reached $9.9{\pm}0.72$ mm in total length. One hundred days after hatching, their band patterns and external form were similar to those of adults, and they averaged $36.0{\pm}3.11$ mm in total length.

• Korean Journal of Ichthyology
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• v.28 no.2
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• pp.125-133
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• 2016

Sharks (Selachii) comprising about 510 valid species worldwide. Forty-three shark species belonging to 30 genera, 19 families and 8 orders have been found in Korean coastal waters, and all these are registered at the IUCN Red List as followings: endangered (EN) 1 species (2.3%) (vs. worldwide 15 spp., 3.2%), vulnerable (VU) 11 spp. (25.6%) (vs. 48 spp., 10.3%), near threatened (NT) 10 spp. (23.3%) (vs. 67 spp., 14.4%), least concern (LC) 9 spp. (20.9%) (vs. 115 spp., 24.7%), data deficient (DD) 12 spp. (27.9%) (vs. 209 spp., 44.9%), and critically endangered (CR) absent (vs. 11 spp., 2.4%). Twelve species among 43 sharks distributing in Korean waters are assessed as Threatened in the IUCN Red List categories and criteria as followings: Sphyrna lewini (EN, A2bd+4bd), Rhincodon typus (VU, A2bd+3d), Cetorhinus maximus (VU, A2ad+3d), Carcharodon carcharias (VU, A2cd+3cd), Isurus oxyrinchus (VU, A2abd+3bd+4abd), Alopias pelagicus (VU, A2d+4d), A. vulpinus (VU, A2bd+3bd+4bd), Carcharhinus plumbeus (VU, A2bd+4bd), S. zygaena (VU, A2bd+3bd+4bd), Squalus suckleyi (VU, A2bd+3bd+4bd), Squatina japonica (VU, A2d+4d), and S. nebulosa (VU, A2d+4d). Eighteen chondrichthyan species are registered in the list of the CITES Appendices, among them five sharks are distributing in Korean waters as Appendix II, i.e., R. typus, C. maximus, C. carcharias, S. lewini and S. zygaena. The scientific name of "Gobsangeo" has been changed from Squalus acanthias of the North Pacific to S. suckleyi, and "Mojorisangeo" from S. megalops of the Northwest Pacific to brevirostris.

• Korean Journal of Ichthyology
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• v.36 no.2
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• pp.109-119
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• 2024

This study was conducted to investigate the early life history by observing the egg development of Ladislavia taczanowskii in endangered fish and to use it as basic data for species conservation research. The broodstork used in the study was secured from the area of the Hongcheon River in Hongcheon-gun, Gangwon State. The broodstork, who was being raised in the laboratory, selected mature individuals in May 2021 and induced them to spawn by hormone injection. The size of the maturation egg was 1.50~1.79 (average 1.59±0.08, n=30) mm due to the circular invasive egg. The incubation time took 168 hours at 16.5℃ and 109 hours and 30 minutes at 25.5℃. Newly hatched larvae, the consonants had a total length of 5.55~6.31 mm (6.30±6.93, n=30) mm, and the mouth and anus did not open and had egg yolk. 5 days after hatching, the preflexion larvae had a total length of 9.91~10.8 (10.1±0.27, n=30) mm, and the mouth and anus opened, and feeding activities began. 8 days after hatching, the flexion larvae had a total length of 10.3~11.4 (10.8±0.38, n=30) mm, and the end of the vertebrae at the tail fin tip began to bend upward. 10 day after hatching, the postflexion larvae had a total length of 11.8~13.1 (12.3±0.43, n=30) mm, and the end of the vertebrae at the tail tip was completely bent at 45°. 18 days after hatching, the total length of the juveniles was 18.9~23.4 (20.4±1.69, n=30) mm, and the number of fins in each part was fin rays with 10 dorsal fins, 9 anal fins, 22 caudal fins, and 7 ventral fins. As a result of the study, the postflexion larvae showed differences in morphology from other Gobioninae fishes in the upper part of the tail's hypural, the shape of spots on the dorsal vertebrae, the vertical stripes developed on the head, and the irregularly deposited melanophore throughout the body.

• Korean Journal of Ichthyology
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• v.26 no.1
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• pp.1-10
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• 2014

Population ecology of Gobiobotia naktongensis was investigated at the Gamcheon stream, Nakdonggang River in Korea from March to November in 2010 and June in 2012. It mainly inhabited on the slow-flowing waters 0.11~0.44 m/s (mean: 0.32) and shallow depth 11~69 cm (mean: 28). As a result of the sieve analysis, size of the particles in the stream bottom beds consisted of 1.71% (>3.35 mm), 71.3% (>0.500 mm) and 26.9% (>0.106 mm). The standard length of the population indicated that the age for 25~30 mm group is one 31~41 mm group is two and longer than 42 mm group over three (May in 2010). The spawning period was from June to July with water temperatures ranging from 28.0 to $31.0^{\circ}C$. The sex ratio of female to male was 1 : 0.64 while the number of eggs in the ovaries was 1,067~7,298 (mean: 2,827). The number of matured eggs size in ovaries was 0.71~1.04 mm (mean: 0.79) and the stomach contents were mainly Chironomidae. The individual number of stomach contents was increased at noon and showed the highest rate from noon to 3 pm.

• Korean Journal of Ichthyology
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• v.24 no.1
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• pp.48-55
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• 2012

Egg development and early life history of the slender shinner, $Pseudopungtungia$ $tenuicorpa$ were investigated to provide basic information regarding biological characteristics and restoration in 2010. Eggs were obtained by injecting females with Ovaprim and then fertilized using the dry method in the laboratory. Matured eggs were strongly adhesive, opaque and grayish and measured $1.96{\pm}0.08mm$(mean${\pm}$SD) in diameter. Fertilized eggs hatched 240 h after fertilization at $23^{\circ}C$, and newly hatched larvae an average $8.6{\pm}0.25mm$ in total length. At 2 days after hatching, larvae averaged $9.0{\pm}0.37mm$ in total length and their yolk sacs had been completely absorbed. About at 10 days after hatching, they beacme to juvenile stage and reached $10.6{\pm}0.44mm$ in total length. At 70 days after hatching, the band patterns and external form of juveniles were similar to those of adults, and they averaged $36.0{\pm}2.13mm$ in total length.

• Korean Journal of Ichthyology
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• v.36 no.1
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• pp.68-76
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• 2024

To reveal the feeding ecology of Rhynchocypris semotilus, the survey was conducted in Songhyeoncheon, Songhyeon-ri, Hyeonnae-myeon, Goseong-gun, Gangwon-do in April 2022. As a result of analyzing the contents of the stomach using the index of relative importance (IRI), the important prey organisms were mainly Trichoptera (46.6%), Ephemeroptera (27.6%), Diptera (12.6%), Odonata (9.7%), Plecoptera (2.8%), Coleoptera (0.6%), and Hemiptera (0.1%) of Class Insecta, Phylum Arthropoda in that order. As a result of analyzing the trend by calculating the index of relative importance (IRI) for each age, it was found that those born in the same year mainly feed on relatively small Ephemeroptera and Diptera, but the proportion of these gradually decreases as they grow. And the proportion of relatively large Trichoptera and Odonata gradually increased, turning them into the most important food source for those over 3 years old. Additionally, prey size was the smallest at 2.8±2.5 (0.6 to 9.0) mm for individuals born in the same year, but gradually increased to 5.1±6.1 (1.1 to 17.0) mm for individuals born more than 3 years. As a result of examining prey selectivity, Plecoptera (+0.78), Trichoptera (+0.66), (+0.66), Coleoptera (+0.66), and Hemiptera (+0.03) showed positive selectivity, while Amphipoda (-1.00), Ephemeroptera (-0.24), Odonata (-0.13) and Diptera (-0.05) showed negative selectivity.

• Korean Journal of Ecology and Environment
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• v.42 no.2
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• pp.260-269
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• 2009

Hwabuk Dam has been under construction to reduce flood damage in Nakdong River watershed and to supply stable water for middle area of Gyeongbuk Province. Therefore, fish investigation in up and downstream of the dam was conducted from 2004 to 2008 in order to determine any negative effect on fish community due to dam construction and to use as fundamental data for conserving species diversity and maintaining stream health. According to data analysis on water quality, temperature, dissolved oxygen, pH, suspended solids, and total E-coli had seasonal variation, but they did not significantly differ in sites. However, biological and chemical oxygen demand, chlorophyll-a, nitrogen, and phosphorus representing organic matter and nutrient concentration were higher in upper site and decreased to lower site so that they differed by site. Concentration of arsenic among the heavy metals was less than 0.05 mg $L^{-1}$, which is regulated for protection of human health in water quality standard, except for 0.092 mg $L^{-1}$ in June 2005. During the study period, the total number of fish caught from the 6 sites was 10,263 representing 7 families 19 species. Among them, dominant and subdominant species were Korean chub (Zacco koreanus, 62.5%) and Chinese minnow (Rhynchocypris oxycephalus, 10.6%) which inhabit mostly in mid and upper streams, Korea. Among the 19 species, Korean endemic species were 9 species (47.4%) including Korean slender gudgeon (Squalidus gracilis majimae), Korean dark sleeper (Odontobutis platycephala), and Korean shiner (Coreoleuciscus splendidus). There was several individuals of the $1^{st}$-class endangered species, Naktong nose loach (Koreocobitis nahtongensis), caught in 2005${\sim}$2007, and no introduced species of fish was found in entire sampling period. According to result of community analysis, dominance index decreased toward lower site, but diversity and richness indices increased toward lower site. The equation of length-weight relationship on the dominant species was TW=0.000003$(TL)^{3.2603}$. The parameter b in the equation was greater than 3.0 indicating good nutritional condition in the populations. Compared to populations of Korean chub in other streams, the population in Hwabuk Dam watershed had higher mean of condition factor by size indicating better growth rate. With fish fauna and multi-metric health assessment model in each sampling attempt, index of biotic integrity (IBI) was evaluated and it resulted mostly in good (26${\sim}$35) and excellent (36${\sim}$40) condition in all sites, and the mean of IBI was the highest in site 5. The results indicate that it is very important to study not only environmental impact assessment with fish composition but also stream health assessment in order to conserve healthy aquatic ecosystem.

• Korean Journal of Ecology and Environment
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• v.56 no.4
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• pp.414-419
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• 2023

Aquatic ecosystem is composed of various organic and inorganic matters. Its health is essential for sustaining its members such as vegetations, mammals, birds, fishes and invertebrates. Samcheonpo stream is one of candidate streams in Sacheon area of ecological restoration. For this reason, this study conducted to build up a data base for future comparison. The results shows that biodiversity of Epilithic Diatoms and Invertebrates is below average which means that human impacts such as artificial structures and activities have been negatively related to stream health. Consequently, we suggest several key factors when ecological restoration is performed in the stream.