• Korean Journal of Ecology and Environment
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• v.57 no.2
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• pp.61-74
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• 2024

Daemadeung, located in the estuary of the Nakdong River, is formed by sand dunes and possesses well-developed intertidal flats. This study aimed to investigate the habitat of benthic microalgae, photosynthetic pigments, and photosynthetic efficiency in the intertidal flats of Daemadeung from January to December 2011. The inorganic nitrogen content in the sediment pore water was primarily composed of ammonium, while nitrate + nitrite was dominant in the upper layer water. The concentration of chlorophyll a and fucoxanthin in the sediment surface was significantly higher than the mean of all the sediment layer. The average Fv/Fm of benthic microalgae during the entire survey period was 0.52±0.03, with the highest value (0.61±0.08) observed in February. The rETR_max showed a seasonal trend, being high from spring to early autumn (April to October) and low from winter to early spring (January to March, November, December), with the highest value (153.05±2.30 µmol electrons m^-2 s^-1) in July and the lowest (38.49±5.17 µmol electrons m^-2 s^-1) in January. The average Fv/Fm of diurnal microalgae was 0.48±0.03, with the highest value (0.61±0.08) observed at noon. The rETR_max showed a highest peak at noon (54.24±11.35 µmol electrons m^-2 s^-1) and reached its lowest point at 16:00 (26.17±4.75 µmol electrons m^-2 s^-1). These findings suggest that the productivity of benthic microalgae varies significantly depending on the survey time and sediment depth. Therefore, to quantify the productivity of benthic microalgae using Diving-PAM, surveys should be conducted based on tidal conditions, and simultaneous pigment analysis of sediment layers should also be performed.

• Korean Journal of Ecology and Environment
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• v.35 no.3 s.99
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• pp.198-212
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• 2002

A numerical variation and abnormalities were studied on egg bags and embryos of Korean salamander, Hynobius leechii from agricultural habitat. The teratogenic and toxic effects of fungicide benomyl were also investigated with early embryos from non-agricultural habitat. We collected 144 egg bags from agricultural region, and 3418 of early embryos were contained. The lengths of egg bags were varied from 10 to 23 cm and the most frequent length was 19 cm. The number of embryos was varied from 7 to 43, and the most frequent range was 22 to 26. Spontaneous abnormalities were occurred in 406 embryos among 116 egg bags, and 24 kinds of external abnormalities were found. Individuals showing severe external defect were histologically studied and they showed optic dyspalsia, thyroid carcinoma, somatic muscular dysplasia, partial biaxial structure, decrease of red blood cells in the heart, cephalic degeneration and intestinal dysplasia. 385 embryos from non-agricultural region were exposed to 200 nM${\sim}$ 1 ${\mu}$M of benomyl at blastula or gastrula for 12 days. All embryo were dead in the concentration of 1 ${\mu}$M (LD$_{100}$) and 75% of embryos were dead in 800nM of benomyl. Speciflc effect due to benomyl was acrania or cephalic dysplasia and this restult suggests that the benomyl inhibit stongly to the development of neural tissue. These abnormal developments may be caused by antimitotic action, inhibition of tubulin complex, destruction of microtubule, inhibitions of neurulation and closing of neural fold, and by the inhibition of the movement of neural crest cells.

• Korean Journal of Ecology and Environment
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• v.50 no.2
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• pp.216-237
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• 2017

Thermal effluent of the hot spring has long been a field of interest in the relationship between temperature gradient and freshwater algae in geology, limnology and aquatic ecology throughout the world. On the other hand, many artificial hot springs have been developed in Korea, but the research on them has not been still active. This study was performed every month from December 2015 to September 2016, to elucidate the spatiotemporal effects of thermal wastewater effluent (TWE) on the ecosystem of benthic algal assemblage in four stations(BSU (upstream), HSW (hot spring wastewater outlet), BSD1~2 (downstream)) of the upstream reach of the Buso Stream, a tributary located in the Hantan River basin. During the survey, the influencing distance of temperature on TWE was <1.0 km, and it was the main source of N P nutrients at the same time. The effects of TWE were dominant at low temperature and dry season (December~March), but it was weak at high temperature and wet season (July~September), reflecting some seasonal characteristics. Under these circumstances, the attached algal communities were identified to 59 genera and 143 species. Of these, the major phylum included 21 genera 83 species of diatoms(58.0%), 9 genera 21 species of blue-green algae (14.7%) and 25 genera 32 species of green algae (22.4%), respectively. The spatiotemporal distribution of them was closely related to water temperature ($5^{\circ}C$ and $15^{\circ}C$) and current ($0.2m\;s^{-1}$ and $0.8m\;s^{-1}$). In the basic environment maintaining a high water temperature throughout the year round, the flora favoring high affinity to $PO_4$ in the water body or preferring stream habitat of abundant $NO_3-PO_4$ was dominant. As a result, when compared with the outcomes of previous algal ecology studies conducted in Korea, the Buso Stream was evaluated as a serious polluted state due to persistent excess nutrient supply and high thermal pollution throughout the year round by TWE. It can be regarded as a dynamic ecosystem in which homogeneity (Summer~Autumn) and heterogeneity (Winter~Spring) are repeated between upstream and downstream.

• Journal of Korea Water Resources Association
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• v.47 no.5
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• pp.459-468
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• 2014

Groyne to control the direction and velocity of flow in rivers is generally installed for the purpose of protecting riverbanks or embankments from erosion caused by running water. In particular, as interest in river restoration and natural river improvement increases, groynes are proposed as a key hydraulic structure for local flow control and riparian habitat establishment. Groynes are installed mainly in groups rather than as individual structures. In case of groynes installed as a group, flow around the groynes change according to spacing in between the groynes. Therefore, groyne spacing is regarded as the most important factor in groyne design. This study aimed at examining changes of flows around and within the area of groynes that take place according to the spacing of groynes installed in order to propose the optimal spacing for upward groynes. To examine flow characteristics around groynes, this study looked at flows in main flow area and recirculation flow area separately. In main flow area, it examined the impact of flow velocity increasing as a result of conveyance reduction that is exerted on river bed stability in relation to changes in the maximum flow velocity according to installation spacing. As a factor causing impacts on scouring and sedimentation within the area of groynes, recirculation flow in the groyne area can lead problems concerning flow within the area and stability of embankment. As for recirculation area, an analysis was conducted on the scale of rotational flow and the flow around embankment that exerts impacts on stability of the embankment. In addition, a comparative analysis was carried with reference to changes of the central point of rotational flow that occur within the area of groynes. As a result of compositely examining the results, the appropriate installation spacing is proposed as min. four times-max. six times considering a decrease in flow velocity according to the installation of upward groynes, river bed stability and stability of embankments against counterflow within the area of groynes.

• Ecology and Resilient Infrastructure
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• v.9 no.3
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• pp.194-205
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• 2022

Sandbars formed by sediment transportation and sedimentation are some of the most important habitats for specific wildlife and they provide an aesthetic landscape in streams. The purpose of this study was to understand the successional process of the colonization and development of early vegetation over time on sandbars exposed by the opening of a gate at a downstream weir. We selected the following four study sites in the Geumgang River, South Korea: three weir-upstream sites with different gate-opening times and a control site that was not affected by weir operation. Changes in the structural characteristics and spatial distribution of the riparian vegetation on the sandbars exposed after opening the gate at the weir were surveyed according to the different exposure periods of the sandbars at the study sites. The newly formed sandbars accounted for more than 33% of the area of the existing floodplain in the three weir-upstream sites of the Geumgang River after opening the gate at the weir. Nine main plant communities were distributed on the exposed sandbars. These communities were classified as annual mesophytic, perennial hydrophytic, perennial hygrophytic, subtree, and tree vegetation based on their species traits. As the duration of exposure of the sandbar increased, the area of the bare sandbar and the annual herbaceous and perennial hydrophytic communities decreased, and the areas occupied by perennial hygrophytic, subtree, and tree communities increased. Changes in vegetation on the sandbar were classified into three types of succession according to the condition of the aquatic habitat before the gate-opening and the degree of physical disturbance caused by the water flow after the gate-opening. The types of succession were: 1) succession starting from hydrophytes in the lentic aquatic zone, 2) succession starting from annual herbaceous hygrophytes in the lotic aquatic zone, and 3) willow-dominated succession in the disturbed channel side. Our results suggested that the dynamics of successional changes in vegetation should be considered during weir operation to ecologically manage the habitats and landscape of the fluvial landforms, including sandbars in streams.

• Korean Journal of Environment and Ecology
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• v.18 no.1
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• pp.75-91
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• 2004

Biodiversity and seasonal community composition of benthic macroinvertebrates were studied from Upo wetlands in Gyeongsangnam-do, Korea, comprising Upo (4 sites), Mokpo (2 sites), Sajipo (1 site), Jjokjibeol (1 site), Yeobeol (1 site), and Topyeongcheon (2 sites) areas from October 2002 to August 2003. As a result, it was known that Upo wetlands retained relatively well-preserved littoral zones which may provide good habitats for benthic macroinvertebrates; however, frequent disturbances of littoral zones caused by flood were the major factor affecting on the survival and distribution of benthic macroinvertebrates in the areas. During the study period, a total of 135 species of benthic macroinvertebrates in 10 genera, 59 families, 16 orders, 7 classes, and 3 phyla were collected those of which are the highest degree of diversity of the taxa ever known in Korean wetlands: aquatic insects 103 spp. (Diptera 27 spp., Odonata 24 spp., Coleoptera 19 spp., Hemiptera 16 spp., Ephemeroptera 9 spp., Trichoptera 7 spp., and Collembola 1 sp.), Crustacea 2 spp., Mollusca 19 spp. (Gastropoda 12 spp. and Bivalvia 7 spp.), and Annelids 11 spp. (Oligocaeta 1 sp. and Hirudinea 10 spp.). Sajipo (St.G) and Jjokjibeol (St.H) areas yielded relatively larger numbers of species, 54 spp. and 53 spp., respectively, while more than 40 species occurred at most other sites. Based on quantitative sampling (0.5m${\times}$2m), aquatic insects (88.0％), particularly chironomids in Diptera (61.0％), occupied major proportion of the total individuals of benthic macroinvertebrates, while Mollusca (5.3％), Annelida (3.5％), and Crustacea (3.2％) occupied minor proportions. In standing water areas, diverse groups of benthic macroinvertebrates such as chironomids, demselflies, aquatic bugs, aquatic beetles, crustaceans, and gastropods were dominant in terms of individual number; in the running water areas, on the other hand, chironomids and baetid mayflies were dominant. However, gastropods, i.e. viviparids, were the dominant group of benthic macroinvertebrates in most study areas in terms of biomass. Dominance indices were 0.22-0.51 (mean$\pm$sd 0.42$\pm$0.09) in autumn, 0.31-0.96 (0.02$\pm$0.23) in winter, and 0.30-0.89 (0.57$\pm$0.18) in summer; diversity indices were 3.50-4.26 (3.80$\pm$0.24) in autumn,1.55-4.50 (3.10$\pm$1.01) in winter, and 1.35-3.77 (2.55$\pm$0.09) in summer. Highly movable or true aquatic benthic macroinvertebyates such as aquatic bugs, aquatic beetles, and gastropods recovered earlier after flood. In the study sites of Upo wetlands, Upo and Sajipo areas showed relatively higher values of average diversity index which may indicate a good habitat condition for benthic macroinvertebrates.