• Korean Journal of Ecology and Environment
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• v.50 no.4
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• pp.403-410
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• 2017

We collected fishes at the 12,873 sites in stream order (1~7) from 2008 to 2016. In the results, two populations(Zacco platypus and Zacco koreanus) represented distributional differences in the stream order gradient, and correlation analysis showed that the two populations had a potential competitive relationship. The ecological characteristics of the fish except for the Z. platypus and the Z. koreanus, according to the gradient of stream order showed a pronounced gradient in the species such as intermediate species, sensitive species, carnivores, herbivores and omnivores. The two populations showed a high correlation between intermediate species, sensitive species of the tolerance guild and omnivores, insectivores of the trophic guild. Fish assessment index (FAI) was negative relation with stream order. According to the stream order gradient, the two populations showed different correlations with FAI.

• Korean Journal of Ecology and Environment
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• v.43 no.1
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• pp.69-81
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• 2010

This study was conducted at 25 sites of 6 mainstreams and 19 tributaries sites within Heuck Stream watershed during May~October 2003 for the survey of fish distributions, compositions, and community characteristics. The survey showed that total fish was identified as 9 family and 26 species in all sites, and Cyprinidae dominated the community as 15 species. The dominant species of >20% of the total were Zacco temminckii (29%), Zacco platypus (22%), and Rhynchocypris oxycephalus (21%) in the watershed. Community analysis, based on the stream spatial gradients, indicated composition differences along the main axis of the stream from the headwater to the downstream; R. oxycephalus predominated in the most headwater zone and Z. temminckii dominated in the lower headwater zone, whereas Z. temminckii -Z. platypus dominated in the mid-to-downstream, and Z. platypus dominated the community in the most downstream zone. Total endemic species was 7 family and 15 species, which is made of 50% in the fish community, so that the high proportion of endemic species indicated a healthy region in terms of fish community, compared to average 23% in Korean peninsula in general. The total number and species of fish increased as the stream order (stream size) increased, indicating that impacts on chemical pollution or habitat disturbance were not so large to the fish community in this watershed. Trophic and tolerance guilds analysis showed that relative proportions of sensitive and insectivore species were >50% in the watershed and decreased as the stream order increased, whereas relative proportions of tolerant and omnivore species showed an opposite results. These outcomes suggest that the natural condition of watershed is preserved relatively and the region should be protected from the chemical and habitat disturbace by agricultural activity and urban developments.

• Korean Journal of Ecology and Environment
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• v.47 no.spc
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• pp.100-115
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• 2014

For this study, we collected fishes of seven times at the 51 sites by stream orders (2-6) from November 2007 to September 2010. In the results, 55 species belonging 12 families were collected. And there were one species (1.8%) of Natural monument, 6 species (10.9%) of endangered and 22 species (40.0%) of Korea endemic. Dominant species was Zacco koreanus and subdominant species was Zacco platypus in whole. Stream orders (2-6) increased with increasing species, diversity (H'), evenness (EI), richness (RI), tolerant (TS), omnivore (OS) and decreasing individual, dominance (DI), sensitive (SS) insectivore (IS), total IBI score. Principal component analysis results showed location of variable (species, individual, community index, relative abundance of tolerant, sensitive, omnivore, insectivore species) and each site changes in upstream and down-stream changes in their distribution. Correlation analysis showed significant differences between stream orders (2-6) and variable (species: Sp, diversity index: H', omnivore species: OS, stream depth: SD, stream width: SW and water temperature: WT).

• Korean Journal of Ecology and Environment
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• v.40 no.3
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• pp.403-411
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• 2007

The purpose of the study was to evaluate fish community, based on conventional at Shannon-Weaver diversity index (H'), and ecological health, based on the Index of Biological Integrity (IBI) using fish assemblage in the eight sites of Nakdong River during June${\sim}$August 1999. Total number of species sampled was 19 species, and two sensitive species of Zacco temminckii (51%) and Rhynchocypris oxycephalus (28%) dominated the fish community. Also, trophic guild analyses showed that insectivore was 87% of the total and omnivore was rare, indicating that the ecological health is well maintained in the system. The pattern of spatial variation in the diversity index(H') was very similar to patterns of the species number and individual number, whereas the pattern of H' was not matched with the tolerance and trophic guild data. The diversity index (H') showed highest (1.56) in Site 6 where the proportion of sensitive species and tolerant species was minimum and maximum, respectively, and where the insectivore and omnivore were minimum and maximum. In other words, the diversity index was not matched at all with the trophic and tolerant guilds, indicating that the conventional index did not reflect the ecological characteristics of fish community in the system. In the mean time, the ecological health (IBI) averaged 33.5 (n=8), indicating "good${\sim}$fair condition" and the IBI values matched with trophic and tolerance guilds. Maximum IBI occurred in Site 2 where the sensitive and msectivore species were nearly maximum, and the tolerant and omnivore species were almost minima, indicating that IBI values were closely associated with the ecological functions and health conditions. Overall data suggest that the conventional diversity index may not effective for a evaluation of fish community, and that in contrast the IBI approach may be a useful tool for diagnosis of stream community.

• Korean Journal of Environmental Biology
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• v.37 no.4
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• pp.652-663
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• 2019

The purpose of this study was to conduct ecological health assessments by using the fish communities in the Manchurian trout habitat. Sampling was conducted twice in July and September 2018. In the survey, 1,119 individuals belonging to 16 species and seven families were collected. The dominant species by number was Rhynchocypris kumgangensis and the subdominant species was Zacco koreanus. Korean endemic species represented 73.33% at Geybang Stream and 76.92% at Naerin Stream. Community analysis revealed that the structure of the fish community was unstable by the dominance index 0.63 (±0.09)-0.97 (±0.01), the diversity index 1.63 (±0.23)-0.33 (±0.09), the evenness index 0.79 (±0.06)-0.24 (±0.07) and the richness index 0.67 (±0.14)-1.80(±0.16). According to the analysis of the tolerance guilds, the total individual number of sensitive species was higher than the intermediate and tolerant species. The insectivore species accounted for 65.09-98.56% of the total trophic guilds, which was the highest observed. The value of the QHEI (Qualitative habitat evaluation index) in the Brachymystax lenok tsinlingensis habitat was 119.5 (±0.5)-153.5 (±0.5), indicating an optimal-suboptimal condition. The FAI (Fish assessment index) stream health value was A to B in the study sites. Correlation analysis with FAI and various factors was conducted and a high correlation in QHEI, Brachymystax lenok tsinlingensis individuals, species, individuals, diversity, richness, sensitive species, carnivorous species, insectivorous species, and omnivorous species was found. The similarity analysis was divided into three groups from A to C, based on 56.9%.

• Korean Journal of Environment and Ecology
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• v.32 no.3
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• pp.261-273
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• 2018

This study investigated the characteristics of fish communities in the streams flowing into the Han river in Seoul in May 2016 through April 2017. The investigated streams were Ui stream, Danghyeon stream, Cheonggye stream, Yangjae stream, Mokgam stream, Dorim stream, and Hongje stream, which were restored to their natural form. We collected 41 species of 10 families using skimming nets and cast nets from 21 points during the investigation period. There were 7 Korean endemic species, or 17.1% in collected species, such as Acheilognathus yamatsutae, Acheilognathus gracilis, Scrcocheilichthys nigripinnis morii, Squalidus japonicus coreanus, Zacco koreanus, Coreoperca herzi, and Odontobutis interruta. There were 5 (12.2%) exotic species: Cyprinus carpio (fancy type), Carassius auratus (goldfish), Carassius cuvieri, Lepomis macrochirus, and Micropterus salmoides. The dominant species were Zacco platypus, Carassius auratus, Acheilognathus lanceolatus, Acheilognathus gracilis, and Oryzias sinensis. The Yangjae stream showed more stable fish community than other streams as it showed higher species diversity, and evenness and richness indices. Regarding the fish tolerance guild according to water quality, there were 3 (7.3%) sensitive species, 16 (39.0%) intermediate species, and 22 (56.7%) tolerant species. Twelve (29.3%) were insectivore species, 23 (56.1%) were omnivore species, and 6 (14.6%) were carnivore species, indicating the dominating presence of omnivore fish species.

• Korean Journal of Environment and Ecology
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• v.34 no.4
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• pp.282-293
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• 2020

This study investigated a long-term variation trend of water quality, fish compositions, and ecological health conditions in the Gwanpyeong stream located in the nearby Daejeon metropolitan city to understand the impact of urban development projects on the aquatic ecosystem. The sampling was made in four surveys (2009, 2010, 2016, 2019) before and after urbanization. The urban development was conducted in 2008, resulting in the stream's ecological disturbance, and the stream restoration was conducted in 2012. Thus, stream monitoring was conducted to analyze the ecological trends before and after the restoration. The multi-metric models for Fish Assessment Index(FAI) and necropsy-based Health Assessment Index(HAI) were applied in the fish community and organ-level, respectively, to assess the ecological health of the stream. Minimum turbidity and chlorophyll-a(Chl-a) occurred in the mid-stream(St. 2), and this was probably due to rapid current velocity in the riffle zone. We collected 18 fish species, and the dominant species was Zacco platypus (40.6%). In 2016 immediately after the stream restoration, the relative proportions of sensitive species and insectivore species were the highest along with highest values in the species diversity and species richness index, resulting in the best condition in the ecological health, based on FAI model values. However, the ecological health, based on the FAI, became worse in the latest survey conducted in 2019. The analysis of the HAI model based on the organ-level approach showed skin erosion in the fish of upper stream, kidney defects in downstream, and the liver and gill defects observed in all sites, indicating that the anatomical health was also affected.

• Korean Journal of Environmental Biology
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• v.31 no.4
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• pp.419-428
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• 2013

The objectives of this research were to determine ecological characteristics and chemical gradients in two different loach populations-Misgurnus anguillicaudatus ($M_a$) and Koreocobitis rotundicaudata ($K_r$). Eight chemical parameters were compared to test the chemical preferences between the two species. The population of Kr occurred more in better water quality, compared to the $M_a$-population. The $M_a$-population co-occurred more with tolerant species (TS) and omnivores, whereas the $K_r$-population co-occurred more with sensitive species (SS) and insectivores. The differences in the tolerance and trophic composition matched well with the result of stream health assessment, based on the multi-metric model of Index of Biological Integrity (IBI). The IBI value in habitat with the $M_a$-population was "19.6" (range: 8~40) indicating a fair condition, and the IBI values of $K_r$-population was 29.4 (range: 12~40) indicating good condition. Similar results were found in physical habitat health analysis (QHEI). Overall, data analysis showed that the $M_a$-population belong to the tolerant species and $K_r$-population belong to sensitive species in the tolerance classification.

• Korean Journal of Environmental Biology
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• v.31 no.4
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• pp.478-485
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• 2013

Fish field survey, especially fish distribution and their ecological characteristics, was performed in the downstream region of Gyeongan stream during the period of before (June) and after (October) the summer monsoon in 2010. Depending on the characteristics of each site, fyke net or casting net was used for fish sampling. Feeding classification was determined by the analysis of stomach contents. Total number of family and species sampled were 5 and 17, respectively. The dominant family was Cyprinidae (12 species), and relative abundance (RA) of the most dominant species, Lepomis macrochirus and Zacco platypus, was 38% and 24%, respectively. Exotic species and Korean endemic species observed were 3 (423 individuals, RA 44%) and 4 (98 individuals, RA 10%), respectively. Tolerance guild analysis as characteristics of ecological indicators revealed an undoubtedly high percentage (97%), compared to others as reflected by the identification of just one sensitive species. Analysis of trophic guilds showed that L. macrochirus dominated among insectivores (44% RA). The food of L. macrochirus composed of, aquatic insects, benthic invertebrates, zooplankton, Chironomidae, and waterweed. Thus, we determined that L. macrochirus could be classified as insectivores (partially carnivores) in this study. Conversely, Z. platypus consumed Cladocera exclusively, greater than 90% of their feed. We presume that stable isotope analysis would identify the exact position of these species in the food web.

• Korean Journal of Environmental Biology
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• v.35 no.4
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• pp.684-693
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• 2017

The purpose of this study was to analyze fish communities in the Wonju stream located in Wonju-si in Gangwon-do, and to evaluate the health of the stream through past and present changes. We performed investigations four times from May 2015 to September 2016. In the survey, 5,201 individuals which belonged to 27 species and 9 families were collected. Zacco platypus was the dominant species and Pungtungia herziwas the subdominant species. Eight Korean endemic species (Acanthorhodeus gracilis, Zacco koreanus, Coreoleuciscus splendidus, Squalidus gracilis majimae, Microphysogobio yaluensis, Iksookimia koreensis, Koreocobitis rotundicaudata, Coreoperca herzi) were observed and showed a ratio of 16.54%. The fish community of dominance ($0.72{\pm}0.10$), diversity ($1.37{\pm}0.32$), evenness ($0.61{\pm}0.13$), and richness ($1.70{\pm}0.23$) were evaluated. According to our analysis of tolerance guilds, the total individual number of intermediate species was higher than the sensitive and tolerant species. As a result of the trophic guild analysis,the omnivore and insectivore species were relatively high. The value of the qualitative habitat evaluation index (QHEI) in the wonju stream was averaged 121.2 (${\pm}23.4$), indicating a suboptimal condition. Stream health showed that the fish assessment index (FAI) value was an A to C grade in the Wonju stream. A correlation coefficient analysis with FAI and various factors was analysed statistically, and had a high correlation in QHEI, with the omnivore species, insectivore species, intermediate species, sensitive species, dominance, diversity, evenness, and richness.