• Korean Journal of Ecology and Environment
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• v.54 no.2
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• pp.87-95
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• 2021

Macroinvertebrates in forest streams affect the overall health of other streams in the same water system. In this study, we compared differences in the benthic macroinvertebrate community at two headwater streams located at different latitudes in the southern and northern parts of South Korea. We calculated the community temperature index (CTI), which represents the thermal preferences of the benthic communities. Hierarchical cluster analyses (HCA) were conducted to compare the similarities among sampling sites. In addition, we analyzed the relationship between community composition and environmental and community characteristics using non-metric multidimensional scaling (NMDS). Our results showed that CTI was significantly different between the two regions, indicating that these benthic macroinvertebrate communities have different thermal preferences. These two regions were clearly distinguished from each other in the HCA; furthermore, seasonal differences in benthic community composition were observed within each region. The functional feeding groups present in the benthic macroinvertebrate communities were different even though their habitat was similar.

• Korean Journal of Environment and Ecology
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• v.31 no.6
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• pp.508-519
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• 2017

There have been many studies on monitoring of biodiversity changes and preservation of Gwangneung Forest Biosphere Reserve (GFBR) in South Korea in recognition of the rare ecosystem that has been preserved for a long period. However, there are few studies on diversity and community characteristics of benthic macroinvertebrates as an indicator of stream health of GFBR. The purpose of this study was to assess the water quality of Bongseonsa Stream that penetrated through Gwangneung Forest and the nearby torrents by analyzing the benthic macroinvertebrates community during April to September 2016. The investigation collected a total of 114 species of benthic macroinvertebrates belonging to 56 families, 17 orders, 8 classes, and 5 phyla from the Bongseonsa Stream and Kwangneung Stream. Ephemeroptera and Trichoptera were the largest groups in species diversity with 30 species (32.3%) and 16 species (17.2%), respectively, and Tubificidae sp., Baetis fuscatus, Antocha KUa, and Cheumatopsyche brevilineata, which usually habit in contaminated streams, appeared frequently. Among the feeding function groups, the gatherers and hunters appeared relatively frequently, and the shredders and scrapers appeared frequently in the torrents. Among the habitat oriented groups, the clingers and burrower appeared more frequently and represented the microhabitats in the shallow areas. The result of the analysis of benthic macroinvertebrates community showed that the dominant index was $0.48{\pm}0.10$ in average while it was lowest with 0.33 in GS 8 of the Gwangneung Forest torrent and highest in BS 1 of Bongseonsa Stream. The diversity and richness indices were inversely proportional to the dominant index and were 2.53 and 4.22, respectively, in GS 8 where the dominant index was low. The result of the analysis of community stability showed that area I, which had high resistance and restoration, was high in Bongseonsa Stream while the area III, which had low resistance and restoration, was high in Gwangneung Forest, indicating that the water system in Gwangneung Forest had a wider distribution of specifies sensitive to agitation. The biological water quality assessment showed ESB of $50.88{\pm}17.69$, KSI of $1.11{\pm}0.57$, and BMI of $78.55{\pm}11.05$. GS 8 of Gwangneung Forest torrent was judged to be the highest priority protective water area with the best water environment and I class water quality with ESB of 63, KSI of 0.55, and BMI of 89.9. On the contrary, BS 1 of Bongseonsa Stream was judged to be the high priority improvement area that had the lowest water quality rating of III with ESB of 25, KSI of 2.13, and BMI of 62.7. Although the diversity of water beetle was higher in the water system of nearby Bongseonsa Stream than the water system inside the Gwangneung Forest, the annual community structure appeared to have distinct differences.

• Korean Journal of Environment and Ecology
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• v.30 no.3
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• pp.353-368
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• 2016

This study surveyed the diversity and distributional characteristics of benthic macroinvertebrates and freshwater fish during the period from April to October, 2015 in Seonun Mountain Provincial Park. As a result, a total of 78 species of benthic macroinvertebrates belonging to 50 families, 16 orders, and four phyla were observed in Seonun stream; additionally, 25 species of freshwater fish belonging to six families were identified in all the investigated sites. Among benthic macroinvertebrates, Ephemeroptera(13 spp.: 22.81%) was the largest group in terms of species richness. In the FFGs, gathering-collectors(30 spp.: 36.14%) were relatively larger as represented by Ephemeroptera that usually inhabit fast flowing streams. In the HOGs, clingers(23 spp.: 29.49%) and burrowers(17 spp.: 21.79%) were the dominant groups. For both EPT ratio and ESB index, site 8 appeared to be the highest with 44.44% and 72 marks respectively, while the sites 4 and 9 showed relatively lower rates and indices. According to the results of evaluation, site 8 needs to be designated as the highest protection area while the sites 4 and 9 may be designated as target areas for preferential improvement. According to the analysis of fish community, the dominant species was Zacco teminchkii(333 inds.: 36.80%), and the dominant index was the lowest(0.24) and diversity index was the highest(1.81) at site 8, which therefore represents a stable freshwater fish community. In this survey, six Korean endemic species were identified: Ephemera separigata, Neoperla coreensis, Rhodeus uyekii, Squalidus gracilis majimae, Microphysogobio yaluensis, and Iksookimia koreensis. Also, three species belonging to the management of exportable group(Davidius lunatus, E. separigara, N. coreenis) were observed. Two habitat specific species: Thraulus grandis and Anguilla marmorata, were found for the first time in Gochang area and marked on the Korean distribution map through discussion.

• Korean Journal of Ichthyology
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• v.30 no.1
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• pp.27-35
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• 2018

The activity period and feeding ecology of the Iksookimia yongdokensis were investigated to obtain baseline data for its ecological characteristics in the Chuksan Stream and Gokgang Stream, Gyeongsangbuk-do, Korea from 2015 to 2016. I. yongdokensis were active on cobble, pebble and sand bottom from March to November when the water temperature exceeded $10^{\circ}C$, but tended to overwinter in cobble and pebble during the winter months (December~February) when the water temperature was lower than $10^{\circ}C$. During the day from 9 am to 15 pm, individuals of I. yongdokensis were highly active with a high rate of food consumption. I. yongdokensis activley fed on the surface of stone, pebble and sand as a filter feeder. Their main food sources analyzed with an index of relative importance (IRI) include Chironomidae (54.7%), Branchiopoda (10.1%), Rotatoria (8.7%), Arcellidae (8.6%), Chlorophyceae (6.5%) and Bacillariophyceae (5.1%). Juveniles of I. yongdokensis (total length 20~39 mm) fed on small-sized preys such as Rotatoria, Branchiopoda and Arcellidae, but they exhibited a transition in their prey-size markedly dominated by large-sized preys such as Chironomidae and Ephemeroptera as they grow.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.19 no.12
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• pp.1758-1763
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• 2009

Biological assessments of benthic macroinvertebrates community structure were carried out in ten reservoir inflow and outflow areas of the Nakdong river system from April 2008 to August 2008. The collected benthic macroinvertebrates from the surveyed sites were 9,427.6 inds./$m^2$, 42 species belonging to 29 families and 16 orders. A dominant species was Chironomus sp. and a subdominant species was Ecdyonurus levis. In the all sites, Ephemeroptera had the most number of species (17.81%) and Diptera had the most number of individuals (64.00%). Dominance, species diversity, species richness, and species evenness indexes were 0.68, 2.42, 2.96 and 0.54, respectively. The numbers of benthic macroinvertebrates species in each surveyed site were from 21 (site 9 Jilnal wetland) to 51 (site 2 Yeongcheon reservoir). As a result of an analysis about relative resistance and resilience of stability factors, the most popular group was group I with high indices in both resistance and resilience. Site 7 (Beongae wetland) and site 8 (Jangcheok reservoir) had the highest similarity in the result of cluster analysis using the surveyed benthic macroinvertebrates.

• Journal of Wetlands Research
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• v.19 no.2
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• pp.252-258
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• 2017

To determine the effects of small dam on benthic macro-invertebrate community, benthic macro-invertebrates were surveyed with both quantitative and qualitative collecting methods from 4 sites at a terraced interval (3.02 small dams per 100 m) and from 5 sites at a non-terraced interval (0.96 small dams per 100 m) in upper reach of Dorim stream, Seoul. The average water flow rate was higher at the non-terraced interval (0.149 m/s) than at the terraced interval (0.043 m/s). Diptera, which prefer slow water flow or lentic habitats, appeared more abundantly in the terraced interval (78.3%) than in the non-terraced interval (32.0%)(p<.05). Ephemeroptera, which prefer fast water flow or lotic habitats, appeared more abundantly in the non-terraced interval (14.1%) than in the terraced interval (4.5%)(p=.203). There was a difference in species distribution of Trichoptera in terraced and non-terraced intervals depending on preferred environment. In the terraced interval, the occupancy ratio of gathering-collector was 1.8 times higher than in the non-terraced interval (p<.05). In contrast, filtering-collector appeared to be about 4.4 times higher rate in the terraced interval (p=.124). The evenness indexes (J′) were found to be 0.41 and 0.77, respectively in terraced area and non-terraced intervals. KSI, evaluating biological water quality, showed an average of 4.0 and 2.4 respectively in terraced and non-terraced intervals. EPT/C index, indicating the balance of the community, showed an average of 0.1 and 0.7 respectively in terraced and non-terraced intervals. It suggests that we should make small dams in order to maintain biodiversity of benthic macro-invertebrates.

• Korean Journal of Ecology and Environment
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• v.53 no.1
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• pp.31-45
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• 2020

The biological indices based on the community structure with species richness and/or abundance are commonly used to assess aquatic ecosystem health. Meanwhile, recently functional traits-based approach is considered in ecosystem health assessment to reflect ecosystem functioning. In this study, we developed a database of biological traits for 136 taxa consisting of major stream insects (Ephemeroptera, Plecoptera, Trichoptera, Coleoptera, and Odonata) collected at Korean streams on the nationwide scale. In addition, we obtained environmental variables in five categories (geography, climate, land use, hydrology and physicochemistry) measured at each sampling site. We evaluated the relationships between community indices based on taxonomic diversity and functional diversity estimated from biological traits. We classified sampling sites based on similarities of their environmental variables and evaluated relations between clusters of sampling sites and diversity indices and biological traits. Our results showed that functional diversity was highly correlated with Shannon diversity index and species richness. The six clusters of sampling sites defined by a hierarchical cluster analysis reflected differences of their environmental variables. Samples in cluster 1 were mostly from high altitude areas, whereas samples in cluster 6 were from lowland areas. Non-metric multidimensional scaling (NMDS) displayed similar patterns with cluster analysis and presented variation of taxonomic diversity and functional diversity. Based on NMDS and community-weighted mean trait value matrix, species in clusters 1-3 displayed the resistance strategy in the life history strategy to the environmental variables whereas species in clusters 4-6 presented the resilience strategy. These results suggest that functional diversity can complement the biological monitoring assessment based on taxonomic diversity and can be used as biological monitoring assessment tool reflecting changes of ecosystem functioning responding to environmental changes.

• Korean Journal of Environmental Biology
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• v.36 no.3
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• pp.400-411
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• 2018

This study was a survey of the Wonju stream in Wonju city from May 2015 to September 2016. A total of three sites were selected from the upstream area Gwanseol-dong to the downstream area Hojeo-myeon. Physicochemical analysis, aquatic insect changes, cluster analysis, functional group analysis, rarefaction curve, and statistical analysis were compared between 2004 and 2016. A total of 19 species (38.78%) in 2004 and 22 species (36.67%) in 2016 were analyzed, with the largest number belonging to ephemeroptera. The individual ratio ranged from 27,759.2 (ind. $m^{-2}$, 84.30%) in 2004 to 4,573.2 (ind. $m^{-2}$, 41.64%) in 2016, with the highest number involving diptera. As a result of the community analysis, significant differences were detected in the indices of dominance, diversity, evenness, and richness in 2004 and 2016 (p<0.05). Burrowers of the habitat orientation groups showed the greatest variation with an average of -68.00% (${\pm}2.15$) and the collector-gatherers of the functional feeding groups showed the highest variation of -40.12% (${\pm}1.77$). The rarefaction curve analysis suggested that the species was the poorest in the midstream regions in 2004 and 2016. Physical factors and water quality showed a significant correlation with diversity index, evenness index, and the number of individuals. MDS analysis of the similarity of upstream and downstream regions was high in 2004, and low in 2016. The differences were attributed to physicochemical changes such as increase in flow velocity due to improvement of small dams and changes in bottom structure.

• Journal of Korean Society of Forest Science
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• v.101 no.3
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• pp.454-460
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• 2012

This study was conducted for determining the influence of Sediment Control Dam dredging on benthic macroinvertebrate communities in mountain stream of Gyeongsangbuk-do. The sediment control dams were surveyed before and after dredging from mountain streams of Yecheon, Yeongju and Bonghwa in Northern part of Gyeongsangbuk-do. Sampling was taken at upper and down from 3 experimental sites and 2 control sites during May to August 2011. The identified species before dredging were 56 belonged to 31 families, 11 orders, 6 classes and 4 phyla, but after dredging it has decreased to 51 species belonged to 27 families, 10 orders, 5 classes and 4 phyla. The microhabitat damage of benthic macroinvertebrates occurred at experimental sites after dredging of sediment control dams led to reduction of the number of species and individuals. Especially, upper stream of experimental sites showed the reduction of an average of 38% species. In general, species diversity indices and species richness indices decreased after dredging; however, dominance indices increased at experimental sites. In the upper stream of experimental sites, the microhabitat damaged and became pool due to dredging. Also, velocity of flow decreased and the river bed became simply due to the sedimentary matter being finer than sand and silt. As a result, composition of functional feeding groups and functional feeding groups were relatively simpler at upper stream and the degree of community differences was greater between upper and down stream. Also, Chironomidae spp., Ephemeridae spp., and Gomphidae spp. to prefer where slow velocity of flow and lentic increased in a greater rate, and the EPT/C index to indicate the balance of the community decreased.

• Korean Journal of Ecology and Environment
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• v.45 no.1
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• pp.72-81
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• 2012

We investigated the effects of acid mine drainage (AMD) from abandoned coal mines on benthic macroinvertebrate communities in the upper reaches of the Nakdong River from May to October in 2009. Qualitative and quantitative sampling (Surber sampler: $50{\times}50$ cm; mesh size, 0.2 mm) was conducted at 7 study sites and 3 control sites in the study area. We thus sampled 117 species belonging to 53 families, 15 orders, 6 classes, and 5 phyla; the Ephemeroptera, Plecoptera, and Trichoptera group (EPT-group) represented the majority of the benthic macroinvertebrate community (71 species; 64.5%). In the quantitative sampling, a total of 11,575 individuals belonging to 58 species of benthic maroinvertebrates were sampled from the study sites (Sites 1-7), whereas 2,844 individuals belonging to 79 species were sampled from the control sites (Sites A-C). Tolerant species such as oligochaetes, $Epeorus$ $pellucidus$, $Baetis$ $fuscatus$, Hydropsychidae species, and Chironomidae species were predominant in the study sites. The community indices for the study sites, such as MacNaughton's dominance index (DI) (mean${\pm}$SD, $0.52{\pm}0.21$; range, 0.33-0.85) and the Shannon diversity index ($H^{\prime}$) ($2.06{\pm}0.60$; 1.06-2.57), were different from those for the control sites (DI: $0.29{\pm}0.07$, 0.22-0.35; $H^{\prime}$: $3.13{\pm}0.14$; 3.03-3.30). In the study sites, shredders and scrapers were scarce, whereas gathering-collectors (mainly Chironomidae species) were relatively abundant, as were clingers and burrowers. The detrended correspondence analysis (DCA) and similarity analyses showed that benthic macroinvertebrate communities in the study sites were clearly separated from those of the control sites, with the greatest dissimilarity being noted at the uppermost study site (Site 1), which is located close to an abandoned coal mine. The Korean saprobic index (KSI) and the ecological score using benthic macroinvertebrates (ESB) showed that the uppermost study site (Site 1) was ${\alpha}$-mesosaprobic or heavily polluted, whereas other study sites were in a fair or relatively good condition.