• Journal of Microbiology
• /
• v.45 no.2
• /
• pp.98-104
• /
• 2007

Chlorophyll ${\alpha}$ concentration and cyanobacterial cell density are regularly employed as dual criteria for determinations of the alert level for cyanobacterial bloom. However, chlorophyll ${\alpha}$ is not confined only to the cyanobacteria, but is found universally in eukaryotic algae. Furthermore, the determination of cyanobacterial cell counts is notoriously difficult, and is unduly dependent on individual variation and trained skill. A cyanobacteria-specific parameter other than the cell count or chlorophyll ${\alpha}$ concentration is, accordingly, required in order to improve the present cyanobacterial bloom alert system. Phycocyanin has been shown to exhibit a strong correlation with a variety of bloom-related factors. This may allow for the current alert system criteria to be replaced by a three-stage alert system based on phycocyanin concentrations of 0.1, 30, and $700\;{\mu}g/L$. This would also be advantageous in that it would become far more simple to conduct measurements without the need for expensive equipment, thereby enabling the monitoring of entire lakes more precisely and frequently. Thus, an alert system with superior predictive ability based on highthroughput phycocyanin measurements appears feasible.

• Journal of Korean Society on Water Environment
• /
• v.27 no.4
• /
• pp.491-498
• /
• 2011

We investigated the ranges of total cellular microcystins content of cyanobacterial blooms collected in Korean lakes and rivers from 2005 to 2009. The amount and composition of microcystins of Korean cyanobacteria varied depending on the sampling water bodies and dominant cyanobacterial genera. Toxic cyanobacterial cell numbers equivalent to $1{\mu}g$ MCYSTs/L using total cellular microcystin content of Korean cyanobacteria were in the range of 2,348 to 66,980,638 cells/mL. Only four samples among forty nine samples showed less cell numbers than current criterion of Harmful Algae Alert System, 5,000 cells/mL indicating current criterion do not reflect properly the microcystins content of Korean cyanobacteria. Anabaena and Aphanizomenon spp. showed three to six times higher cell numbers equivalent to $1{\mu}g$ MCYSTs/L than Microcystis spp. To propose criteria of Harmful Algae Alert System for Korean toxic cyanobacteria, we calculated about 50% selective geometrical means of cyanobacterial cell numbers equivalent to $1{\mu}g$ MCYSTs/L in order of toxic content. The proposed criteria for Microcystis, Oscillatoria, Anabaena, and Aphanizomenon spp., are 10,000, 20,000, 40,000, and 80,000 cells/mL, respectively.

• Korean Journal of Ecology and Environment
• /
• v.49 no.4
• /
• pp.258-270
• /
• 2016

This study was conducted to test the green-tide mitigation technique in the lower part of the Sook Stream (Chusori) of Daecheong Reservoir from June 27 to August 24, 2014. And the effects were compared with weekly monitoring result of the watching station of the algae alert system (AAS) as well as test beds reach. The green-tide in a test bed was begun from the upstream, and it was gradually transferred and spread toward the downstream by the hydrological factors. The total amount of algae removed by algae removal device during the test period was 33,920 kg, and solids dewatered by natural gravity was 8,480 kg. Also chlorophyll-a content was 2.83 kg, the number of blue-green algae cells was equivalent to $78.6{\times}10^{14}$ cells. Compared with the results of the watching station of AAS, the pre-concentrate removal work in the outbreak waters was able to suggest the possibility of green-tide mitigation. In addition, an effective management of the green-tide was required spatial and temporal occurrence information and practical device technology. Particularly, the optimal timing of algae removal in the river-reservoir hybrid system was recommended at times before the monsoon rainy season and reached the lowest water level.

• Journal of the Korea Organic Resources Recycling Association
• /
• v.21 no.3
• /
• pp.93-98
• /
• 2013

Main causes of algal bloom was studied in Paldang reservoir. Statistical approach was tried using meteorological and water quality data. Algae alert system showed that more than ten days were counted in a year, once it happened in Paldang reservoir. Alert dates increased in recent 5 years. Correlation coefficients between chlorophyll-a and other indexes did not showed strong relations resulting in coefficients less than 0.4. Among them, sunshine duration, BOD, and flow rate were appeared relatively main causes of algal blooming. Sunshine duration and BOD showed positive relation while flow rate did negative one, which is resonable for photosynthetic microorganisms. Water temperature and total phosphorus, which were presumed probable main causes before study, resulted in low correlation coefficients. Correlation coefficients between discharge flow and rainfall, water temperature showed positive relation due to seasonal effect.

• Journal of Korea Water Resources Association
• /
• v.56 no.6
• /
• pp.373-380
• /
• 2023

Due to abnormal climate phenomena and climate change in Korea, overgrowth of algae in rivers and reservoirs occurs frequently. Algae in rivers are classified into green algae, blue-green algae, diatom, and other types, and some species of blue-green algae cause problems due to odor and the discharge of toxic substances. In Korea, an algae alert system is in place, and it is issued based on the number of harmful blue-green algae cells. Thus, measuring harmful blue-green algal blooms is very important, and currently, the analysis method of algae involves taking field samples and determining the cell count of green algae, blue-green algae, and diatoms through algal microscopy, which takes a lot of time. Recently, the analysis of algae concentration through Phycocyanin, an alternative indicator for the number of harmful algae cells, has been conducted through remote sensing. However, research on the analysis of the number of blue-green algae cells is currently insufficient. In this study, we water samples for algal analyses were collected from river and counted the number of blue-green algae cells using algae microscopy. We also obtained the Phycocyanin concentration using an optical sensor and acquired algae spectra through a hyperspectral sensor. Based on this, we calculated the equation for estimating blue-green algae cell counts and estimated the number of blue-green algae cells.

• Journal of Korean Society on Water Environment
• /
• v.39 no.1
• /
• pp.20-29
• /
• 2023

This study analyzed the relationship between harmful cyanobacterial abundance and environmental factors in order to figure out the causes of the recent increase of cyanobacteria in Lake Dukdong from 2019 to 2021. Lake Dukdong, which is used as a drinking water source for Gyeongju City, has an algae alert system in place. Lake Dukdong has maintained good water quality, but algae alert level 1 (over 1,000 cells/mL) has been issued in recent years. As a result of Pearson correlation analysis (from May to Oct.), the cell density of Microcystis and Aphanizomenon, which form part of the most harmful cyanobacteria genus, were significantly positively correlated with the water temperature and water storage volume. T-test was performed to compare the data from 2016-2018 and 2019-2021 (from May to Oct.). The average density of harmful cyanobacteria cells increased about six-fold from 54 to 344 cells/mL. There were significant differences in water temperature, pH, total nitrogen (TN), total phosphorus (TP), TN/TP ratio, water storage volume, and cyanobacterial cell density. Water temperature increased from 19.2 to 22.8 ℃. TP concentration increased from 0.017 to 0.028 mg/L. The main cause of the recent increase of harmful cyanobacteria in Lake Dukdong is thought to be the increase in water temperature, TP concentration, and water storage volume from 2019 and 2021, resulting in more favorable conditions for cyanobacterial growth.

• Korean Journal of Ecology and Environment
• /
• v.49 no.3
• /
• pp.153-175
• /
• 2016

Daecheong Reservoir has suffered eutrophication and water-blooms by blue-green algae from initial impoundment, and algae alert system (AAS) was introduced in 1997. The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of rainfall and hydrological factors in increase or decrease variability of green-tide and prolonged AAS, studied and analyzed the current situation of AAS has been operating for 19 years (1997~2015) in Daecheong Reservoir. The total issued number of AAS was 46 times, the most frequent period in August and September were 22 times (752 days) and 16 times (431 days), respectively, it accounted for 82.6%. Many number and frequency during this period were significantly associated with rainfall, various discharge and water level. Rainfall and hydrological events are associated with the rainy season of monsoon-Changma and the typhoon, it was concentrated in June~September, total rainfall in this period accounted for 69.9% of the annual rainfall. An increase in inflows was dependent on the intensity, frequency and the amount of rainfall. Accounted for 68.4% of the total annual inflow, it was a time when the most rapidly changing hydrological variability in the reservoir. The total outflow was closely related to rainfall, and compared the distinctive characteristics of hydropower generation and watergate-spillway discharge. In addition, the upreservoir zone of Daecheong Reservoir could be vulnerable to green-tide by regulating discharge of the upstream dam. The issue of AAS was strongly related to the with and without of watergate-spillway discharge. The watergate-spillway discharge had a total of 25 times, it was maximum 17 days from July to September in the year. And the opening times and each duration of the watergate were 1~4 times and the range of 3~37 days, respectively. When the watergate opened, the issue of AAS was maintained to 13 years and the movement of water bodies and green-tide was great about five times than that of non-open, had a profound effect on prolonged AAS within reservoir. In Daecheong Reservoir, Chusori (CHU) area of the So-ok Stream was still showing serious symptoms green-tide levels in the summer, but Janggye (JAN) waters of the main reservoir was pointed out that more important. AAS will be operated by an absolutely consider the rainfall and hydrological effects around the watergate-spillway discharge. The measures of green-tide will be included in the limnological studies more suited to the characteristics of the watershed and reservoir of the our country. Finally, from now on, we will prepare the systematic management and guidelines for vulnerable zone water-blooms that are the source within the reservoir before the monsoon rather than waiting for the arrival of green-tide on the operating stations of AAS.

• Korean Journal of Ecology and Environment
• /
• v.50 no.3
• /
• pp.337-354
• /
• 2017

Cyanobacteria Aphanizomenon population is widely distributed in the world, and well known as harmful algae by producing toxins and off-flavor materials, thus belonging to one of the taxa that became more interested in the field of limnoecology. In this study, the frequency, intensity, and duration of Aphanizomenon occurrence were increased with the abnormal drawdown of water level in the winter in Boryeong Reservoir, and the spatial and temporal characteristics of them are compared with each other in the perspective of hydrometeorology (1998 to 2017) and limnology (2010 to 2017). In Korea, Aphanizomenon flourished mainly in high temperature, and the appearance in the low temperature was rare in total five times. The harmful cyanobacteria Aphanizomenon was observed in the low temperature (December to February) in Boryeong Reservoir from 2014, and then reached a maximum value of $2,160cells\;mL^{-1}$ in January 2017. In addition, the period exceeding $1,000cells\;mL^{-1}$ at this time was more than 3 months. This was simultaneously associated with abnormal water level fluctuation in the low temperature ($<10^{\circ}C$). The large drawdown of water level in the winter season has the potential to promote or amplify the germination and development of harmful algae. Also, subsequent water quality and ecological impacts(e.g., algal toxins and off-flavor substances) need to be considered carefully.

• Journal of Wetlands Research
• /
• v.25 no.4
• /
• pp.267-273
• /
• 2023

Algae are an important component of the ecosystem. However, the excessive growth of cyanobacteria has various harmful effects on river environments, and diatoms affect the management of water supply processes. Algal monitoring is essential for sustainable and efficient algae management. In this study, an object detection model was developed that detects and classifies images of four types of harmful cyanobacteria used for the criteria of the algae alert system, and one diatom, Synedra sp.. You Only Look Once(YOLO) v8, the latest version of the YOLO model, was used for the development of the model. The mean average precision (mAP) of the base model was analyzed as 64.4. Five models were created to increase the diversity of the input images used for model training by performing rotation, magnification, and reduction of original images. Changes in model performance were compared according to the composition of the input images. As a result of the analysis, the model that applied rotation, magnification, and reduction showed the best performance with mAP 86.5. The mAP of the model that only used image rotation, combined rotation and magnification, and combined image rotation and reduction were analyzed as 85.3, 82.3, and 83.8, respectively.