• Journal of Environmental Impact Assessment
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• v.23 no.2
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• pp.137-149
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• 2014

The purpose of this study is to investigate the dynamics of the Zacco platypus population among streams in the Gongjicheon water system, Korea from December 2010 to October 2011. In this study, fish fauna was collected 27 Species belonged to 9 Families. The legal protection species, such as a natural monument and endangered species was not collected. Korean endemic species was collected 6 species including to Z. koreanus. The ratio of Korean endemic species was 22.6%, and it was lower than 51.3% that average of Korean endemic species in the Hangang water system. About these status, we considered that Gongjicheon water system had lost of the unique characteristics of the Hangang water system by the anthropogenic disturbances. The result of analysis to length-weight relationship and condition factor(K) of Z. platypus population in the Gongjicheon water system, the regression coefficient value(b) to indication of growth degree of the population was 3.04 and the slope of the condition factor(K) to indication of corpulency had positive value, respectively. These results seems to be that the Z. platypus population is maintained to a little unstably. In addition, the values of the degree of growth and corpulence were very low than the other natural streams in the Hangang water system, so it considered that the many artificially stress factors are occurred in this study area. These results are similar to Fish Assessment Index(FAI) in the assessment for health of aquatic ecosystem. Therefore, we are considered to require precise investigation and sustained monitoring for the restorations of stream ecosystem in the Gongjicheon water system.

• Korean Journal of Ecology and Environment
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• v.49 no.3
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• pp.187-196
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• 2016

This study was performed to improve the foaming generated in the effluent of wastewater treatment plant from March 2015 to July 2016. The main cause of foaming was air entrainment by an impinging jet and the internal accumulation by the diffusion barrier. Particularly, the foam growth was most active when there is low tide and larger discharge. To solve this problem, we experimented after installing fine mesh screen and the artificial channel device with underwater discharging outlet in the treated wastewater discharge channel and the outlet, respectively. As a result, the effects of foam reduction by devices ranged 85.0~92.0% and 70.7~85.6%, respectively. In addition, the foam and the noise were easily solved, first of all look to contribute to the prevention of complaints. Our device studies were applied to a single wastewater treatment plant. However, it is considered to be able to apply in other similar cases of domestic sewage treatment plants.

• Korean Journal of Ecology and Environment
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• v.49 no.4
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• pp.320-333
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• 2016

This study was carried out to elucidate the development of unprecedented water-bloom caused by a single species of colonial green algae Eudorina elegans in the upstream area of the Seungchon weir located in the Yeongsan River from late April to May 2013. The Yeongsan River is typically regulated system and the waterbody is seriously enriched by both external and internal sources of nutrients. Seasonal algal outbreaks were highly probable due to various potential factors, such as the excessive nutrients contained in treated wastewater, slow current, high irradiation and temperature, in diatom (winter), green algae (spring) and bluegreen algae (summer). Spring green-tide was attributed to E. elegans with level up to $1,000mg\;m^{-3}$(>$50{\times}10^4cells\;mL^{-1}$). The bloom was exploded in the initial period of the algal development and after then gradually diminished with transporting to the downstream by the intermittent rainfall, resulting in rapid expansion of the distribution range. Although the pulsed-flows by the weir manipulation was applied to control algal bloom, they were not the countermeasures to solve the underlying problem, but rather there still was a remaining problem related to the impact of pulsed-flows on the downstream. The green-tide of E. elegans in this particular region of the Yeongsan River revealed the blooming characteristics of a colonial motile microalga, and fate of vanishing away by the succeeding episodic events of mesoscale rainfall. We believe that the results of the present study contribute to limno-ecological understanding of the green-tide caused by blue-green algae in the four major rivers, Korea.

• Korean Journal of Ecology and Environment
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• v.53 no.4
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• pp.324-330
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• 2020

Ozone (O₃) is a general disinfectant to remove micro-pollutants in water treatment system. Previous studies have reported effect of ozone to bacteria and pathogens removal, but its effect to the relatively large organisms has little known. In this study, we investigated potential effects of ozone toxicity to the non-bite midge larvae (Glyptotendipes tokunagai) with accumulate mortality, coloration change and expression of heat shock protein 70 (HSP70). The accumulate mortality rate of G. tokunagai increased in a dose-time dependent manner and the highest mortality rate was observed to 75% at 30 minute of exposure duration with 2.0 ppm of ozone concentration. Exposure to ozone was a factor increasing body color of the larvae. The tendency of HSP70 mRNA expression showed up-regulation in ozone exposure at 20 minute. After that time, the expression of HSP70 in exposed group decreased to a similar level of control group. Our results clearly showed that ozone toxicity affects physical and molecular activity of G. tokunagai, implying the potential hazardous of ozone in the aquatic ecosystem including macroinvertebrates.

• Korean Journal of Ecology and Environment
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• v.41 no.3
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• pp.283-293
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• 2008

The objectives of the study were firstly to provide fundamental data for establishment of total maximum daily load (TMDL) management in Ulsan City, and secondly to make practical application of stream health assessment with tolerance range by each species when physiochemical and fish investigations were carried out together. A total of 44 sites in Taehwa River, Hoiya River, Dong Stream, and Cheongryang Stream were selected to monitor water qualities seasonally and fish investigation was performed in August 2006. Among the parameters of water quality, biological oxygen demand (BOD) and dissolved oxygen (DO) related to respiration, total nitrogen (T-N) and total phosphorus (T-P) related to nutrient and eutrophication, and total suspended solids (TSS) and $NH_4$-N were compared with vertical box plot by 8 dominant species. According to the fish investigation, 12 families 33 species were found including endangered species (Pungitius kaibarae) and introduced species (Lepomis macrochirus, Micropterus salmoides), and appearance rate of Korean endemic species was greater in Taehwa River (29.2%) than others. As the results of tolerance range by species, Zacco koreanus, Rhynchocypris oxycephalus, Iksookimia longicorpa, and Squalidus gracilis majimae had limited low range by water quality parameters indicating preference of good water quality. Whereas, Carassius auratus and Pseudorasbora parva were found downstream and urban-streams which were exposed from frequent inflow of pollutants. It concludes that the results help distinguishing sensitive, intermediate, and tolerant species when we evaluate stream health assessment with fish, and further making practical application for conservation and restoration of aquatic ecosystem.

• Korean Journal of Ecology and Environment
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• v.50 no.1
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• pp.96-115
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• 2017

Understanding effects of thermal pollution and acidification has long been a concern of aquatic ecologists, but it remains largely unknown in Korea. This study was performed to elucidate the effects of thermal wastewater effluent (TWE) and acid rain on water quality and attached algae in a small mountain stream, the Buso Stream, a tributary located in the Hantan River basin. A total of five study sites were selected in the upstream area including the inflowing point of hot-spring wastewater (HSW), one upstream site (BSU), and three sites below thermal effluent merged into the stream (1 m, 10 m and 300 m for BSD1, BSD2, and BSD3, respectively). Field surveys and laboratory analyses were carried out every month from December 2015 to September 2016. Water temperature ranged $1.7{\sim}28.8^{\circ}C$ with a mean of $15.0^{\circ}C$ among all sites. Due to the effect of thermal effluent, water temperature at HSW site was sustained at high level during the study period from $17.5^{\circ}C$ (January) to $28.8^{\circ}C$ (September) with a mean of $24.2{\pm}3.7^{\circ}C$, which was significantly higher than other sites. Thermal wastewater effluent also brought in high concentration of nutrients(N, P). The effect of TWE was particularly apparent during dry season and low temperature period (December~March). Temperature effect of TWE did not last toward downstream, while nutrient effect seemed to maintain in longer distance. pH ranged 5.1~8.4 with a mean of 6.9 among all sites during the study period. The pH decrease was attributed to seasonal acid rain and snow fall, and their effects was identified by acidophilic diatoms dominated mainly by Eunotia pectinalis and Tabellaria flocculosa during March and August. These findings indicated that water quality and periphyton assemblages in the upstream region of Buso Stream were affected by thermal pollution, eutrophication, and acidification, and their confounding effects were seasonally variable.

• Korean Journal of Environment and Ecology
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• v.37 no.2
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• pp.151-162
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• 2023

This study investigated the characteristics of fish communities and inhabiting status of the endangered species, Rhodeus pseudosericeus, in the Geumdang Stream in Korea from March to October 2021. A total of 1,698 fish in 5 families and 25 species were collected from 7 survey stations during the survey period. The dominant species was Zacco platypus (relative abundance, 46.5%), and the subdominant species was Squalidus gracilis majimae (16.7%), followed by Rhynchocypris oxycephalus (12.0%), Z. koreanus (5.7%), Pungtungia herzi (3.2%), R. pseudosericeus (2.0%), R. notatus (1.9%), and Acheilognathus rhombeus (1.8%). Nine Korean endemic species (36.0%) were collected, including R. pseudosericeus, R. uyekii, Sarcocheilichthys variegatus wakiyae, Microphysogobio yaluensis, S. gracilis majimae, Z. koreanus, Cobitis nalbanti, Iksookimia koreensis, and Odontobutis interrupta. An exotic species, Micropterus salmoides, designated as an invasive alien species (IAS), was collected downstream. The investigation of the habitat patterns of the endangered species (class II), Rhodeus pseudosericeus, showed a habitat range of about 6 to 7 km in the middle of Geumdang Stream (RP-1 to RP-4), and this species inhabited the edge with water depths of 0.3 through 1.0 m with slow water flow and many aquatic plants. According to the community analysis results, the overall dominance and evenness indexes were low, while diversity and richness indexes were high, and the cluster structure was largely divided into upstream and middle-downstream areas. The river health (fish assessment index) evaluated using fish was assessed as good (3 stations), normal (3 stations), and bad (1 station), and water quality was evaluated as good both upstream and downstream. Compared to previous studies, the number of species was relatively similar, and among the species that appeared in the past, 13 species did not appear in this survey, while 6 species appeared for the first time in this survey. Disturbance factors included river construction, many weirs, and the appearance of the ecosystem-disturbing species, M. salmoides. Since Geumdang Strem has high conservation value because it is home to many species in the Acheilognathinae subfamily, including the endangered species R. pseudosericeus, continuous attention and systematic conservation measures are required.

• Korean Journal of Ichthyology
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• v.34 no.3
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• pp.160-171
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• 2022

This study investigated the characteristics of fish communities, habitat characteristics and the age of Lefua costata in the Jusucheon of Gangneung-si, Korea from January to December 2013. The survey collected 23 species belonging to ten families from 6 survey stations. The dominant and subdominant species were Zacco koreanus (relative abundance, 22.1%) and Rhynchocypris steindachneri (20.1%), respectively. The next most abundant species were Tridentiger brevispinis (10.7%), Orthrias nudus (9.7%), Zacco platypus (8.6%), Lefua costata (7.9%), Iksookimia koreensis (6.0%) and Pungitius sinensis (3.0%). Among the fish species collected, one species, P. sinensis, was class II endangered wildlife by the Ministry of Environment, and four species (Z. koreanus, I. koreensis, Silurus microdorsalis and Cottus koreanus), were endemic to Korea. Additionally, five migration fish species (Tribolodon hakonensis, Hypomesus nipponensis, Gasterosteus aculeatus, Oncorhynchus keta and Plecoglossus altivelis) were collected. The similarity index based on species composition and numbers separated fish communites in the Jusucheon according to main section, i.e., uppermost(St. 1), upper (St. 2~4), middle (St. 5), lower (St. 6). Ecosystem health of Jusucheon Stream (fish assessement index) evaluated using fish was assessed as very good (5 stations) and good (1 station). The main inhabit of L. costata was the middle-lower stream of aquatic plants habitats with mud bottoms, very slow water velocity and water depth 40~80 cm. The age groups for L. costata (female) estimated by the frequency distribution of total length in the spawning season (May) indicated that the 24~37 mm is 1-year old, the 38~51 mm group is 2-year old, the 52~63 mm is 3-year old, 64~77 mm is 4-year old and the 80~91 mm is more than 5-year old. Finally, characteristics of fish communities, habitat characteristics and the age of Lefua costata in the Jusucheon was discussed.

• Korean Journal of Ecology and Environment
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• v.55 no.1
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• pp.84-98
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• 2022

Estuary is important in terms of biodiversity because it has the characteristics of transition waters, created by the mixing of fresh- and seawater. The estuarine water circulation provides a variety of habitats with different environments by inducing gradients in the chemical and physical environment, such as water quality and river bed structure, which are ultimately the main factors influencing biological community composition. If the water circulation is interrupted, the loss of brackish areas and the interception of migration of biological communities will lead to changes in the spatial distribution of biodiversity. In this study, among the sites covered by the Estuary Aquatic Ecosystem Health Assessment, we selected study sites where changes in biodiversity can be assessed by spatial gradient from the upper reaches of the river to the lower estuarine area. The α-, γ- and β-diversity of diatom, benthic macroinvertebrates, and fish communities were calculated, and they were divided into open and closed estuary data and compared to determine the trends in biodiversity variation due to estuarine circulation. As results, all communities showed higher γ-diversity at open estuary sites. The benthic macroinvertebrate community showed a clear difference between open and closed estuaries in β-diversity, consequently the estuarine transects were considered as a factor that decreases spatial heterogeneity of their diversity among sites. The biodiversity trends analyzed in this study will be used to identify estuaries with low γ- and β-diversity by community, providing a useful resource for further mornitoring and management to maintain estuarine health.

• Korean Journal of Ecology and Environment
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• v.45 no.3
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• pp.271-277
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• 2012

The present study was conducted to assess the suitability of domestic natural waters as a Daphnia magna culture medium. In order to assess survival rate and reproductive output, young female daphnids (parent animals), aged less than 24 hours at the start of the test and produced in the Elendt M4 medium, were exposed to Elendt M4 medium, de-chlorinated tap water, and natural mineral water for 21 days. D. magna cultured in Elendt M4 medium (reference medium) and natural mineral water met the criteria of OECD No. 211, Daphnia magna Reproduction Test Guidelines in terms of percent adult survival, first day of reproduction, and average young production. However, the mortalities of adult daphnids observed in de-chlorinated tap water were more than 20% in two reproduction tests for 21 days. Mortality was observed on exposure days 13, 15, and 18 in de-chlorinated water. The use of D. magna is recommended in water of hardness >80 mg $CaCO_3\;L^{-1}$. However, the hardness of de-chlorinated tap water used in the present study was 50~53 mg $CaCO_3\;L^{-1}$. Therefore, it is judged that the delayed mortalities observed in de-chlorinated tap water were caused by a rapid decreased in hardness when the medium was changed from Elendt M4 to de-chlorinated tap water. When D. magna is cultured using domestic natural waters (underground water, surface water, and de-chlorinated water), the quality-control (QC) data should be maintained through a standardization for health assessment method, toxicity test method using reference chemical, test intervals of reference toxicant toxicity test, and data treatment and interpretation. In the long term, national research programs are needed for the development of test species which are representative of domestic aquatic environmental conditions among indigenous daphnids.