• Journal of the Korean Society for Marine Environment & Energy
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• v.19 no.4
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• pp.297-309
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• 2016

This study was carried out to investigate the differences in sedimentary environments and benthic polychaete communities between farming grounds and natural habitats (non-farming ground) in Gamak Bay. Sampling stations of natural habitats were evenly distributed in the entire bay. And mussel farm, oyster farm and ark-shell farm were selected as farming grounds. Dominant sedimentary facies was mud in most sampling stations of farming grounds and natural habitats. However organic contents were higher in the farming grounds than natural habitats of the bay. The species number and mean density of polychaetous community in the natural habitats were greater than those from the farming grounds. Lumbrineris longifolia, known as potential organic enrichment indicator species, was first dominant species both in farming grounds and natural habitats of the bay. However, the next dominant species consisted of different species between two benthic habitats. As a result of community analysis using cluster analysis and nMDS, the natural habitats were divided into several station groups, but most of stations in farming grounds were clustered into one group. Pearson' correlation analysis and PCA showed high relationships between sedimentary environmental factors and benthic polychaetous community in natural habitats, but low or no relationships in farming grounds. That means benthic polychaetous community established in farming ground was under unusual condition such as high input of organic matter. Thus it is necessary to improve the benthic environmental quality of the farming grounds as well as the north-western inner part in Gamak Bay through long-term monitoring efforts.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Marine Environment & Safety
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• v.29 no.7
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• pp.779-793
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• 2023

Intensive and long-term aquaculture activities in Korea have generated considerable amounts of organic matter, deteriorating the sedimentary environment and ecosystem. The Korean government enacted the Fishery Management Act to preserve and manage the environment of fish farms. Based on this, a fisheries environment assessment has been conducted on fish cage farms since 2014, necessitating the development of a scientific and objective evaluation method suitable for the domestic environment. Therefore, a benthic health index (BHI) was developed using the relationship between benthic polychaete communities and organic matter, a major source of pollution in fish farms. In this study, the development process and calculation method of the BHI have been introduced. The BHI was calculated by classifying 225 species of polychaetes appearing in domestic coastal and aquaculture areas into four groups by linking the concentration gradient of the total organic carbon in the sediment and the distributional characteristics of each species and assigning differential weights to each group. Using BHI, the benthic fauna communities were assigned to one of the four ecological classes (Grade 1: Normal, Grade 2: Slightly polluted, Grade 3: Moderately polluted, and Grade 4: Heavily polluted). The application of the developed index in the field enabled effective evaluation of the Korean environment, being relatively more accurate and less affected by the season compared with the existing evaluation methods like the diversity index or AZTI's Marine Biotic Index developed overseas. In addition, using BHI will be useful in the environmental management of fish farms, as the environment can be graded in quantified figures.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Marine Environment & Safety
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• v.23 no.6
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• pp.699-709
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• 2017

We measured the grain size, total organic carbon (TOC), total nitrogen (TN), and heavy metals (As, Cd, Cr, Cu, Fe, Hg, Mn, Pb, and Zn) in order to understand the spatial distribution and pollution level of organic matter and metals in surface sediment around Goseong Bay, a shellfish farming area, Korea. The surface sediments were composed of finer sediments such as mud and clay. The concentration of TOC, TN, and heavy metals were much higher in the innermost bay than in the mouth and outside of bay. The spatial distribution of organic matter and heavy metals and C/N ratio (5-10) in sediment showed that the organic matter and heavy metals in sediment of the study region were significantly influenced by oceanic origin organic matter and anthropogenic sources, respectively. Based on the results of four assessment techniques (sediment quality guideline, geoaccumulation index, pollution load index, ecological risk index), the sediments around the Goseong Bay were a little polluted for heavy metals and the high metal concentrations in the northern region of bay could adverse impact on benthic organisms in sediment. Thus, the systematic management plan for the improvement of water and sediment environment and the concentrated monitoring of pollutants for sustainable aquaculture and seafood safety around Goseong Bay are necessary in the future.

• Journal of Marine Life Science
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• v.8 no.2
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• pp.121-127
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• 2023

The study was performed in order to understand the association between organic matter content in the sediments and the distribution of macrobenthos in the intertidal zone of the Muan bay. The sediment samples obtained from 21 sampling sites in August 2019 were analyzed for sediment composition and organic matter content (Ignition loss; IL and Total organic carbon; TOC). Further the macro benthos was sorted and enumerated. The sediments of inner area of bay has coarser composition where mouth part of bay, the sediments were predominantly silty. The highest organic matter content (both of IL and TOC) was measured at station 10 located near the Mokpo area while the lowest values was measured at station 20 adjacent to the north side of the bay. The 4 most abundant species accounted for more than 10% of all specimens were Assiminea sp., Musculista senhousia, Cerithideopsilla cingulate and Heteromastus filiformis. The maximum number of species and density were observed at station 10. Cluster analysis and non-metric multidimensional scaling (MDS) allow identification of four benthic assemblages based on species abundance. The correlation analysis revealed that there was a significant difference (p<0.05) in the density with TOC. Based on the analysis; it was found that the distribution of macrobenthos varied with the differences in sediment composition and organic matter content.

• Journal of the Korean Society for Marine Environment & Energy
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• v.4 no.4
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• pp.3-11
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• 2001

To know the seawater infiltration into tidal flat sediment in coastal area is very important, because it is significantly correlated with the infiltration and transportation of pollutants in soil, the supply of dissolved oxygen, nutrients and organic matter to benthic organisms for survival of benthic organisms and the seawater purification. So, we set up purpose to clarify the infiltration behavior of seawater by wave action in tidal flat, to clear the effects of slope of tidal flat and breaking wave height on seawater infiltration and to quantify the infiltration volume of seawater. For purpose, the seawater infiltration was studied with visualization method by using coloring tracer and transparent glass beads replaced as natural sediment in model tidal flat. Specific conclusions derived from this study are as follows. The semi-circular type infiltration of seawater by wave action into saturated sediment was a new infiltration behavior that was not considered in previous studies. The infiltration rate of seawater was increased with increasing of breaking wave height and slope of tidal flat. However, the effects of the slope was bigger than that of breaking wave height on seawater infiltration into tidal flat sediments. It was possible to calculate the infiltration volume of seawater by wave action in natural tidal flat sediment and in fields. Therefore, we can point out that wave action play an important role in the supply of dissolved oxygen, nutrients and organic matter to benthic organisms, transportation or diffusion of pollutants and seawater purification. So, we hope to be studied the supply of food to benthic organism, pollutant transport and seawater purification on the base of these results.

• Journal of Korean Society on Water Environment
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• v.21 no.4
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• pp.368-378
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• 2005

Inorganic matters originated from stone quarries and manufacturing plants could alter the ecological characteristics of adjacent aquatic systems, especially the structure and function of benthic macroinvertebrate community. In such situation, the locality of stone quarry and the quantity of inorganic matters would be important factors that determined the disturbing strength to the benthic macroinvertebrate community. Locality patterns of stone quarries were classified into 3 types in relation to the stream ecosystem; stream-proximity, upstream-inclusion and tributary-inclusion type. In the result of species:abundance analysis, stone quarry B (upstream-inclusion type) showed geometric distribution, while others showed broken-stick distribution pattern. The benthic macroinvertebrate communities closer to stone quarries showed smaller species numbers and standing crops among all types of stone quarries. However the values of species evenness index were not seriously different between controls and directly affected sites. These results indicated that the effect of inorganic disturbance would differ from those of organic pollution that induced the highly dominant state occupied by tolerant species. Number of occurred species, standing crops, community indices and biotic indices indicated that the community of upstream-inclusion type was the most seriously damaged from the inorganic disturbance, and the community would be very simple and unstable. Tributary-inclusion stone quarry heavily damaged to tributary system in biologically, but influence to the main stream seemed to be depended on the scale of main stream. Among 3 types of stone quarry localities, stream-proximity type induced the least damages to benthic macroinvertebrate community, though the degrees of damage were different along with distances between stream and stone quarry.

• Korean Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences
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• v.48 no.4
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• pp.542-554
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• 2015

Grain size, the content of ignition loss (IL), and the concentrations of chemical oxygen demand (COD), acid volatile sulfide (AVS), and trace metals (Fe, Mn, Cu, Pb, Zn, Cd, Cr, As, and Hg) in surface sediments from the Taehwa River estuary, Ulsan, were measured to evaluate pollution levels and potential ecological risks of organic matter and trace metals in estuarine sediment. The mean grain size (Mz) of sediments in the study region ranged from $-0.8-7.7{\varphi}$ (mean $2.8{\pm}2.4{\varphi}$). Surface sediments in the upstream region of the Taehwa River were mainly composed of coarse sediments compared to the downstream region. The concentrations of IL, COD, AVS and trace metals in the sediment were much higher at downstream sites of Myeongchon Bridge in the vicinity of industrial complexes than at upstream sites of those in the vicinity of the residential areas due to the anthropogenic input of organic matter and trace metals by industrial activities. On the basis of several geochemical assessment techniques [sediment quality guidelines (SQGs), enrichment factor (EF), geoaccumulation index ($I_{geo}$), pollution load index (PLI) and ecological risk index (ERI)], the surfaces sediments in the study region are not highly polluted for trace metals, except for As. However, the higher concentrations in downstream study regions of the Taehwa River could impact benthic organisms including shellfish (i.e. Manila clam) in sediments.

• Korean Journal of Environment and Ecology
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• v.29 no.3
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• pp.421-430
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• 2015

This study was carried out to understand the ecological variations of macrobenthos communities by construction dikes in the subtidal zone of Chonsu Bay. This study analyzed the distribution of benthos, the dominant species, spatial and temporal changes of benthos communities and benthic pollutions in the subtidal zone of Chonsu Bay. A total of 252 species of subtidal macrobenthos with a density of $681ind./m^2$ were studied. In all the seasons, the species diversity was found to be higher near the mouth of the bay. For all the seasons of the year, Lumbrineris japonica was found to be the most dominant species. These dominant species were found to have positive correlations with species diversity and sedimentary parameters such as organic content in sediments. Dominant species of benthos as well as species composition and diversity showed spatial and temporal distribution patterns.Benthic Pollution Index (BPI) values estimated for the stations near the embankment were in the 4~5 levels, which indicates that the organic matter has been polluted. And as for the stations near the mouth of the bay, the BPI values were in the 1~3 levels, which indicates that the organic matter has been relatively less polluted. According to the SAB-curve analysis, the number of transitional point stations became less in the mouth of the bay.

• Korean Journal of Ecology and Environment
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• v.35 no.4 s.100
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• pp.295-305
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• 2002

Benthic macro- invertebrates were collected in a 200 m reach located in the $3^{rd}$ order Yangjae Stream, a tributary of the Han River, Seoul, from April 1996 to March 1998. Although species richness was relatively low due to organic pollution, community abundance patterns appeared to be different depending upon location of the sampling sites. At the sample sites in the straight zone with high water velocity and large substrates, species richness was high and species relatively less-tolerant to organic pollution was additionally present. At the sample sites in the pool zone with lower velocity and high sedimentation, species richness was low and a few tolerant species to organic pollution were abundantly collected. The principle component analysis indicated that some sample sites in the straight zone appeared to be related to water velocity and shear velocity, and associated with diverse taxa less tolerant to organic pollution. Additionally the sample site transplanted with large substrates was associated wit]h hydraulic characters such as substrate diversity and roughness, and was related to species indicating partial recovery of water. The sample sites located at the pool zone tended to be associated with organic matter that had sedimented on to the substrates and the taxa tolerant to organic pollution, including Oligochaeta and Chironomus.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Marine Environment & Safety
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• v.26 no.4
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• pp.392-402
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• 2020

We investigated the concentrations of acid volatile sulfide (AVS), ignition loss (IL), total organic carbon (TOC), total nitrogen (TN), and metallic elements (As, Cd, Cr, Cu, Fe, Hg, Mn, Pb, and Zn), in August 2015, to determine the spatial distribution and pollution status of organic matter and metals in the surface sediment of Jinju Bay, a spraying shellfish farming area, Korea. The concentrations of organic matter and metallic elements were significantly higher in the southern part of the bay than in the mouth and center of the bay. The C/N ratio (5.7~8.0) in the sediment represents the dominance of organic matter of oceanic origin in the surface sediment of the study area. The concentrations of AVS, TOC, and metals (As, Cd, Cr, Cu, Hg, Pb, and Zn) were much lower than the values of the sediment quality guidelines applied in Korea. Based on the results of the pollution load index (PLI) and ecological risk index (ERI), the metal concentrations in the surface sediment of Jinju Bay have a weakly negative ecological effect on benthic organisms although the sediments with high metal pollution status are distributed in the southern parts of the bay, with high dense shellfish farming areas. Thus, the surface sediments in Jinju Bay are not polluted with organic matter and are slightly polluted with metallic elements.