• Animal cells and systems
• /
• v.16 no.4
• /
• pp.329-336
• /
• 2012

This study evaluated ecological health, using various biomarkers and bioindicators, of pale chub (Zacco platypus) as a sentinel species, in Daejeon Stream, South Korea, during AprilMay 2011. The biomarkers and bioindicators were compared among three sites of control: Reference ($C_z$), transition ($T_z$), and the urban zones ($U_z$); and the 7-Ethoxyresorufin-O-deethylase (EROD) activity, DNA damage, acetylcholinesterase (AChE) activity, and vitellogenin (VTG) concentrations were more significantly increased in the $U_z$ than in the $C_z$. Also, physiological markers such as condition factor, liver somatic index, visceral somatic index, and gonad somatic index were significantly increased in the $U_z$ than in the $C_z$. For the health assessments, three categorized parameters of blood chemistry, molecular biomarkers, and physiological bioindicators were standardized and calculated as a star-plot, representing values of Integrated Health Response (IHR). Values of IHR had more significant (P<0.05) increases in the $U_z$ than any other zones, indicating an impairment of ecological health by organic matter, nutrients (N, P), and toxic chemicals. This study is based on low levels of biological organization approach of molecular and physiological biomarkers and bioindicators, so further study of high-levels of biological organization approach such as community and population is required for overall range of health assessments. The approach of IHR values, however, may be useful in providing early warning of future impacts on ecological health.

• Journal of Environmental Policy
• /
• v.1 no.1
• /
• pp.91-110
• /
• 2002

Ecosystem health assessment is an emerging concept regarded as a useful diagnostic tool for evaluating ecosystems. The stability of ecosystem is the main theme in the assessment. Generally, two components - resilience and resistance - are involved in the mechanism of ecosystem stability. In this study, relative degrees of the resistance and the resilience were quantified for most aquatic Insects Inhabiting running waters in Korea. A total of 34 groups were newly categorized based on previous studies, and a conceptual model has been produced. The model was applied for the aquatic insect communities inhabiting different streams and demonstrated that each stream ecosystem possessed different degrees of stability. This study also indicated that it was possible to compare stabilities of different ecosystems using relative degrees of resilience and resistance. Using the conceptual model, suitable conservation and management strategies could be recommended in ecological assessments. The model can be used as a stepping-stone for developing more comprehensive methodology that objectively diagnoses and evaluates the ecosystem stability.

• Journal of Ecology and Environment
• /
• v.38 no.3
• /
• pp.307-318
• /
• 2015

The objectives of this study were to identify multi-level stressors from blood biomarkers to community-level bioindicators and diagnose the stream ecosystem health in polluted streams. Blood chemistry such as total protein ($T_{Pro}$), blood urea nitrogen ($B_{UN}$), total cholesterol ($T_{Cho}$) and $A_{lb}$umin ($A_{lb}$) were analyzed from sentinel fish tissues; the functions of kidney, gill and liver were significantly decreased in the impacted zone ($I_z$), compared to the control zone ($C_z$). Histopathological analysis showed that fish liver tissues were normal in the $C_z$. Fish liver tissues in the $I_z$, however, showed large cell necrosis and degeneration and also had moderate lobular inflammation and inflammatory cell infiltration of lymphocytic histocytes. Species biotic index (SBI) at species level and stream health assessment (SHA) at community level indicated that chemical impacts were evident in the $I_z$ (ecological health; poor - very poor), and this was matched with the blood tissue analysis and histopathological analysis. The impairments of the streams were supported by water chemistry analysis (nitrogen, phosphorus). Tolerance guild analysis and trophic guild analysis of fish were showed significant differences (P < 0.01) between $C_z$ and $I_z$. Overall, multiple parameter analysis from biomarker level (blood tissues) to bioindicator level (community health) showed significantly greater impacts in the $I_z$ than $C_z$. This approach may be effective as a monitoring tool in identifying the multilateral and forthcoming problems related to chemical pollution and habitat degradation of stream ecosystems.

• Safety and Health at Work
• /
• v.1 no.1
• /
• pp.19-28
• /
• 2010

Industrial Safety and Health Law (ISH Law) of Japan requires abnormalities identified in evaluations of worker health and working environments are reported to occupational physicians, and employers are advised of measures to ensure appropriate accommodations in working environments and work procedures. Since the 1980s, notions of a risk assessment and occupational safety and health management system were expected to further prevent industrial accidents. In 2005, ISH Law stipulated workplace risk assessment using the wording "employers shall endeavor." Following the amendment, multiple documents and guidelines for risk assessment for different work procedures were developed. They require ISH Laws to be implemented fully and workplaces to plan and execute measures to reduce risks, ranking them from those addressing potential hazards to those requiring workers to wear protective articles. A governmental survey in 2005 found the performance of risk assessment was 20.4% and common reasons for not implementing risk assessments were lack of adequate personnel or knowledge. ISH Law specifies criminal penalties for both individuals and organizations. Moreover, under the Labor Contract Law promulgated in 2007, employers are obliged to make reasonable efforts to ensure employee health for foreseeable and avoidable risks. Therefore, enterprises neglecting even the non-binding provisions of guidelines are likely to suffer significant business impact if judged to be responsible for industrial accidents or occupational disease. To promote risk assessment, we must strengthen technical, financial, and physical support from public-service organizations, encourage the dissemination of good practices to reduce risks, and consider additional employer incentives, including relaxed mandatory regulations.

• Korean Journal of Environmental Biology
• /
• v.37 no.1
• /
• pp.8-18
• /
• 2019

The objectives of this study were to analyze the influence of chemical water quality on fish guilds, pollution tolerance and the multi-metric ecological health, based on the Fish Assessment Index (FAI) in the main stream of Mangyeong River between 2009-2016. The quality of water with specific conductivity, TP, and $NH_4-N$ got worse dramatically in the down region. During the study, a total of 50 species were collected and the most dominant species was Zacco platypus. Also known as tolerant species, accounted 22.9% of the total abundances, thus indicating a trophic degradation. The downstream region (S5) had the highest number of fish external abnormalities, indicating a degradation of ecological health, based on the fish assemblages. Pearson correlation analysis indicated that relative abundance of tolerant fish species and omnivore fish species had a significant positive correlation(r>0.30, p<0.05) with values of BOD, conductivity and $NH_4-N$. Whereas, the relative abundance of the sensitive species and insectivore species had a significant negative relations (r<-0.30, p<0.001) with the parameters. The mean obtained from the multi-metric fish model, based on the FAI of all sites was 47 (n=40). This indicated a "fair condition" in the ecological health, and the downstream regions (S3-S5) were judged as "bad condition", indicating an influence of the chemical degradation on the ecological health.

• Korean Journal of Environmental Biology
• /
• v.40 no.3
• /
• pp.307-315
• /
• 2022

In terms of habitat conservation, it is essential to develop a habitat assessment system that can evaluate not only the suitability of the current habitat, but also the health and stability of the habitat. This study aimed to develop a methodology of habitat quality assessment for endangered species by analyzing various existing habitat assessment methods. The habitat quality assessment consisted of selecting targeted species, planning of assessment, selecting targeted sites, assessing performance, calculating grade, and expert verification. Target sites were selected separately from core and potential habitats using a species distribution model or habitat suitability index. Habitat assessment factors were classified into ecological characteristic, landscape characteristic, and species-habitat characteristic. Ecological characteristic consisted of thirteen factors related to health of tree, vegetation, and soil. Landscape characteristic consisted of five factors related to fragment and connectivity of habitat. Species-habitat characteristic consisted of factors for evaluating habitat suitability depending on target species. Since meanings are different depending on characteristics, habitat quality assessment of this study could be used by classifying results for each characteristic according to various assessment purposes, such as designation of alternative habitats, assessment of restoration project, and protected area valuation for endangered species. Forest habitat quality assessment is expected to play an important role in conservation acts of endangered species in the future through continuous supplementation of this system in regard to quantitative assessment criteria and weighting for each factor with an influence.

• Korean Journal of Ecology and Environment
• /
• v.39 no.1 s.115
• /
• pp.62-72
• /
• 2006

Biological health in aquatic environments has been assessed by several approaches using various bio-taxa. Especially, fish has been identified as one of the best ecological indicators for an integrative health assessments in aquatic environments. In this preliminary study, the necropsy-based approach using the Health Assessment Index (Adams et al., 1993; HAI, Blazer, 2000), was employed for the assessments of aquatic environments influenced by effluent water from wastewater disposal plants (WDP) near a urban stream (i.e., Cap-Stream). For the impact analysis from the effluents, we developed 10 metric necropsy-based model including $M_l\;skin,\;M_2\;fin,\;M_3\;thymus,\;M_4\;spleen,\;M_5\;hindgut,\;M_6\;kidney,\;M_7\;liver.\;M_8\;eyes,\;M_9\;gill,\;and\;M_{10}$ pseudobranch. We set up duplicate controls (natural upstream water plus 5 fishes in each control tank) and duplicate treatments (effluent water from the WDP plus 5 fishes in each treatment tank) in the laboratory. Preliminary results showed that HAI values in the controls were zero, indicating an excellent condition by the criteria of HAI, while the HAI values in the treatments ranged between 40 and 150, indicating a poor condition. Also, various health conditions, based on the index of biological integrity (IBI), species richness, tolerance guilds, and trophic guilds supported the HAI approach. The HAI approach, not applied in Korea, not may be used as an surrogate fer ecological health assessment in lotic ecosystems.

• Korean Journal of Ecology and Environment
• /
• v.43 no.1
• /
• pp.24-34
• /
• 2010

This study was carried out to analyze some influences on ecological health conditions, threaten by various stressors such as physical, chemical and biological parameters. We collected samples in 2008 from three zones of upstream, midstream and downstream, Gap Stream. We applied multi-metric fish assessment index (MFAI), based on biotic integrity model to the three zones along with habitat evaluations based on Qualitative Habitat Evaluation Index (QHEI). We also examined fish fauna and compositions, and analyzed relations with MFAI values, QHEI values, and various guild types. Chemical parameters such as oragnic matter (BOD, COD), nutrients (TP, $NH_3$-N), coli-form number (as MPN), and suspended solids (SS) were analyzed to identify the relationship among multiple stressor effects. Using the sentinel species of Zacco platypus, the population structures and condition factors were analyzed along with DNA damages related with genotoxicant effects by comet assay. This study using all these parameters showed that stream condition was degraded along the longitudinal gradient from upstream to downstream, and the downstream, especially, was impacted by nutrient enrichment and toxicant exposure from the point source, wastewater treatment plant. Overall results indicated that our approaches applying various parameters may be used as a cause-effect technique in the stream health assessments and also used as a pre-warning tool for diagnosis of ecological degradation.

• Journal of Environmental Impact Assessment
• /
• v.21 no.5
• /
• pp.631-648
• /
• 2012

The integrative ecological approaches of chemical assessments, physical habitat modelling, and multi-metric biological health modelling were applied to Gwanpyeong Stream within Gap-Stream watersheds to evaluate environmental impacts on the constructions of residential and commercial complex. For the analysis, the surveys conducted from 45 sites of reference streams within the Gap-Stream watershed and 3 regular sites during 2009 - 2010. Physical habitat health, based on the habitat model of Qualitative Habitat Evaluation Index(QHEI) declined from the headwaters(good - fair condition) to the downstream(poor condition). Chemical water quality, based turbidity and electric conductivity(EC), was degraded toward to the downstream, and especially showed abrupt increases, compared to the values of control streams(CS). Also, concentrations of chlorophyll-a in the downstreams were greater compared to the control stream(CS), indicating an eutrophication. Biological health conditions, based on the Index of Biological Integrity(IBI) using fish assemblages, averaged 19.3 which is judged as a fair condition by the biological criteria of the Ministry of Environment, Korea. The comparisons of model metric values in sensitive species and riffle-benthic species on the Maximum Species Richness Line(MSRL) of 45 reference streams indicated a massive disturbances in all sampling locations. Also, tolerance guild and trophic guild analyses suggest that dominances of tolerant species and omnivores were evident, indicating a biological degradation by habitat disturbances and organic matter pollutions. There was no distinct longitudinal variations of IBI model values from the headwater to the downstream in spite of slight chemical and habitat health gradients among the sampling sites. Overall, integrative ecological health(IEH) scores, based on the chemical, physical, and biological parameters, were low compared to the 45 reference streams due to physical and chemical disturbances of massive constructions of the residential and commercial complex. This stream, thus showed a tendency of typical urban streams which are disturbed in the chemical water quality, habitat structures, and biological integrity. Effective stream management plans and restoration strategies are required in this urban stream for improving integrative stream health.

• Journal of Korean Society on Water Environment
• /
• v.22 no.5
• /
• pp.768-783
• /
• 2006

Biological stream environment assessment has been an essential trend of aquatic ecosystems among advanced countries, because the chemical water quality assessment has limitations that only represent temporal water environmental status. Benthic macroinvertebrates are the most popular bioindicator group useful to biological water quality assessment for a long time. In addition, a number of indices using benthic macroinvertebrates have recently been developed not only for water quality assessment but also for ecological health assessment. In this paper Korean Saprobic Index (KSI) based on Zelinka-Marvan's saprobic valency concept is developed by applying DIN 38410 in Germany. The KSI value was widely applicable to most Korean streams with the exception of sand-based large streams, for example main stream of Nakdong River. But as a result of non-linear regression analysis the correlation between KSI and $BOD_5$ concentration was high and KSI reflected water quality alteration for mid and long-term period. In spite of applicability of KSI, it should be supplemented and developed to make it strong by accumulating field data as well as to manage integrated water environment in general through continuous biomonitoring.