• Title/Summary/Keyword: Ecological integrity

Search Result 111, Processing Time 0.024 seconds

Distributions of Endangered Fish Species and Their Relations to Chemical Water Quality-Ecological Stream Health in Geum-River Watershed (금강 대권역 대표 멸종위기 담수어류의 분포 특성 및 이화학적 수질-하천 생태건강도와의 관계분석)

  • Lee, Sang-Jae;An, Kwang Guk
    • Korean Journal of Environment and Ecology
    • /
    • v.30 no.6
    • /
    • pp.986-995
    • /
    • 2016
  • The objective of this study was to analyze the distribution of endangered fish species and elucidate their relations on chemical water quality, physical habitat conditions and ecological stream health. The dominant species in the watershed was Pseudopungtungia nigra (Pn), Gobiobotia macrocephala (Gm), Gobiobotia brevibarba (Gb), Liobagrus obesus (Lo), and Iksookimia choii (Ic) in the order. The species of Pn designated as "critical endangered species (I) (CER)", was most widely distributed species among the endangered species, so the designation of the species should be re-evaluated. The endangered species was most popular (4 species, 384 individuals) in the Cho-River region of eighteen lotic regions. According to the analysis of chemical tolerance limits in the habitats with endangered fish species, biological oxygen demand (BOD) and total phosphorus (TP) was analyzed as "very good" (Ia) and "good condition" in the chemical criteria of the Ministry of Environment, Korea. Also, chemical conditions, based on ammonia-N ($NH_{4+}$), total nitrogen (TN), phosphate-P ($PO_{4^-}P$) were much better in the habitat with endangered species (Hw) than the habitat without endangered species (Ho). In the meantime, the species of Ic showed wide ranges on the chemical tolerance, so physical habitat conditions, such as the size of substrate particles (sand) and hydrological regime, were considered as more important factors than the chemical water quality, if the water quality is not largely degraded. The endangered species were also more distributed in the high-order (4-6) streams than the low-order (1-3) streams. The evaluation of ecological stream health, based on multi-metric model of the Index of Biological Integrity (IBI), showed the large difference between the Hw (21.6, fair condition)and Ho (30.5, good condition), indicating that the habitat maintained well chemically and physically had higher distributions of endangered species. Overall, the designation of CER on the Pn should be re-evaluated due to wide-distributions, and the protections from water pollution and the habitat conservations on the endangered species are necessary in the watershed.

Ecological Health Assessments on Turbidwater in the Downstream After a Construction of Yongdam Dam (용담댐 건설후 하류부 하천 생태계의 탁수영향 평가)

  • Kim, Ja-Hyun;Seo, Jin-Won;Na, Young-Eun;An, Kwang-Guk
    • Korean Journal of Ecology and Environment
    • /
    • v.40 no.1
    • /
    • pp.130-142
    • /
    • 2007
  • This study was to examine impacts of turbid water on fish community in the downstream of Yongdam Dam during the period from June to October 2006. For the research, we selected six sampling sites in the field: two sites were controls with no influences of turbid water from the dam and other remaining four sites were the stations for an assessment of potential turbid effects. We evaluated integrative health conditions throughout applications of various models such as necropsy-based fish health assessment model (FHA), Index of Biological Integrity (IBI) using fish assemblages, and Qualitative Habitat Evaluation Index (QHEI). Laboratory tests on fish exposure under 400 NTU were performed to find out impact of turbid water using scanning electron microscope (SEM). Results showed that fine solid particles were clogging in the gill in the treatments, while particles were not found in the control. This results indicate that when inorganic turbidity increases abruptedly, fish may have a mechanical abrasion or respiratory blocking. The stream health condition, based on the IBI values, ranged between 38 and 48 (average: 42), indicating a "excellent" or "good" condition after the criteria of US EPA (1993). In the mean time, physical habitat condition, based on the QHEI, ranged 97 to 187 (average 154), indicating a "suboptimal condition". These biological outcomes were compared with chemical dataset: IBI values were more correlated (r=0.526, p<0.05, n=18) with QHEI rather than chemical water quality, based on turbidity (r=0.260, p>0.05, n=18). Analysis of the FHA showed that the individual health indicated "excellent condition", while QHEI showed no habitat disturbances (especially bottom substrate and embeddeness), food-web, and spawning place. Consequently, we concluded that the ecological health in downstream of Yongdam Dam was not impacted by the turbid water.

Total Mercury Contents in the Tissues of Zacco platypus and Ecological Health Assessments in Association with Stream Habitat Characteristics (하천 서식지 특성에 따른 피라미(Zacco platypus)의 총수은 함량 및 생태 건강성 분석)

  • Lee, Eui-Haeng;Yoon, Sang-Hun;Lee, Jae-Hoon;An, Kwang-Guk
    • Korean Journal of Ecology and Environment
    • /
    • v.41 no.2
    • /
    • pp.188-197
    • /
    • 2008
  • This research was a preliminary case study to determine the levels of total mercury in the tissues of sentinel species (Zacco platypus) and ecological health in relation to habitat characteristics and chemical conditions. We collected fishes in Gap Stream during June$\sim$October 2007 and analyzed the total mercury from five types of tissues such as liver, kidney, gill, vertebrae and muscle of Zaceo platypus using Direct Mercury Analyzer (DMA-80, US EPA Method 7473). Mean concentrations of total [Hg], based on all tissues, was 67.2 and $20.7\;{\mu}g\;kg^{-1}$, in the upstream and downstream site, respectively, indicating 3 times greater level in the upstream. In other words, the levels were higher in the pristine upstream than the downstream influenced by the wastewater disposal plant. Chemical water quality, based on BOD, COD and nutrients (TN, TP) showed that severe degradation occurred in the downstreams than the upstreams. Index of Biological Integrity (IBI) using fish multi-metric model averaged 32, indicating a "good$\sim$fair" condition and varied from 42 (excellent$\sim$good) at S2 to 22 (fair$\sim$poor) at S5 depending on the sites sampled. Qualitative Habitat Evaluation Index (QHEI) in the all sites averaged 142, which was judged as "good" habitat health, but showed a high variation (181 in Site 2 vs. 67 in Site 5). Overall data suggest that health conditions, based on IBI and QHEI, was better in the upstream sites but the mercury bioaccumulation levels in the fish tissues were opposite. We believe that measurements of various parameters are required for a diagnosis of integrative ecosystem health.

A Development of Multi-metric Approach for Ecological Health Assessments in Lentic Ecosystems (정수 생태계 건강성 평가를 위한 다변수 메트릭 모델 개발)

  • An, Kwang-Guk;Han, Jung-Ho
    • Korean Journal of Ecology and Environment
    • /
    • v.40 no.1
    • /
    • pp.72-81
    • /
    • 2007
  • The purpose of this study was to develop a multi-metric Lentic Ecosystem Health Assessment (LEHA) model and apply model to dataset sampled from Daechung Reservoir in September 2005. The metrics were composed of 11 parameters such as physical, chemical and biological variables. The metric attributes of $M_1{\sim}M_8$ followed after the model of biological integrity using fish assemblages that previously adapted in lotic ecosystems, while the metrics of $M_9{\sim}M_{11}$ were added on the basis of literature. The metric of $M_9$ reflected habitat conditions in the littoral zone and the metric of $M_{10}$ reflected chemical conditions of the reservoir. For the application of regression analysis of long-transformed conductivity [$Log_{10}$(Cond)] against $COD_{Mn}$, based on 150 sampling sites at Korean reservoirs, showed that the variation of conductivity was explained 77.4% [$COD_{Mn}=4.42{\times}Log_{10}(Cond)-5.43;\;R^2=0.774$, p<0.01, n=150] by the variation of $COD_{Mn}$. The metric of $M_{11}$ was based on Tropic State Index (TSI), based on chlorophyll-${\alpha}$ concentrations (Chl-${\alpha}$). Analysis of TSI $(Chl-{\alpha})$ showed that above 50 was estimated "1", $40{\sim}50$ was estimated "3" and below 40% was estimated '5'. Overall, velues of LEHA in the reservoir averaged 30.5, indicating a "fair${\sim}$poor condition", which is judged by the criteria of U.S. EPA (1993). More studies such as metric numbers and attributes should be done for the application of the model.

Initial Risk Assessment of Acetanilide with Respect to Ecological Integrity (아세트아닐리드의 초기 환경위해성 평가)

  • Lee, Su-Rae;Park, Seon-Ju;Lee, Mi-Kyung;Nam, U-Kyung;Chung, Sun-Hwa;Seog, Geum-Su;Park, Kwang-Sik;Kim, Kyun;Kim, Yong-Hwa
    • Environmental Analysis Health and Toxicology
    • /
    • v.15 no.1_2
    • /
    • pp.19-29
    • /
    • 2000
  • Acetanilide may be released into the environment through air and wastewater from its production and use sites as an intermediate in the synthesis of pharmaceuticals and dyes. Acetanilide is biodegraded rapidly under aerobic conditions and decomposed by indirect photolysis in the presence of OH radicals. An estimated bioconcentration factor of 4.5 suggests that bioaccumulation in aquatic organisms is low. Ecotoxicological data on acetanilide exist on acute toxicity to fishes of 4 species only. According to the EUSES system, the lowest PNEC (Predicted no effect concentration) in fishes is 0.01 mg/1 and PEC (Predicted environmental concentration) for surface water on a regional scale is 9.1$\times$10$\^$-5/mg/l as the worst case. RCR (Risk characterization ratio) of acetanilide for surface water on a regional scale was estimated as 9.1$\times$10-3, which is safe enough for fishes, RCR on a local basis slightly exceeds the value 1 in water and sediment; that is, 1.3 and 1.6, respectively, which suggests the existence of ecotoxicological risk at the vicinity of the manufacturing site. For the refinement of environmental risk assessment on acetanilide, more data should be collected regarding prolonged fish toxicity, acute toxicity toward daphnia and algae. It is, therefore, recommended that acetanilide should be a candidate for further work to supplement the lacking data until it is proved to be safe in the ecotoxicological aspects.

  • PDF

An Analysis on Landscape Ecological Pattern of the Geumho River Watershed Forest (금호강 유역 산림의 경관생태적 패턴분석)

  • Park, Kyung-Hun;Jung, Sung-Gwan;Lee, Hyun-Taek;Oh, Jeong-Hak;Kim, Kyung-Tae
    • Journal of the Korean Association of Geographic Information Studies
    • /
    • v.7 no.3
    • /
    • pp.22-34
    • /
    • 2004
  • An artificial disturbance like fragmentation in watershed forest has impacted a sustainability of watershed ecosystem, therefore this research quantified the landscape structure in the Geumho river watershed using landscape indices and GIS. Landscape indices were calculated from the forest distributed maps for 24 subwatersheds. Three common factors, which explained about 85% of the variation in the original data, were extracted by a factor analysis. The fragmentation gradient in forest landscape, which was calculated from the factor scores, was correlated with proportion of urban land (r=0.827, p<0.01, $R^2$=0.685), elevation (r=-0.637, p<0.01) and slope gradient (r=-0.593, p<0.01). The result of the study presented that the methodology and the values of landscape indices to assess the structural patterns of forest landscape for the Geumho river watershed management. Future research will be directed towards the detection of impacts of landscape patterns and their changes on the integrity of watershed environments.

  • PDF

Evaluation of Yeongsan Lake Ecosystem Using Various Environment Parameters (다각적 수환경지표를 이용한 영산호의 생태영향 평가)

  • Choi, Ji-Woong;An, Kwang-Guk
    • Korean Journal of Ecology and Environment
    • /
    • v.41 no.2
    • /
    • pp.155-165
    • /
    • 2008
  • The purpose of this study was to evaluate the ecosystem of Yeongsan Lake using physical, chemical, and biological indicators. We evaluated the integrative ecosystem health using Lentie Ecosystem Health Assessment (LEHA) model, Qualitative Health Evaluation Index (QHEI) model, and chemical water quality. The models of LEHA and QHEI were modified as 10 and 7 metries attributes, respectively. Also, we analyzed bioaccumulation of total mercury on various fish tissues by method of U.S. EPA 7473 using Direct Mercury Analyzer (Model DMA-80). Model values of LEHA model averaged 19 (range: $14{\sim}26$, n=15), which indicated a "poor" condition, and had slightly spatial variations. Values of the QHEI in the all sites averaged 72, which were judged as a "fair" to "good" condition. The QHEI values varied from 48 (fair condition) to 99 (good condition) and showed large longitudinal gradients between the upper and lower reach. Conductivity and salinity were increased from the up-lake to downlake reach. Analysis of total mercury in fish tissues showed that levels of total Hg ranged between 0.002 and $0.087\;mg\;L^{-1}$ depending on the types of tissues. Overall, the ecosystem health in the Yeongsan Lake was judged as a "poor" and the effects of bioaccumulation on the fish tissues were minor. Therefore, it is necessary to keep an efficient management for the lake environment to maintain their ecological health.

Future of Social Work Practice - Human, human again. - (사회복지실천의 미래 - 사람과 사람 -)

  • Kim, Miok;Choi, Hyeji;Chung, Ick-Joong;Min, So-young
    • Korean Journal of Social Welfare
    • /
    • v.69 no.4
    • /
    • pp.41-65
    • /
    • 2017
  • This study aimed to examine the social transition, which is often metaphorized as the Fourth Industrial Revolution, within the context of social work practice and to explore measures to improve social work practice in such transition. Four social welfare researchers held seven discussions to predict the social changes in the near future centered on the Fourth Industrial Revolution and find the corresponding development strategies in social work practice; collective autobiography method was used to analyze the discussion. The analysis ascertained hyper connectivity, the advent and expansion of new communities, diversification and individualization, and the emergence of new criteria for the assessment of one's quality of life as the distinctive qualities of the near future. It was analyzed that humans and organic materials will be interconnected through spatial and temporal transcendence and that humans liberated from labor will seek for diverse communities while the number of atomized individual will increase simultaneously. Furthermore, the rise of new order of life accompanied by both the expansion of diversification and individualization and the ecological worldview brought forth by post materialistic trend was predicted. Meanwhile, the disengagement from macroscopic context, a biased inclination towards technique orientated professionalism, and individualistic social work practices without integrity were identified as the limitations of the current social work practice. This study presented three goals for social work practice to help it overcome its current shortcomings and correspond to the social changes: first, the rearrangement of practice knowledge, technique, and value so that it is based on humans and society, which are the essence of social practice work; second, the practice, such as sharing economy, that expands the individuals' boundaries of life to the community; three, the restoration of the desirability of professional social works by examining its special nature.

Biological Water Quality Assessments in Wastewater-impacted and Non-impacted Streams (폐수처리 시설의 영향에 따른 영산강 수계의 생물학적 수질 평가)

  • An, Kwang-Guk;Kim, Kang-Il;Kim, Ja-Hyun
    • Korean Journal of Ecology and Environment
    • /
    • v.40 no.1
    • /
    • pp.82-92
    • /
    • 2007
  • In 2003, we evaluated biological water quality at twelve sites of Youngsan River using community analysis, fish compositions, and the Index of Biological Integrity (IBI). Of the twelve, four sites were the controls, which have no point sources in the upstream and the remaining eight sites were the impacted sites, which are influenced by wastewater treatment plant (WTP) and agro-industrial complex. Model values of the IBI, based on 12 sites data, averaged 28 (n=12, range: $18{\sim}44$), indicating fair poor condition according to the criteria of US EP A (1993). In the mean time, mean IBI in the control sites (S3, S5, S6, S11) was 42 (n=4, range: $38{\sim}44$), indicating a good condition, whereas mean IBI in the impacted sites was 21, indicating a poor condition. Mean IBI value in the control, thus, was greater by 2 fold than that in the WTP sites. The spatial pattern of IBI values was similar to the patterns of species diversity index and species richness index, except for Site 11, which was 1st order stream. Similarity analysis indicated that three groups were divided at the similarity level of 80%. One group was the streams influenced by wastewater and the other two groups were the pristine streams as the control, indicating that the stream health conditions are directly influenced by presence or absence of the point sources. Also, Pearson's correlation analysis showed that IBI values had negative correlation (r=0.899, p<0.001) with relative abundance of tolerance species, and had positive relation (r=0.890, p<0.001) with sensitive species. Overall, outcomes suggest that the point sources of the WTP might impact the species composition and ecological health, resulting in degradation of biological water quality.

Intergrated Ecological Health Assessments in Cho River (초강의 통합적 생태건강성 평가)

  • Choi, Ji-Woong;An, Kwang-Guk
    • Korean Journal of Ecology and Environment
    • /
    • v.39 no.3 s.117
    • /
    • pp.320-330
    • /
    • 2006
  • An integrated health of a lotic ecosystem, Cho River, was evaluated by various approaches such as conventional water quality analysis, physical assessments of Qualitative Habitat Evaluation Index (QHEI), and the bioassay of Index of Biological Integrity (IBI) durin August${\sim}$September 2005. The IBI model used in the study was based on original multivariate metric model and then modified the metric attributes of the model for the regional application. Physical habitat health, based on the QHEI, was estimated using eleven metrics. During the study, values of IBI model averaged 36, which was judged as 'fair' to 'good' conditions. Spatial variations in the model values were evident: the headwater site (S1) was estimated as 48, indicating an 'excellent' condition, and the other sites were estimated 32${\sim}$38, 'good' condition. Values of the QHEI in the all sites averaged 148, which is judged as a good condition. The QHEI values varied from 120 (fair condition) to 199 (excellent condition) depending on the location of the stream. Site 5 (S5) was estimated as 'fair${\sim}$good' condition, while Site 7 (S7) was estimated as 'excellent' condition. The biological health, based on the IBI, reflected the habitat health. However, chemical conditions in terms of pH, turbidity, electric conductivity, dissolved oxygen (DO) did not make a difference in the biological health because of minor chemical differences among the locations.