• Journal of Fisheries and Marine Sciences Education
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• v.22 no.2
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• pp.180-194
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• 2010

Coastal sand dunes are dynamic and fragile buffer zones of sand and vegetation where the following three characteristics can be found: large quantities of sand, persistent wind capable of moving sand, and suitable locations for sand to accumulate. The functional properties of coastal sand dunes include the roles in sand storage, underground freshwater storage, coastal defense, and ecological environment space, among others. Recently, however, the integrity of coastal dune systems has been threatened by development, including sand extraction for the construction industry, military usage, conversion to golf courses, the building of seawalls and breakwaters, and recreational facility development. In this paper, we examined the development mechanisms and structural/format types of coastal sand dunes, as well as their functions and value from the perspective of coastal engineering based on reviews of previous researches and a case study of a small coastal sand dune in the Nakdong river estuary. Existing data indicate that there are a total of 133 coastal sand dunes in South Korea, 43 distributed on the East Sea coast (32 in the Gangwon area, and 11 in Gyeongsangbuk-do), 60 on the West Sea coast (4 in Incheon and Gyeonggi-do, 42 in Ghungcheongnam-do, 9 in Jellabuk-do, and 5 in Jellanam-do), and 30 on the South Sea coast (16 in Jellanam-do, 2 in Gyeongsangnam-do, and 12 in Jeju).

• Journal of Environmental Science International
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• v.32 no.6
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• pp.441-451
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• 2023

This study examines the changes in environmental resource perception and residential areas on Jeju Island. This study focuses on Jeju Island, which has prepared a legal framework for the total amount of environmental resources. The study identifies Jeju residents and non-provincial citizens, analyzes the differences between them, and suggests the future direction of the total amount system for environmental resources. This study aims to provide essential data necessary for successfully implementing the assigned environmental resources. This will contribute to sustainable growth and preserving valuable environmental resources in an era where environmental importance is increasing. The findings indicate that both Jeju residents and non-provincial citizens are satisfied with the current environmental resources on the island. However, when comparing past and current environmental resources, Jeju residents generally indicated lower satisfaction over time, whereas non-provincial citizens perceived an improvement over time. While overall satisfaction with the natural and local environment remains high, there is a notable increase in perception regarding the ecological value of plants, wildlife, wetlands, and Gotjawal areas compared to the past. These findings emphasize the importance of incorporating these high-priority components into the total environmental resource system for future consideration.

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

• Ecology and Resilient Infrastructure
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• v.1 no.1
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• pp.39-48
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• 2014

In order to establish fundamental data for stream restoration and environmental flow, we investigated optimal ecological flowrate (OEF) and riverine health condition in the Chogang Stream, a tributary to Geum River, Korea. The number of fish individuals sampled in this period were 4,669 in 36 species of 9 families. The most abundant species was Korean chub (Zacco koreanus, 34.0%) followed by pale chub (Z. platypus, 22.6%) and Korean shinner (Coreoleuciscus splendidus, 13.3%). Index of biological integrity (IBI) and qualitative habitat evaluation index (QHEI) values decreased from upstream to downstream along the stream. The estimated IBI value ranged from 27.9 to 38.6 with average 32.2 out of 50, rendering the site ecologically fair to good health conditions. OEF was estimated by the physical habitat simulation system (PHABSIM) using the habitat suitability indexes (HSI) of three fish species Z. koreanus, C. splendidus and Pseudopungtungia nigra selected as indicator species. In Z. koreanus, HSI for flow velocity and water depth were estimated at 0.1 to 0.4 m/s and 0.2 to 0.4 m, respectively. In P. nigra, HSI for flow velocity, water depth and substrate size were estimated at 0.2 to 0.5 m/s and 0.4 to 0.6 m and fine gravel to cobbles, respectively. OEF values increasing from up to downstream was found to increase, weighted usable area (WUA) values increased accordingly.

• Journal of Environmental Impact Assessment
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• v.26 no.1
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• pp.27-43
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• 2017

The objectives of the study were to evaluate fish compositions, endangered species, community structure, physical habitat, and general water quality for a preliminary environmental impact assessment of Jeokbyeok River on the road construction between two regions. Total number of species and total number of individuals, based on CPUE, were 23 and 1186, respectively. The endangered species (I, II) as the legal protection species were Pseudopungtungia nigra (79 samples) Gobiobotia brevibarba) (5) Gobiobotia macrocephala (2), indicating a requiring of endangered species conservation. In the meantime, exotic species and ecological disturbing species such as Micropterus salmoides and Lepomis macrochirus, were not present, indicating a well conserved area. According to fish community analysis, values of species diversity index were high (range: 0.788 - 1.030), and the dominance index were low (range: 0.097 - 0.183), indicating that the fish community in this area was maintained well without high dominacne by specific species. Also, fish analysis on tolerance guilds and trophic guilds showed that the proportions of sensitive species were largely exceeded the proportions of the tolerant species, while the proportions of insectivore species were largely exceeded the proportions of the omnivore species. This outcome suggests that the ecosystem was well maintained in terms of tolerance and trophic compositions (food chain). Ecological health, based on the multi-metric fish model of Fish Assessment Integrity (FAI), reflected those fish conditions. In other words, values of FAI model averaged 82.4, which means a "good condition" in the criteria of ecological health by the Minstry of Environment, Korea. In addition, general water quality and physical habitat analyses showed that the system was in good condition. Under these conditions, if the road constructions between the two regions happen in the future, inorganic suspended solids may increase in the waterbody, and this may result in indirect or direct influences on the physical habitats and food chain as well as fish compositions, so the ecological protections and prevention strategy from the soil erosion are required in the system.

• Korean Journal of Ecology and Environment
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• v.38 no.3 s.113
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• pp.341-351
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• 2005

Ecological stream health, based on the index of biological integrity (IBI) , was evaluated at five sampling locations of Youdeung Stream during August-October 2004. For the study, we also analyzed spatial and temporal patterns of conventional water quality over tine period of 1995 ${\sim}$ 2004, using the water chemistry dataset, obtained from the Ministry of Environment, Korea. The water quality parameters used here were conductivity, total suspended solids (TSS), biochemical oxygen demand $(BOD_5)$, chemical oxygen demand $(COD_{mn})$, total nitrogen (TN), and total phosphorus (TP). The multi-metric model values averaged 27.8 in the stream and ranged 24 ${\sim}$ 32. The health condition was judged as 'Fair' to 'Poor' conditions, according to the stream health criteria of US EPA (1993). Longitudinal variation occurred from the upstream to downstream reach; largest differences in all water quality variables occurred between Site 5 and the other sites. This was mainly attributed to the impacts of wastewater treatment plants near the locations. Also, relative proportions of tolerance and omnivore species increased in downstream reaches. The model values, however, did not match the values, based on water quality parameters. We assume that this may be associated with primarily reduced water volumn during dry season in the stream along with modified physical habitat conditions.

• Korean Journal of Ecology and Environment
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• v.42 no.3
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• pp.364-373
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• 2009

We evaluated stream health, based on integrative approaches of qualitative habitat evaluation index (QHEI), chemical water quality and the index of biological integrity (IBI) using fish assemblages in Daejeon Stream during August 2004 - October 2007. The QHEI values in this study averaged 78.2 (n=28, range: 47$\sim$124), indicating "fair" condition based on the criteria of US EPA (1993). The highest value was in the headwater site (S1) that was 112 (good), whereas the value in S3, mid and downstream was SS (fair-poor) that was the lowest owing to a disturbance on the bed and an artificial bank. Concentrations of chemical parameters such as BOD, TP and conductivity increased from the upstream to the downstream due to higher inputs of organic matters and nutrients from the urban area. Conductivity and TP showed a dilution of stream water by rainwater during summer monsoon. Analysis of fish compositions showed that total number of species was 24 and Zacco platypus was predominated (82%). The mean IBI was 17 (range: 12$\sim$30) during four years and the IBI values also decreased from S1 to S4. These results indicated that ecological health was degradated distinctly as the stream goes down through the city-center. We concluded that Daejeon Stream running through the city are influenced by chemical impact such as an influx of domestic sewage as well as the quality of habitat.

• Journal of Environmental Science International
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• v.22 no.8
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• pp.925-935
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• 2013

In this study, a comprehensive field monitoring was conducted to understand habitat conditions of fish species in up and downstream of Hoengseong Dam. Based on the monitoring data, riverine health conditions such as composition ratio of fish species, bio-diversity (dominance index, diversity, evenness and richness), index of biological integrity (IBI) and qualitative habitat evaluation index (QHEI) were assessed, and optimal ecological flowrates (OEF) were estimated using the habitat suitability indexes (HSI) established for three fish species Coreoleuciscus splendidus, Pungtungia herzi and Microphysogobio longidorsalis selected as icon species using the physical habitat simulation system (PHABSIM). The total number of species sampled was 20 species, and two species of Zacco platypus (30.4%) and C. splendidus (20.9%) dominated the fish community. As a result, it was revealed that IBI and QHEI values decreased from upstream to downstream along the river. The estimated IBI value ranged from 24 to 36 with average being 30.9 out of 50, rendering the site ecologically fair to good health conditions. HSI for C. splendidus were determined according to three different month in terms of season: Spring (April), Summer (August) and Autumn (October). HSI for flow velocity were estimated at 0.7 to 0.8 m/s for the Spring, 0.5 to 1.0 m/s for the Summer and 0.8 to 0.9 m/s for the Autumn. HSI for water depth were estimated at 0.3 to 0.5 m for the Spring; 0.3 to 0.5 m for the Summer; and 0.3 to 0.4 m for the Autumn. OEF was estimated at 4.2 and $6.5m^3/s$ for the Spring and Autumn, and $12.0m^3/s$ for the Summer. Overall, it was concluded that the Hoengseong Dam has been relatively well protected from the anthropogenic disturbance for the legally protected species including the endemic species studied in this study.

• Korean Journal of Environmental Biology
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• v.31 no.4
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• pp.419-428
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• 2013

The objectives of this research were to determine ecological characteristics and chemical gradients in two different loach populations-Misgurnus anguillicaudatus ($M_a$) and Koreocobitis rotundicaudata ($K_r$). Eight chemical parameters were compared to test the chemical preferences between the two species. The population of Kr occurred more in better water quality, compared to the $M_a$-population. The $M_a$-population co-occurred more with tolerant species (TS) and omnivores, whereas the $K_r$-population co-occurred more with sensitive species (SS) and insectivores. The differences in the tolerance and trophic composition matched well with the result of stream health assessment, based on the multi-metric model of Index of Biological Integrity (IBI). The IBI value in habitat with the $M_a$-population was "19.6" (range: 8~40) indicating a fair condition, and the IBI values of $K_r$-population was 29.4 (range: 12~40) indicating good condition. Similar results were found in physical habitat health analysis (QHEI). Overall, data analysis showed that the $M_a$-population belong to the tolerant species and $K_r$-population belong to sensitive species in the tolerance classification.

• Korean Journal of Ecology and Environment
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• v.47 no.spc
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• pp.1-9
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• 2014

Lake Suwa is a natural lake which is well-known for sightseeing and fisheries. It had suffered severe eutrophication during 1960s and 1970s with the occurrence of cyanobacterial blooms and the extinction of some benthic animals. Since 1980 water quality has been improved due to efforts of local government, scientists, and citizens. Of various methods that were attempted to improve the water quality of Lake Suwa biological methods received much attention, because it can improve the lake ecosystem integrity and fisheries in addition to the water quality. The aim of this paper is to introduce the biological methods for water quality improvement that had been employed in Lake Suwa, Japan, and their contribution to the economic benefit of local residents. Until now a significant restoration of water quality has been achieved, but there are insufficient recovery of the sediment and biota due to anoxic hypolimnion of the lake. This study proposed suspended cage culture of bivalves as a feasible method of water quality improvement. Increased grazing by bivalves will contribute to the improvement of water quality and fisheries production, which will contribute both to the ecological restoration and economy of local residents.