• The Sea:JOURNAL OF THE KOREAN SOCIETY OF OCEANOGRAPHY
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• v.15 no.2
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• pp.72-85
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• 2010

Seasonal variation in species composition of estuarine fauna in the Han River estuary was determined using monthly samples collected near Ganghwa Island by a bag net from February to December 2009. Total number of species was 86: 54 species of fishes, 16 species of shrimps of crustacean, 12 species of other crustacean such as craps and so on, 3 species of cephalopods and 1 species of jellyfish. Of a total of 86 species, Palaeman carinicauda (32.6%), Acetes japonicus (15.9%), Palaemon gravieri (9.9%), Portunus trituberculatus (7.7%) and Acetes chinensis (6.9%) were predominated in abundance. These 5 crustacean accounted for 73% of total. Abundance, biomass and diversity of Han River estuarine fauna were high in spring and autumn, indicating typical pattern of temperate area. Out of dominant species, the brackish residence species such as Coilia nasus, Chelon haematocheilus, Mugil cephalus, Synechogobius hasta, Lophiogobius ocellicauda, Tridentiger barbatus, Palaeman carinicauda, Palaemon gravieri were collected almost year-round and predominated in abundance. Coastal migratory fauna species such as Coilia mystus, Thryssa hamiltonii, Thryssa adelae, Sardinella zunasi, Engraulis japonicus, Portunus trituberculatus, Acetes japonicus, Collichthys lucidus, Pampus argenteus were most plentiful from spring through autumn. Their adult coastal migratory entered the estuary in spring and large numbers of their juveniles were grew in summer and autumn until moving out to deeper waters for over-wintering, indicating they use estuary as nursing ground. Diadromous fish such as Anguila japonica adults were collected in autumn during their downstream migration. Brackish fauna and crustacean, especially shrimps were predominant, and few contaminant indicator species collected in the Han River estuary, indicating this area maintains the characteristics of natural estuary ecosystem.

• The Sea:JOURNAL OF THE KOREAN SOCIETY OF OCEANOGRAPHY
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• v.28 no.4
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• pp.158-177
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• 2023

An estuary is a transitional water area that links the land and sea through rivers and streams, transporting various components from the land to the sea, which plays an important role in determining primary productivity in the coastal environment, and this coastal ecosystem captures a huge amount of carbon into biomass, known as blue carbon, which mitigates climate change as a potential carbon reservoir. This study examined the variation of mean grain size and organic carbon content of the surface sediments for 6 years and analyzed their relationship in the western and southern estuarine areas (Han River Estuary, Geum River Estuary, Yeongsan River Estuary, Seomjin River Estuary, and Nakdong River Estuary) and the East Sea upwelling area. During the sampling period (2015 to 2020), seasonal variation of both properties was not observed, because their variations might be controlled by diverse oceanographic environments and hydrographic conditions within each survey area. However, despite the synoptic problem of all samples, the positive relationship was obtained between the averages of mean grain size and organic carbon content, which clearly distinguishes each survey area. The unique positive relationship in all estuarine areas implies that the same process by sediment clay particles is important in the organic carbon accumulation. However, additional important factor may be expected in the organic carbon accumulation in the East Sea upwelling area. Further necessary data (sedimentation rate, dry bulk density etc) should be required for the estimation of carbon stock to evaluate the major estuaries in Korea as potential carbon reservoirs in the coastal environment.

• Journal of Environmental Impact Assessment
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• v.21 no.3
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• pp.445-460
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• 2012

In order to evaluate and predict the environmental impact of the low-trophic-level ecosystem to environmental changes in the Yellow Sea and the East China Sea, an ecological modelling study was undertaken. Simulation results of average distribution patterns and concentrations of water quality factors during the summer by the model were acceptable. Phytoplankton and remineralization rate of organic matter were very important parameters by a sensitivity analysis. Water quality factors showed high values in the estuary of the Yangtze River and in the West and South Sea of Korea and low values in the central area of the Yellow Sea. There is a plume of high values, especially nutrients, off the mouth of the Yangtze that expands or contracts with changes in the discharge strength. Characteristics of responses of water quality factors vary for different scenarios of environmental change, such as land-based pollution sources and atmospheric forcing. It is suggested that changes of light intensity, discharges of input sources, and wind play an important role in the marine ecosystem.

• The Sea:JOURNAL OF THE KOREAN SOCIETY OF OCEANOGRAPHY
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• v.22 no.4
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• pp.172-186
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• 2017

Current study is a part of the efforts to assess the estuarine barrage effects on the coastal ecosystem induced by the Si flux changes. Surface sediments from Seomjin and Nakdong estuary and sediment cores from Nakdong estuary was analysed to investigate the effect of estuarine barrage on the distribution of grain size, organic matter (loss on ignition: LOI) and biogenic silica (BSi). The samples of Seomjin estuary were collected in March, 2015 and those of Nakdong estuary were collected in November, 2014. Generally, the longitudinal distribution of grain size, LOI and BSi in Seomjin estuary, natural estuary, was gradually changed. However mud (silt and clay), LOI and BSi increased from station mid-estuary where tide reaches year-round. The distribution of grain size, LOI and BSi in Nakdong estuary, however, were entirely different between inside and outside of estuarine barrage. The mud percentage and LOI were low and consistent in inside of the barrage except R05, inside of right gate, yet those of outside of the barrage were higher and varied by adjacent sluices. Mud, LOI and BSi of ND1 and ND2 decreased immediately after the construction of Nakdong estuarine barrage due to disturbance of sediment and decrease of sediment supply. To exclude the physical effects by the barrage, BSi excess ($BSi_{exc}$) was calculated using regression equation of BSi-LOI and BSi-mud of Seomjin estuary. $BSi_{exc}$ of Seomjin estuary decreased gradually from upper estuary to lower estuary. $BSi_{exc}$ of Nakdong estuary were positive in inside of the barrage and negative in outside of the barrage. BSi retention and shift of species composition of diatom by the barrage would affect $BSi_{exc}$ distribution. Before the construction of Nakdong estuarine barrage, $BSi_{exc}$ of ND2 was negative and consistent owing to high mud sedimentation. After the construction, $BSi_{exc}$ of ND2, however, fluctuated due to continuous disturbance of sediment due to construction of Eulsuk bridge and East gate.

• 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 Remote Sensing
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• v.33 no.5_1
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• pp.481-493
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• 2017

Estuary sand bar of Namdaecheon Stream is located in Yangyang-gun, Gangwon-do in Korea. This unique place is situated between end of Namdaecheon Stream and East Sea. It is an important environment area of the global ecosystem from the transition zone of land and marine environments by forming a variety of coastal circumstance. Some endemic species should be protected which is appearing in the Namdaecheon Stream because of preservation for future generations. Especially, the salmon return to this stream as adults in order to breed which is more than 70 % of the salmon in Korea peninsular. The monitoring of estuary sand bar is need to analyze ecological environment and sustainable development with time. First of all we represents a different shape of estuary sand bar of Namdaecheon Stream from 1984 to 2015 using Landsat satellite imagery series. Particularly movement of the "tidal inlet" is most important factor to investigate the condition of the change for estuary sand bar. The location of tidal inlet is compared with precipitation, height of tide and oceanic current data according to time variation.

• Journal of the Korean Geographical Society
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• v.49 no.3
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• pp.321-338
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• 2014

This study aims to identify spatial distribution of estuarine wetlands in Korea, and to assess temporal variation of the wetlands in the last few decades. Widely known in environmental and coastal management, watershed-based regions which composed with Han-river(western and eastern parts), Keum-river, Yeoungsan-river, Seomjin-river, Nakdong-river, and Jeju, are analyzed to evaluate temporal change of estuarine wetlands in the 1980s, 1990s, and 2000s, through the land-cover map. Results show that estuarine wetlands dramatically decreased in Han-river(western part), Keum-river, Yeoungsan-river that estuarine circulation have been interrupted with man-made structures such as dyke and drainage. But, estuarine wetlands surrounded by forests and grasslands has been relatively less damaged. Habitat diversity providing healthy estuary ecosystem is lower in interrupted estuaries than circulated estuaries, which are composed of tidal-flat, open water, salt marsh, rocky coasts and sandy shoreline. This study indicates that spatial distribution and temporal variation of estuarine wetlands are different with estuary type and region, so estuary type with seven regions can be applied to provides a framework for estuary management strategies and to establish estuary restoration plans.

• International Journal of Ocean System Engineering
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• v.1 no.4
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• pp.185-191
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• 2011

This research was described the prevention of coastal topographical change and sediment diffusive concentration incoming from small estuary after construction jetties. This structure is constructed to decrease sediment deposition incoming from the upstream river due to the urbanization and industrial development and to minimize effects on the coastal ecosystem. The physical modeling and numerical modeling for waves were conducted to analyze the configuration of Imrang sand beach deformation without and with construction of jetty. The specification of the installed jetty, which is able to control sedimentation concentration was decided based on the prediction of the Imrang beach area changes by space and time. As a result, the jetties constructed in the estuary retarded the rate of sand sediment, so that the effect area of sand sedimentation was obviously decreased. In addition, the measured field data indicated that the sediment deposition inside of dikes could be controlled and the right side area of jetties could be preserved without sediment deposition.

• Korean Journal of Ecology and Environment
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• v.55 no.1
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• pp.10-18
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• 2022

This study analyzed the relationship between the community structure of benthic macroinvertebrates and habitat changes in open estuaries among the sites included in the national estuary monitoring program. The estuary survey was conducted under the "Guidelines for Investigation and Evaluation of Biometric Networks" and classified by sea area, 80 places in the East Sea, 102 places in the South Sea, and 19 places in the West Sea were investigated. In a total of 201 open estuaries, benthic macroinvertebrates were identified with 4 phyla, 9 classes, 41 orders, 139 families, 269 species and 196 species in the East Sea, 182 species in the South Sea, and 90 species in the West Sea. The highest population densities were Insecta in the East Sea, the Malacostraca in the South Sea, and the Annelida in the West Sea. Through SIMPER analysis, species contributing to the similarity of benthic macroinvertebrates communities in each sea area were identified. Some species greatly influenced the similarity of clusters. The benthic community in the East Sea was affected by the salinity, so the contribution rate of freshwater species was high. On the other hand, the benthic communities of the South and West Seas showed species compositions are influenced by the substrate composition. As results, the benthic macroinvertebrate community in Korean estuaries was impacted by salinity and substrate simultaneously, and the close relationship with geographical distance was not observed. The result of this study is expected to be used to respond to environmental changes by identifying and predicting changes in the diversity and distribution of benthic macroinvertebrates in Korea estuaries.

• Korean Journal of Microbiology
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• v.29 no.5
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• pp.329-338
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• 1991

From July 1985 to December 1986, 28 variables of phycal-chemical factors, bacteria and heterotrophic activity were investigated 17 times at 3 stations in the estuary of Naktong River and the influences of environmental factors to bacterial population and heterotrophic activity were analyzed through multiple regression. The results of multiple regression were as follows. At station 1, total bacteria and heterotrophic bacteria(Z-25) could explain 57% of the variation of maximum uptake velocity for glucose and 54% of turnover time for glucose was explained by total coliform bacteria and MBOD, Sixty four percent of the variation of Kt+SN was accounted for salinity, MBOD-N and inorganic phosphate. Turnover rate for acetate was also accounted for the change of MBOD-P by 56%. At station 2 maximum uptake velocity for glucose depends on MBOD-N by 81%; turnover time on bacteria by 50%; Kt+Sn on avilable nutrient by 61%. More than 50% of maximum uptake velocity and turnover time for glucose were influenced by bacteria and that of Kt+Sn by the change of nutrient in the surface water of station 3. In the bottom water of station 3, the change of maximumuptake velocity, turnover time and Kt+Sn for glucose was controlled by total bacteria and available nutrient, bacteria, the change of nutrient salts respectively. On the whole, more than 50% of maximum uptake velocity and turnover time for glucose could be due to the change in the number of bacetria and the value of Kt+Sn was affected by the change of nutrient salts. Turnover rate for acetate was controlled by available phosphate at station 1 and by bacteria at station 2 and 3, which showed a distinct difference between the environmental factors which govern the rate of glucose and acetate uptake in the Naktong esturine ecosystem. And bacterial communities were controlled by available nutrients at station 1, by nutrient salts and salinity at station 2 and in the surface water of station 3 and by salinity in the bottom water of station 3.