• Korean Journal of Environment and Ecology
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• v.34 no.4
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• pp.282-293
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• 2020

This study investigated a long-term variation trend of water quality, fish compositions, and ecological health conditions in the Gwanpyeong stream located in the nearby Daejeon metropolitan city to understand the impact of urban development projects on the aquatic ecosystem. The sampling was made in four surveys (2009, 2010, 2016, 2019) before and after urbanization. The urban development was conducted in 2008, resulting in the stream's ecological disturbance, and the stream restoration was conducted in 2012. Thus, stream monitoring was conducted to analyze the ecological trends before and after the restoration. The multi-metric models for Fish Assessment Index(FAI) and necropsy-based Health Assessment Index(HAI) were applied in the fish community and organ-level, respectively, to assess the ecological health of the stream. Minimum turbidity and chlorophyll-a(Chl-a) occurred in the mid-stream(St. 2), and this was probably due to rapid current velocity in the riffle zone. We collected 18 fish species, and the dominant species was Zacco platypus (40.6%). In 2016 immediately after the stream restoration, the relative proportions of sensitive species and insectivore species were the highest along with highest values in the species diversity and species richness index, resulting in the best condition in the ecological health, based on FAI model values. However, the ecological health, based on the FAI, became worse in the latest survey conducted in 2019. The analysis of the HAI model based on the organ-level approach showed skin erosion in the fish of upper stream, kidney defects in downstream, and the liver and gill defects observed in all sites, indicating that the anatomical health was also affected.

• Journal of Korean Society on Water Environment
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• v.31 no.3
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• pp.319-327
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• 2015

The present study was carried out to develop biological criteria for aquatic ecosystem health assessment using composition and diversity of collected species. The sampling sites were a total of 67 sites in the Han River (29 sites) and the Nakdong River (38 sites), May and September 2012. During the survey period fish were collected totally 93 species. In each water system, 73 and 61 species were collected in the Han River and the Nakdong River respectively. The current composition of fish species between the Han River and Nakdong River showed similar pattern. The dominant species was Zacco platypus of the Han River, and the Nakdong River was Opsariichthys uncirostris. In particular, ecological characteristics of O. uncirostris frequently appeared in general polluted waters. In conclusion, in the Nakdong River, average value of FAI (Fish Assessment Index) was averaged 41.3, indicating a "poor condition", and the Han River was 53.1, indicating a "poor condition". The aquatic health of the Nakdong River assessed based on FAI was considered to be worse than that of the Han River.

• Korean Journal of Environmental Biology
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• v.37 no.1
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• pp.8-18
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• 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
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• v.35 no.4
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• pp.684-693
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• 2017

The purpose of this study was to analyze fish communities in the Wonju stream located in Wonju-si in Gangwon-do, and to evaluate the health of the stream through past and present changes. We performed investigations four times from May 2015 to September 2016. In the survey, 5,201 individuals which belonged to 27 species and 9 families were collected. Zacco platypus was the dominant species and Pungtungia herziwas the subdominant species. Eight Korean endemic species (Acanthorhodeus gracilis, Zacco koreanus, Coreoleuciscus splendidus, Squalidus gracilis majimae, Microphysogobio yaluensis, Iksookimia koreensis, Koreocobitis rotundicaudata, Coreoperca herzi) were observed and showed a ratio of 16.54%. The fish community of dominance ($0.72{\pm}0.10$), diversity ($1.37{\pm}0.32$), evenness ($0.61{\pm}0.13$), and richness ($1.70{\pm}0.23$) were evaluated. According to our analysis of tolerance guilds, the total individual number of intermediate species was higher than the sensitive and tolerant species. As a result of the trophic guild analysis,the omnivore and insectivore species were relatively high. The value of the qualitative habitat evaluation index (QHEI) in the wonju stream was averaged 121.2 (${\pm}23.4$), indicating a suboptimal condition. Stream health showed that the fish assessment index (FAI) value was an A to C grade in the Wonju stream. A correlation coefficient analysis with FAI and various factors was analysed statistically, and had a high correlation in QHEI, with the omnivore species, insectivore species, intermediate species, sensitive species, dominance, diversity, evenness, and richness.

• Korean Journal of Ecology and Environment
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• v.51 no.4
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• pp.311-321
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• 2018

The purpose of this study is to investigate effect of stream channel naturalness on ecological health by using environmental factors and Fish Assessment Index (FAI) in the Han River of South Korea. These samples and data have been released from the research project titled Stream/River Ecosystem Survey and Health Assessment, which was conducted in 444 sites in the Han river watershed from 2008 to 2016. All samples were classified into five groups according to a degree of morphological changes of stream. Water chemistry analyses indicated a decline in water quality by decreasing stream channel naturalness, it is assumed that channelized stream was vulnerable to aquatic pollution compared to the natural meandering stream. In the result of frequency of dominant species, sensitive species and insectivore such as Zacco koreanus, Rhynchocypris kumgangensis and Pungtungia herzi were frequently dominated in the natural meandering stream while tolerant species and omnivores such as Carassius auratus and Cyprinus carpio were more dominated in the channelized streams. The FAI in the channelized stream shows decline to average of $46{\pm}25$ compared with that of the natural meandering stream ($80{\pm}20$). The decrease in FAI was highly influenced by changes in matrixes of fish assemblage structure such as number of sensitive species (M3), portion of omnivores (M5) and insectivores (M6). Moreover, annual average FAIs from 2008 to 2016 were significantly correlated with water chemistry, especially TN, TP and BOD ($r^2=0.59$, p<0.0001). Taken together, all the results suggest that the stream channelization could negatively impact on the water quality and fish assemblage structure, leading to degradation in aquatic ecosystem health.

• Korean Journal of Ecology and Environment
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• v.50 no.4
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• pp.403-410
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• 2017

We collected fishes at the 12,873 sites in stream order (1~7) from 2008 to 2016. In the results, two populations(Zacco platypus and Zacco koreanus) represented distributional differences in the stream order gradient, and correlation analysis showed that the two populations had a potential competitive relationship. The ecological characteristics of the fish except for the Z. platypus and the Z. koreanus, according to the gradient of stream order showed a pronounced gradient in the species such as intermediate species, sensitive species, carnivores, herbivores and omnivores. The two populations showed a high correlation between intermediate species, sensitive species of the tolerance guild and omnivores, insectivores of the trophic guild. Fish assessment index (FAI) was negative relation with stream order. According to the stream order gradient, the two populations showed different correlations with FAI.

• 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 Environmental Biology
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• v.37 no.4
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• pp.652-663
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• 2019

The purpose of this study was to conduct ecological health assessments by using the fish communities in the Manchurian trout habitat. Sampling was conducted twice in July and September 2018. In the survey, 1,119 individuals belonging to 16 species and seven families were collected. The dominant species by number was Rhynchocypris kumgangensis and the subdominant species was Zacco koreanus. Korean endemic species represented 73.33% at Geybang Stream and 76.92% at Naerin Stream. Community analysis revealed that the structure of the fish community was unstable by the dominance index 0.63 (±0.09)-0.97 (±0.01), the diversity index 1.63 (±0.23)-0.33 (±0.09), the evenness index 0.79 (±0.06)-0.24 (±0.07) and the richness index 0.67 (±0.14)-1.80(±0.16). According to the analysis of the tolerance guilds, the total individual number of sensitive species was higher than the intermediate and tolerant species. The insectivore species accounted for 65.09-98.56% of the total trophic guilds, which was the highest observed. The value of the QHEI (Qualitative habitat evaluation index) in the Brachymystax lenok tsinlingensis habitat was 119.5 (±0.5)-153.5 (±0.5), indicating an optimal-suboptimal condition. The FAI (Fish assessment index) stream health value was A to B in the study sites. Correlation analysis with FAI and various factors was conducted and a high correlation in QHEI, Brachymystax lenok tsinlingensis individuals, species, individuals, diversity, richness, sensitive species, carnivorous species, insectivorous species, and omnivorous species was found. The similarity analysis was divided into three groups from A to C, based on 56.9%.

• Journal of Korea Water Resources Association
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• v.52 no.spc2
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• pp.777-789
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• 2019

The purpose of this study is to evaluate changes in water quality and aquatic ecosystem health by additional dam release of stream maintenance flow from multipurpose dams in Han river basin ($34,148km^2$) using SWAT (Soil and Water Assessment Tool). The period of additional release was spring (April to June) and autumn (August to October) to evaluate the changes with the data of aquatic ecosystem health survey. The amount of additional release was set proportional to the present dam release, and the maximum release amount was controlled not to exceed the officially notified stream maintenance flow from dam. The 10 percent to 50 percent additional releases showed that the stream water quality (T-N, $NH_4$, T-P, and $PO_4-P$) concentrations except $NO_3-N$ decreased in spring while increased in autumn period. Using the stream water quality results and applying with Random Forest algorithm, the grade of aquatic ecosystem health index (FAI, TDI, and BMI) was improved for both periods especially in the downstream of basin. This study showed that the additional release of stream maintenance flow was more effective in spring than autumn period for the improvement of water quality and aquatic ecosystem.

• Korean Journal of Environment and Ecology
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• v.38 no.1
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• pp.55-66
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• 2024

This study conducted a survey to investigate the characteristics of fish communities and the inhabiting status of endangered species in the Byekgye Stream, Korea from April to September 2020. A total of 3,415 fish of 9 families and 31 species were collected from 7 survey stations during the survey period. The dominant species was Zacco koreanus (relative abundance of 31.2%), and the subdominant species was Z. platypus (15.0%), followed by Pungtungia herzi (11.7%), Acheilognathus yamatsutae (5.4%), A. lanceolata intermedia (4.8%), Rhinogobius brunneus (4.4%), and Pseudopungtungia tenuicorpa (4.3%). Among the fish species collected, 19 (61.3%) were identified as Korean endemic species, and two cold-water fish species sensitive to climate change (Rhynchocypris kumgangensis and Cottus koreanus) were collected. Four species were designated as class II endangered wildlife by the Ministry of Environment: A. signifer, P. tenuicorpa, Rhodeus pseudosericeus, and C. koreanus. A. signifer and P. tenuicorpa mainly inhabited the mid to lower streams, R. pseudosericeus in the midstream, and R. pseudosericeus in the upstream. P. tenuicorpa inhabited in large numbers, and estimating the age by total length-frequency distribution in July, the total length of the 26-35 mm group was estimated as 0 years old, the 54-75 mm group as 1 year old, 82-97 mm group as 2 years old, 104-109 mm group as 3 years or older. The cluster analysis showed that the dominance index decreased from upstream to downstream, but the diversity, evenness, and richness index increased. The water quality of Byekgye Stream was evaluated as good overall since the river health (fish assessment index, FAI) using fish was evaluated as excellent (5 stations) and good (2 stations). Byekgye Stream has relatively well-preserved habitats, but conservation measures are required as habitats are disturbed by river repair work in some parts of the midstream and downstream areas where many endangered species inhabit.