• Journal of Ecology and Environment
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• v.43 no.1
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• pp.73-83
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• 2019

Background: Habitat selectivity and ecology of freshwater fishes were studied in two selected streams and their junction point which consist a total of 39 microhabitats. The aims of this study were to describe the habitat preference and its availability to fish assemblage, as well as ecology, habitat use, and habitat characteristics. Methods: We collected fish with backpack electrofishing three times during August 2013, December 2013, and March 2014. Using a variation partitioning approach of R software, we studied the relationship of fish abundances with stream type, habitat type, and abundance of key macroinvertebrate taxa. Results: A total of 6554 fishes representing four species belonging to the family Cyprinidae were caught. A higher total fish abundance was recorded from Gereb Tsedo (4870; 74.3%) than from Elala stream (1684; 25.7%). Taking both streams together, the overall total relative fish abundance was significantly higher in pools (53%) than in runs (35%) and in riffles (12%) at P < 0.05. Species-wise comparisons showed that 71%, 15%, 13%, and 1% of the pool fish community were occupied by Garra blanfordii, Garra ignestii, Garra dembecha, and Garra aethiopica, respectively. Stream type, habitat type, and key macroinvertebrate taxa each explained a significant proportion of the variation in fish abundance. Based on the variation partitioning approach, fish abundance was higher in Gereb Tsedo stream (P < 0.01). Moreover, fish abundance increased with pool habitat type (P < 0.01) and with availability of key macroinvertebrate taxa (P < 0.01). Conclusion: Fish abundance differed between stream types, among habitats and among key macroinvertebrate taxa availability. Among the factors, habitat type was the most important driving factor behind variation among fish abundances, and pool supports the highest fish abundance.

• Ecology and Resilient Infrastructure
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• v.2 no.1
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• pp.33-41
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• 2015

In this study, an optimal improvement method of stream channel structure is presented for the enhancement of fish habitat suitability by genetic algorithm. The correlation between fish habitat suitability and physical disturbance in stream is analyzed according to the changes of hydraulic characteristics by channel structure rehabilitation. Zacco koreanus which is an indicator fish of the soundness of aquatic ecosystem was selected as a restoration target species by investigating the community characteristics of fish fauna and river environments in Wonju stream. The habitat suitability is investigated by PHABSIM with the habitat suitability index of Zacco koreanus. Hydraulic analysis by HEC-RAS and physical disturbance evaluation in stream are carried out. The optimal channel width modified for the enhancement of fish habitat suitability is provided. The correlation analysis between habitat suitability and physical disturbance with the change of hydraulic characteristics by channel modification showed that the proper channel modification enhanced fish habitat suitability and mitigated physical disturbance in the stream. The improvement of physical disturbance score by the channel structure rehabilitation for the enhancement of fish habitat suitability was confirmed in this study.

• Journal of Korean Society on Water Environment
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• v.27 no.6
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• pp.822-829
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• 2011

The purpose of the present study is to estimate the ecological instream flow for conservation and restoration of fish habitat in running water ecosystem which has very important status for stream environment. Estimation of the ecological instream flow in the present study was carried out by application of a two-dimensional depth averaged model of river hydrodynamics, River2D model. It can model fish habitat in natural streams and rivers and assess the quality of physical habitat accoriding to the species preferences for habitat suitability. Zacco platypus and Zacco temmincki were selected as target fish species in the study area of the Seomjin river. The Habitat Suitability Criteria (HSC) developed by Sung et al. (2005) were used for target fish species, life stages and habitat conditions in the study. Weighted usable area (WUA) was computed by the River2D model considering preferences of target fish species for velocity, depth, and channel substrate. The result revealed that the ecological instream flow of $10.0m^3/s$ is needed to maintain the target fish habitat at each life stage in the river.

• Journal of The Korean Society of Agricultural Engineers
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• v.63 no.6
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• pp.89-100
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• 2021

The conservation of stream habitats has been gaining more public attention and fish habitat suitability index (HSI) is an important measure for ecological stream habitat assessment. The fish habitat preference is affected not only by physical stream conditions but also by water quality of which HSI was not available due to the lack of field data. The purpose of this study is to estimate the HSI of Zacco platypus for water quality parameters of water temperature, dissolved oxygen (DO), and biochemical oxygen demand (BOD) using the water environment monitoring data provided by the Ministry of Environment (ME). Fish population data merged with water quality were constructed by spatio-temporal matching of nationwide water quality monitoring data with bio-monitoring data of the ME. Two types of the HSI were calculated by the Instream Flow and Aquatic Systems Group (IFASG) method and probability distribution (Weibull) fitting for the four major river basins. Both the HSIs by the IFASG and Weibull fitting appeared to represent the overall distribution and magnitude of fish population and this can be used in stream fish habitat evaluation considering water quality.

• Ecology and Resilient Infrastructure
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• v.6 no.2
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• pp.101-108
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• 2019

This study investigated the impact of abandoned channel restoration on fish habitat using the physical habitat simulation. The study area is a 1.2 km long reach of the Cheongmi-cheon stream. In the study area, the restoration of the abandoned channel was carried out from July 2012 to December 2105. Physical habitat simulations were carried out for both cases before and after the restoration. The River2D model and habitat suitability curve were used for hydraulic and habitat simulations, respectively. Zacco platypus, which is a dominant fish species in the study area, was selected as target fish for the physical habitat simulation. Hydraulic simulations were carried out before and after restoration for various discharges. Then, composite suitability index and weighted usable area were calculated before and after restoration and changes in the physical habitat of Zacco platypus were discussed. Simulation results indicated that the abandoned channel restoration is effective in creating fish habitat and mitigating the degradation of fish habitat from the high flow condition.

• Ecology and Resilient Infrastructure
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• v.9 no.1
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• pp.59-67
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• 2022

The purpose of this study is to provide essential data necessary to assess ecological flow requirements by understanding habitat conditions for fish species through monitoring an ecological environment in the Korea stream (Dal Stream) and building related database. On-site surveys were conducted for identifying ecological and habitat conditions at the four monitoring sites. Fish sampling was carried out at the selected four sites (St.) during the period ranging from September, 2008 to September, 2009. At the four sampling sites, we measured water surface elevation, depth and velocity at the cross-sections. Optimal Ecological Flowrates (OEFs) were estimated using the Habitat Suitability Index (HSI) established for four fish species Zacco koreanus (St.1), Pungtungia herzi (St.2), Coreoleuciscus splendidus (St.3), and Zacco platypus (St.4) selected as icon species using the Physical HABitat SIMulation system (PHABSIM). Eighteen species (56.3%) including Odontobutis interrupta, Coreoperca herzi and C. splendidus were found endemic out of the 32 species in eight families sampled during this study period. The endangered species was collected Acheilognathus signifier, Pseudopungtungia tenuicorpa and Gobiobotia macrocephala, and this relative abundance was 9.4%. The most frequently found one was Z. platypus (31.3%) followed by C. splendidus (17.6%) and Z. koreanus (15.7%). The estimated IBI values ranged from 27.3 to 34.3 with average being 30.3 out of 50, rendering the site ecologically poor to fair health conditions. For C. splendidus (St.3), the dominant fish species in the stream, the favored habitat conditions were estimated to be 0.3-0.5 m for water depth, 0.4-0.7 m/s for flow velocity and sand-cobbles for substrate size, respectively. An OEFs of 8.5 m³/s was recommended for the representative fish species at the St.3.

• Journal of Korean Society on Water Environment
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• v.33 no.6
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• pp.626-639
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• 2017

Based on an ecological monitoring in a Korean stream (Gapyeong), Habitat Suitability Index (HSI) of nine fish species was developed for three physical habitat factors : current velocity, water depth and substrate. The species were chosen based on their abundance and frequency in the fish community of the Gapyeong stream. The Weibull model was used as the probability density function to analyze the distribution and number of each fish species according to the three identified physical factors, which showed good results. This HSI equation has advantages because it statistically expresses habitat preferences of fish species simply and clearly. From that, we can quantitatively deduce the central tendency and variation of environmental factors for fish distribution. The selected fish species showed different preferences for each habitat factor respectively. Although there are some exceptions, the distribution and abundance of individual species of nektonic fish (Zacco koreanus, Zacco platypus, Microphysogobio longidorsalis and Pungtungia herzi) were positively skewed to deep water and fine substrate while riffle-benthic fish (Koreocobitis rotundicaudata and Coreoleuciscus splendidus) were normally distributed at the shallow and coarse substrate zone. It seems that the species showing the positively skewed distribution to the current, Z. koreanus, Z. platypus, M. longidorsalis and P. herzi have adapted themselves to the fast current and have expanded their niche.

• Journal of Korea Water Resources Association
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• v.33 no.1
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• pp.3-14
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• 2000

The primary objective of this study is to estimate the suitable flow in need for conservation and restoration of the fish habitat in running water ecosystem, which has very important status in the instream flow for stream environment. Year, monthly low flows are estimated to properly maintain the fish habitat. Water depth and velocity are simulated, and also water temperature and Dissolved Oxygen(DO) are predicted at gradually varied flow using estimated low flows. These simulated conditions for each low flow are graphically compared with the requirements to maintain fish habitat at each life stage. These processes were applied to 3 riffle transects located at Dalcheon(Dal stream) in the South Han river. Pirami (Zacco platypus) was selected as a representative fish species in Dalcheon. It was shown that the suitable flow for maintaining the representative fish habitat at each life stage depends on hydraulic conditions rather than water quality conditions, and the flow ranges from the 10-year minimum low flow to consecutive 7-day 2.33-year low flow.w flow.

• KSCE Journal of Civil and Environmental Engineering Research
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• v.29 no.3B
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• pp.311-317
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• 2009

Similarity indices between sampling sites are calculated and cluster analysis of fish community is carried out by UPGMA based on investigating fish fauna and water environment. The restoration indicators as target species of Wonju stream are selected Cottus poecilopus, Zacco temmincki, and Zacco platypus along upper, middle, and lower streams, respectively. For better habitat suitability, low flow increasing and induced water quality improving must be secured by sewer system rearrangement and watershed management. Composite habitat suitability of Zacco temmincki as target species at middle stream of Wonju stream improve significantly by low flow increasing, which is very important factor to improve habitat suitability. The changes of hydraulics of depth and velocity govern the habitat suitability in general, but the effects are not significant. Low flow increasing with the change of 10% reducing of lower channel improves the composite habitat suitability of 0.37~0.78 to their origin of 0.1~0.25, which represent the channel restoration scheme of Wonju stream for enhancing the habitat suitability of fish community.

• Journal of Korea Water Resources Association
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• v.42 no.5
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• pp.407-414
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• 2009

A quantitative analysis was conducted to study the impacts of artificial flow alteration on fish habitate condition change in the Geum River downstream the Daechung Multi-purpose Dam (DMD). River Analysis Package (RAP) was employed for the analysis and three fish species of black shiner, long nose barbel and Korean shinner were selected as icon species. The results of the analysis showed enhaced fish habitat conditions during low flow seasons in spring and fall after DMD construction, while the impact of the Youngdam Multipurpose Dam located upstream the DMD was insignificant. This result could be attributed to the fact that the increased flow during dry seasons helped create preferable habitat conditions for the fish species tested in this study.