• Korean Journal of Ecology and Environment
• /
• v.54 no.2
• /
• pp.87-95
• /
• 2021

Macroinvertebrates in forest streams affect the overall health of other streams in the same water system. In this study, we compared differences in the benthic macroinvertebrate community at two headwater streams located at different latitudes in the southern and northern parts of South Korea. We calculated the community temperature index (CTI), which represents the thermal preferences of the benthic communities. Hierarchical cluster analyses (HCA) were conducted to compare the similarities among sampling sites. In addition, we analyzed the relationship between community composition and environmental and community characteristics using non-metric multidimensional scaling (NMDS). Our results showed that CTI was significantly different between the two regions, indicating that these benthic macroinvertebrate communities have different thermal preferences. These two regions were clearly distinguished from each other in the HCA; furthermore, seasonal differences in benthic community composition were observed within each region. The functional feeding groups present in the benthic macroinvertebrate communities were different even though their habitat was similar.

• Korean Journal of Ecology and Environment
• /
• v.48 no.4
• /
• pp.280-286
• /
• 2015

Life cycles of Sweltsa illiesi and S. lepnevae were determined from a headwater stream in Mt. Jumbong. Identification of nymphs was done by using DNA barcoding. Nymphs begin to have species specific color pattern on their head several months prior to adult emergence and differ in the form of the third antennal segment. Two species appear to have similar semivoltine life cycles in this stream, beginning to hatch from June and finishing adult emergence about 701 days later. The combined annual mean biomass in ash free dry mass (AFDM) was estimated as $96mg\;AFDM\;m^{-2}$. The combined annual secondary production were 373 mg and $297mg\;AFDM\;m^{-2}\;yr^{-1}$, calculated by using size frequency method and increment summation method respectively.

• Proceedings of the Korea Water Resources Association Conference
• /
• 2012.05a
• /
• pp.1-10
• /
• 2012

Throughout much of the world, many ecological problems have arisen in watersheds where a significant portion of stream flows are diverted to support agriculture production. Within endorheic watersheds (watersheds whose terminus is a terminal lake) these problems are magnified due to the cumulative effect that reduced stream flows have on the condition of the lake at the stream's terminus. Within an endorheic watershed, any diversion of stream flows will cause an imbalance in the terminal lake's water balance, causing the lake to transition to a new equilibrium level that has a smaller volume and surface area. However, the total mass of Total Dissolved Solids within the lake will continue to grow; resulting in a significant increase in the lake's TDS concentration over time. The ecological consequences of increased TDS concentrations can be as limited as the intermittent disruption of productive fisheries, or as drastic as a complete collapse of a lake's ecosystem. A watershed where increasing TDS concentrations have reached critical levels is the Walker Lake watershed, located on the eastern slope of the central Sierra Nevada range in Nevada, USA. The watershed has an area of 10,400 sq. km, with average annual headwater flows and stream flow diversions of 376 million $m^3/yr$ and 370 million $m^3/yr$, respectively. These diversions have resulted in the volume of Walker Lake decreasing from 11.1 billion m3 in 1882 to less than 2.0 billion $m^3$ at the present time. The resulting rise in TDS concentration has been from 2,560 mg/l in 1882 to nearly 15,000 mg/l at the current time. Changes in water management practices over the last century, as well as climate change, have contributed to this problem in varying degrees. These changes include the construction of reservoirs in the 1920s, the pumpage of shallow groundwater for irrigation in the 1960s and the implementation of high efficiency agricultural practices in the 1980s. This paper will examine the impacts that each of these actions, along with changes in the region's climate, has had on stream flow in the Walker River, and ultimately the TDS concentration in Walker Lake.

• Korean Journal of Environment and Ecology
• /
• v.34 no.4
• /
• pp.334-344
• /
• 2020

A total of 24 families, 44 species, and 658 benthic macroinvertebrates were identified, and Ecdyonurus dracon Kluge (13%) was the dominant species in forested streams within the Yeonyeopsan (Mt.). A total of four habit categories (i.e., clingers (56%), burrowers (19%), swimmers (14%), and sprawlers (56%)) were identified, and clingers were the dominant habit at all survey points except point one (UP1). Habitat characteristics were depended on the hydraulic factors (e.g., flow velocity, depth, and substrates), water quality (e.g., DO and water temperature), and the habitat characteristics were differed in the riffle, which has a faster the flow velocity, compared by in the stagnant pool. In other words, in riffles, the clingers dominated in high flow velocity with the large maximum and median grain size for substrates in the habitats regardless of depth, but the burrowers and sprawlers were dominant in low flow velocity with the small maximum and median grain size for substrates in the habitats. Moreover, DO and flow velocity were in positive correlation (y = 0.6666x - 0.659, R² = 0.0851), and the habitat for burrowers was wider than that for sprawlers or clingers. The water depth was negatively correlated with water temperature (y = -26.397x + 283.87, R² = 0.1802) since the water temperature is more sensitive to insolation in shallow depth. pH was positively correlated with water temperature. The investigation of the habitat characteristics by separating the relations between pH and DO in upstream and downstream showed the low pH and high DO in the upstream with a high crown density of 68%, regardless of community composition. On the other hand, high pH and low DO in the downstream with a relatively low crown density of 51%. It was considered that the riparian forest played a role in suppressing the growth of attached algae and the controlling water temperature in headwater streams. Our findings identified the habitat characteristics of benthic macroinvertebrates in a headwater stream. We expected that the finding can provide reference data for suggesting conservation and management plans in a headwater stream and increasing academic value.

• Korean Journal of Environment and Ecology
• /
• v.26 no.4
• /
• pp.620-628
• /
• 2012

This study addressed the influence of forest harvesting on seasonal water table dynamics in small headwater riparian areas. Four treatments including potential Best Management Practices(BMPs) for ephemeral and intermittent streams were implemented(BMP1, BMP2, clearcut and reference). Water table measurements were obtained at bi-monthly intervals for 3 years including one year of pre- and two years of post-harvest observations. Overall, water table responses affected largely by rainfall amount. In addition, significant increases in water table levels following harvesting occurred throughout the two post-harvest years. Water table levels increased up to 28.2cm in the clearcut treatment during 2008 and up to 54.2cm in BMP2 during 2009. However, increase in water table elevation was not directly related to basal area removal despite considerable differences in basal area removed between BMP2 and clearcut treatments. Water table rises were apparent in that water table were more elevated during dry season(June through November) than during wet season(December through May). These seasonal fluctuations were presumably driven by changes in evapotranspiration caused by differences in leaf area of overstory canopy and understory following harvest.

• The Korean Journal of Ecology
• /
• v.23 no.2
• /
• pp.113-116
• /
• 2000

Different phenological patterns of leaf and fruit fall among native and non-native riparian species provide a spatially and temporally heterogeneous series of alternative food resources for detritivores. Relatively little is known about qualitative differences among these different riparian species. Rates of litter inputs, decomposition, and retention for different sources of riparian litter require long-term documentation. Species of freshwater shrimps, crabs. insects. and gastropods are known to consume a wide range of litter inputs but how these dynamic food webs function under changing climatic and land-use conditions is unknown, especially in tropical streams. On-going studies in the Luquillo Experimental Forest. Puerto Rico provide an example of how inputs of fronds and fruits from palms (Prestoea montana) serve as important foods and microhabitat for species of freshwater crabs and shrimp. Native riparian species such as Prestoea montana are commonly distributed in the Luquillo Mountains especially along steep slopes and stream banks. After tropical storms with high winds, the large fronds from these native riparian trees provide important inputs of leaf litter to the stream food web. In some streams, the input of ripe fruit from non-native trees such as Java plum (Syzigium jambos) also provides a major source of detrital food resources, especially during periods when fruit fall from native species of palms may be limited.

• Korean Journal of Ecology and Environment
• /
• v.40 no.4
• /
• pp.527-536
• /
• 2007

In this study, we applied 10-metric health assessment model, based on the Index of Biological Integrity (IBI) during 2006 in the Changwon Stream, which is located in the Changwon city, Gyeongnam province, S. Korea, and then compared with water quality data. The Index of Biological Integrity (IBI) in the Changwon Stream varied from 18 to 38 in the watershed depending on the sampling location and averaged 30.3 (n=6) during the study. Analysis of tolerance guilds showed that the proportion of sensitive species was 13%, but tolerant and intermediate species were 34% and 53%, respectively. Qualitative Habitat Evaluation Index (QHEI) averaged 43.3 (range: 65-104, n=6) indicating non-supporting condition, based on the criteria of U.S. EPA (1993). Values of QHEI showed a typical longitudinal decreases from the headwater reach to the downstream location, except for Site 1 with a low QHEI value by artificial habitat by concrete construction. Minimum QHEI was found in Site 4 where fish diversity was minimal. Conductivity increased continuously along the gradients and especially showed abrupt increases in the downstream sites along with turbidity. Stream ecosystem health of IBI matched to the values of QHEI except for S6. Low IBI values in the sites 4 and 5 was considered to be a result of combined effects of chemical pollutions and habitat degradations. Our results support the hypotheses of Plafkin et ai. (1989) that physical habitat quality directly influences the trophic structure and species richness, and is closely associated with IBI values.

• Korean Journal of Ecology and Environment
• /
• v.40 no.2
• /
• pp.327-336
• /
• 2007

This study assessed ecological health using a multi-metric fish model from 15 sites in the headwater watershed of southern Han River during June${\sim}$August 1999 and then compared the health with conventional community diversity index to figure out differences between health and diversity index. For the analysis, we adopted 10 metric IBI model for regional applications. During this survey, total number of species sampled were 24 (6 families) and varied depending on magnitude of ecological disturbance and stream order. In the mountainous streams, mean proportion of sensitive and insectivore species was composed of 91% and 56%, respectively, indicating a potential healthy conditions. However, tolerant species with 66% and omnivore species with 76% were sampled from the 2nd order stream, which was shown deterioration in the physical habitat quality. In the overall watershed, mean IBI value was 38, judging as "fair" condition by the health criteria. Values of Individual IBI were closely associated with stream order and this pattern was similar to other mountainous streams showing low chemical pollutions and disturbance. Our comparison between IBI and diversity index over the stream order showed a distinct difference; Shannon-Weaver diversity index overestimated the actual community conditions and the variation range in the 2nd order stream was greater in the diversity index. Overall data suggest that the multi-metric approach may to a useful tool for stream ecosystem management and the conventional diversity index may not effective unless the stream order is considered for the stream evaluation.

• Journal of Korean Society on Water Environment
• /
• v.28 no.4
• /
• pp.561-573
• /
• 2012

The object of this study was to analyze long-term water quality gradients during 1992-2008 at six sites of Geumho River and near-by two sites of Nakdong River and their influences on fish trophic guilds and tolerance guilds along with ecological health. Water quality including biological oxygen demand (BOD), chemical oxygen demand (COD), conductivity, total phosphorus (TP), total nitrogen (TN), and total suspended solids (TSS) varied largely depending on the sampling locations and seasons. Values of ambient BOD, COD, TP, and TN were greater in the downstream than in the upstream reach, and seasonal and interannual variabilities were also higher in the downstreams. This phenomenon was evident due to a dilution by the Asian monsoon rainfall during the monsoon. These outcomes indicate that point sources near the downstream are important for the chemical conditions, but also seasonal stream runoff was considered as an important factor regulating the chemical conditions. Conductivity decreased rapidly during the summer due to ionic dilution, and nutrients (N, P), BOD, COD had an inverse function of seasonal precipitation. Based on the water quality, we selected two sites (control site = $C_s$ vs. impacted site = $I_s$) for impact analysis of water chemistry on fish community and trophic/tolerant guilds. Fish guild analysis showed that species diversity was higher in the headwater stream ($C_s$) than the impacted downstream ($I_s$), and that the proportion of tolerant and omnivore species were greater in the impacted site of downstream. Comparisons of water quality between Geumho River and Nakdong River indicated that Geumho River was considered as a point source which degradated water quality to the Nakdong River. Overall, chemical water quality and fish guild analysis suggest that even if current chemical quality got better after 1996 due to continuous constructions of wastewater disposal plants near the downstreams, fish compositions of tolerant and omnivores were still dominated the community. Thus, biological restoration based on ecological health is required for the ecosystem conservation.

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