• Journal of Environmental Impact Assessment
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• v.21 no.5
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• pp.631-648
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• 2012

The integrative ecological approaches of chemical assessments, physical habitat modelling, and multi-metric biological health modelling were applied to Gwanpyeong Stream within Gap-Stream watersheds to evaluate environmental impacts on the constructions of residential and commercial complex. For the analysis, the surveys conducted from 45 sites of reference streams within the Gap-Stream watershed and 3 regular sites during 2009 - 2010. Physical habitat health, based on the habitat model of Qualitative Habitat Evaluation Index(QHEI) declined from the headwaters(good - fair condition) to the downstream(poor condition). Chemical water quality, based turbidity and electric conductivity(EC), was degraded toward to the downstream, and especially showed abrupt increases, compared to the values of control streams(CS). Also, concentrations of chlorophyll-a in the downstreams were greater compared to the control stream(CS), indicating an eutrophication. Biological health conditions, based on the Index of Biological Integrity(IBI) using fish assemblages, averaged 19.3 which is judged as a fair condition by the biological criteria of the Ministry of Environment, Korea. The comparisons of model metric values in sensitive species and riffle-benthic species on the Maximum Species Richness Line(MSRL) of 45 reference streams indicated a massive disturbances in all sampling locations. Also, tolerance guild and trophic guild analyses suggest that dominances of tolerant species and omnivores were evident, indicating a biological degradation by habitat disturbances and organic matter pollutions. There was no distinct longitudinal variations of IBI model values from the headwater to the downstream in spite of slight chemical and habitat health gradients among the sampling sites. Overall, integrative ecological health(IEH) scores, based on the chemical, physical, and biological parameters, were low compared to the 45 reference streams due to physical and chemical disturbances of massive constructions of the residential and commercial complex. This stream, thus showed a tendency of typical urban streams which are disturbed in the chemical water quality, habitat structures, and biological integrity. Effective stream management plans and restoration strategies are required in this urban stream for improving integrative stream health.

• Journal of Korean Society on Water Environment
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• v.22 no.5
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• pp.796-804
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• 2006

The objective of this research was to develop ecological multi-metric models using natural fish assemblages for a diagnosis of current stream health condition, and apply the model to nationwide lotic ecosystems of the Geum River, the Youngsan River, and the Sumjin River. The ecological stream health model was based on the index of biological integrity (IBI), which was originally developed in North American streams by Karr (1981), and the Rapid Bioassessment Protocol (RBP), which was scientifically established by the US EPA (1999). The metric numbers and metric attributes were partially changed for the regional applications, so the scoring criteria was modified for the assessment. Overall, metric values, based on the IBI calculations, reflected conventional water quality characteristics, based on nutrient regime, and agreed with results of staticeco-toxicity tests. Some stations impaired in terms of stream health were identified by the IBI approach, and also major key stressors affecting the stream health were identified by additional evaluations of physical habitats. Our preliminary results suggested that biological integrity in stream ecosystems was largely disturbed by habitat degradation as well as chemical pollutions. This new approach would be used as a key tool for ecological restorations and species conservations in the degraded aquatic ecosystems in Korea and applied for elucidating major causes of ecological disturbances. Ultimately, this approach provides us an effective management strategy of stream ecosystems through establishments of ecological networks in various watersheds.

• Korean Journal of Ecology and Environment
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• v.42 no.3
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• pp.280-289
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• 2009

The fish communities and physical habitat conditions of fifteen tributaries of Lake Paldang in spring and autumn, 2008 were surveyed to evaluate the ecological health of the streams. The total 2,746 individuals were collected belonging to 11 families 31 genera 40 species. Two new species (Cottus koreanus, Gnathopogon strigaus) that have never been reported as yet in Lake Paldang watershed were found for the first time. The most dominant species in the tributaries was Acheilognathus yamatsutae (19.9%) which is Korean endemic species. Ecological health evaluation of fifteen tributaries using index of biological integrity (IBI) model for fish community and qualitative habitat evaluation index (QHEI) was performed. According th the IBI analysis, four streams (Siwoo-Stream, Jojong-Stream, Moonho-Stream and Mugab-Stream) were evaluated as "good" condition (B grade), Woosan-Stream were "poor" condition (D grade) and others were "fair" condition (C grade). Qualitative habitat evaluation index values of the four streams were the grade "II" indicating "good" condition and those of eleven streams were the grade "III", indicating 'fair' condition. On the whole, dataset of IBI and QHEI showed that ecological health of Jojong-Stream has been well maintained compared to other tributaries of Lake Paldang.

• Journal of Korean Society on Water Environment
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• v.26 no.6
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• pp.934-942
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• 2010

Bentic macroinvertebrate and fish fauna were investigated from September 2008 to October 2009 in the middle reach of the Suyoung river in Busan. During the survey period benthic macroinvertebrates were collected total 35 species at the three sites (Hanmul-gyo, Dongcheon-gyo, Seokdae Jct.) of Suyoung river. At that sites, species diversity index was 1.9, 1.5, 1.6, dominance index was 0.75, 0.81, 0.86 and Korean Saprobic Index (KSI) was 1.8(B), 4.4(D), 4.4(D) on average, respectively. Dominant species was Caenis Kua, Chironomidae sp., at Hanmul-gyo site and Limnodrilus gotoi, Chironomidae sp., at Dongcheon-gyo and Seokdae Jct. sites. Fish fauna was also investigated at the two sites (Hanmul-gyo and Seokdae Jct.) of Suyoung river. Total caught fishes were 10 species 32 individuals in the first survey and 6 species 26 individuals in the second survey. Dominant species was Carassius auratus in the both surveys. Index of Biological Integrity (IBI) value was C grade at the Hanmul-gyo and D grade at the Seokdae Jct.

• Proceedings of the Korea Society of Environmental Toocicology Conference
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• 2000.12a
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• pp.45-45
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• 2000

• KSCE Journal of Civil and Environmental Engineering Research
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• v.31 no.6B
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• pp.565-575
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• 2011

The purpose of this study was to quantitatively evaluate the expression of both multi-metric qualitative habitat evaluation index (QHEI) and biological integrity index (IBI) for artificial structures eco-artificial fish reef (EAFR) for fishes asylum and habitat. Especially, both experimental evaluation and biological verification were performed in Water and Environmental Center's outdoor test-bed of Korea Institute of Construction Technology located in Andong-city, Gyeongsangbuk-do. The experimental conditions reflecting the situation of domestic river include the flow rate (e.g., $0.0{\sim}1.5m\;s^{-1}$), the width (e.g., 1.0~3.0 m), the depth (e.g., 0.05~0.70 m), and variable bed materials. Both QHEI and IBI were monitored for 8 months from May to December 2010. Whereas QHEI values were highest at experimental points of the E~F with an average of 83.1, those were lowest at B~C with an average of 78.1. However, QHEI values inside EAFR were more than 98.9, regardelss of space and time, and indicated more than the highest good of the state (Good) in the habitat. Overally, IBI values showed similar trend with QHEI, but were 44.2 in the winter dry season, compared to 32.8 of QHEI values. IBI values Also, IBI values inside EAFR were greater than those at the experimental channel by 5.7 to 11.4% and 18.7 to 34.8% in flow and stagnant conditions, respectively, indicating that EAFR can secure asylum and habitat for fish during the dry season. For comprehensive aquatic ecosystem assessment, the experimental channel showed generally fair conditions (Fair~Good), whereas EAFR showed good conditions (Good), suggesting that EAFR can be applied to aquatic ecosystem restoration and improvement.

• Korean Journal of Environmental Biology
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• v.19 no.4
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• pp.261-269
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• 2001

The purpose of present study was to introduce a multimetric approach, so called the Index of Biological Integrity (IBI) as a tool for evaluations of water environments. We used 11 metric systems for the IBI to evaluate stream conditions, based on the fish community, and modified 5 original metric attributes suggested by Karr (1981). Overall IBI values in Kap Stream averaged 36 (n = 5) and ranged 17${\sim}$49, indicating a 'fair condition' according to the modified criteria of Karr (1981) and U.S. EPA (1993). However, there were distinct differences in the IBI values among 5 study sites. The IBI values at sites 1, 2, and 3 were 49, 45, and 41, which indicated 'good${\sim}$excellent', 'good', and 'fair' condition, respectively, while values at sites 4 and 5 were 17 and 29, which indicated 'very poor' and 'poor', respectively. The minimum IBI at site 4 was probably due to continuous inputs of wastewater from wastewater disposal plants. The condition at site 4 resulted in predominance of tolerant species (50%), omnivore species (50%), and high abnormalies (43%). In the mean time, the IBI value at site 5, located near 5km downstream from the site 4, increased compared to that of site 4, and this seemed to be a result of recovery of water quality as the polluted water goes downward. We believe that present bioassessment methodology of IBI applied in this study may be used as a key tool to set up specific goals for stream restoration plans and dentify recovery levels of lotic ecosystems after restoration activities(i.e., prevention of point-source pollutant input, restoration of physical habitats, construction of riparian vegetation) as well as a biological measure diagnosing current stream conditions.

• Korean Journal of Environmental Biology
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• v.31 no.4
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• pp.440-447
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• 2013

The ecological health, based on the Index of Biological Integrity (IBI) and Qualitative Habitat Evaluation Index (QHEI) was evaluated in 10 stream sites of Southern Han River. Eleven parameters of 12 parameters (Karr 1981) were modified for the application of regional Korean circumstance. The ecological health, based on IBI grade, was in "good condition" and the IBI score ranged from 33 to 47. Nine parameters of the original 12-parameter metrics in QHEI model (Plafkin et al. 1989) were applied in the habitat assessment. The mean QHEI model values were judged as "partially supporting" and ranged from 75 (non-supporting) to 109 (supporting). Comparative analyses revealed that values of IBI and QHEI models were greater in Gj stream than Ig- and Dn streams. The analysis of fish compositions showed that the proportions of insectivore, omnivore, and carnivore were 61.9%, 19%, and 9.5%, respectively. According to tolerance guild analysis, sensitive species and tolerant species were 76.1% and 4.7%, respectively, indicating a healthy trophic state in terms of food chain. The analysis by habitat guild type indicated that riffle benthic species dominated (57.1%) when compared to water column species (28.5%). The introduced species and individuals with diseases or external abnormality were not observed. Overall, the model values of IBI and QHEI suggested that the ecological health was maintained well in this upstream region.

• Journal of Korean Society on Water Environment
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• v.29 no.6
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• pp.790-798
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• 2013

Benthic macroinvertebrates are widely used as biological indicators for assessing the integrity of aquatic ecosystem. However, sampling has usually been done with fixed sample size due to time consuming and costly process. This study was conducted to find out the influence of sample size on the biological indices (H' DI, R1, J, EPT, ESB and BMI) of benthic macroinvertebrates. The 15 replicate samples were quantitatively collected from each 3 different site of two mountain streams in May, 2011. With the replicate data, we combined the abundance of each species with all the possible combinations of the sample size. Along with the increase of sample size, the number of species increased continuously and did not converge. BMI showed little difference whereas other biological indices increased or decreased.

• Korean Journal of Ecology and Environment
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• v.40 no.2
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• pp.254-263
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• 2007

The objective of this study was to evaluate biological water quality using fish assemblages in Nakdong River watershed. We selected 6 sites along the main axis of the river and evaluated the Index of Biological Integrity (IBI), Qualitative Habitat Evaluation Index (QHEI) and chemical water quality during July 2004${\sim}$March 2006. For the study, we applied the 10 metric IBI model, which was developed for national biological water quality criteria. Nakdong River's IBI value averaged 20.8 (n=14) during the study which means poor biological water quality. Physical habitat health at all sites, based on QHEI model, was measured as 110, indicating fair${\sim}$good condition. The habitat health varied depending on the locations sampled. Habitat health in sites 1 and 6 was judged as good, while the health in sites 3 and 4 was $poor{\sim}fair$. Especially, we found the metric values of $M1{\sim}M5$, M7, M10 were low in sites 3 and 4 compared to other sites. In these sites, thus, habitat restoration of substrate composition, riffles, and bank vegetation may be necessary. In the mean time, chemical water quality, based on BOD, COD, TSS, and nutrients, had no large spatial and temporal variations. Overall data analysis indicated that site 3 was largely impacted by the polluted-tributary, Keumho River and the downstreams showed better water quality due to the dilution of the polluted river water by Nam River and Hwang River.