• Korean Journal of Ecology and Environment
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• v.56 no.4
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• pp.281-302
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• 2023

Carbon is not only an essential element for life but also a key player in climate change. The radiocarbon (¹⁴C) analysis using accelerator mass spectrometry (AMS) is a powerful tool not only to understand the carbon cycle but also to track pollutants derived from fossil carbon, which have a distinct radiocarbon isotope ratio (Δ¹⁴C). Many studies have reported Δ¹⁴C of carbon compounds in streams, rivers, rain, snow, throughfall, fine particulate matter (PM_2.5), and wastewater treatment plant effluents in South Korea, which are reviewed in this manuscript. In summary, (1) stream and river carbon in South Korea are largely derived from the chemical weathering of soils and rocks, and organic compounds in plants and soils, strongly influenced by precipitation, wastewater treatment effluents, agricultural land use, soil water, and groundwater. (2) Unprecedentedly high Δ¹⁴C of precipitation during winter has been reported, which can directly and indirectly influence stream and river carbon. Although we cannot exclude the possibility of local contamination sources of high Δ¹⁴C, the results suggest that stream dissolved organic carbon could be older than previously thought, warranting future studies. (3) The ¹⁴C analysis has also been applied to quantify the sources of forest throughfall and PM_2.5, providing new insights. The ¹⁴C data on a variety of ecosystems will be valuable not only to track the pollutants derived from fossil carbon but also to improve our understanding of climate change and provide solutions.

• The Sea:JOURNAL OF THE KOREAN SOCIETY OF OCEANOGRAPHY
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• v.4 no.4
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• pp.383-389
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• 1999

The foraminiferal researches carried out on the bottom sediments of the Korean Yellow Sea were reviewed. They began from the materials collected in the mid-1960. Most of the study materials were obtained from the gravity or piston corers as well as from the grab samplers. However, relatively long cores were obtained by a drilling ship in the mid-1990. The paleoenvironmental and sea-level histories associated with the foraminiferal changes were the main topics of the foraminiferal researches. Micropaleontological characteristics were also revealed. Sediments were supplied through the input of the rivers and streams from the adjacent mainland China and Korean Peninsula since the Holocene. Although the open sea has influenced off Mokpo now, it had influenced off Kunsan in mid-Holocene which was clearly seen from the occurrence of planktonic foraminifera. However, more advanced methods of study adopting geochemistry such as an absolute age estimate, an isotope analysis and an analysis of elements in combination with other fields of studies related with foraminiferal ecology should be applied to foraminiferal researches to reveal marine geological phenomena, such as climatic fluctuations and related marine environmental changes, in more detail. Additionally, it should be kept in mind that paleontolgical research including foraminifera is essential to the understanding of the recent as well as ancient environmental changes of the earth.

• Journal of Korean Society of Forest Science
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• v.96 no.1
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• pp.107-114
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• 2007

Establishments of the seedlings inside the natural forest from adjacent artificial forests would be an important factor in forest stand dynamics. This study was conducted to see the invasion of Korean pine (Pinus koraiensis) seedlings which is not native in this region, into the natural deciduous broad-leaved forest in Gwangneung, Korea. There is no mother tree at the I ha study site while the number of naturally regenerated P. koraiensis seedlings was 345 trees and 56% of them were clumped with more than two seedlings at each point. Applying the image segmentation method to IKONOS satellite image of January, 2003, the distance from the center of 1 ha study site to the nearest mother tree and plantation of Korean pine were 200 m and 270 m, respectively. The average height and root-collar diameter of the seedlings were 34 em and 7 mm, respectively and the age of 207 seedlings (60%) were below 5 years old. Most abundant range of soil moisture gradient and LAl (leaf area index) were from 16 to 20% and those of LAI were from 3.1 to 3.5. To understand the dynamics and seed dispersal pattern of Korean pine in the Gwangneung natural deciduous broad-leaved forests, additional studies not only long-term monitoring of growth and mortality of naturally regenerated Korean pine seedlings but also application of stable isotope analysis and molecular genetic techniques was recommended.

• Korean Journal of Ecology and Environment
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• v.52 no.3
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• pp.192-201
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• 2019

While a fairly large amount of organic matter is produced daily via phytoplankton photosynthesis in Lake Paldang, South Korea, knowledge of the role of algal-derived organic matter (OM) as a refractory OM source is not adequate. To understand the contribution of algal-derived OM to the refractory pool, biodegradation experiment and $KMnO_4$ oxidation experiment were conducted for 60 days using $^{13}C$ and $^{15}N$ labeled natural phytoplankton assemblage. The assemblage was collected from Lake Paldang on May 20, 2010. The photosynthetically produced total organic carbon ($TO^{13}C$), particulate organic carbon ($PO^{13}C$), and particulate nitrogen ($P^{15}N$) remained at 26%, 20%, and 17% of the initial concentrations, respectively, in the form of non-biodegradable organic matter. In addition, 12% and 38% of $PO^{13}C$ remained after $KMnO_4$ treatment on Day 0 and 60, respectively. These results indicate that photosynthetic products could be an important source of refractory organic matter after microbial degradation. Moreover, the microbially transformed algal-derived OM could contribute to the oxidation rate of the chemical oxygen demand.

• Korean Journal of Ecology and Environment
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• v.52 no.3
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• pp.202-209
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• 2019

The primary productivity and production rate of photosynthetic pigment of periphyton and phytoplankton were estimated using a $^{13}C$ stable labeling technique in May 2011, in the waterfront of Lake Paldang. Primary productivity of periphyton ($28.15mgC\;m^{-2}\;d^{-1}$) was higher than phytoplankton production ($0.14mgC\;m^{-2}\;d^{-1}$). The net production rates of photosynthetic pigments(Chl a and Fucoxanthin) of periphyton were $2.53ngC\;m^{-2}\;d^{-1}$ and $0.12ngC\;m^{-2}\;d^{-1}$, respectively. On the other hand, the net production rate of pigments on phytoplankton (Chl a : $0.023ngC\;m^{-2}\;d^{-1}$, Fucoxanthin: $0.002ngC\;m^{-2}\;d^{-1}$) was lower than that of periphyton. Specific production rates of individual pigments of phytoplankton to the total primary productivity indicate the predominance of diatom (Fucoxanthin) species in phytoplankton assemblage in Lake Paldang. The net individual production rate of pigments by $^{13}C$ tracer was a useful tool to estimate the contribution of each phytoplankton class for total primary productivity, and it is possible to calculate the seasonal contribution of each phytoplankton class to the total primary productivity in the aquatic ecosystems. This study is the first report on photosynthetic pigment production rates of periphyton and phytoplankton.

• Korean Journal of Ecology and Environment
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• v.55 no.4
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• pp.376-389
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• 2022

Despite the consumption of disinfectants have been increased by COVID-19 pandemic, the fate of the chemicals in aquatic food webs are still unclear. In order to understand the trophic transfer of the chemicals, the concentration of disinfectants including six benzalkonium chloride (BACs) and five didecyldimethylammonium chlorides(DDACs) were measured at the Geum (2020), Han (2021), and Yeongsan River (2021), before and after rainfall. The highest concentration of ∑BACs (mainly C12 and C14) and ∑DDACs (mainly C10 and C14) were observed in the Han River, followed by Yeongsan River, Geum River Estuary, and Gapcheon. After rainfalls, both concentration and detection frequency were decreased in all sites. Although the BAC and DDAC seems to be accumulated in organisms, they were bio-diluted rather than magnified in the aquatic food web with the biomagnification factor(BMF) of less than 1, trophic magnification slope (TMS) from -0.236 to 0.001, and trophic magnification factor(TMF) from 0.85 to 1.01.

• Korean Journal of Ecology and Environment
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• v.56 no.3
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• pp.218-228
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• 2023

Invasive predators are one of the most damaging species groups to biodiversity. In the Nakdong River, the lake skygazer Chanodichthys erythropterus is a dominant species that is fiercely carnivorous and a concern for commercial fish. Although it is important to understand the ecological characteristics related to the feeding habit, studies on the diets of lake skygazer in Nakdong River have been limited to studies of gut contents. In this study, the trophic position (TP) and feeding habits of C. erythropterus were studied by calculating TPs using samples collected from 13 sites throughout the Nakdong River. Compound-specific isotopic analysis of amino acids provided reliable TPs from the muscle of Lake skygazer C. erythropterus without any isotope baseline. The results were approximately 3 to 3.6 and suggesting a carnivorous but size-dependent prey variation. In particular, the TP variability of C. erythropterus observed in the Nakdong River showed that it had a selective feeding habit compared to carnivorous fish species of relatively similar trophic levels.

• The Sea:JOURNAL OF THE KOREAN SOCIETY OF OCEANOGRAPHY
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• v.21 no.1
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• pp.36-43
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• 2016

Wild glass eels found in the Korean peninsula are thought to migrate along the North Equatorial Current and undergo the processes of spawning and incubation in the Mariana Trench. Juveniles of the wild glass eels are collected from the southern and western coasts of the Korean peninsula and used as seeds for aquaculture. To investigate the feeding behavior of wild glass eels, we collected glass eels from the Nakdong River estuary during March and April 2014 and analyzed the total length, wet weight, dry weight, carbon and nitrogen contents, and stable isotope ratio of eels as well as water temperature and salinity. Water temperature in the Nakdong River estuary was $13.2{\pm}1.0$ (mean ${\pm}$ 1SE; range, $10.1{\sim}15.7)^{\circ}C$ and salinity was $24.8{\pm}2.4$ (13.2~34.0), showed a lower range from 13.2 to 30.0 (a mean of 21.2) when the floodgates were opened. The total length of glass eels was $56.5{\pm}0.2$ (51.0~63.6) mm, wet weight was $70.9{\pm}1.4$ (33.6~133.2) mg, and dry weight was $16.5{\pm}0.3$ (10.1~29.1) mg. Carbon and nitrogen contents of glass eels were $51.0{\pm}0.8%$ and $13.9{\pm}0.1%$, respectively. Mean ${\delta}^{13}C$ and ${\delta}^{15}N$ values of glass eels collected from the Nakdong River estuary were -20.9±0.2‰ and 6.1±0.1‰, displaying similar values to those of leptocephalus, glass eel larvae collected from the North Equatorial Current. Therefore, this result suggest that the glass eels collected from the Nakdong River estuary do not feed on prey after metamorphosis from eel larvae to glass eels their migration.

• Korean Journal of Agricultural and Forest Meteorology
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• v.18 no.4
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• pp.327-336
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• 2016

The Bagan, the central part of Myanmar, is dry zone where the mean annual precipitation is less than 600 mm for the last ten years. Forest in this region has been degraded due to biotic and abiotic disturbances. While there have been various efforts to rehabilitate the degraded area, the information on growth and physiological characteristics of planting species and the impacts of planting trees in the region still lacks. Therefore, this study was conducted to determine the growth and physiological water use efficiency characteristics of five species (Azadirachta indica A. Juss., Acacia catechu Willd., Eucalyptus camaldulensis Dehn., Acacia leucophloea (Roxb.) Willd. and Albizia lebbek (L.) Willd.) which are utilized as rehabilitation species in the dry zone and to identify the impacts of tree planting on microclimate change in dry zone. The growth and the foliar carbon isotope composition of seedlings and the above mentioned five species planted in 2005 were measured. And from February 2015 to January 2016, microclimatic factors air temperature and relative humidity at 60 cm and 2 m above soil, soil temperature, soil water contents and precipitation were measured at every 30-minute interval from the two weather stations installed in the plantation located in Ngalinpoke Mt. Range. One was established in the center of A. indica plantation, and the other was in the barren land fully exposed to the sunlight. Among the five species, A. indica and A. lebbek which showed higher water use efficiency could be recommended as rehabilitation species in dry zone. Planting trees in the dry area was shown to affect the change of microclimate with shading effects, declining temperature of the land surface and aridity of the air, and to contribute to conserving more water in soil by preventing direct evaporation and containing more water with fine roots of trees.

• Korean Journal of Ecology and Environment
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• v.55 no.3
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• pp.185-200
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• 2022

The risk of various hazardous substances in aquatic environment comprises not only the concentration of substances in the environmental medium but also their accumulation in fish through complex food web and the health risks to humans through the fish. In Korea, the monitoring of residual toxicant in aquatic ecosystems began in 2016 following the enforcement of the Acts on registration and evaluation for the management of chemicals used in daily life (consumer chemical products), and attention has been paid to potentially hazardous substances attributed to them. Recently, studies have been carried out to investigate the distribution of these hazardous substances in the ecosystem and calculate their emission factors. These include the accumulation and transport of substances, such as detergents, dyes, fragrances, cosmetics, and disinfectants, within trophic levels. This study summarizes the results of recently published research on the inflow and distribution of hazardous substances from consumer chemical products to the aquatic environment and presents the scientific implication. Based on studies on aquatic environment monitoring techniques, this study suggests research directions for monitoring the residual concentration and distribution of harmful chemical substances in aquatic ecosystems. In particular, this study introduces the directions for research on trophic position analysis using compound specific isotope analysis and trophic magnification factors, which are needed to fulfill the contemporary requirements of selecting target fish based on the survey of major fish that inhabit domestic waters and assessment of associated health risk. In addition, this study provides suggestions for future biota monitoring and chemical research in Korea.