• Journal of Korean Society on Water Environment
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• v.25 no.6
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• pp.951-963
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• 2009

The community structure and ecological characteristics of fish community in Lake Paldang were investigated from May to September 2008. During the survey period, 53 species belonging to 13 families were collected. Dominant species was Squalidus japonicus coreanus representing 81.8% of total number and 25.7% of total biomass of collected fish and subdominant species was Lepomis macrochirus representing 3.3% of total number and 18.9% of total biomass of collected fish. There were 20 Korean endemic species (38% of collected species number) including Cottus koreanus and 4 exotic species (7.5%) including Micropterus salmoides. The similarity analysis of fish communities among water areas of Lake Paldang using UPGMA showed that fish community of North-Han River was similar to that of South-Han River area and was different from that of Gyeongan River area. Long-term variation of fish community from 1972 to present study in Lake Paldang showed decrease of the species numbers after dam construction until 1994, and gradual increase from 1996 to present study indicating the disturbance of lentic system by dam construction in the 1980s. The increase of species number in the late 2000s may results in part from the increase of survey sites of successive studies. L. macrochirus which was designated as a domestic ecosystem-disturbing alien species with wide food niche have shown more than 20% of relative abundance since 1996 indicating the adverse effect on not only fish community but also aquatic ecosystem food web of Lake Paldang.

• Korean Journal of Ecology and Environment
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• v.51 no.1
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• pp.124-134
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• 2018

We analyzed research topics, temporal distribution of field sites, and researcher network of 1,508 limnology publications in the Korean Journal of Limnology (1968~2012) and the Korean Journal of Ecology and Environment (2013~2017). We found that water quality and sediment, phytoplankton, invertebrates, and fish were major subjects during the study periods. Survey of flora and fauna and physiological experiment of freshwater species were the largest subjects during 1970~80s, while other subjects including production, behavior, modeling, and ecological assessment have been rapidly increased since the 1990s. Most of the biological taxa equally studied lotic and lentic system, however, invertebrates and fish related studies more focused on the lotic system. Spatially, the field site of Korean limnology studies was found to be concentrated in main river channels runs through urban areas and artificial lakes than preserved natural areas. Freshwater system, located at the elevation range of 301~400 m (upstream of main channels), had the lowest number of field sites. Collaboration among researchers and different institution types have been steadily increased and expanded as the number of publications increased.

• Korean Journal of Ecology and Environment
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• v.51 no.1
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• pp.40-59
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• 2018

This review summarizes the history of freshwater zooplankton research in Korean Society of Limnology and necessary future topics that are remain poorly investigated in South Korea based on main research topics of published articles focusing on lakes, reservoirs, rivers and wetland ecosystems. In Korea, a total 450 freshwater zooplankton species have been reported (85 species of cladocera, ca. 230 species of rotifera since 1939, and 138 species of copepoda), and they cover 10% of total zooplankton species list. In the present paper, we provide recent species list of zooplankton found in Korea and their taxonomic keys. Over periods of 45 years, there are 25 published papers for zooplankton biota in lentic ecosystems in Korean Journal of Ecology and Environment (KJEE). The ecology of zooplankton communities in rivers has focused on the mechanisms involved in regulating their abundance, diversity and spatio-temporal patterns of genus Bosmina and rotifers (genus Brachionus and Keratella) that are most frequently found from Korea. On the other hand, the studies on zooplankton in wetland has focused on Alona, Chydorus and Ceriodaphnia with special emphasis on their relationships with aquatic macrophytes. Even though studies on the freshwater ecosystem in Korea have a long history, a few of studies on zooplankton biota were conducted at rice paddy, Dumbeong and wetlands. During the last two decades, experimental advances in freshwater zooplankton ecology and understanding of structure and function of this biota were made from a series of articles mainly in journal of KJEE. For future studies, quantitative, experimental and interdisciplinary approaches would be key words to understand zooplankton ecology and their roles in aquatic ecosystems under changing environments, and we have suggested necessary zooplankton research fields and future directions.

• Journal of Wetlands Research
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• v.19 no.3
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• pp.327-334
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• 2017

The flood pulse in streams enhances the biodiversity and ecosystem services of the channel-floodplain ecosystems by exchanging water, nutrients, sediments and organisms. However, the lateral connectivity in most streams of Korea has been disrupted by the levee constructions for the purpose of flood control and land use of floodplains. To compare the characteristics of floodplain vegetation according to existence of lateral connectivity in streams, we investigated the geomorphological and soil environmental factors and structures and distribution of vegetation in the floodplains connected and isolated by levee to the channel in Cheongmi Stream, Seom River, Hwangguji Stream, Mangyeong River, Gomakwon Stream, and Boseong River, Korea. In comparison of soil environments, moisture and clay contents were higher in the isolated floodplain than in the connected floodplain. According to the result of principal component analysis (PCA) using environmental data, the environments of the connected floodplain and the isolated floodplain were separated by soil moisture contents, soil texture and distribution altitude of the vegetation. The results of detrended correspondence analysis (DCA) using vegetation data showed that the isolated floodplain was dominated by the hydropythic communities of diverse life form and that the connected floodplain was dominated by the hygrophytic communities that endure disturbance. In conclusion, it is thought that the vegetation of the floodplain changed to the lentic wetland vegetation dominated by diverse hydrophytes as the floodplain was isolated from the channel by artificial levees.

• Korean Journal of Ecology and Environment
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• v.41 no.2
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• pp.228-236
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• 2008

The purpose of this study was to evaluate fish metric attributes using a model of Lentic Ecosystem Health Assessment (LEHA) and apply the model to the dataset sampled from six sites of Namyang Reservoir during October 2005$\sim$May 2006. The model was composed of 11 metries and the metric attributes were made of physical, chemical and biological parameters. Trophic composition's metrics showed that tolerant species ($M_3$, 80%) and omnivore species ($M_4$, 92%) dominated the fish fauna, indicating a biological degradation in the aquatic ecosystem. The metric of $M_7$, relative proportions of exotic species, also showed greater than 8% of the total, indicating a ecological disturbance. The average value of LEHA model was 24.3 (n= 12) in the reservoir, indicating a "poor condition" by the criteria of An and Han (2007). Spatial variation based on the model values was low (range: $21{\sim}26$), and temporal variation occurred due to a monsoon rainfall. Electrical conductivity (EC) and tropic state index of chlorophyll-$\alpha$ [TSI(CHL)] was greater in the premonsoon than the postmonsoon.

• Korean Journal of Ecology and Environment
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• v.50 no.1
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• pp.157-168
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• 2017

Backswamp is the section of a floodplain where deposits of fine silts and clays settle after a flood. In general, the wetland is composed of diverse ecosystems, and is characterized by ecotone. The purpose of this study was to analyze vegetation naturalness and to assess vegetation value by syntaxonomy and synecology of Useupje backswamp at Yeongsan river. As a result, the vegetation was divided into four physyiognomy types and 14 vegetation units depending on the species composition and habitats. The vegetation units confirmed in the study were as follow: Spirodela polyrhiza community as floating plant; Trapa bispinosa var. inuma community and Trapa bispinosa var. inumai-Nelumbo nucifera community as floating-leaved plant; Paspalum distichum community, Persicaria thunbergii community and Phalaridetum arundinaceae as lentic vegetation in the eulittoral zone; Scirpo fluviarilis-Zizanietum latifoliae and Typha angustata community in the emerged zone; Scirpetum tabernaemontani and Phragmitetum australis in the littoral zone; Carex dimorpholepis-Salix subfragilis community ecotone region of upland. According to the study, the vegetation distribution was highly affected by water level and artificial interference. Moreover, the development of vegetation units showed a significant relationship between species composition and habitats. Although vegetation value of Useupje resulted by vegetation naturalness was identified as the grade [III], the ecological value is expected to upward evaluation because of unique vegetation and geographical location.

• Korean Journal of Ecology and Environment
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• v.42 no.4
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• pp.476-486
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• 2009

Major objective of our study was to introduce initial researches of national long-term ecological monitoring studies on Daechung Reservoir, as one of the representative lentic reservoir ecosystems in Korea. For the long-term ecological research (LTER), we conducted preliminary field monitoring during 2008~2009 and analyzed biological parameters such as phytoplankton, zooplankton, and freshwater fish along with chemical water quality and empirical model analysis. According to phytoplankton surveys, major taxa have varied largely depending on seasons and sites sampled. Overall phytoplankton data showed that cyanophyta dominated in the summer period and diatoms dominated in the winter. In zooplankton analysis, 25 species including 20 rotifers, 3 cladocerans and 2 copepods were collected during the survey. The relative abundance of rotifers (86.5%) was always greater than that of cladocerans (6.3%) or copepods (5.1%). There were distinct spatial and inter-annual changes in the abundance of zooplankton in the reservoir, displaying similar patterns in three sites with the exception of S3 during the study. According to fish surveys, 8 families and 39 species were observed during 2008~2009. The most dominant fish was an exotic species of Lepomis macrochirus (23%), indicating an severe influence of exotic species to the ecosystem. TP averaged $17.9\;{\mu}g\;L^{-1}$ ($6{\sim}80\;{\mu}g\;L^{-1}$), which was judged as a mesotrophy, and showed a distinct longitudinal gradients. TN averaged $1.585\;{\mu}g\;L^{-1}$ during the study and judged as hypereutrophic condition. Unlike TP, TN didn't show any large seasonal and spatial variations. Under the circumstances, nitrogen limitation may not happen in this system, indicating that nitrogen control is not effective in the watershed managements. These data generated in the LTER station will provide key information on long-term biological and water quality changes in relation to global warming and some clues for efficient reservoir ecosystem managements.

• Journal of Wetlands Research
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• v.16 no.3
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• pp.303-313
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• 2014

The spatial distribution characteristic of fish community were investigated at the 10 habitat types in the Nonsan stream from August, 2008 to June, 2009. The collected species during the surveyed period were 26 species belong to 6 families. Korean endemic species were Sarcocheilichthys nigripinnis morii, Squalidus japonicus coreanus, Hemiculter eigenmanni, Pseudobagrus koreanus, and Odontobutis interrupta which showed 19.2% ratio of total species. Dominant species was Zacco platypus, and subdominant species was Tridentiger brevispinis. Dominant species according to habitat types were Micropterus salmoides(substrate type pool and rock type pool), Lepomis macrochirus(channel connected pool and channel unconnected pool/abandoned type pool), T. brevispinis(channel unconnected pool/overflow type and run) and Z. platypus(riffle, meander type pool, side channel, and dam type pool). As a results of community analysis in side channel, diversity index showed relatively high values, indicating that habitat types in the Nonsan stream have relatively stable community structure. Bray-curtis cluster analysis indicated that the meander type pool and riffle showed the most similar values(80.8%). Moreover, cluster and principal component analysis were classified as 2 groups(lotic and lentic habitats).

• The Korean Journal of Ecology
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• v.28 no.1
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• pp.15-23
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• 2005

The black locust (Robinia pseudoacacia L.) forests were studied by a phytosociological approach. Particular attention was given to characterize the vegetation classification, distribution pattern, and ecological flora of the syntaxa classified. A total of 38 releves were analyzed by using Correlation coefficient, UPGMA as the clustering method, and Principal Coordinates Analysis for ordination. Ecological flora analyzed by plant character sets such as scrambler, annual and biennial plants, forest elements, and actual urbanization index. The analyzed data are based on site-releve matrix with relative net contribution degree (r-NCD) of species. A total of 77 families, 193 genera and 323 species of vascular plants are recorded. Camellino-Robinietum pseudoacaciae ass. nov. and Phragmites-Robinia pseudoacacia community were described. Main cluster and ordination could be separated: 1) urban type, 2) rural type, 3) riparian type, and 4) combined type. It is defined that the Robinietum is a representative unit on the black locust afforestation, Phragmites-Robinia community on the lentic zone in the river ecosystem, and Cameliino-Robinietum ailanthetosum altissimae as an urban forest type. The Robinietum was considered as a perpetual community.

• Korean Journal of Environment and Ecology
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• v.32 no.3
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• pp.274-288
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• 2018

This study investigated the environmental factors and fish assemblage in 42 wetlands between spring and autumn of 2017 to evaluate the fish distribution and deduce the management strategy for improving biodiversity in created wetlands located at the Nakdong River basin. The investigation identified a total of 30 fish species and found that the most of wetlands were dominated by exotic fishes such as Micropterus salmoides and Lepomis macrochirus. Fish species such as Rhinogobius brunneus, Opsariichthys uncirostris amurensis, Zacco platypus were less abundant in the area with high density of Micropterus salmoides (static area) because they preferred the environment with active water flow. The pattern analysis of fish distribution in each wetland using the self-organizing map (SOM) showed a total of 24 variables (14 fish species and 10 environmental variables). The comparison of variables indicated that the distribution of fish species varied according to water depth and plant cover rate and was less affected by water temperature, pH, and dissolved oxygen. The plant cover rate was strongly associated with high fish density and species diversity. However, wetlands with low plant biomass had diversity and density of fish species. The results showed that the microhabitat structure, created by macrophytes, was an important factor in determining the diversity and abundance of fish communities because the different species compositions of macrophytes supported diverse fish species in these habitats. Based on the results of this study, we conclude that macrophytes are the key components of lentic freshwater ecosystem heterogeneity, and the inclusion of diverse plant species in wetland construction or restoration schemes will result in ecologically healthy food webs.