• Korean Journal of Ecology and Environment
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• v.46 no.2
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• pp.225-233
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• 2013

We examined the effect of different field temperatures on water quality improvement (WQI) of natural domestic plant-mineral composites (PMCs). This method was previously used by Kim et al. (2011), to monitor the restoration of water quality of a eutrophic lake, Lake Shingal (Korea). Results indicate that PMCs on phytoplankton, BOD and phosphorus showed more than 70% WQI below $20^{\circ}C$, and less than 40% WQI over $25^{\circ}C$, respectively. The WQIs of PMCs on blue-green algae were gradually decreased with the increase of temperature, whilst diatoms exhibited more than 90% higher WQIs, regardless of water temperature. Additionally, the WQIs on bacterial biomass and total nitrogen were low at all temperatures. These results collectively indicate that water quality improvement activity of plant-mineral composites was dependent on the water temperature, and that the field application of above chemical during temperatures over $25^{\circ}C$, would be less effective in treating a cyanobacteria bloom dominated by Microcystis aeruginosa, than by diatoms.

• Korean Journal of Ecology and Environment
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• v.46 no.2
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• pp.205-214
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• 2013

In Yeongsan River estuary, located in the southern West Coast, a dike was constructed in December 1981. After the construction of a dike, discharge mechanism of fresh water has been changed, the water quality and chlorophyll-a are expected to be influenced by fresh water discharge. We investigated temporal and spatial variations and long-term trend of phytoplankton biomass (chlorophyll-a) and environmental factors. The concentrations of nutrient and chlorophyll-a were generally high in summer and the concentrations were increased toward downstream. Surface/bottom salinity difference was negatively correlated with salinity in surface water but positively with nutrient and chlorophyll-a. TN, TP and DIN concentrations were generally increased over 10 years. This study can provide information for better management of water quality for Youngsan River estuary.

• Korean Journal of Ecology and Environment
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• v.46 no.4
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• pp.471-487
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• 2013

This review paper was written to provide background information as well as future application for aquatic ecologists interested in using stable isotope. Stable isotope techniques has proved to be an extremely useful to elucidate a lot of environmental and ecological problems. Stable isotopes have been used as possible tracers to identify sources, to quantify relative inputs in a system. When utilized carefully, stable isotope tools provides apparent advantages for the scientists to find out the processes of material cycles in various environments and energy flows in natural ecosystems.

• Korean Journal of Ecology and Environment
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• v.38 no.4 s.114
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• pp.439-444
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• 2005

The environmental quality of the middle-reach of the Yahagi River has deteriorated in recent years. The nutrient dynamics within the reach were investigated to explain the changes. Seasonal pattern of $NO_3\;^--N$ concentration tended to stay low from April or May through July or August and then increased till winter or early spring, although there were peaks during high flow periods in mid-September, 2000 and late-August, 2001. No clear seasonal changes were observed in $PO_4\;^{3-}-P$ concentration. In the bimonthly records from 1980-2002, the DIN concentrations on January and March were higher than other months whereas the average daily flows on January and March were lower than they were in other months. The mean DIN concentration showed a high negative correlation with the median of average daily flow. In the past 50 years, the average concentration of DIN (excluding nitrite) was 0.21 mg $L^{-1}$ in 1952-1953. The concentration was about twice this high around 1980, and it is about three times this high at present. On the other hand, the average concentration of $PO_4\;^{3-}-P$ was below the limit of detection in 1952-53. However, it increased to almost 0.03 mg $L^{-1}$ around 1980, then decreased to approximately 0.016mg $L^{-1}$ at present. Our results suggest that the increasing DIN concentration is one of the causes of environmental change in the Yahagi River. We conclude that controlling the DIN concentration is essential for improving the river environment.

• Korean Journal of Ecology and Environment
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• v.38 no.4 s.114
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• pp.503-509
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• 2005

The growth characteristic of a predominant planktonic blooming species, Mallomonas elongata in a small shallow eutrophic pond was investigated In the field (from October 2004 to September 2005) and laboratory, Dense blooming (max. 17,600 cells $mL^{-1}$) of this silica-scaled chrysophytes was observed for a short time period in early spring (water temperature 12-$18^{\circ}C$ and pH 8.4-9.5), The growth characteristics of M. elongata isolated from this pond was investigated at various temperatures and pH under batch culture. The unialgal culture of M. elongata showed maximum growth rate (${\mu}max$) at $15^{\circ}C$ similar to the natural conditions. However, the optimal pH of the isolated batch culture was lower than the pond water pH at which M. elongata appeared in large population density.

• Korean Journal of Ecology and Environment
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• v.38 no.4 s.114
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• pp.510-517
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• 2005

The filamentous cyanobacterium Anabaena is capable of both photosynthesis and nitrogen fixation which probably facilitated its incredible adaptation and proliferation in freshwater environments. A small gene, patS, was found to block nitrogen fixing cells from developing which resulted in death of Anabaena in the absence of combined nitrogen sources. We analyzed the DNA sequences in the vicinity of the patS gene by using a codon usage program and detected no codon bias other than the patS open reading frame. Three overlapping cosmids that contain the patS gene were identified, and the presence of other known heterocyst-controlling genes was examined. The patS expression in response to nitrogen starvation was analyzed at the level of transcription and translation by using Northern blot analyses and lacZ-reporter-gene fusion experiments, respectively. The patS expression increased rapidly (within 12 hours) upon the removal of combined nitrogen from the media.

• Korean Journal of Ecology and Environment
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• v.38 no.4 s.114
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• pp.494-502
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• 2005

Antialgal bacteria and ciliates were tested alone and in combination for their abilities to decrease the densities of the warm-weather cyanobacterium, Microcystis aeruginosa, and the cold-weather centric diatom, Stephanodiscus hantzschii. Our results indicate that the density of M. aeruginosa was effectively suppressed by the bacterium, Streptomyces neyagawensis, and the heterotrich ciliate, Stentor roeselii. However, co-treatment with both bio-agents stimulated the algal density rather than decreasing it, suggesting that S. neyagawensis and S. roeselii may have an antagonistic relationship. Additional experiments revealed that the density of S. hantzschii was effectively suppressed by the bacterium, Pseudomonas putida, and by the above mentioned strain of S. roeselii. Co-treatment with both bio-agents had a higher antialgal activity than treatment with each alone, indicating that the bio-agents may act synergistically. These results suggest that the anti-alge efficacy of co-treatment with multiple biological control agents is likely to differ depending on the bio-agents and target organisms.

• Korean Journal of Ecology and Environment
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• v.34 no.4 s.96
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• pp.337-341
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• 2001

Studies were conducted to determine the effects of water temperature on the number of spawning, egg production, spawning intervals and hatching success of Chinese bleak, Aphyocypris chinensis. Adult fish were exposed to water temperatures of 19, 22, 25 and $28{\circ}^C$ for two months in the laboratory. The spawning number, egg productivity, and hatching rate increased as water temperature increased between $19{\circ}^C$ and $25{\circ}^C$. Maximum egg production and hatching rate occurred at $25{\circ}^C$, whereas the spawning intervals decreased as water temperature increased except for the treatment of $28{\circ}^C$. The shortest spawning interval observed at $25{\circ}^C$.

• Korean Journal of Ecology and Environment
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• v.34 no.4 s.96
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• pp.342-348
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• 2001

The present work is to introduce the preliminary experimental results for a primary hydrocyclones process in lake sediment thickening. A few cyclones based on the Rietema standard geometry were prepared. The test particles were sediments from a local lake and waste coal fly ash for a reference test. As a result of the chemical analysis, organic contaminants were abundantly found in smaller particles in overflow. Experimental results showed that the physical characteristics of particles, configuration of the cyclone and operating variables including feed solids concentration and volumetric flow rate could affect the separation efficiency. The limiting feeding velocity for the separation and enrichment of particles was 1.5 m/s, higher separation efficiency, in general, was obtained under the high velocity with the small cyclones.

• Korean Journal of Ecology and Environment
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• v.34 no.4 s.96
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• pp.292-297
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• 2001

As a part of study on the microalgal dynamics in a small pond in Hongsung, Chungnam, we found a massive bloom of chlorococcalean green alga, Dictyosphaerium pulchellum during the year-round survey from January 2000 to January 2001. D. pulchellum occurred at a low frequency throughout the year. However, D. pulchellum began to increase from 12 March, showed a peak of blooming with 59,200 colonies $mL^{-1}$ in 2 April, and abruptly decreased in 16 April. Colonies were 8-celled and 16-celled at early stage of blooming, 32-celled or 64-celled at the midst of blooming, and most of colonies consisted of 64 cells at the end of blooming. Colonies of D. pulchellum were healthy at the early stage of blooming, but most of colonies were infected with some parasites at the end of blooming. The infected cells bleached out with decomposing chloroplast and pyrenoids. The infection with parasites, together with irradiance and nutrient limitations, appears to stop D. pulchllum bloom. This is the first report on the occurrence of blooming of a green algal genus Dictyosphaerium and its infection with parasite in Korea.