• Korean Journal of Environment and Ecology
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• v.30 no.6
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• pp.986-995
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• 2016

The objective of this study was to analyze the distribution of endangered fish species and elucidate their relations on chemical water quality, physical habitat conditions and ecological stream health. The dominant species in the watershed was Pseudopungtungia nigra (Pn), Gobiobotia macrocephala (Gm), Gobiobotia brevibarba (Gb), Liobagrus obesus (Lo), and Iksookimia choii (Ic) in the order. The species of Pn designated as "critical endangered species (I) (CER)", was most widely distributed species among the endangered species, so the designation of the species should be re-evaluated. The endangered species was most popular (4 species, 384 individuals) in the Cho-River region of eighteen lotic regions. According to the analysis of chemical tolerance limits in the habitats with endangered fish species, biological oxygen demand (BOD) and total phosphorus (TP) was analyzed as "very good" (Ia) and "good condition" in the chemical criteria of the Ministry of Environment, Korea. Also, chemical conditions, based on ammonia-N ($NH_{4+}$), total nitrogen (TN), phosphate-P ($PO_{4^-}P$) were much better in the habitat with endangered species (Hw) than the habitat without endangered species (Ho). In the meantime, the species of Ic showed wide ranges on the chemical tolerance, so physical habitat conditions, such as the size of substrate particles (sand) and hydrological regime, were considered as more important factors than the chemical water quality, if the water quality is not largely degraded. The endangered species were also more distributed in the high-order (4-6) streams than the low-order (1-3) streams. The evaluation of ecological stream health, based on multi-metric model of the Index of Biological Integrity (IBI), showed the large difference between the Hw (21.6, fair condition)and Ho (30.5, good condition), indicating that the habitat maintained well chemically and physically had higher distributions of endangered species. Overall, the designation of CER on the Pn should be re-evaluated due to wide-distributions, and the protections from water pollution and the habitat conservations on the endangered species are necessary in the watershed.

• Korean Journal of Ecology and Environment
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• v.39 no.3 s.117
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• pp.320-330
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• 2006

An integrated health of a lotic ecosystem, Cho River, was evaluated by various approaches such as conventional water quality analysis, physical assessments of Qualitative Habitat Evaluation Index (QHEI), and the bioassay of Index of Biological Integrity (IBI) durin August${\sim}$September 2005. The IBI model used in the study was based on original multivariate metric model and then modified the metric attributes of the model for the regional application. Physical habitat health, based on the QHEI, was estimated using eleven metrics. During the study, values of IBI model averaged 36, which was judged as 'fair' to 'good' conditions. Spatial variations in the model values were evident: the headwater site (S1) was estimated as 48, indicating an 'excellent' condition, and the other sites were estimated 32${\sim}$38, 'good' condition. Values of the QHEI in the all sites averaged 148, which is judged as a good condition. The QHEI values varied from 120 (fair condition) to 199 (excellent condition) depending on the location of the stream. Site 5 (S5) was estimated as 'fair${\sim}$good' condition, while Site 7 (S7) was estimated as 'excellent' condition. The biological health, based on the IBI, reflected the habitat health. However, chemical conditions in terms of pH, turbidity, electric conductivity, dissolved oxygen (DO) did not make a difference in the biological health because of minor chemical differences among the locations.