• Korean Journal of Ecology and Environment
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• v.41 no.spc
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• pp.50-60
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• 2008

We performed the experiment to evaluate the effect of different DO concentrations (0.5, 4.5 and 9.0 $mgO_2L^{-1}$) and water depths (20, 50 and 80 cm) on the filtering rate, mortality, and pseudifeces production of Unio douglasiae against the cyanobacterial bloom (mainly Microcystis aeruginosa). A solitary-living bivalve U. douglasiae was collected in the upstream region of the North Han River (Korea). The harvested mussels were carefully transferred to the laboratory artificial management system, which was controlled temperature $(18{\pm}2^{\circ}C)$, flow rate (10L $h^{-1}$), food $(Chlorella^{TM})$, sediment (pebble and clay), light intensity (ca. $20{\mu}mol$ photons), and photocycle (12 L : 12 D). In the field observation, the mussel mortality was significantly correlated with water temperature, pH and DO concentration (P<0.05). The mortality was decreased with water depth; 65, 90, 80% of mortality at 20, 50, 80 cm water-depth, respectively. Filtering rate (FR) showed the highest value at 50 cm water depth, and thereby the concentration of chlorophyll-${\alpha}$ decreased continuously by 94% of the control at the end of the experiment. In contrast, FR decreased by 34% of the initial concentration at 20 cm water depth. Over the given water-depth range, the mussel FR ranged from $0.15{\sim}0.20L\;gAFDW^{-1}hr^{-1}$ during the 18hrs of experiment, and thereafter, they appeared to be approximately 0.11, 0.26 and 0.30 L $gAFDW^{-1}hr^{-1}$ at 20, 50 and 80cm water depth, respectively. FR was highest with the value of 0.46L $gAFDW^{-1}hr^{-1}\;at\;0.5mgO_2 L^{-1}$ at the early stage of the experiment, while it increased with DO concentration. Maximum pseudofaeces production was 11.2 mg $gAFDW^{-1}hr^{-1}\;at\;9.0mgO_2L^{-1}$. Our results conclude that U. douglasiae has a potential to enhance water quality in eutrophic lake by removing dominant cyanobacteria, but their effects vary with environmental parameters and the water depth at which they are located.

• Korean Journal of Ecology and Environment
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• v.41 no.2
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• pp.237-246
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• 2008

Filtration rates and fecal production of freshwater bivalve, Unio douglasiae on two kinds of hibernal diatom communities were measured simultaneously in a laboratory. One community is the Han River (HAN), which dominated by Asterionella Formosa. Stephanodiscus hantzschii (ca. 98% of total phytoplankton). The other community is the Ilgam Lake (IL), which dominated by Synedra ulna, Scenedesmus sp. Microcystis aeruginosa (ca. 82%). The HAN water has higher concentrations of nutrient (TN and TP) and chlorophyll $\alpha$ (Chl-$\alpha$), lower turbidity and conductivity than the IL water. Water sampling for the feeding experiment was conducted in the same day (Jan 15, 2008) and similar time (AM 10:00 for HAN, AM 11:00 for IL). Mussels with the similar size ($0.0{\pm}0.5\;cm$) were collected from the Gunsan and Okgu district (Jeonbuk), and starved in a laboratory for 2 days before the experiment. The experiment comprised CON (no addition of mussel), LOW (addition of mussel at 0.3 indiv. $L^{-1}$), MID (1.0 indiv. $L^{-1}$) and HIGH (2.0 indiv. $L^{-1}$), respectively. With the increment of mussel density and time, the concentration of Chl-$\alpha$ in two diatom communities were clearly decreased; Chl-$\alpha$ of HAN gradually decreased after 1 hour of mussel treatment, while that of IL decreased as soon as mussel introduction. In 7 hours of treatment, the former was removed finally up to about 90% of control, while the later was remained as about 50%. Under the presence of mussel, total phytoplankton density was shifted as the similar patterns to that of Chl-$\alpha$ (r=0.705, P<0.0001), however, there showed the drastic differences following a species. Based on the concentration of Chl-$\alpha$, filtration rate of U. douglasiae averaged 0.266 $L\;g^{-1}\;h^{-1}$ (0.115 to 0.442) on HAN and $0.577\;L\;g^{-1}\;h^{-1}$ (0.146 to 1.428) on IL water, respectively. There were no differences in feces production among the mussel density in the HAH water (ANOVA, P>0.5), while in IL water, including lots of seston, the HIGH mussel produced the higher fecal materials, over one hundred times of LOW. These results suggest that freshwater bivalve Unio douglasiae have the alternative potential, as a filter-feeder of seston in turbid lake, and a biological controller of diatom bloom in cold stream.

• Korean Journal of Ecology and Environment
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• v.51 no.4
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• pp.268-286
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• 2018

The eutrophication and algal blooms by harmful cyanobacteria (CyanoHAs) and freshwater redtide (FRT) that severely experiencing in typical regulated weir system of the Nakdong River are one of the most rapidly expanding water quality problems in Korea and worldwide. To compare with the factors of rainfall, hydrology, and dominant algae, this study explored spatiotemporal variability of the major water environmental factors by weekly intervals in eight weir pools of the Nakdong River from January 2013 to July 2017. There was a distinct difference in rainfall distribution between upstream and downstream regions. Outflow discharge using small-scale hydropower generation, overflow and fish-ways accounted for 37.4%, 60.1% and 2.5%, respectively. Excluding the flood season, the outflow was mainly due to the hydropower release through year-round. These have been associated with the drawdown of water level, water exchange rate, and the significant impact on change of dominant algae. The mean concentration (maximum value) of chlorophyll-a was $17.6mg\;m^{-3}$ ($98.2mg\;m^{-3}$) in the SAJ~GAJ and $29.6mg\;m^{-3}$ ($193.6mg\;m^{-3}$) in the DAS~HAA weir pools reaches, respectively. It has increased significantly in the downstream part where the influence of treated wastewater effluents (TWEs) is high. Indeed, very high values (>50 or $>100mg\;m^{-3}$) of chlorophyll-a concentration were observed at low flow rates and water levels. Algal assemblages that caused the blooms of CyanoHAs and FRT were the cyanobacteria Microcystis and the diatom Stephanodiscus populations, respectively. In conclusion, appropriate hydrological management practices in terms of each weir pool may need to be developed.