• Korean Journal of Environment and Ecology
• /
• v.38 no.2
• /
• pp.189-203
• /
• 2024

This study conducted a survey two times at 20 points from April to June and from August to October 2022 to characterize the fish community and reveal the health of the Anyang stream. The survey collected 3,186 individuals belonging to 5 orders, 10 families and 34 species. The dominant species was Zacco platypus (43.4%), followed by Carassius auratus (10.1%), Cyprinus carpio (7.6%), Zacco koreanus (6.2%), Pungtungia herzi (5.2%), Oryzias sinensis (5.1%), Pseudorasbora parva (4.7%), Squalidus gracilis majimae (4.4%), Rhynchocypris oxycephalus (3.5%), Hemiculter eigenmanni (3.3%), Rhodeus ocellatus (1.4%), and Chelon haematocheilus (1.0%). Among the emerged species, 5 species (14.7%), including Rhodeus uyekii, Squalidus japonicus coreanus, and Odontobutis interrupta, were endemic to Korea, and 4 species (11.8%), including Cyprinus carpio (Israeli type), Lepomis macrochirus, Micropterus salmoides, and Poecilia reticulata, were exotic. The fish community analysis showed that the dominance was higher at the upper reaches of the Anyang stream and decreased downstream, and diversity, richness, and evenness were higher in tributary than mainstream. Stream health (fish assessment index, FAI) was generally poor, as it was rated as moderate (C) at seven sites, poor (D) at eight sites, and very poor (E) at five sites. Water quality was evaluated at eight sites, and it was rated as poor (V) at two sites, slightly poor (IV) at one site, moderate (III) at four sites, and slightly good (II) at one site, indicating that the overall water quality was poor and that the water quality had a significant impact on river health and fish habitat. Moreover, it was found that many weirs without fishways were constructed in the Anyang stream and became an obstacle to fish migration. Therefore, a systematic management plan to improve water quality and add fishways is necessary to improve the stream's health and conserve stable fish habitat.

• Korean Journal of Environment and Ecology
• /
• v.38 no.3
• /
• pp.246-262
• /
• 2024

The survey conducted from 2018 to 2020 aimed to investigate the changes in fish fauna and community characteristics in the upper reaches of the Seomgang River, Korea. During the survey period, 35 sites were selected, resulting in the collection of 7,817 fish belonging to 12 families and 40 species. The dominant species was Zacco koreanus, with a relative abundance of 34.5%, followed by Z. platypus at 28.7%. Other significant species included Rhynchocypris oxycephalus (10.2%), Pungtungia herzi (5.3%), and Squalidus gracilis majimae (4.3%). Notably, four protected species - Acheilognathus signifer, Gobiobotia brevibarba, and Cottus koreanus, designated as class II endangered wildlife by the Ministry of Environment- were identified. These species predominantly inhabit the middle and lower reaches, except for Gobiobotia brevibarba, which is found in the upper reaches. Nineteen species, accounting for a 47.5% endemism rate, were endemic to Korea. The study also noted the presence of one climate-sensitive species, Cottus koreanus, and two exotic species, Carassius cuvieri and Micropterus salmoides. Community analysis indicated a trend of decreasing dominance and increasing diversity and richness from upstream to downstream, with a distinct division into uppermost reaches, upper reaches, middle and lower reaches, and lakes. The construction of the Hwaseong Dam has had a significant direct and indirect impact on the fish community. The habitat and abundance of endangered species such as R. pseudosericeus, A. signifer, and G. brevibarba decreased dramatically immediately after the dam's construction, transforming the submerged area from lotic to lentic environments. Approximately 20 years later, the habitats have stabilized, leading to an increase in the fish population and a recovery of the previously diminished endangered species. The river health (FAI) was also evaluated, with 27 sites rated as very good (A), seven as good (B), and one as fair (C). However, endangered species such as A. signifer continue to face threats from dam and river construction, while C. Koreanus has experienced a severe population decline due to river works. Additionally, the presence of the ecosystem-disrupting species M. salmoides in Hwaseong Lake raises concerns. To ensure a stable habitat for fish in the upper reaches of the Seomgang River, it is crucial to avoid indiscriminate river construction, urgently implement restoration policies for endangered species such as A. signifer, and develop management strategies to control the spread of invasive species such as bass.

• Korean Journal of Ecology and Environment
• /
• v.39 no.1 s.115
• /
• pp.62-72
• /
• 2006

Biological health in aquatic environments has been assessed by several approaches using various bio-taxa. Especially, fish has been identified as one of the best ecological indicators for an integrative health assessments in aquatic environments. In this preliminary study, the necropsy-based approach using the Health Assessment Index (Adams et al., 1993; HAI, Blazer, 2000), was employed for the assessments of aquatic environments influenced by effluent water from wastewater disposal plants (WDP) near a urban stream (i.e., Cap-Stream). For the impact analysis from the effluents, we developed 10 metric necropsy-based model including $M_l\;skin,\;M_2\;fin,\;M_3\;thymus,\;M_4\;spleen,\;M_5\;hindgut,\;M_6\;kidney,\;M_7\;liver.\;M_8\;eyes,\;M_9\;gill,\;and\;M_{10}$ pseudobranch. We set up duplicate controls (natural upstream water plus 5 fishes in each control tank) and duplicate treatments (effluent water from the WDP plus 5 fishes in each treatment tank) in the laboratory. Preliminary results showed that HAI values in the controls were zero, indicating an excellent condition by the criteria of HAI, while the HAI values in the treatments ranged between 40 and 150, indicating a poor condition. Also, various health conditions, based on the index of biological integrity (IBI), species richness, tolerance guilds, and trophic guilds supported the HAI approach. The HAI approach, not applied in Korea, not may be used as an surrogate fer ecological health assessment in lotic ecosystems.

• Korean Journal of Ecology and Environment
• /
• v.41 no.3
• /
• pp.374-381
• /
• 2008

Spatial and temporal changes of fish communities were studied at four study sites in the Cheonggye Stream from October 2005 to August 2006 after the rehabilitation process. During the survey period, 19 species in 6 families were sampled. Species Rhynchocypris oxycephalus and Zacco platypus were identified as dominant species. Korean endemic species such as Acheilognathus yamatsutae and Zacco koreanus were observed in the sites. Overall, species richness and abundance increased as time passes after the rehabilitation, reflecting colonization process of the fish community. Meanwhile species richness and abundance were higher at the downstream than at the upstream. Community indices such as dominant index, richness index and diversity index showed also similar spatial and temporal pattern. Nonmetric multidimensional scaling (NMDS), multivariate ordination technique, was used to analyze spatial and temporal variation of the fish communities, and the results showed spatial variation of fish communities with high species richness at downstream as well as the temporal variation of fish communities with high values of species richness and diversity index at later part of the study period, presenting colonization process of the fish community after the rehabilitation project.

• Korean Journal of Environment and Ecology
• /
• v.31 no.1
• /
• pp.72-80
• /
• 2017

Fish fauna and community structures in freshwater were analyzed in the streams (12 stations) of the Bogil Island from May to September 2015. Total numbers of the sampled species and genus (9 families) were 21 and 17, respectively. Gobiidae was the most dominant taxa, which accounted for 47.6% (10 species) of the total species, and the relative abundance, based on the number of individuals, was 60.4% (1,157 individuals). Subdominant families were three taxa of Cyprinidae (3 species; 500 ind.), Mugilidae (2 species; 168 ind.) and Mugilidae (2 species; 128 ind.). The dominant species, based on the relative abundance, was Rhynchocypris oxycephalus (20.7%) and the subdominant species were Gymnogobius urotaenia (19.5%), Leucopsarion petersii (17.2%) and Chelon haematocheilus (8.5%). These species were composed of upstream-resident fish as well as migratory fishes, so the streams of the Bogil Island had unique characteristics in the fish compositions. Based on all the species sampled, 9 species (42.9%) were primary freshwater fishes, 11 species (52.4%) were peripheral fishes and 1 species (4.8%) was amphidromous fish. Korean endemic species and exotic species were not found in the streams of Bogil Island. According to the analysis of fish community structure, species richness index and species diversity index were highest (1.831, 1.957) in the Site 8 and lowest in the Site 4. In the meantime, the dominance index was highestin the Site 4 (1.00) and lowest in theSite 8 (0.17).

• Korean Journal of Ichthyology
• /
• v.31 no.3
• /
• pp.165-171
• /
• 2019

The variation of fish community by reduced amount of water in the Cheonggye Stream was investigation from April to October 2018. Water depth decreased by 10~50 cm according to the stations, compared with 2011, before the amount of water decreased. Twelve species of five families appeared during the survey period. Short barbel gudgeon and Zacco koreanus belonging to the Korean endemic species such appeared in the stations. Seven species of Rhodeus uyekii, Acheilognathus yamatsutae, Acheilognathus gracilis, Hemibarbus labeo, Abbottina rivularis, Opsariichthys uncirostris amurensis, and Erythroculter erythropterus did not appear in 2018. After the decreased amount water, the fish species which increased rapidly was Zacco platypus and increased to 24.9% in the relative abundance of fishes. Dominant species of each station were Acheilognathus yamatsutae (St. 4) and Zacco platypus (St. 1, 2, 2). Results to water quality tolerance guild analysis of fish, number of species belonging to sensitive species decreased from 34.0% to 8.5%, there was no significant difference inter-mediate species, and tolerance species increased from 50.2% to 75.5%. Insectivore species sharply decreased from 48.1% to 19.2%, there was no significant difference carnivore and herbivore, and omnivore rapidly increased from 51.6% to 80.7%. Dominant index 0.76 from 0.62 to increased, diversity index 1.80 from 1.33 to reduced, evenness index 0.57 from 0.42 to reduced, and richness index 3.02 from 2.90 to decreased.

• Korean Journal of Ecology and Environment
• /
• v.51 no.4
• /
• pp.354-364
• /
• 2018

In this study, we surveyed the fish community at the four sites(St. 1, 3, 5, 7) in Jungrang Stream from 2008 to 2016. We found 37 species grouped into nine families. There were three exotic species; Cyprinus carpio, Carassius cuvieri and Micropterus salmoides after rainfall. Dominant species was Zacco platypus (57.3%) and subdominant species was Carassius auratus(10.4%) in a community. The water quality, surveyed at the six sites(St. 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6), based on eight factors(Water temperature, pH, DO, BOD, SS, EC, TN and TP), largely varied depending on each site and period. Minimum values in four factors(BOD, EC, TN and TP) were observed in rainy season, indicating an ionic and nutrient dilution of stream water by precipitation. In contrast, a maximum value in SS was occurred in rainy season at St. 2 and St. 5. The precipitation, Maximum value observed in July ($497.5{\pm}297.2mm$), minimum value in January ($12.9{\pm}8.6mm$). In July and August, the precipitation was divided into before and after the rainfall season in Jungrang stream. Using cluster analysis three fish sites (St. 1, 3, 5) were identified as significantly influence 11 fish species; Hemiculter eigenmanni, Squalidus japonicus coreanus, Hemibarbus labeo, Gnathopogon strigatus, Pungtungia herzi, Rhynchocypris oxycephalus, Pseudogobio esocinus, Pseudorasbora parva, Cyprinus carpio, Carassius auratus and Zacco platypus by rainfall.

• Korean Journal of Environment and Ecology
• /
• v.35 no.5
• /
• pp.490-502
• /
• 2021

This study was conducted to analyze the current status of fish fauna and characteristics of the fish community according to the habitat of Woraksan National Park, Korea. The spatially balanced sampling selected 20 stations from major streams of Woraksan National Park, and three surveys were conducted in each season. The physical environments of the habitat were mostly mountain streams (Aa), with large stones and gravels scattered over the stream. The average altitude of the habitat was 304.4 m, and the average depth of water was 40.3 cm, being less than 1 m in most cases, and the river water level was distributed from 3rd to 5th streams. The principal component analysis of the physical environmental factors by habitat showed that the substrate properties differed according to the altitude. The survey identified a total of 2,183 individuals in 16 species belonging to 7 families. The dominant species was Zacco koreanus(86.2%), and the subdominant species was Rhynchocypris oxycephalus(3.8%). Pseudopungtungia tenuicorpa, classified as the endangered wildlife II, was the first endangered legally protected species found in this survey. Analysis of the rank abundance curve model in the fish community showed the Zipf model at 9 out of 20 points, the Lognormal model in 3 points, and the Preemption model in 4 points. The remaining 4 habitats showed only one species and were not analyzed. The canonical correspondence analysis of 20 stations and fish species was performed to understand the characteristics of the fish community according to environmental factors. The fish communities were divided according to differences in habitat environment by the altitude.

• Journal of Ecology and Environment
• /
• v.48 no.1
• /
• pp.32-48
• /
• 2024

Background: Longitudinal connectivity in river systems strongly affects biological components related to ecosystem functioning, thereby playing an important role in shaping local biodiversity and ecosystem health. Environmental DNA (eDNA)-based metabarcoding has an advantage of enabling to sensitively diagnose the presence/absence of species, becoming an efficient/effective approach for studying the community structure of ecosystems. However, little attention has been paid to eDNA-based biomonitoring for river systems, particularly for assessing the river longitudinal connectivity. In this study, by using eDNA we analyzed and compared species diversity and composition among artificial barriers to assess the longitudinal connectivity of the fish community along down-, mid- and upstream in the Hotancheon from the Geum River basin. Moreover, we investigated temporal variation in eDNA fish community structure and species diversity according to season. Results: The results of species detected between eDNA and conventional surveys revealed higher sensitivity for eDNA and 61% of species (23/38) detected in both methods. The results showed that eDNA-based fish community structure differs from down-, mid- and upstream, and species diversity decreased from down to upstream regardless of season. We found that there was generally higher species diversity at the study sites in spring (a total number of species across the sites [n] = 29) than in autumn (n = 27). Nonmetric multidimensional scaling and heatmap analyses further suggest that there was a tendency for community clusters to form in the down-, mid- and upstream, and seasonal variation in the community structure also existed for the sites. Dominant species in the Hotancheon was Rhynchocypris oxycephalus (26.07%) regardless of season, and subdominant species was Nipponocypris koreanus (16.50%) in spring and Odontobutis platycephala (15.73%) in autumn. Artificial barriers appeared to negatively affect the connectivity of some fish species of high mobility. Conclusions: This study attempts to establish a biological monitoring system by highlighting the versatility and power of eDNA metabarcoding in monitoring native fish community and further evaluating the longitudinal connectivity of river ecosystems. The results of this study suggest that eDNA can be applied to identify fish community structure and species diversity in river systems, although some shortcomings remain still need to be resolved.

• Korean Journal of Environment and Ecology
• /
• v.34 no.6
• /
• pp.530-542
• /
• 2020

This study surveyed the central mountain area of Demilitarized Zone (DMZ) from March to October 2018 to reveal the appearance patterns of freshwater fish. We collected 7,744 individuals of 43 species in 12 families with skimming nets and cast nets in 12 stations during the survey. The dominant species was Zacco koreanus (30.3%), and the subdominant species was Z. platypus (18.5%), followed by Rhynchocypris oxycephalus (10.0%), R. steindachneri (6.7%), Microphysogobio yaluensis (5.9%), Acheilognathus signifer (4.5%), Pungtungia herzi (4.2%), and Orthrias nudus (2.6%). Among the collected species, four were legally protected. They included Hemibarbus mylodon, which was a natural monument, and Lethenteron reissneri, A. signifer, and Pseudopungtungia tenuicorpa, which were class II endangered wildlife designated by the Ministry of Environment. Twenty Korean endemic species (46.5%) and one exotic species, Micropterus salmoides, were also collected. Additionally, three climate-change sensitive species, R. kumgangensis, Ladislavia taczanowskii, and Cottus koreanus, and three landlocked species, L. reissneri, C. koreanus, and Rhinogobius brunneus appeared. The dominant species in each station were Z. koreanus (15 stations), Z. platypus (four stations), R. oxycephalus (four stations), and C. koreanus (one station). The species dominance index decreased from upstream to downstream (mainstream of Gimhwanamdae Stream), while the species diversity index and the species richness index increased. The community structure of the rivers was divided into the uppermost stream, upper stream, Han River, and Imjin River. Compared to antecedent surveys, this study collected the highest number of species. Two new species (Sarcocheilichthys variegatus wakiyae and Micropterus salmoides) were caught, while six species (Siniperca scherzeri, Leiocassis ussuriensis, Brachymystax lenok tsinlingensis, Rhodeus ocellatus, Abbottina springeri, Aphyocypris chinensis) did not appear. Gimhwanamdaecheon Stream has high biological value with the inhabitation of many species, including species under legal protection and high diversity and richness index scores. This paper also discussed a protection plan for this area.