• Journal of the Korean Geographical Society
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• v.49 no.3
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• pp.321-338
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• 2014

This study aims to identify spatial distribution of estuarine wetlands in Korea, and to assess temporal variation of the wetlands in the last few decades. Widely known in environmental and coastal management, watershed-based regions which composed with Han-river(western and eastern parts), Keum-river, Yeoungsan-river, Seomjin-river, Nakdong-river, and Jeju, are analyzed to evaluate temporal change of estuarine wetlands in the 1980s, 1990s, and 2000s, through the land-cover map. Results show that estuarine wetlands dramatically decreased in Han-river(western part), Keum-river, Yeoungsan-river that estuarine circulation have been interrupted with man-made structures such as dyke and drainage. But, estuarine wetlands surrounded by forests and grasslands has been relatively less damaged. Habitat diversity providing healthy estuary ecosystem is lower in interrupted estuaries than circulated estuaries, which are composed of tidal-flat, open water, salt marsh, rocky coasts and sandy shoreline. This study indicates that spatial distribution and temporal variation of estuarine wetlands are different with estuary type and region, so estuary type with seven regions can be applied to provides a framework for estuary management strategies and to establish estuary restoration plans.

• Journal of Korean Society on Water Environment
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• v.31 no.6
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• pp.665-679
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• 2015

Yearly mean temperature in the 29 lakes surveyed ranges from 12.6 (Suncheon) to 13.9℃ (Mokpo), the lowest in −2.7℃ (January) and the highest in 25.9℃ (July). Monthly mean the amount of rainfall recorded the highest of 336.7 mm in August and the lowest with 4.9 mm in January. A total of 424 species of phytoplankton were identified. They were 157 Chlorophyceae, 161 Bacillariophyceae, 39 Cyanophyceae, and 67 other algal taxa. The phytoplankton diversity were low in stream type reservoirs such as Guemho, Youngsan and Youngam. The population density of phytoplankton ranged from 19 to 53,161 cells/ml. Annual mean of total zooplankton abundance in 45 sites was 369±827 ind./L (n=180). Rotifers were the most common taxa and their relative abundance was high (65~77%). The benthic microinvertebrate fauna of 10 reservoirs of Jeonnam province were 71 species of 61 genera of 44 families of 16 orders of 7 classes of 4 phyla. Aquatic insects of Phylum Arthropoda were 50 species of 44 genera of 28 families of 6 orders. The number of individuals was 6,132. Diptera was highiest (41.3%), and Ephemeroptera (31.0%), Trichoptera (17.5%), Anellida (3.8%), Mollusca (3.3%), Crustacea (0.4%). Large hydrophytes were identified 32 taxa, 2 varieties 30 species 26 genera and 20 families. Especially, Jijung and Juam lakes require management such as physical remove of this ecosystem disturbance field plants. Fishes were identified total 44 taxa, such as 25 Cyprinidae (56.8%), 8 Cobitidae (17.0%), 3 Gobiidae (6.4%), 2 Bagridae (4.3%), 2 Osmeridae (4.3%), 2 Odontobutidae (4.3%), 2 Centrachidae (4.3%), 1 Siluridae (2.1%), and 1 Centropomidae (2.1%). A pale chub was dominant species (18.9%).

• Journal of Environmental Science International
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• v.15 no.4
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• pp.293-304
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• 2006

Sea water samples collected in August, 1994 from 20 stations in the Kwangyang Bay were analyzed by gas chromatography/mass spectrometry-selected ion monitoring (GC/MS-SIM) to investigate persistence and distribution pattern of four organophosphorus pesticides (DDVP, Diazinon, IBP, EDDP). Except for IBP, the contamination by DDVP, Diazinon, and EDDP in marine aquatic environment in Korea has not been reported previously. In this study, however, all these four pesticides were detected in all stations (except DDVP) and their concentrations were in ng/L level. The concentrations ranged from detection limit to 15.3ng/L for DDVP, 1.8-27.7ng/L for Diazinon, 7.3-63.5ng/L for IBP, and 22.2-1100.1ng/L for EDDP. It is noteworthy that the measured concentrations of IBP and EDDP in this study would be much lower than usual, since the use of IBP and EDDP was less than 50% of average annual consumption due to unusually dry and hot weather condition in the summer of 1994. It was very surprising to find that the highest concentrations of organophosphorus pesticides were observed at stations near Daesa Streamlet instead of Seomjin River, which has more point source of the pesticides. This result suggests that the small river discharge during heavy ram period in summer can give harmful effect on marine biota (both wild and aqua-cultured) with its organophosphorus pesticide residue, despite of their short residence time in aquatic environment. In order to protect the marine life properly from acute toxicity of the organophosphorus pesticides, it needs to be emphasized that monitoring the level of agricultural pesticides in river run-off should be done during active consumption period rather at regular intervals.

• Economic and Environmental Geology
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• v.30 no.2
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• pp.175-183
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• 1997

The concrete structure can be easily damaged due to alkali-aggregates reaction. There are several methods to identify alkali reactivity of aggregates. The most reliable method is mortar-bar test, but it takes 3 to 12 months for whole test. The authors applied "rapid method" which takes only 7 days for this test. The result of this rapid method follows; expansion ratio of mortar bar for natural aggregates taken at the Youngsan River ranges from 0.197 to 0.489%, but that from Changseong Lake has low expansion ratio of 0.147%, which is below the limit of allowance, 0.168%. Those from the Seomjin River range from 0.173 to 0.22%, and those from the Keum River range from 0.078% to 0.111%. In the case of higher expansion ratio than 0.168%, aggregates must be used with cement containing low alkali content or adding material consuming the alkali content of cement, for example, fly ash and silica fume, etc.. Most of natural aggregates in Cheolla area have no problem in physical properties, particularly the abrasion ratio is below 40%, the limit of allowance. The natural aggregate from Cheolla area consists mostly of gneiss, granite and volcanic rocks. The major alkali reactive materials are quartz mineral with undulatory extinction in gneiss and granite, and amorphous silica in volcanic rocks. Even if a certain aggregate consists of the same kind of rocks and has similar rock composition each other, content of alkali reactivity material can be various, because rock formation is locally different according to temperature and pressure. Therefore every rock type must be physically and chemically identified before using for aggregates.

• Journal of the Korean Geographical Society
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• v.49 no.6
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• pp.795-811
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• 2014

Stream piracy is one of the dynamic geomorphic processes in the mountainous area. If many stream piracies were concentrated in a certain region, the concentrated distribution of those might reflects the geological structure and tectonic movements of that region. In this study, the stream piracies identified in the lower areas between the Chiri and the Deokyoo mountainous areas were analyzed in relation with the tectonic line from Kwangju to Pohang and the so-called Hansan Mountains. The stream piracy at the Subunchi occurred between the lower-altitude, higher-gradient upper reach of the Seomjin-River flowing on the lower-level basin and the higher-altitude, lower-gradient upper reach of the Geum-River flowing on the higher-level basin. The geomorphic evidences concerning the stream piracy and the human responses to the headward erosion might be found in the vicinity of stream piracy site. Together with the Deunbongsaem(the source fountain of Geum-River), the Subunchi at which the geomorphic processes of stream piracy could be identified in a small area will be a good site for the geography education as well as the geo-tourism.

• Journal of Korean Society on Water Environment
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• v.29 no.5
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• pp.630-640
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• 2013

It is one of the most critical steps identifying impaired waterbodies exactly in the selection of target water quality indicators for the management of Total Maximum Daily Loads (TMDLs). Excess ratio and excess level were applied and analyzed by the stream zone basis in order to evaluate water impairment for Nakdong, Geum, Youngsan and Seomjin rivers. Each river basin was divided into stream zones in the light of its watershed and waterbody characteristics. Selected water quality parameters discussed in this study were pH, DO, BOD, COD, SS, T-P, T-Coli and F-Coli. The excess ratios of the water quality parameters were used to discriminate water bodies that did not meet water quality standards. The excess levels were used to classify the degradation of water quality. The excess ratios and the excess levels to the water quality criteria of the medium influence areas were used for each stream zone. The results indicate that the excess ratios and the excess levels are varied on the stream zone in each river basin. Three parameters, pH, DO and SS, met water quality standards in all stream zones. The other five parameters indicated very high excess ratios in most waterbodies, and especially T-P and T-Coli revealed to be very high excess levels in some waterbodies. These parameters could be considered as major target indicators for the management of TMDLs.

• Journal of Korean Society on Water Environment
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• v.25 no.4
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• pp.481-493
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• 2009

This study was conducted to performance appraisal of Total Maximum Daily Loads (TMDLs), especially in terms of performance on development & reduction plan and water quality status of unit watershed. Because load allocations for pollution sources were predicted redundantly by uncertainty of prediction, TMDLs master plan has been frequently changed to acquire load allocation for local development. Therefore, It need to be developed more resonable prediction techniques of water pollution sources to preventing the frequent change. It is suggested that the reduction amount have to be distributed properly during the planning period. In other words, it has not to be concentrated on the specific year (especially final year of the planning period). The reason why, if the reduction amount concentrate on the final year of the planning period, allotment loading amount could not be achieved in some cases (e.g., insufficiency of budget, extension of construction duration). If the development plan was developed including uncertain developments, it is necessary to be developed reduction plan considered with them. However, some of the plans in the reduction plan could not be accomplished in some case. Because, it is not considered financial abilities of local governments. Consequently, development plan must be accomplished to avoid uncertain developments, and to consider financial assistance to support the implementation of effective plan. Water quality has been improved in many unit watersheds due to the TMDLs, especially in geum river and yeongsang/seomjin river.

• Korean Journal of Ecology and Environment
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• v.45 no.2
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• pp.139-149
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• 2012

Four in situ incubation experiments were conducted in May, August and November 2009, as well as February 2010 to determine the seasonal primary productivity and the community structure of phytoplankton at the Seomjin estuary. The primary production of phytoplankton ranged from 9 to 3560 mgC $m^{-2}\;d^{-1}$. Primary productivity was the highest in the summer season (August), which was influenced by improved optical and temperature conditions of the water, as well as the supply of nutrients derived from its surrounding watershed. Particularly, the upper station (SJ-1, SJ-2) of Seom-jin estuary showed a higher productivity, as a result of inflow of input nutrients originated from the terrestrial source. The fucoxanthin, as an index pigment of diatoms showed the highest concentration (0.74~9.51 ${\mu}g\;L^{-1}$) at all stations, occupying 30~80% to total Chl a concentrations. The phytoplankton species composition determination, using a microscope showed similar results to the pigment analysis, which indicated diatom Skeletonema costatum, as the dominant species. The primary productivity in Seom-jin estuary indicates temporally and spatially large variation, according to different environmental conditions. Also, Skeletonema costatum has euryhaline features with relatively higher contribution.

• Economic and Environmental Geology
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• v.38 no.6 s.175
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• pp.607-622
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• 2005

This study was carried out in order to evaluate where the soil loss was mainly occurred, .and to verify how riverbed sediments in the tributaries of the Seomjin River were related to their source rocks distributed in Sunchang area. The study area including the Seomjin River with 4 tributaries of Kyeongcheon, Okgwacheon, Changjeong-cheon and Ipcheon was divided into 10 watershed. The RUSLE (Revised Universal Soil Loss Equation) was estimated for all the grids (10 m cells) in the corresponding watershed. The amount of soil loss per unit area was calculated as follows: dry fold (53,140.94 tons/ha/year), orchard (25,063.38 tons/ha/year), paddy field (6,506.7 tons/ha/year) and Idlest (6,074.36 tons/ha/year). The differences of soil loss per unit area appear to be depends on areas described earlier. Soil erosion hazard zones were generally distributed within dry fields. Several thematic maps such as land use maps, topographical maps and soil maps were used as a data to generate the RUSLE factors. The amount of soil loss, computed by using the RUSLE, showed that soil loss mainly occurred at the regions where possible source rocks were distributed along the stream. Based on the this study on soil loss and soil erosion hazard zone together with chondrite-normalized REE patterns that were previously analyzed in same study area, a closed relationship between riverbed sediments and possible source rocks is formed. Especially in the Okgwacheon that are widely distributed by various rocks, chondrite-normalized REE pattern derived from the riverbed sediments, source rock and soil is expected to have a closed relationship with the distribution of soil loss.

• Korean Journal of Ecology and Environment
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• v.53 no.3
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• pp.229-240
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• 2020

In this study, the results of fish assemblage survey for 16 reservoirs in the Yeongsan·Seomjin-River watershed were presented with fish assemblage characteristics analysis in relation to reservoir size. The survey method including number of sampling sites was followed the "Biomonitoring survey and assessment manual" of the Ministry of Environment/National Institute of Environmental Research (MOE/NIER), and the reservoirs were categorized as three size groups, small, medium or large reservoirs, based on the MOE/NIER as well. Total 13 family classified into 44 species were collected from 2018 (7 reservoirs) to 2019 (9 reservoirs), and the dominant and subdominant species were Hemiculter eigenmanni (Relative abundance, RA, 32.9%) and Lepomis macrochirus (RA, 31.4%), respectively. As a result of the analysis in relation to the reservoir size, the average (±standard deviation) number of species of the small, medium and large reservoirs were 11±2.9, 14.3±2.1, 22.7±0.6, respectively, which showed positive correlation with the reservoir size. Total 6 fish assemblage characteristics(number of species, number of individuals, richness index, herbivorous fish ratio, carnivorous fish ratio, exotic fish ratio) showed significant differences between the each reservoir size groups (P<0.05). As a result of cluster analysis, 16 reservoirs were clustered into 5 groups with 60% similarity, and the each reservoirs seems to be clustered depends on the distance from each other, watershed and their historical geology rather than size. These results are baseline information for the understanding of fish assemblage in Korean reservoirs, important for establishing management policy of reservoirs in the Yeongsan·Seomjin-River watershed.