• Journal of Ecology and Environment
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• v.44 no.1
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• pp.1-7
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• 2020

Background: Fish body size is a major determinant of freshwater trophic interactions, yet only a few studies have explored the relationship between the fish body size and trophic interactions in river upstream. In this study, we investigated the relationship between the body size and trophic position (TP) of Coreoperca kawamebari (Temminck & Schlegel, 1843) in an upstream of the Geum River. Results: A stable isotope analysis (based on δ¹⁵N) was used to determine the TP based on the body size of C. kawamebari. The regression analysis (n = 33, f = 63.840, r² = 0.68) clearly showed the relationship between the body length and TP of C. kawamebari. The TP of C. kawamebari was clearly divided by body size into the following classes: individuals of size < 10 cm that feed on insects and individuals of size > 10 cm feed on juvenile fish. This selective feeding is an evolutionarily selective tendency to maximize energy intake per unit time. Furthermore, the diet shift of C. kawamebari was led by different spatial distributions. The littoral zone was occupied by individuals of size < 10 cm, and those of size > 10 cm were mainly in the central zone. The littoral zone can be assumed to be enriched with food items such as ephemeropterans and dipterans. Conclusion: The TP of C. kawamebari, as a carnivorous predator, will have a strong influence on biotic interactions in the upstream area of the Geum River, which can lead to food web implication.

• Journal of Ecology and Environment
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• v.46 no.4
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• pp.304-315
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• 2022

Background: Filter-feeding zooplankton has limited food resources owing to their habitat. Consequently, it is crucial for them to acquire all essential compounds, such as fatty acids (FAs) and amino acids, from confined diets. To elucidate the trophic transfer of FAs to filter feeders, the primary consumers in freshwater ecosystems, we compared the FA accumulation patterns of two species of filter-feeding zooplankton, Daphnia magna and Branchinella kugenumaensis, in a laboratory experiment. Experimental neonates and nauplii preyed on a single phytoplankton species (Selenastrum capricornutum) for three days after hatching prior to diet switching. Five replicates per feeding group in each species were fed on six different types of mixed phytoplankton diet for 10 days after diet switching. Subsequently, the consumers and diets were harvested and FAs were extracted. Results: Principal component analysis showed that the FA profiles of zooplankton were well-grouped by species and diet. Although diet affects the FA profiles of consumers, they exhibit different FA accumulation patterns. D. magna had a higher 18C-ω3 content and ω3/ω6 ratio than did B. kugenumaensis. In contrast, B. kugenumaensis had higher contents of 18:1ω7 and 20:5ω3 (eicosapentaenoic acid), 22:6ω3 (docosahexaenoic acid), and a higher ratio of ∑18C monounsaturated FAs to ∑18C-ω3 polyunsaturated FAs than did D. magna. Conclusions: This study showed that two primary consumers, D. magna and B. kugenumaensis, fed the same diet had different assimilation patterns of FAs under controlled environments. Specific FA accumulation patterns in filter feeders can provide information on the transfer process of various FAs to high-trophic organisms.

• Korean Journal of Ecology and Environment
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• v.47 no.1
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• pp.24-31
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• 2014

This study was conducted to clarify the seasonal and elevational pattern of herbivore's feeding pattern in a temperate deciduous forest. We investigated the herbivore's feeding activity for three years (2011~2013) at three survey sites in Mt. Jirisan National Park (Piagol, Siamjae, Nogodan). We selected target tree species based on the dominance across the sites (Quercus, Acer, Rhododendron and Carpinus) and scored herbivore's feeding activity every one or two weeks from April to June using leaf damage index. We found that the herbivory started early at the low elevation site (Piagol, ${\approx}300m$), and the highest feeding activity occurred at the mid elevation site (Siamjae, ${\approx}900m$). At the highest elevation site (Nogodan, ${\approx}1300m$), the herbivory started late, but the total feeding activity accumulated quickly. Compared to the breeding time of Varied tit, an insectivore bird, it was overlapped with the feeding activity period of herbivores, suggesting close interaction among plants, insects and birds in this deciduous forest. We suggested a need of long-term monitoring of this tri-trophic interaction since duration of herbivore activity can be changed followed by climate change.

• Proceedings of the Korean Society of Fisheries Technology Conference
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• 2001.05a
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• pp.435-436
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• 2001

In sand beaches the benthic macrofauna feeding on primary food sources such as detritus and phytoplankton and being prey in turn for top predators such as fishes occupies a key position in the center of food chains. Amphipods are the most productive bentho-pelagic animals (Barnard, 1963) and are commonly consumed by fishes and larger crustaceans (Vetter, 1995). Consequently, amphipods play an important role in energy flow as a trophic link from primary producers to higher consumers(Chiaravalle et al., 1997).

• ALGAE
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• v.28 no.4
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• pp.297-305
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• 2013

There is increasing interest in the relationships between marine bacteria and red tide organisms. Some bacteria are known to kill red tide organisms, and may be responsible for accelerating the termination of red tides. Thus, certain algicidal bacteria have been proposed for the control of red tides. Meanwhile, many red tide organisms are known to feed on marine bacteria. The roles of marine bacteria and red tide organisms are therefore reversible. In Korean waters, the killing of red tide organisms by algicidal bacteria, and also the feeding of red tide organisms on marine bacteria have been extensively investigated. The findings of such studies may influence the conventional view of red tide dynamics, and also planktonic food webs. Here, we review the species and concentrations of algicidal bacteria that kill red tide organisms in Korean waters, as well as the ingestion rate and grazing impact of red tide organisms on marine bacteria. Furthermore, we offer an insight into the ecological roles of these 2 components in marine planktonic food webs.

• ALGAE
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• v.38 no.4
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• pp.265-281
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• 2023

Hypoxia can indeed impact the survival of protists, which play a crucial role in marine ecosystems. To better understand the protistan community structure and species that can thrive in hypoxic waters, we collected samples from both the surface and bottom waters during the hypoxic period in Jinhae and Masan Bays and the non-hypoxic period in Jinhae Bay. Subsequently, we utilized metabarcoding techniques to identify the protistan species. During hypoxia, with dissolved oxygen concentrations of 0.8 mg L^-1 in Jinhae Bay and 1.8 mg L^-1 in Masan Bay within the bottom waters, the phylum Dinoflagellata exhibited the highest amplicon sequence variants richness among the identified protist phyla. Following the Dinoflagellata, Ochrophyta and Ciliophora also displayed notable presence. In hypoxic waters of Jinhae and Masan Bays, we identified a total of 36 dinoflagellate species that exhibited various trophic modes. These included one autotrophic species, 14 mixotrophic species, 9 phototrophic species with undetermined trophic modes (either autotrophic or mixotrophic), 2 kleptoplastidic species, and 10 heterotrophic species. Furthermore, the hypoxic bottom water exhibited a greater number of heterotrophic dinoflagellate species compared to the non-hypoxic surface water within the same water column or the non-hypoxic bottom water. Therefore, feeding by mixotrophic and heterotrophic dinoflagellates may be partially responsible for their dominance in terms of the number of species surviving in hypoxic waters. This study not only introduces the initial documentation of 26 dinoflagellate species surviving in hypoxic conditions but also establishes a foundation for a more comprehensive understanding of the ecophysiology of dinoflagellates in hypoxic marine environments.

• Clinical and Experimental Pediatrics
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• v.57 no.12
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• pp.505-513
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• 2014

While the survival of extremely premature infants with respiratory distress syndrome has increased due to advanced respiratory care in recent years, necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC) remains the leading cause of neonatal mortality and morbidity. NEC is more prevalent in lower gestational age and lower birth weight groups. It is characterized by various degrees of mucosal or transmural necrosis of the intestine. Its exact pathogenesis remains unclear, but prematurity, enteral feeding, bacterial products, and intestinal ischemia have all been shown to cause activation of the inflammatory cascade, which is known as the final common pathway of intestinal injury. Awareness of the risk factors for NEC; practices to reduce the risk, including early trophic feeding with breast milk and following the established feeding guidelines; and administration of probiotics have been shown to reduce the incidence of NEC. Despite advancements in the knowledge and understanding of the pathophysiology of NEC, there is currently no universal prevention measure for this serious and often fatal disease. Therefore, new potential techniques to detect early biomarkers or factors specific to intestinal inflammation, as well as further strategies to prevent the activation of the inflammatory cascade, which is important for disease progression, should be investigated.

• Korean Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences
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• v.43 no.3
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• pp.254-261
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• 2010

The feeding habits of six shark species, Scyliorhinus torazame, Mustelus manazo, Squalus megalops, Isurus oxyrinchus, Alopias pelagicus, and Carcharhinus plumbeus were studied using the stomach contents of 463 specimens collected between January and February 2007 in the southern sea of Korea. They consumed different prey items. S. torazame preyed mainly crustaceans, and M. manazo on crustaceans and fishes. S. megalops, I. oxyrinchus, A. pelagicus, and C. plumbeus consumed predominately fishes. Non-metric multi-dimensional scaling (NMDS) ordination plots emphasized that dietary similarities separated thesix shark species into three trophic groups based on similarities in percentage Index of Relative Importance (%IRI): Group I (crustacean feeders), Group II (fish and crustacean feeders), and Group III (fish feeders).

• Ocean Science Journal
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• v.40 no.3
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• pp.127-143
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• 2005

The taxonomic sufficiency approach has been proposed as a surrogate for the typical analysis of species-abundance data, especially in conditions involving prominent pollution gradients. Here, we evaluate the use of taxonomic sufficiency with infralittoral macrobenthic data derived from samples taken in a moderate polluted subtropical environment in southeastern Brazil, analysing five taxonomic levels and including two functional levels throughout polychaete feeding guilds and trophic groups. The data were collected seasonally at nine stations and studied for two abundance data series (0.5 and 1.0 mm sieve mesh-size). The results showed a similar ordination pattern between the two sieve mesh-size, but with the 0.5 mm sieve data a different pattern was observed during austral summer. A slight loss of information was detected using genus, family, polychaete species and their feeding guilds as taxonomic/functional units. These results together with those of the cost! benefit ratio, suggested that the family level seemed to be sufficient to detect the impact caused by moderate pollution in this shallow-water, subtropical environment. In additional, through the use of feeding guilds, similar patterns are obtained. Correlation analysis showed that chlorophyll a, total organic matter, zinc, and chromium sediment content were the variables that best explained the biological pattern observed and not always the best correlation coefficient occurring at the species level. The feeding guild approach seems to be useful and generates interpretable results similar to those obtained with the species level of the whole macroinfauna. The results showed an important cost reduction in the sample processing, suggesting that it is possible to adopt a coarser taxonomic level monitoring program even in species-rich communities.

• Journal of Fisheries and Marine Sciences Education
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• v.28 no.5
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• pp.1444-1458
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• 2016

The expansion of high-density aquaculture in the limited waters has caused a wide variety of problems. The problems include environmental problems nearby aquaculture sites, growth rate of aquatic organisms, quality decline of farmed fish and price fall in the market. The phenomenon of aquaculture industry happens in not only inshore but also offshore. Therefore, the fisheries authorities have been changing their policy paradigms from mass production to sustainable production based on ecosystem. Other countries, however, focusing on relieving poverty and providing protein from fish production have not recognized the degree of seriousness. When it comes to enhancing the problems, National Institute of Fisheries Science has been developing the technology of Integrated Multi-Trophic Aquaculture (IMTA) to reduce and to prevent contaminants from fish and aquaculture sites, remained feed from fish farming process. In long-terms of view, the system is one of the most sustainable fishery production methods based on ecosystem. As integration of nutrient feed system from aquatic organisms is firmly established, the earlier mentioned problems will be diminished gradually. In term of the substantiality, this study was conducted. The research on management system for IMTA also has been incorporated. This study also investigated the features and current status of IMTA and demonstrated the developed management system and direction for the future advancement.