• Journal of Ecology and Environment
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• v.43 no.1
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• pp.73-83
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• 2019

Background: Habitat selectivity and ecology of freshwater fishes were studied in two selected streams and their junction point which consist a total of 39 microhabitats. The aims of this study were to describe the habitat preference and its availability to fish assemblage, as well as ecology, habitat use, and habitat characteristics. Methods: We collected fish with backpack electrofishing three times during August 2013, December 2013, and March 2014. Using a variation partitioning approach of R software, we studied the relationship of fish abundances with stream type, habitat type, and abundance of key macroinvertebrate taxa. Results: A total of 6554 fishes representing four species belonging to the family Cyprinidae were caught. A higher total fish abundance was recorded from Gereb Tsedo (4870; 74.3%) than from Elala stream (1684; 25.7%). Taking both streams together, the overall total relative fish abundance was significantly higher in pools (53%) than in runs (35%) and in riffles (12%) at P < 0.05. Species-wise comparisons showed that 71%, 15%, 13%, and 1% of the pool fish community were occupied by Garra blanfordii, Garra ignestii, Garra dembecha, and Garra aethiopica, respectively. Stream type, habitat type, and key macroinvertebrate taxa each explained a significant proportion of the variation in fish abundance. Based on the variation partitioning approach, fish abundance was higher in Gereb Tsedo stream (P < 0.01). Moreover, fish abundance increased with pool habitat type (P < 0.01) and with availability of key macroinvertebrate taxa (P < 0.01). Conclusion: Fish abundance differed between stream types, among habitats and among key macroinvertebrate taxa availability. Among the factors, habitat type was the most important driving factor behind variation among fish abundances, and pool supports the highest fish abundance.

• Journal of Environmental Science International
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• v.13 no.5
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• pp.449-467
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• 2004

Interannual and decadal scale changes in body size of Pacific saury, catch and catch per unit effort were examined to investigate the environmental effects on the stock structure and abundance in the Tsushima Warm Current region. Interannual changes in thermal conditions are responsible for the different occurrence (catch) rates of sized group of the fish. Changes in body size due to environmental variables lead the stock to be homogeneous during the period of high abundance, while one of the reminder cohorts supports the stock during the period of low level of abundance. Migration circuits of two cohorts of saury stock are hypothesized on the basis of short life span and spatio-temporal changes of the stock structure in normal environmental conditions. Changes in upper ocean structure and production cycles by the decadal scale climate changes lead changes in stock structure and recruitment, resulting in the fluctuation of saury abundance. Hypothesized mechanism of the effects of climate changes on stock structure and abundance is illustrated on the basis of changes in thermal regime and production cycle.

• The Korean Journal of Ecology
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• v.18 no.4
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• pp.441-449
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• 1995

The abundance of coarse woody debris (CWD) has been hypothesized to increase niche for forest dwelling insectivores, concentration of nutrients, and the diversity of invertebrates. However, no abjective assessment based on replication in the field has yet been done. this study was carried out to test the relationships between invertebrate availability and the abundance of four insectivores (Sorex trowbridgii, S. vagrans, S. monticolus and Neurotrichus gibbsii) in western Washington, USA. Pitfall traps were used to determine abundance and diversity of invertebrates. Abundance of insectivores was not different between habitats except for S. vagrans which was more abundant in habitats with low amounts of CWD than in habitats with high amounts of CWD. Simpson’s diversity index computed for invertebrates did not differ between habitats. There were no significant relationships between the diversity indices of invertebrates and the abundance of shrews. Shrew abundance and the Coleoperan beetles also did not show any significant relationship. The results suggested insectivores might select a wide range of prey items in addition to surface-active invertebrates.

• Proceedings of the Korean Aquaculture Society Conference
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• 2004.05a
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• pp.169-171
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• 2004

Interannual and decadal scale body size of Pacific saury, catch and catch per unit effort were examined to investigate the environmental effects on the stock structure and abundance in the Tsushima Warm Current region. Interannual changes in thermal conditions are responsible for the different occurrence (catch) rates of sized group of the fish. Changes in body size due to environmental variables lead the stock to be homogeneous during the period of high abundance, while one of the reminder cohorts supports the stock during the period of low level of abundance. Migration circuits of two cohorts of saury stock are hypothesized on the basis of short life span and spatio-temporal changes in stock structure in normal environmental conditions. Changes in upper ocean structure and production cycles by the decadal scale climate changes lead changes in stock structure and recruitment, resulting in the fluctuation of saury abundance. Hypothesized mechanism of the effects of climate changes on the stock structure and abundance is illustrated on the basis of changes in thermal regime and production cycle.

• Ocean and Polar Research
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• v.26 no.2
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• pp.273-286
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• 2004

The effects of environmental forcing on autotrophic picoplankton distributional patterns were investigated for convergence ($5^{\circ}N$), divergence ($9^{\circ}N-10^{\circ}30'N$) and oligotrophic ($17^{\circ}N$) sites in the tropical eastern Pacific during 2001 and 2003 KODOS (Korea Deep Ocean Study) cruises. The distributions of picoplankton populations - Prochlorococcus, Synechococcus and picoeukaryotes algae - were determined by flow cytometric analyses. Latitudinal variations in abundance maxima, vertical profiles, integrated abundance (0-150 m), and estimated carbon biomass were contrasted for each site according to three hydrological conditions. Prochlorococcus showed consistently high abundance in the surface mixed layers of all sites at $1\;{\times}\;10^5{\sim}3\;{\times}\;10^5\;cells\;ml^{-1}$ and showed declining abundance below these layers. However, these decreasing rates were not particularly sharp showing considerably high abundance at $1\;{\times}\;10^4\;cells\;ml^{-1}$ or higher even at 100 m depth. Vertical profiles of Synechococcus and picoeukaryotes were generally parallel to each other in all sites. A clear abundance maximum was observed at divergence site at or slightly above the pycnocline depth. Higher abundance was observed at the surface mixed layer for convergence site but a sharp decrease was observed below the pycnocline. However, there was no significant abundance fluctuation with depth at more oligotrophic site ($17^{\circ}N$). Integrated cell abundance of Prochlorococcus was high in the oligotrophic site at $2.17\;{\times}\;10^{13}\;m^{-2}$, and low in the convergence site at $0.88\;{\times}\;10^{13}\;m^{-2}$. However, opposite pattern was observed for Synechococcus and picoeukaryotes where relatively high integrated cell abundance was shown in the convergence site. Estimated carbon biomass of Prochlorococcus contributed 30.4-80.3% of total autotrophic picoplankton carbon showing the highest contribution in the oligotrophic site and the lowest contribution in the convergence site. Synechococcus contribution of total autotrophic picoplantkon carbon biomass was lower than 5.8% for most of sites except the convergence site where Synechococcus contributed 23.2% of picoplankton carbon biomass. Carbon biomass of picoeukaryotes was 18.8-46.4% showing the highest carbon biomass at the convergence site. Overall, Prochlorococcus showed higher cell abundance and carbon biomass and exhibited different reaction to hydrological conditions when compare with the other two major autotrophic picoplankton groups.

• Journal of Ecology and Environment
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• v.31 no.1
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• pp.45-67
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• 2008

Ocean climate variables ($1900{\sim}2005$), time series of catches ($1910{\sim}2005$) and body size data were used to assess the year-to-year and decadal scale fluctuations in abundance of the fish populations (Japanese sardine, anchovy, jack mackerel, chub mackerel, Pacific saury and common squid) that have spawning grounds in the East China Sea and its adjacent regions. A negative correlation between the abundance of pelagic fishes (e.g. jack mackerel) in the Tsushima Warm Current (TWC) region and the Kuroshio-Oyashio Current (KOC) region was attributed to the climatic modulation of larval transport and recruitment, which depends on the winter monsoon-induced drift, current systems, and spawning season and site. The changes in abundance and alternation of dominant fish populations in the two regions in the 1930s, 1970s, and late 1980s mirrored changes in the climate indices (ALPI, AOI and MOI). Oscillations in the decadal climate shifts between the two regions led to zonal differences in larval transport and recruitment, and hence differences in the abundance of the pelagic fish populations. During deep Aleutian Lows, as in the 1980s, larval transport from the East China Sea to the KOC region increases in association with the strong winter Asian monsoon, cool regime and increased volume transport of the Kuroshio Current systems, whereas during a weak Aleutian Low (as in the 1990s), larval transport to the TWC region increased in association with a weak winter Asian monsoon, a warm regime, and increased volume transport of the Tsushima current system. We postulate that the increased chub mackerel abundance in the TWC region and the decreased abundance in the KOC region in the 1990s are partly attributed to changes in recruitment and availability to the fishing fleets under the warm regime in the spawning and nursery grounds in the East China Sea in association with the quasi-steady state of mild winter monsoon in the 1990s. The fluctuations in chub mackerel and jack mackerel abundance are under the environment-dependant growth form, although the tropicalization was identified in the TWC region. The density-dependant growth form was found in Japanese sardine populations, but no tropicalization by fishing was identified in the long ($10{\sim}15$ year) periods of abundance despite their short ($3{\sim}4$ year) generation time, suggesting that the environment-dependant growth form drove the changes in abundance. Year-to-year and decadal scale variations in abundance and population structure of the Pacific saury responded to climate regime shifts (1976/1977, 1988/1989), suggesting that the fish is a key bio-indicators for changes in the ecosystem.

• Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences
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• v.17 no.3
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• pp.369-376
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• 2014

I provide an overview of the application of hydroacoustic methods in South Korea to understand the current research status in relation to fisheries acoustics and to determine which areas require further study. One main purpose for using a scientific echosounder, a representative tool using the hydroacoustic method, is to evaluate the abundance of fisheries resources. Thus, two representative methods for abundance estimation are described. The history of fisheries acoustics worldwide is also summarized.

• Ocean and Polar Research
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• v.26 no.4
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• pp.543-550
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• 2004

Dense macroalgal assemblages are a common feature of the rocky subtidal habitats along the coast of Geumo Archipelago in the central South Sea of Korea, but are highly variable in space. This study addresses two questions concerning the algal assemblages: (1) how variable the distribution, abundance and species composition of the assemblages are in space, and (2) how closely the distribution, abundance and species composition of the assemblages are correlated to the spatial variation in abiotic factors. To answer these questions, we investigated 30 sites along the coast in autumn of 2003. The nonmetric multidimensional scaling analysis showed that there were strong differences in the composition and abundance of species in the assemblages among the sites. The similarity among the sites based on presence/absence data was approximately 51%, whereas the similarity based on abundance data was less than 37%, suggesting that the abundance of species contributed much to these differences. There were also strong differences in the number of species, abundance and vertical distribution of the assemblages along the coast. Multiple regression analyses revealed that the number of species, abundance and vertical distribution of the assemblages had a positive relationship with water depth, but less than 58% of total variation in these variables was explained by this abiotic factor. The results suggest that spatial (between habitats) variation is an important and consistent component of subtidal algal assemblages in Geumo Archipelago and should be explained before any differences between localities are assessed.

• Korean Journal of Ichthyology
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• v.10 no.2
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• pp.241-249
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• 1998

Seasonal samples of demersal fish off Yongkwang were collected by an otter trawl from June 1986 to March 1987, and analyzed in terms of species composition and abundance. Of 33 species indentified, Johnius grypotus, Chaeturichthys stigmatias, Argyrosomus argentatus and Cynoglossus joyneri predominated in abundance, consisting 81.9% in the total number of species and 71.4% in biomass. The number of species and abundance were comparatively high in warmer months, and a resident species Cynoglossus joyneri and migrants such as Johnius grypotus and Argyrosomus argentatus were predominated. In cold months, the number of species and abundance were low, and Chaeturichthys stigmatias and Zoarces gillii were dominated. The relative abundance in major species of the present study shows a similar seasonal trend to that obtained in 1995. The relative abundance of major species occurred in the shallow coastal waters of southwestern Korea was highly correlated to the tidal velocity. J. grypotus and C. stigmatias declined in abundance while C. joyneri increased as the tidal velocity increased. This trend in abundance of the major fishes seems to be related to the form of body. The characteristics being flat of C. joyneri could be the major cause of sustaining in the water of high tidal mixing.

• Ocean and Polar Research
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• v.25 no.3
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• pp.237-247
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• 2003

The temporal dynamics of the meiofauna community in Marian Cove, King George Island were observed from January 22 to October 29 1996. Generally, 14 taxa of metazoan meiofauna were found. Nematodes were dominant comprising 90.12% of the community, harpacticoid 6.55%, and Kinorhynchs 1.54%. Meiofauna abundance increased monthly from January to May 1996, while varying in abundance after August 1996. Overall mean abundance of metazoan meiofauna was $2634ind./10cm^2$ during the study periods, which is about as high as that found in temperate regions. Nematodes were most abundant representing $2399ind./10cm^2$. Mean abundance of harpacticoids, including copepodite and nauplius was $131ind./10cm^2$ by kinorhynchs $(26ind./10cm^2)$. The overall abundance of other identified organisms was $31ind./10cm^2$ Other organisms consisted of a total of 11 taxa including Ostracoda $(6ind./10cm^2)$, Polycheata $(7ind./10cm^2)$, Oligochaeta $(8ind./10cm^2)$, and Bivalvia $(6ind./10cm^2)$. Additionally, protozoan Foraminifera occurred at the study area with a mean abundance of $263ind./10cm^2$. Foraminiferans were second in dominance to nematodes. The dominant taxa such as nematodes, harpacticoids, kinorhynchs and the other tua were trained and extensively scattered in the map through the Kohonen network. The temporal pattern of the community composition was most affected by the abundance dynamics of kinorhynchs and harpacticoids. The neural network model also allowed for simulation of data that was missing during two months of inclement weather. The lowest meiofauna abundance was found in August 1996 during winter. The seasonal changes were likely caused by temperature and salinity changes as a result of meltwater runoff, and the physical impact by passing icebergs.