• Korean Journal of Ecology and Environment
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• v.49 no.4
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• pp.308-319
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• 2016

In order to evaluate the role of macrophytes as refuge of zooplankton on physical distribution (i.e. summer rainfall), we investigated the environmental factors, macrophytes, and zooplankton in waterside zones (macrophytes zones) and open water zones of 17 wetlands from May and August, 2011. In this study, a total of 51 zooplankton species were identified, and Polyarthra sp. and Diaphanosoma brachyurum were found to be the most dominant species. Waterside area of each wetland were occupied by a total of 10 macrophyte species, species composition and biomass (dry weight) were different in the survey sites. Zooplankton was more abundant in waterside zone than open water zones lacking macrophytes (One-way ANOVA, df=2, F=27.1, P<0.05), in particular, waterside zone of 1, 8, 9, 10, and 11 wetland were supported by high zooplankton density after summer rainfall. This wetlands were developed by various macrophyte species than other wetland, and submerged plant commonly presented. Waterside zones with various macrophyte species provides complexity to the habitat structure, should be utilized as refuge to avoid disturbance such as summer rainfall. The results indicate that macrophytes are the key components to enhance bio-diversity include zooplankton, and the inclusion of diverse plant species in wetland construction or restoration schemes will result in ecologically healthy food webs.

• Journal of Ecology and Environment
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• v.29 no.6
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• pp.565-572
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• 2006

This study examined the decomposition of blades and culms of aquatic emergent plant species, Zizania latifolia, Phragmites communis and Typha angustata, which were the most frequent in Lake Paldang. The experiment was carried out from July to December, 2005 in fresh water of lake Paldang using litter bag method. The litter bags had 1.2 mm mesh size and were suspended at 1 m depth of water surface. Remaining mass of blades and culms of each species after 97 days was 21.2% and 22.6% of initial mass in Z. latifolia, 32.5% and 56.4% in P. communis and 44.7% and 38.1 % in T. angustata, respectively. The plant tissue having high N concentration and low C/N exhibited the faster decay rate than the others. However, the tissue of high content of lignin, cellulose, lignin:N, and cullulose:N showed a slow decomposition rate. Water temperature was the most effective environmental factor on the emergent macrophyte litter decomposition in aquatic ecosystems. According to the water temperature, DO, $NO_3^-$-N, and total phosphate concentration were changed in the linear way. The mass loss of plant tissue of emergent macrophytes showed positive relationship with P concentration in water. The experiments on the decomposition of the litter using different mesh sized litter bag did not show significant differences between them. The results suggest that the decomposition of emergent macrophytes in fresh water of lake Paldang, which showed features of lentic and lower part of a stream, was affected by microbial activities better than the micro-invertebrates such as shredders.

• Korean Journal of Environment and Ecology
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• v.32 no.4
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• pp.425-439
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• 2018

W investigated the environmental factors and inhabiting biota such as macrophytes and zooplankton in 43 sites located on Jeju Island from May and June 2017 to evaluate the spread and ecosystem risk of dotted duckweed (landoltia punctata) which was recently found for the first time in Jeju Island. Dotted duckweeds were found in a total of 18 sites which tended to show low biomass of aquatic macrophyte species other than the dotted duckweed. We conducted a pattern analysis using SOM (Self-Organizing Map), which extracts information through competitive and adaptive properties, to analyze the effect of inhabiting biota on aquatic macrophytes such as the dotted duckweed and environmental factors. The SOM analysis showed that the inhabiting biota such as the zooplankton affected the biomass of aquatic macrophytes than they did the environmental factors. In particular, the biomass of dotted duckweed was positively related to plant-attached species (Alona, Chydorus, and Pleuroxus). Considering that low density of aquatic macrophytes covers the streams and wetlands on Jeju Island because of irregular water source and sharp change of water depth, the dotted duckweeds are likely to play an essential role as the vital habitat for micro-biota including zooplankton in wetlands and streams on Jeju Island. Furthermore, considering that organic matters are utilized as the primary food source in the areas occupied by dotted duckweed, dotted duckweeds have the role of being both habitat and food source. Although the dense growth of dotted duckweed adversely affects growth and development of some aquatic plants due to the shadow effect, it is due to the dominance of floating plants on the water surface should not be regarded as the risk of the dotted duckweed. In conclusion, the dotted duckweeds have spread and settled in most of the water systems on Jeju Island, their impact on inhabiting biota and the aquatic environment was minor. It is necessary to monitor the distribution and spread of dotted duckweeds in the inland areas outside of Jeju Island in the future.

• Korean Journal of Environment and Ecology
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• v.29 no.3
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• pp.391-400
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• 2015

In order to investigate the distribution and species composition of fish in shallow wetlands that might be affected by environmental factors, we investigated the physicochemical parameters, macrophytes biomass, and fish assemblage in 24 shallow wetlands in South Korea from May to June, 2012. In this study, a total of 20 fish species were identified, and Cypinidae were found to be the most dominant species. Physicochemical parameters and macrophyte biomass were different in the survey sites, and macrophytes biomass, in particular, showed a positive relationship with fish abundance in stepwise multiple regression (df=1, F=32.00, P=0.001). According to the result of the cluster analysis between survey sites, the survey sites were divided into three groups in accordance with species composition of fish in relation to macrophytes biomass. In the wetlands of the first group, Lepomis macrochirus which belongs to Centrarchidae was found to be dominant and other fish assemblages were hardly seen. In the second group, unlike the first group, Carassius auratus that belongs to Cypinidae was found to be dominant. In the third group, Lepomis macrochirus was found to be as dominant as the first group but various other fish species appeared. Where there was abundance of the main food sources (i. e. zooplankton) of fish in the survey sites, there were more diverse macrophyte biomass. Consequently, it is proven that macrophytes strongly affect the species composition and abundance of fish, and high biomass of macrophytes support high assemblage of fish. Based on these results, we recommend establishing diverse aquatic macrophytes communities when restoring or creating wetlands to assure high diversity of fish species that use macrophytes as their habitat.

• Journal of Korean Society of Environmental Engineers
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• v.30 no.9
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• pp.918-924
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• 2008

This research investigates the influences of the presence of aquatic macrophytes on the changes of biogeochemistry in the sediments through the comparative analysis of porewater and sediments. From the in situ measurements, elevated SO$_4{^{2-}}$ concentrations were observed in the rhizosphere during the growing season, which was resulted from the oxidation of reduced sulfide in the sediments by the oxygen release from the plant roots. There was sufficient AVS in the sediments to induce observed SO$_4{^{2-}}$ concentrations. The amount of oxygen in the oxidation of AVS to produce observed SO$_4{^{2-}}$ concentrations is 0.85 g/m$^2$ day which is relevant to the results of other researches. The AVS concentrations in the vegetated sediments increased with the depth whereas there is higher mass of AVS in the surface of the non-vegetated sediments. This shows that evapotranspiration induces the transportation of SO$_4{^{2-}}$ in the surface water into the anaerobic sediments. In addition, the elevated organic content caused by the presence of plants increased $\beta$-glucosidase activities which play an important role in the carbon cycle of the sediments.

• Korean Journal of Environment and Ecology
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• v.24 no.6
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• pp.772-780
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• 2010

The golden apple snail-Pomacea canaliculata was an alien species and introduced into Korea as table use in 1983. This species is possible pest in direct seeded rice paddy in Korea. We investigated the effects of this exotic snail on the macrophytes and the water quality in water canal. Also, the basic life cycle of this species and the overwintering ecology in Chungnam and Jeonbuk province were elucidated. A survey of natural water canal in Korea showed that high densities of the snail were associated with absences of macrophytes-Hydrilla verticillata, Ceratophyllum demersum, Spirodela polyrhiza and Lemna perpusilla. Experiments in water tank also demonstrated that the golden apple snail can cause the loss of macrophytes, and increase the EC(Electric conductivity), COD(Chemical oxygen demand), T-N(Total nitrogen) and T-P(Total phosphorus) in water.

• Animal cells and systems
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• v.7 no.4
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• pp.289-294
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• 2003

To quantify nutrient loading from emergent macrophytes through leaching in the littoral zones of Paldang Reservoir, we conducted incubation experiments using leaf litter of the emergent macrophyte, Zizaniz latifolia. To separate the leaching process from microbial decay, we used $HgCl_2$ to suppress microbial activity during the experiment. We measured electric conductivity, absorbance at 280nm, total nitrogen and dissolved inorganic nitrogen, total phosphorus and soluble reactive phosphorus, Na, K, Mg and Ca amounts in leaf litter and in water. In addition, we examined the effects of water temperature and ion concentrations of ambient water on the leaching process. A total of 6% of the initial ash-free dry mass of leaf litter was lost due to leaching during incubation (four days). Electric conductivity and A280 continued to increase and saturate during the incubation. To compare reaching rates of different nutrients, we fitted leaching dynamics with a hyperbolic saturation function [Y=AㆍX/(B+X)]. From these fittings, we found that ratios of leaching amounts to nutrient concentration in the litter were in the order of K > Na > Mg > P > Ca > N. Leaching from leaf litter of Z. latifolia was dependent on water temperature while it was not related with ion concentrations in the ambient water. Our results suggest that the leaching process of nutrients, especially phosphorus, from aquatic macrophytes provides considerable contribution to the eutrophication of the Paldang Reservoir ecosystem.

• Korean Journal of Environmental Biology
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• v.28 no.4
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• pp.188-195
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• 2010

The Abundance of zooplankton was studied in the pelagic and the littoral zone in four shallow reservoirs along with the Nakdong river basin of S. Korea. In the pelagic zone, there was a higher zooplankton density ($477.5{\pm}312.4$ ind. $L^{-1}$) than in the littoral zone during our study period (t=2.337, p<0.05). Overall, Rotifers were the most abundant group in the studied reservoirs. However, there are no significant correlations between the pelagic and the littoral zone in physical and chemical parameters. In the pelagic and the littoral zone, zooplankton density usually increased with increasing density of aquatic plants in the littoral zone. However, this study showed different trends. Although macrophyte abundance was higher in the littoral zone than in the pelagic zone, zooplankton abundance was higher in pelagic zone. Moreover, when macrophytes (Trapa japonica and Spirodela plyrhiza) covered the complete water surface of the reservoir, zooplankton abundance was higher. It appears that comparisons between the pelagic and the littoral zone give important cues on the selection of habitats by zooplankton. It is assumed that a higher density of aquatic plants does not always imply a higher density of zooplankton in the littoral zone. Furthermore, when the water surface was covered with aquatic plants, the zooplankton communities showed the highest density in the pelagic zone. These results imply that habitat selection of the zooplankton community (Rotifers) is influenced by aquatic plant density with an associated decrease in predation pressure during summer.

• Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences
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• v.26 no.3
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• pp.169-180
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• 2023

Oreochromis niloticus is the most ecologically and economically important fish in tropical and sub-tropical aquatic systems. Recently, due to sever anthropogenic stressors, hydrological variations and infestations of invasive alien species in Ethiopian water bodies, fish community structure and ecosystem of Lake Tana is changing alarmingly. So far, there is paucity of information on the morphometric relations and diet composition of O. niloticus in Lake Tana, gulf of Gorgora. A total of 309 fish samples were collected and their total length (TL), standard length (SL) and total weight (TW) were measured to determine morphometric relations; and gut contents were examined to identify most important food item in the diet of the fish. Results indicated that, the relation between TL and SL was significant (p < 0.001) and linear (SL = 0.942TL-2.41) while the relation between TL and TW was curvilinear (TW = 0.014 TL^2.8) indicating allometric growth. Among the total guts scrutinized, 53 (17.3%) of them were empty and the remaining 256 (82.7%) were non-empty. Phytoplankton constituted the largest bulk and occurred in 77% of the guts examined and volumetrically accounted 44.3%. Detritus and zooplankton had an intermediate importance by occurring 60.2% and 63.3% of all guts scrutinized and constituted about 25.6% and 15.5% of the total volume respectively. Contributions of macrophytes, insects, nematodes and unidentified food items were relatively low in their importance. Ontogenetic dietary shift was observed in the diet indicating an omnivorous feeding habit of the adult fish.

• Journal of Korean Society on Water Environment
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• v.28 no.2
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• pp.313-319
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• 2012

Various nanomaterials may flow into the aquatic ecosystem via production, use, and treatment processes. Especially, gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) were categorized as manufactured nanomaterials presented by the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development Working Party on Manufactured Nanomaterials (OECD WPMN) in 2010. AuNPs have been used in medical area, however, they were reported to induce cytotoxicity and oxidative DNA damage, as well as down-regulation of the DNA repair gene in mice and human cell lines. In this study, the aquatic toxicity data of AuNPs and gold ions were collected, with the specific test methods analyzed with respect to the form and size of AuNPs, test species, exposure duration, and endpoints. Currently, aquatic toxicity data of AuNPs and gold ions have been presented in 14 studies including 4 fish, 6 crustacean, 2 green algae, and 2 macrophytes studies, as well as a further 8 studies including 4 fish, 4 crustacean, 1 platyhelminthes, and 1 green algae, respectively. The AuNPs were 0.8-100 nm in size, as gold nanoparticles, gold nanorod, glycodendrimer-coated gold nanoparticles, and amine-coated gold nanoparticles. The tested endpoints were the individual toxicities, such as mortality, malformation, reproduction inhibition, growth inhibition and genetic toxicity such as oxidative stress, gene expression, and reactive oxygen species formation. The accumulation of AuNPs was also confirmed in the various receptor organs. These results are expected to be useful in understanding the aquatic toxicity of AuNPs and gold ions, as well as being applicable to future toxicity studies on AuNPs.