• Korean Journal of Environmental Biology
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• v.26 no.4
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• pp.292-302
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• 2008

The purpose of this study was to analyze the trophic structures and the energy flows in the lower reaches of the Nakdong River using the Ecopath model (Walter et al., 1997). The sampling and analyses were carried out at 6 sampling sites of the lower reaches of the Nakdong River on May and November in 2007. Total of 9 groups detritus, macrophytes, phytoplankton, zooplankton, zoobenthos, Cyprinus carpio, Hemibarbus labeo, Micropterus salmoides and other fishes were considered to assess the trophic relationship, energy flows and interactions among them in the study. As a result, it was concluded that the lower reaches of the Nakdong River was consisted of producers (Detritus, Macrophytes, Phytoplankton), primary consumers (Zooplankton, Zoobenthos, Cyprinus carpio, Hemibarbus labeo, Other fishes) and secondary consumer (Micropterus salmoides). The total system throughput was estimated at 2.7 kg m$^{-2}$ year$^{-1}$ including a consumption of 52%, exports of 9.1%, respiratory flows of 18.0% and flows into detritus of 20.9%. MTI (mixed trophic impacts) analysis demonstrated that Pseudobagrus fulvidraco had positive impact on Cyprinus carpio, Carassius cuvieri and Carassius auratus. On the other hand, other fishes had negative impact on Cyprinus carpio, Carassius cuvieri and Carassius auratus. Also, all the functional groups except detritus had a negative impact on themselves.

• Journal of Environmental Impact Assessment
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• v.27 no.1
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• pp.83-91
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• 2018

Media (bio-stone), aquatic macrophytes (Oenanthe javanica) and herbivorous cladoceran (Daphnia similoides) have been used in artificial floating island (AFI) systems for water pollution control. Efficiency in chl-a concentration controlling of AFI was tested using different combinations of each device: G-BD-mixture bio-stone and Daphnia similoides, G-OB-mixture Oenanthe javanica and bio-stone, G-BOD-mixture bio-stone, Oenanthe javanica and Daphnia similoides, and the out-put water quality improvement was compared with G-C-control (no device was applied). We analyzed removal efficiency of chl-a concentration and nutrient concentrations in the artificially eutrophic water in the laboratory experimental facility. The results showed average removal rates of Chlorophyll a, TN and TP for different four groups: 69.24%, 16.61%, -0.61%; 68.39%, 14.11%, 10.52%; 78.30%, 6.69%, 25.09%; 35.42%, -3.47%, -25.18%, respectively. The results have suggested that the mixture of media, plants and zooplankton is the most efficient combination for Chlorophyll a control, while the mixture of macrophytes and bio-stone have better efficiency nutrient control.

• Journal of Ecology and Environment
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• v.45 no.1
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• pp.72-77
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• 2021

Background: In 2020, a categorized list of wetland preferences, major habitats, and life forms of 4145 vascular plant taxa occurring in the Korean Peninsula was published by the National Institute of Biological Resources. We analyzed the list and explored the distribution patterns of the five categorized groups according to wetland preference, along with the information on the major habitats and the life forms of the plants belonging to those categories. Results: Out of 4145 taxa, we found that 729 wetland plant taxa (18%) occur in Korea: 401 obligate wetland plants and 328 facultative wetland plants. Among the 729 wetland taxa, the majority (73%) was hygrophytes and the remaining 27% was aquatic macrophytes. Furthermore, almost all of the wetland taxa are herbs; so, woody plants are only 4.7%. The 16 carnivorous taxa distributed in Korea were characterized as obligate wetland plants. Conclusions: We expect the categorized information would promote understanding of the characteristics of the plant species and would be an important source for understanding, conservation, and restoration of wetland ecosystems.

• Korean Journal of Ecology and Environment
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• v.54 no.1
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• pp.24-38
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• 2021

Microhabitat In the upper stream is created by various environment variables such as the bottom substrate and the physicochemical factors, and may influence the distribution of benthic macroinvertebrates. We investigated the bottom substrate and environmental variables influencing the distribution of benthic macroinvertebrate in 26 stream-type waterways established at upper reaches of Geum River. During study period, total 85 families, 160 species, 9305 individuals of benthic macroinvertebrates were recorded. The stream-type waterways, where the bottom substrates consist mainly of pebble (16~64 mm) and cobble (64~256 mm) or with rapid water velocity (more than 0.2 m/s) and high dissolved oxygen (more than 120%), were supported by high species diversity of benthic macroinvertebrate. Hierological cluster analysis and the nonparametric multidimensional scale (NMDS) divided 26 stream-type waterways into a total of three clusters. In Cluster 1, the invertebrate species, such as Branchiura sowerbyi, Cloeon dipterum, Ischnura asiatica, Paracercion calamorum, and Radix auricularia, closely related to aquatic macrophytes, and Chironomidae spp., Limnodrilus gotoi, and Tanypodinae sp. were abundant in waterways, with high coverage of silt and clay as well as high turbidity and total nitrogen. The benthic macroinvertebrate species (Cheumatopsyche brevilineata, Drunella ishiyamana, Dugesia japonica, Ephemera orientalis, Gumaga KUa, Macrostemum radiatum, Potamanthus formosus, Semisulcospira libertine, Stenelmis vulgaris, and Teloganopsis punctisetae) included in Cluster 2 were dominated in sites with high cover rates of pebble and gravel. Cluster 3 was predominantly covered by the Cobbles, was supported by Simulium sp. Such a clear distinction in the study sites means that each stream-type waterways is governed by a clear habitat environment. In the case of some sites with low species diversity, improvement measures are required to restore nature, such as improving the function of inflows and outflows, creating meandering channel, and inducing the settlement of littoral vegetation.

• Korean Journal of Ecology and Environment
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• v.51 no.1
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• pp.40-59
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• 2018

This review summarizes the history of freshwater zooplankton research in Korean Society of Limnology and necessary future topics that are remain poorly investigated in South Korea based on main research topics of published articles focusing on lakes, reservoirs, rivers and wetland ecosystems. In Korea, a total 450 freshwater zooplankton species have been reported (85 species of cladocera, ca. 230 species of rotifera since 1939, and 138 species of copepoda), and they cover 10% of total zooplankton species list. In the present paper, we provide recent species list of zooplankton found in Korea and their taxonomic keys. Over periods of 45 years, there are 25 published papers for zooplankton biota in lentic ecosystems in Korean Journal of Ecology and Environment (KJEE). The ecology of zooplankton communities in rivers has focused on the mechanisms involved in regulating their abundance, diversity and spatio-temporal patterns of genus Bosmina and rotifers (genus Brachionus and Keratella) that are most frequently found from Korea. On the other hand, the studies on zooplankton in wetland has focused on Alona, Chydorus and Ceriodaphnia with special emphasis on their relationships with aquatic macrophytes. Even though studies on the freshwater ecosystem in Korea have a long history, a few of studies on zooplankton biota were conducted at rice paddy, Dumbeong and wetlands. During the last two decades, experimental advances in freshwater zooplankton ecology and understanding of structure and function of this biota were made from a series of articles mainly in journal of KJEE. For future studies, quantitative, experimental and interdisciplinary approaches would be key words to understand zooplankton ecology and their roles in aquatic ecosystems under changing environments, and we have suggested necessary zooplankton research fields and future directions.

• Journal of Korean Society of Environmental Engineers
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• v.37 no.12
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• pp.657-667
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• 2015

Cyanobacteria frequently dominate the freshwater phytoplankton community in eutrophic waters. Cyanotoxins can be classified according to toxicity as neurotoxin (Anatoxin-a, Anatoxin-a(s), Saxitoxins) or hepatotoxin (microcystins, nodularin, cylindrospermopsin). Microcystins are present within cyanobacterial cells generally, and they are extracted by the damage of cell membrane. It has been reported that cyanotoxins caused adverse effects and they are acculmulated in aquatic oganisms of lake, river and ocean. In natural, microcystins are removed by biodegradation of microorganisms and/or feeding of predators. However, in process of water treatment, the use of copper sulfate to remove algal cells caused extraction of a mess of microcystins. Microcysitns are removed by physical, chemical and biological methods according to reports. The reduction of nutrients (N and P) inflow is basic method of prevention of cyanobacteria bloom formation. However, it is less effective than investigation because nutrients already present in the eutrophic lake. In natural lake, cyanobacteria bloom are not formed because macrophytes invade from coastal lake by eutrophication. Therefore, a coastal lake has to recover to prevent of cyanobacteria bloom formation.

• Korean Journal of Ecology and Environment
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• v.41 no.1
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• pp.19-25
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• 2008

To evaluate the functions of vegetation mat of artificial floating island (AFI) installed in Lake Paldang, nutrients, such as total phosphorus (TP), dissolved inorganic phosphorus (DIP), total nitrogen (TN) and nitrate $(NO_3)$ and microbial factors such as total bacterial numbers, active bacterial numbers and exoenzymatic activities of $\beta$-glucosidase and phosphatase in pore water of medium and bulk lake water were analyzed. The concentration of TN and $NO_3$ in pore water ranged from 4.4 to 7.5mg $L^{-1}$ from 1.2 to 3.8mg $L^{-1}$ respectively, which were ca. 2 times higher than those of lake water. The ranges of TP and DIP of were $1.4\sim4.1mg\;L^{-1}$ and $0.003\sim0.137mg\;L^{-1}$ in pore water of media which were $4\sim25$ and 5 times higher than those of lake water, respectively. The numbers of total bacteria and active bacteria in pore waterwere about 10 times higher than those of laker water. Also, both phosphatase and $\beta$-glucosidase activities of pore water were on an average 10 times higher than those of lake water. These results suggest that the bacteria were playing important role for nutrients concentrating and cycling in media of artificial floating island. And the medium of artificial floating island contained newly created microbial ecosystem, which is responsible for sustaining the growth of macrophytes and the creation of new aquatic ecosystem.

• Korean Journal of Ecology and Environment
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• v.50 no.4
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• pp.459-469
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• 2017

Nitrogen (N) loading from domestic, agricultural and industrial sources can lead to excessive growth of macrophytes or phytoplankton in aquatic environment. Many studies have used stable isotope ratios to identify anthropogenic nitrogen in aquatic systems as a useful method for studying nitrogen cycle. In this study to evaluate the precision and accuracy of denitrification bacteria method (Pseudomonas chlororaphis ssp. Aureofaciens ($ATCC^{(R)}$ 13985)), three reference (IAEA-NO-3 (Potassium nitrate $KNO_3$), USGS34 (Potassium nitrate $KNO_3$), USGS35 (Sodium nitrate $KNO_3$)) were analyzed 5 times repeatedly. Measured the ${\delta}^{15}N-NO_3$ and ${\delta}^{18}O-NO_3$ values of IAEA-NO-3, USGS 34 and USGS35 were ${\delta}^{15}N:4.7{\pm}0.1$‰ ${\delta}^{18}O:25.6{\pm}0.5$‰, ${\delta}^{15}N:-1.8{\pm}0.1$‰ ${\delta}^{18}O:-27.8{\pm}0.4$‰, and ${\delta}^{15}N:2.7{\pm}0.2$‰ ${\delta}^{18}O:57.5{\pm}0.7$‰, respectively, which are within recommended values of analytical uncertainties. Also, we investigated isotope values of potential nitrogen source (soil, synthetic fertilizer and organic-animal manures) and temporal patterns of ${\delta}^{15}N-NO_3$ and ${\delta}^{18}O-NO_3$ values in river samples during from May to December. ${\delta}^{15}N-NO_3$ and ${\delta}^{18}O-NO_3$ values are enriched in December suggesting that organic-animal manures should be one of the main N sources in those areas. The current study clarifies the reliability of denitrification bacteria method and the usefulness of stable isotopic techniques to trace the anthropogenic nitrogen source in freshwater ecosystem.

• Korean Journal of Ecology and Environment
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• v.48 no.3
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• pp.147-152
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• 2015

Nitrogen (N) loading from domestic, agricultural and industrial sources can lead to excessive growth of macrophytes or phytoplankton in aquatic environment. Many studies have used nitrogen stable isotope ratios to identify anthropogenic nitrogen in aquatic systems as a useful method for studying nitrogen cycle. In this study to evaluate the precision and accuracy of Kjeldahl processes, two reference materials (IAEA-NO-3, N-1) were analyzed repeatedly. Measured the ${\delta}^{15}N-NO_3$ and ${\delta}^{15}N-NH_4$ values of IAEA-NO-3 and IAEA-N-1 were $4.7{\pm}0.2$‰ and $0.4{\pm}0.3$‰, respectively, which are within recommended values of analytical uncertainties. Also, we investigated spatial patterns of ${\delta}^{15}N-NO_3$ and ${\delta}^{15}N-NH_4$ in effluent plumes from a waste water treatment plant in Han River, Korea. ${\delta}^{15}N-NO_3$ and ${\delta}^{15}N-NH_4$ values are enriched at downstream areas of water treatment plant suggesting that dissolved nitrogen in effluent plumes should be one of the main N sources in those areas. The current study clarifies the reliability of Kjeldahl analytical method and the usefulness of stable isotopic techniques to trace the contamination source of dissolved nitrogen such as nitrate and ammonia.