• Korean Journal of Ecology and Environment
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• v.34 no.3 s.95
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• pp.153-165
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• 2001

We evaluated the health condition of Pyong-Chang river, the tributary of Han- River, using the Index of Biological Integrity (IBI) and Qualitative Habitat Evaluation Index (QHEI) during September 1999${\sim}$August 2000. The annual mean of IBI,　which was estimated using eleven metrics, was 49 (range: $45{\sim}51$) and the mean of QHEI, which was estimated using seven parameters, was 88 (range: $76{\sim}94$) during　the study. The river health, based on the IBI criteria of Karr (1981), ranged from "excellent" to "good" conditions, while based on the habitat criteria of Plafkin et al. (1989), it ranged from "pristine" (comparable to reference) to "supporting" conditions. Values of IBI showed slight differences between upstream and downstream sites and QHEI values varied weakly depending on characteristics of variables. Regression analyses showed that annual values of QHEI had no functional relations with stream order (p = 1.82; n = 8) but showed some decreases near slight point-sources. This result indicates that conditions of physical habitat did not change highly with increases of the stream order. According to analyses of feed guilds, relative abundance of insectivores, omnivores and carnivores was 85.1%, 3.5% 0.3%, respectively. Also, relative abundance of sensitive and tolerant species was 75% and 4.6%, respectively, while exotic and morphological anomalies were not found in the river. These outcomes indicate that health condition of fish, based on the trophic conditions of U.S. EPA (1993), was excellent in the river. Regression analyses of IBI values against the QHEI showed that the variation of habitat conditions accounted 57% for the variation of the Index of Biological Integrity (p<0.05; $R^2\;=\;0.57$; n = 7).Overall data of IBI and QHEI suggest that the river health in the present is in optimal conditions but may be degradated by acceleration of chemical inputs and physical-habitat disturbance.

• Korean Journal of Ecology and Environment
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• v.38 no.3 s.113
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• pp.341-351
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• 2005

Ecological stream health, based on the index of biological integrity (IBI) , was evaluated at five sampling locations of Youdeung Stream during August-October 2004. For the study, we also analyzed spatial and temporal patterns of conventional water quality over tine period of 1995 ${\sim}$ 2004, using the water chemistry dataset, obtained from the Ministry of Environment, Korea. The water quality parameters used here were conductivity, total suspended solids (TSS), biochemical oxygen demand $(BOD_5)$, chemical oxygen demand $(COD_{mn})$, total nitrogen (TN), and total phosphorus (TP). The multi-metric model values averaged 27.8 in the stream and ranged 24 ${\sim}$ 32. The health condition was judged as 'Fair' to 'Poor' conditions, according to the stream health criteria of US EPA (1993). Longitudinal variation occurred from the upstream to downstream reach; largest differences in all water quality variables occurred between Site 5 and the other sites. This was mainly attributed to the impacts of wastewater treatment plants near the locations. Also, relative proportions of tolerance and omnivore species increased in downstream reaches. The model values, however, did not match the values, based on water quality parameters. We assume that this may be associated with primarily reduced water volumn during dry season in the stream along with modified physical habitat conditions.

• Korean Journal of Ecology and Environment
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• v.37 no.4 s.109
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• pp.436-447
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• 2004

Wetland plants have evolved specialized adaptations to survive in the low-oxygen conditions associated with prolonged flooding. The development of internal gas space by means of aerenchyma is crucial for wetland plants to transport $O_2$ from the atmosphere into the roots and rhizome. The formation of tissue with high porosity depends on the species and environmental condition, which can control the depth of root penetration and the duration of root tolerance in the flooded sediments. The oxygen in the internal gas space of plants can be delivered from the atmosphere to the root and rhizome by both passive molecular diffusion and convective throughflow. The release of $O_2$ from the roots supplies oxygen demand for root respiration, microbial respiration, and chemical oxidation processes and stimulates aerobic decomposition of organic matter. Another essential mechanism of wetland plants is downward water movement across the root zone induced by water uptake. Natural and constructed wetlands sediments have low hydraulic conductivity due to the relatively fine particle sizes in the litter layer and, therefore, negligible water movement. Under such condition, the water uptake by wetland plants creates a water potential difference in the rhizosphere which acts as a driving force to draw water and dissolved solutes into the sediments. A large number of anatomical, morphological and physiological studies have been conducted to investigate the specialized adaptations of wetland plants that enable them to tolerate water saturated environment and to support their biochemical activities. Despite this, there is little knowledge regarding how the combined effects of wetland plants influence the biogeochemistry of wetland sediments. A further investigation of how the Presence of plants and their growth cycle affects the biogeochemistry of sediments will be of particular importance to understand the role of wetland in the ecological environment.

• Korean Journal of Ecology and Environment
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• v.38 no.4 s.114
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• pp.461-474
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• 2005

Physicochemical parameters, plankton community structure, and sediment were surveyed from 1988 to 2002, at two months interval, in a eutrophic coastal lagoon (Lake Songji, Korea). The lake basin is separated from the sea by a narrow sand dune, and a shallow sill divides the lake basin into two sub-basins. The stable stratifications and chemoclines are maintained all through the year at 1-2 m depth. DO was often very low (<1 $mgO_2\;{\cdot}\;L^{-1}$) in the monimolimnion. Secchi disc transparency was in the range of 0.5-2.7 m. TP, TN, and Chl. a concentration in the mixolimnion were 0.015-0.396 $mgP\;{\cdot}\;L^{-1}$), 0.223-3.521 $mgN\;{\cdot}\;L^{-1}$, and 0.5-129.8 mg ${\cdot}\;m^{-3}$, respectively. TSI was in the eutrophic range of 54 to 62. Sediment was composed of silt and coarse silt. COD, TP, and TN content of the sediment were 51.4-116.9 $mgO_2\;{\cdot}\;gdw^{-1}$, 0.04-1.46 $mgP\;{\cdot}\;gdw^{-1}$ and, 0.12-1.03 $mgN\;{\cdot}\;gdw^{-1}$, respectively. The 49 phytoplankton species were identified. The maximum phytoplankton abundance obscured the lake in September 2001 (max. density: 23,350 cells ${\cdot}\;mL^{-1}$. The Chlorophyte Schroederia judayi was dominant species in summer (max. density: 20,417 cells ${\cdot}\;mL^{-1}$). The lake showed unique limnological features of a brackish lagoon in respect to biological community, chemical characteristics, and physical phenomena.

• Korean Journal of Ecology and Environment
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• v.35 no.1 s.97
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• pp.10-20
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• 2002

Changes of seasonal and vertical water quality was analyzed with physico-chemical data from Soyang and Paldang river-reservoir system in Korea during the 1996 to 1998. In Soyang river-reservoir system, the water column was well stratified, which narrow epilimnion layer of 5 to 10 m depth in spring to summer enlarged gradually about 40 m depth in fall as going to times. In contrast, metalimnion layer tended to be narrow during the same period. Water temperature of hypolimnion was maintained about $5^{\circ}C$ continuously throughout the year. DO of the epilimnion layer was supersaturated from spring to summer, however, it was decreased to 75% at the epilimnion layer and $45{\sim}50%$ at the hypolimnion layer at the late fall. The lowest conductivity of below $50\;{\mu}S/cm$ was observed at the metalimnion layer during thesummer to fall. In Paldang river-reservoir system, the water column wag well mixed layer throughout the year, although water temperature was changed seasonally from $5^{\circ}C$ in February to $28^{\circ}C$ in July. Water temperature between upper and lower layer was different about $5^{\circ}C$ from late spring (May) to early fall (September). DO was over and less saturated in upper and lower layer during the early summer to early fall, respectively. Conductivity was decreased to $90\;{\mu}S/cm$ in lower layer of below $4{\sim}5\;m$ depth during the late spring to early fall and that of upper layer of above 10 m depth decreased to about $100\;{\mu}S/cm$ during the late fall (November) and early spring (March). Retention time of Soyang river-reservoir system was much longer than that of Paldang river-reservoir system. Chlorophyll a, T-N and T-P concentration in Paldang river-reservoir system were higher than that of Soyang river-reservoir system by a factor of 2.7, 1.2 and 2.6, respectively. Algal blooming was deeply affected by the nutrients than the retention time.

• Korean Journal of Ecology and Environment
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• v.41 no.3
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• pp.348-359
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• 2008

The objectives of the study were to elucidate functional modifications in relation to hydrological, physico-chemical and ecological aspects in Daechung Reservoir by the upper dam constructions of Youngdam Reservoir and analyze temporal and spatial dynamic patterns using trophic parameters of TN, TP, chlorophyll (CHL), and Secchi depth (SD). Hydrological data such as inflow, precipitation, and water levels before (BDC, 1995$\sim$2000) and after (ADC, 2001$\sim$2006) the dam construction showed that precipitation had greater correlations with inflow volume in the BDC (r=0.964, p=0.002) than in the ADC (r=0.857, p=0.029). This outcome indicates that the upper dam construction influenced the inflow and water level of Daechung Reservoir. One of the greatest changes after the dam construction was decreases of nutrient contents (TN, TP) and increases of algal biomass (as CHL) as the water residence time increases. Values of CHL had greater relations with TP in the ADC (r=0.412, p<0.001) than the BDC (r=0.249, p<0.001), indicating that CHL had greater response at a given phosphorus in the ADC. Thus, algal yield at a given TP (CHL : TP ratios) increased in the ADC, resulting in a greater CHL-TP relations. Long-term interannual TP, TN, SD, and CHL showed greater variations in the riverine zone (RZ) than any other transition (TZ) and lacustrine zones (LZ). This phenomenon was mainly attributed to rapid hydrological response in the riverine zone (RZ) to flow reductions (short water residence time) from the upper dam, resulting in ambient contents of nutrients and light regime along with functional relations of CHL-TP.

• Korean Journal of Ecology and Environment
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• v.41 no.3
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• pp.382-394
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• 2008

The objective of this study was to analyze temporal trends of water chemistry and spatial heterogeneity between the dam site (Daecheong Reservoir, S1) and the downstream (S2$\sim$S4) using water quality dataset (obtained from the Ministry of Environment, Korea) during 2000$\sim$2007. Water quality, based on eight physical and chemical parameters, varied largely depending on the years, sampling sites, and the discharge volume. Conductivity and nutrients (TN and TP) showed a decreasing trend in the downstream (S4) rather than the dam site during the monsoon. Spatial variation increased toward downstream (S4) from Daecheong Reservoir (S1). Also, BOD and COD increased toward downstream. Because of input of nutrient and pollutant nearby S1, lentic ecosystem in monsoon, BOD and COD were slightly increased. whereas relatively decreased in S4, lotic ecosystem in monsoon, by dilution effect of nutrient and pollutant by discharge from upper dam, S1. Spatial variation of SS increased toward downstream (S4) by the side of Daecheong Reservoir (S1). Based on the dataset, efficient water quality management in the point source tributary streams is required for better water quality of downstream. Monthly characteristics of DO showed the lowest value in the monsoon that tend to increase water temperature. DO was lowest in October at S1 because turbid water, input to the Daecheong Reservoir in the monsoon affect to the postmonsoon period. In contrast, water temperature increased toward summer monsoon, in spite of some differences showed between S1 and S4 environment. Overall, the characteristics of water quality in downstream region have close correlation with discharge amount of Daecheong Reservoir. Thus, those characteristics can explain that discharge control of upper dam mainly affect to the water quality variation in downstream reach.

• Natural Product Sciences
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• v.8 no.1
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• pp.1-15
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• 2002

An International Cooperative Biodiversity Group (ICBG) program based at the University of Illinois at Chicago initiated its activities in 1998, with the following specific objectives: (a) inventory and conservation of of plants of Cuc Phuong National Park in Vietnam and of medicinal plants of Laos; (b) drug discovery (and development) based on plants of Vietnam and Laos; and (c) economic development of communities participating in the ICBG project both in Vietnam and Laos. Member-institutions and an industrial partner of this ICBG are bound by a Memorandum of Agreement that recognizes property and intellectual property rights, prior informed consent for access to genetic resources and to indigenous knowledge, the sharing of benefits that may arise from the drug discovery effort, and the provision of short-term and long-term benefits to host country institutions and communities. The drug discovery effort is targeted to the search for agents for therapies against malaria (antimalarial assay of plant extracts, using Plasmodium falciparum clones), AIDS (anti-HIV-l activity using HOG.R5 reporter cell line (through transactivation of the green fluorescent protein/GFP gene), cancer (screening of plant extracts in 6 human tumor cell lines - KB, Col-2, LU-l, LNCaP, HUVEC, hTert-RPEl), tuberculosis (screening of extracts in the microplate Alamar Blue assay against Mycobacterium tuberculosis $H_{37}Ra\;and\;H_{37}Rv),$ all performed at UIC, and CNS-related diseases (with special focus on Alzheimer's disease, pain and rheumatoid arthritis, and asthma), peformed at Glaxo Smith Kline (UK). Source plants were selected based on two approaches: biodiversity-based (plants of Cuc Phuong National Park) and ethnobotany-based (medicinal plants of Cuc Phuong National Park in Vietnam and medicinal plants of Laos). At mc, as of July, 2001, active leads had been identified in the anti-HIV, anticancer, antimalarial, and anti- TB assay, after the screening of more than 800 extracts. At least 25 biologically active compounds have been isolated, 13 of which are new with anti-HIV activity, and 3 also new with antimalarial activity. At GSK of 21 plant samples with a history of use to treat CNS-related diseases tested to date, a number showed activity against one or more of the CNS assay targets used, but no new compounds have been isolated. The results of the drug discovery effort to date indicate that tropical plant diversity of Vietnam and Laos unquestionably harbors biologically active chemical entities, which, through further research, may eventually yield candidates for drug development. Although the substantial monetary benefit of the drug discovery process (royalties) is a long way off, the UIC ICBG program provides direct and real-term benefits to host country institutions and communities.

• Journal of Korean Society of Forest Science
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• v.58 no.1
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• pp.41-47
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• 1982

The large devastated land in Young-il district, Gyeongsangbusdo, had been existed for a long time, and the Korean government had invested 3.8 billion won to control soil erosion of the area for 5 years from 1973 to 1977. This research was to investigate the changes of the soil profile and vegetation structure in the 3rd, 6th and 9th years since soil erosion control had implemented. The results obtained in this study are as follows: 1) The thickness of the litter layer (L), the fermentation layer(F), the humified layer(H) and the surface soil layer(S) increased with increasing years after implements soil erosion control project had started. 2) The H layer was not showed for the three years since the project had implemented but was in the sixty year. 3) The soil chemical elements including the organic matter and total nitrogen increased with increasing years after the project had started, the amounts of organic matter and total nitrogen were three and seven times higher respectively in the nineth year after project had started. The amounts of organic matter and total nitrogen were three and seven times higher, respectively in the nineth year after project started than those before. 4) Among the grasses and trees which had been sowed or planted during project period, the summed domination ratios for arundinella hirta var ciliare. Themeda japonica, Cymbopogen goeringi and Lespedeza bicolor decreased rapidly, while those for Robinia pesudoacacia and Pinus densiflora increased with increasing years after the project started. 5) The appearance of Quercus seedlings suited to this area and Pinus densiflora seedling which is a subclimax species increased with increasing years after the project started.

• Korean Journal of Ecology and Environment
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• v.33 no.3 s.91
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• pp.222-229
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• 2000

Spatial and temporal variation of phosphorus in response to intensity of summer monsoon was evaluated in Taechung Reservoir during 1993${\sim}$1994. Total phosphorus (TP) averaged 31 ${\mu}$g/l during the study and varied from 6 to 197 ${\mu}$g/l. Concentrations of TP were highest in the headwaters during the monsoon of July${\sim}$August 1993, and these values were mainly made of particulate P and were closely associated (R$^{2}$=0.74, p<0.001) with high inorganic suspended solids (NVSS). In-lake TP in the headwaters was mainly influenced by the watershed runoff and declined toward the dam. Values of TP downlake was only one-fifth of the peak in the headwaters and had no correlation with NVSS. In 1994, inlake TP was markedly lower relative to 1993 and showed low spatial and temporal variation. Maximum TP during monsoon 1994 in the headwaters and mid-lake was 72% and 52% lower, respectively, than in those two zones in 1993 whereas TP downlake was similar between the two years. These results suggest that temporal variation downlake is much less influenced by seasonal inflow compared to the haedwaters. In 1993, mean TP before fall overturn, based on average value for all sites, was significantly (t=5.99, p<0.001) greater than the mean after fall overturn, whereas in 1994 mean TP after fall overturn (32 ${\mu}$g/l) was greater. This outcome indicates that in 1993 major P-input originated from the external source from the watershed during the intense monsoon, whereas in 1994 internal processes dominated during the weak monsoon. Overall data suggest that annual budget of inlake P is regulated by intensity of the summer monsoon, and phosphorus data measured at single site near the dam or headwater zone may not be represent seasonal trends of the system due to large spatial variation of Taechung Reservoir.