• Korean Journal of Ecology and Environment
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• v.51 no.1
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• pp.86-95
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• 2018

The objective of this study was to describe the development and testing of an initial ecological health assessment model, based on the index of biological integrity (IBI) using fish assemblages, before establishing the final and currently used model for ecological health assessment, conservation and management of freshwater fish in Korea. The initial fish IBI model was developed during 2004~2006 and included 10 metrics, and in 2007 the final IBI 8-metric model was established for application to streams and rivers in four major Korean watersheds. In this paper, we describe how we developed fish sampling methods, determined metric attributes and categorized tolerance guilds and trophic guilds during the development of the multi-metric model. Two of the initial metrics were removed and the initial evaluation categories were reduced from six to four (excellent, good, fair, poor) before establishing the final national fish model. In the development phase, IBI values were compared with chemical parameters (BOD and COD as indicators of organic matter pollution) and physical habitat parameters to identify differences in IBI model values between chemical and physical habitat conditions. These processes undertaken during the development of the IBI model may be helpful in understanding the modifications made and contribute to creating efficient conservation and management strategies for stream environments to be used by limnologists and fish ecologists as well as stream/watershed managers.

• Ecology and Resilient Infrastructure
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• v.1 no.2
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• pp.49-60
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• 2014

Fish assemblages play an integral role in stream ecosystem and are influenced by stream environmental conditions and habitat disturbances. Fish community structures and habitat parameters of U.S. EPA rapid bio-assessment protocol were surveyed to investigate the effect of stream environment and habitat disturbance on fish communities at 13 study sites in the Gapyeong Stream, a typical gravel-bed stream. Principal component analysis (PCA) based on data from habitat assessment at each study site indicated that the study sites were differentiated by habitat parameters such as embeddedness, velocity/depth regime and sediment deposition, which were related with bed slope. A total of 46 species belonging to 12 families were collected in the Gapyeong Stream. A dominant species was Zacco koreanus, subdominant species was Z. platypus. Hierarchical cluster analysis based on species abundance classified fish communities into the three main groups along the stream longitudinal change. Non-metric multidimensional scaling (NMDS) portrayed that fish community structures were related to major habitat parameters, i.e., epifaunal substrate/available cover, embeddedness, velocity/depth regime, sediment deposition, channel alternation and frequency of riffles. These results suggested that fish community structures were primary affected by the longitudinal environmental changes, and those were modified by habitat disturbance in the Gapyeong Stream, a gravel-bed stream.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Fisheries and Ocean Technology
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• v.55 no.3
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• pp.217-232
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• 2019

It was turned out by shrimp beam trawl monthly survey from March, 2015 to February, 2016 that different species composition and abundance of the fish assemblages in Sacheon Bay and coastal waters off Namhae, Korea were compared. As a result of monthly measured sea temperature and salinity of Sacheon Bay and coastal waters off Namhae, sea temperature of both areas was changed seasonally; however, differences in sea temperature occurred during certain periods depending on the region. Salinity was generally low in Sacheon Bay affected by fresh water, and both areas was low in summer and high in winter. A total of 73 species representing 37 families were collected in Sacheon Bay. The dominant fish species in terms of numbers and biomass were Liparis tanakae, $23,077inds./km^2$, $332.1kg/km^2$. A total of 91 fish species representing 49 families were collected in coastal waters off Namhae. The dominant fish species in terms of numbers were Leiognathus nuchalis, $139,683inds./km^2$ and biomass were Chelidonichthys spinosus, $1,078.6kg/km^2$. Analysis of dendrogram of the clustering showed that Sacheon Bay and coastal waters off Namhae were distinctive featured (global R = 0.691, p = 0.017). And except of summer season (July-October), there was a distinctive feature seasonally (global R = 0.844, p = 0.001). The fish species that appeared in common in both areas, where fish species caught in Sacheon Bay, an important inner bay,were smaller than those caught in coastal waters off Namhae appeared. It presented that Sacheon Bay plays a more important role in spawning and nursery ground for fisheries resource than coastal waters off Namhae, Korea.

• Korean Journal of Ichthyology
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• v.33 no.1
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• pp.22-30
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• 2021

This study aimed to determine the monthly fish species composition in the eelgrass bed of Yeocha on Hansando Island, Korea, and to obtain fish species data by comparison with the nearby Bongam. The species composition was determined from monthly samples collected by a surf net from August 2009 to July 2010. During the survey, total 2,394 individuals of 29 species and 10,378 g of fish were collected. The dominant species were Gymnogobius heptacanthus, followed by Takifugu niphobles, Rudarius ercodes, Chaenogobius annularis, and Ditrema temminckii, accounting for 89% of the total individuals sampled and 83% of the fish biomass collected. The fish assemblages in the eelgrass bed varied seasonally; the number of individual fishes increased in May and was highest in July, whereas the biomass attained its highest level in April and subsequently decreased. This study confirms that the seagrass bed plays an important role as a fish nursery ground, and it is necessary to investigate changes in the coastal fishes of the southern coast via periodic surveys.

• Korean Journal of Ecology and Environment
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• v.45 no.4
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• pp.392-402
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• 2012

In this study, to analyze the stream health using fish assemblage and make effective management, we conducted fish monitoring in the Hoeya River basin and neighboring streams. A total of 33 species classified into 12 families were collected from 29 sites in 2007. Dominant species was Zacco platypus (Relative abundance, RA: 24.8%), and subdominant species was Rhynchocypris oxycephalus (RA: 16.2%). Eight Korean endemic species and 4 exotic species were identified. Moreover, two species (Opsariichthys uncirostris amurensis and Hemiculter eigenmanni) were translocated from other basin. To evaluate stream health of the study sites, Index of Biological Integrity (IBI) was applied, based on fish assemblages. Overall, IBI values were "C (Fair)" or "D (Poor)" condition, according to the grade except two sites which recorded "B (Good)". The correlation between land use pattern of surrounding watershed and IBI was analyzed to verify impact of development on stream health using fish assemblage. As a result, when percentage of the developmental groups increased, IBI values were decreased (Pearson correlation, r=-0.425, p=0.022). In contrast, increment of percent forest and grass land was positively correlated with IBI (r=0.556, p=0.002). The agricultural group and IBI did not significantly correlate with each other (r=-0.231, p=0.333). In this study, we identified a relationship between land use of surrounding watershed and stream health using fish data (i.e. IBI). These results could be provided useful fundamental information to establish management and restoration plan in the Hoeya River basin and other rivers distributed in Korea.

• Korean Journal of Ichthyology
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• v.30 no.1
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• pp.55-64
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• 2018

Fish assemblages in a sandy shore and an eelgrass bed were compared based on monthly samples in the southern coastal water of Korea. Samples were collected by a beam trawl in the sandy shore and a surf net in the eelgrass from March to February 2012. The common fish species were Syngnathus schlegeli, Pseudoblennius cottoides, Pholis nebulosa, Favonigobius gymnauchen, Gymnogobius heptacanthus, Pseudopleuronectes yokohamae, Takifugu niphobles. Among them S. schlegeli, Urocampus nanus, P. cottoides, P. nebulosa, T. niphobles were high abundance in the eelgrass bed than in the sandy shore, whereas Acanthogobius flavimanus, Acentrogobius pflaumi, F. gymnauchen, G. heptacanthus, P. yokohamae were high in the sandy shore. Aulichthys japonicus, Hippocampus coronatus, Sebastes inermis, Lateolabrax japonicus, Siganus fuscescens were found in the eelgrass bed, and Thryssa hamiltoni, Mugil cephalus, Inimicus japonicus, Platycephalus indicus, Hexagrammos otakii, Furcina ishikawae, Liparis tanakae, Repomucenus curvicornis, and Eutaeniichthys gilli were observed in the sandy shore. Species composition and abundance varied seasonally in two habitats; The number of species and abundance was high in August and September, while biomass was the highest in April and September. Fish numbers as well as biomass were lowest in February. Number of individuals and biomass of fish in the eelgrass bed were significantly higher than those of in the sandy shore. Some fish preferred to live in the eelgrass were collected in the sandy shore, while fish preferred to live in the sandy shore were rarely collected in the eelgrass.

• Korean Journal of Ichthyology
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• v.30 no.1
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• pp.36-45
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• 2018

The temporal and depth-related variations in the species composition and abundance of demersal fish assemblage were studied in the coastal waters off Hupo, East Sea. Fish samples were collected seasonally between 2011 and 2017 at two stations of study area using trammel net and bottom gill net. In total, 46 fish species belonging to 17 families were collected during study period, with 36 and 22 species occurring in depths of ~80 m (site A) and ~140 m (site B), respectively. Glyptocephalus stelleri, Cleisthenes pinetorum and Gymnocanthus herzensteini were abundant at shallower site, and Dasycottus setiger at deeper site. The number of species, abundance, biomass and diversity fluctuated with water depth, but not temporally (both seasonally and annually). Analysis of similarity (ANOSIM) revealed that the fish assemblage structures were significantly different with water depth, but not by year or season. Non-metric multidimensional scaling (MDS) ordination plot emphasized visually in spatial difference of fish assemblages, and it was due to differential contributions of dominant species in relation to water depth and temperature.

• Korean Journal of Ecology and Environment
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• v.54 no.1
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• pp.12-23
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• 2021

As fish communities are sensitive to natural environmental changes as well as anthropogenic pressures, their composition and characteristics help us to assess the aquatic ecosystem health. The fish fauna and the length-weight relationship of Zacco platypus in the Seomjin River system were investigated from July 2018 to May 2019. The collected species during the survey period were 49 species belong to 14 families including 19 Korean endemic and two endangered species. According to Bray-Curtis similarities, 14 sites were divided into four groups based on the fish community composition; two groups(group A, B) and two uncategorized sites(group C, D). There were significant differences between groups A and B(analysis of similarities, R=0.722, p=0.002). A similarity percentage analysis revealed that Z. koreanus(8.55%), Micropterus salmoides(6.90%), and Lepomis macrochirus (4.90%) contributed to these differences of fish assemblages between group A and B. Group A showed higher relative abundances of exotic species such as M. salmoides and L. macrochirus, while Z. platypus and Z. koreanus which are the common species in Korea, were the most dominant species in group B. Based on the length-weight relationship of Z. platypus, b values were varied from 2.82 to 3.80, indicating that growth patterns of the species were spatially different. This study could be served as baseline data for understanding fish fauna, assessing habitat characteristics based on the fauna, and identifying health conditions of Z. platypus in the Seomjin River system.

• Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences
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• v.23 no.6
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• pp.15.1-15.14
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• 2020

Background: Large rivers are ecological treasures with high human value, but most have experienced decades of degradation from industrial and municipal sewage, row-crop agricultural practices, and hydrologic alteration. We reviewed published analyses of long-term fish diversity publications from three intensively managed large river ecosystems to demonstrate the conservation potential of large river ecosystems. Results: We show how the incorporation of recent advances in river concepts will allow a better understanding of river ecosystem functioning and conservation. Lastly, we focus on the Wabash River ecosystem based on high conservation value and provide a list of actions to maintain and support the ecosystem. In the Wabash River, there were originally 66 species of freshwater mussels, but now only 30 species with reproducing populations remain. Although there were multiple stressors over the last century, the largest change in Wabash River fish biodiversity was associated with rapid increases in municipal nutrient loading and invasive bigheaded carps. Conclusions: Like similarly neglected large river systems worldwide, the Wabash River has a surprising amount of ecological resilience and recovery. For instance, of the 151 native fish species found in the 1800s, only three species have experienced local extinctions, making the modern assemblage more intact than many comparable rivers in the Mississippi River basin. However, not all the changes are positive or support the idea of recovery. Primary production underpins the productivity of these ecosystems, and the Wabash River phytoplankton assemblages shifted from high-quality green algae in the 1970s to lower less nutritional blue-green algae as nutrient and invasive species have recently increased. Our recommendations for the Wabash River and other altered rivers include the restoration of natural hydrology for the mainstem and tributaries, nutrient reductions, mechanisms to restore historical hydrologic patterns, additional sediment controls, and improved local hydraulics.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Marine Environment & Safety
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• v.23 no.6
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• pp.759-766
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• 2017

In order to identify the species composition and distribution pattern of larval fish assemblages in the southern coastal waters of Korea, monthly samples were taken using an RN80 net which was towed horizontally in three different regions (Yeosu, Namhae and Tongyoung) between May to September 2016. A total of fifty taxa were collected during the study. Among these, Engraulis japonicus, which accounted for 56.8 % of the total population, was the most dominant species, followed by Sillago japonicus, Parablennius yatabei, Gobiidae Type A, Parablennidae sp., and Omobranchus elegans as dominant taxa, that accounted for 87.5% of the total number of individuals. ANOSIM results revealed that regional groups were not separated, but seasonal groups were clearly divided with statistical significance, and these differences were caused mainly by water temperature variations identified by canonical analysis.