• Korean Journal of Environmental Biology
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• v.37 no.2
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• pp.204-216
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• 2019

To evaluate the biological integrity of aquatic ecosystems, we developed Korean multimetric diatom index (KMDI) using metrics that many researchers have been previously described, and compared to single-metric diatom index such as trophic diatom index (TDI) and diatom assemblage index to organic pollution (DAIpo). For the biological and environmental data, we investigated the epilithic diatoms, water quality and the land-use for 923 sites in Korean streams between 2013-2017, and estuaries between 2010-2017, respectively. Five appropriate metrics were selected according to the following steps; 1) extraction of 300 potential metrics (biological, chemical, physical, and geographical) based on previous references, of these, 2) 46 samples having high separation power were selected, 3) the selected metrics were each tested for variability, redundancy, and sensitivity to the environments, finally 4) construction of multi-metric diatom index comprising single type metrics such as TDI, DAIpo, % motile diatoms, % Achnanthes / (Achnanthes+Navicula), and % number of Gomphonema species. The biological integrity of the 233 sites from the Geum River basin were independently investigated using KMDI. Collectively, the new KMDI showed high sensitivity and explanatory power for environmental factors such as land-use, biochemical oxygen demand, total nitrogen, and electric conductivity. However, it had slightly higher biological integrity for the same sites as compared to single type diatom metrics. Finally, more data accumulation from all over Korea and the development of acceptable diatom metrics were required.

• Journal of Ecology and Environment
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• v.36 no.1
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• pp.85-88
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• 2013

Bioassessment is the use of biosurvey data, most commonly for benthic macroinvertebrates and fish, to obtain information about the health of waters in a region. In rivers, bioassessment results are used to evaluate biological condition and trends, to establish relationships between stressors and impairments, and to guide and evaluate management actions.

• Korean Journal of Ecology and Environment
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• v.45 no.2
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• pp.218-231
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• 2012

The objectives of this study were to evaluate the physico-chemical water quality, trophic and tolerance guilds in the control ($C_o$) and impacted streams of the abandoned mine, along with the ecological health, using a multimetric health model and physical habitat conditions of Qualitative Habitat Evaluation Index (QHEI), during the period of three years, 2005~2007. Also, eco-toxicity ($EE_t$) enclosure tests were conducted to examine the toxic effects on the outflows from the mine wastewater, using the sentinel species of Rhynchocypris oxycephalus, and we compared the biological responses of the control ($C_o$) and treatment (T) to the effluents through a Necropybased Health Assessment Index ($N_b$-HAI). Tissue impact analysis of the spleen, kidney, gill, liver, eyes, and fins were conducted in the controlled enclosure experiments (10 individuals). According to the comparisons of the control ($C_o$) vs. the treatment (T) in physicochemical water quality, outflows from the abandoned mine resulted in low pH of 3.2, strong acid wastewater, high ionic concentrations, based on an electrical conductivity, and high total dissolved solid (TDS). Physical habitat assessments, based on Qualitative Habitat Evaluation Index (QHEI) did not show any statistical differences (p>0.05) in the sampling sites, whereas, the $M_m$-EH model values in a multimetric ecological health ($M_m$-EH) model of the Index of Biological Integrity (IBI), using fish assemblages, were 16~20 (fair condition) in the control and all zero (0, poor condition) in the impacted sites of mine wastewater. In addition, in enclosure eco-toxicity ($EE_t$) tests, the model values of $N_b$-HAI ranged between 0 and 3 in the controls during the three years, indicating an excellent~good condition (Ex~G), and were >100 (range: 100~137) in the impacted sites, which indicates a poor condition (P). Under the circumstances, organ tissues, such as the liver, kidney, and gills were largely impaired, so that efficient water quality managements are required in the outflow area of the abandoned mine watershed.

• Korean Journal of Ecology and Environment
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• v.43 no.3
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• pp.428-436
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• 2010

This study was to evaluate water quality characteristics and ecological health using a mulimetric fish model in Taehwa-River watershed during May~September 2009. The ecological health assessments were based on the Index of Biological Integrity (IBI) using fish community and the multimetric model of Qualitative Habitat Evaluation Index (QHEI). For the study, the models of IBI and QHEI were modified as 8 and 11 metric attributes, respectively. We also analyzed spatial patterns of chemical water quality over the period of 2000~2009, using the water chemistry dataset, obtained from the Ministry of Environment, Korea. Values of BOD and COD averaged $1.7\;mg\;L^{-1}$ (scope: $0.1{\sim}31.8\;mg\;L^{-1}$) and $3.6\;mg\;L^{-1}$ (scope: $0.4{\sim}33\;mg\;L^{-1}$), respectively during the study. Total nitrogen (TN) and total phosphorus (TP) averaged $2.8\;mg\;L^{-1}$ and $96.8\;{\mu}g\;L^{-1}$, respectively, indicating an eutrophic-hypertrophic state. Also, TN and TP showed longitudinal increases toward the downriver reach. In the watershed, QHEI values varied from 67.5 (fair condition) to 164.5 (good condition) by the criteria of US EPA (1993). There was a abruptly decreasing tendency from T9 site in the QHEI values. According to 1st and 2nd surveys of Taewha River, multimetric model values of IBI was averaged 26.1 (n=14) with "good" condition (B) and the spatial variation was evident. Our results suggest that the mainstream sites was getting worse health condition along the river gradient due to inputs of the point and non-point sources from the urban (Ulsan city). Overall, dataset of IBI, QHEI, and water chemistry indicated that the ecological river health showed a downriver decline and the pattern was closely associated with habitat degradations and chemical pollutions as the waters pass through the urban region.

• Journal of Environmental Impact Assessment
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• v.22 no.6
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• pp.591-607
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• 2013

The objectives of the study were to evaluate the aquatic environment of an urban stream using various ecological parameters of biological biomarkers, physical habitat quality and chemical water quality and to develop a "Multimetric Eco-Model" ($M_m$-E Model) for the ecosystem evaluations. For the applications of the $M_m$-E model, three zones including the control zone ($C_Z$) of headwaters, transition zone ($T_Z$) of mid-stream and the impacted zone ($I_Z$) of downstream were designated and analyzed the seasonal variations of the model values. The biomarkers of DNA, based on the comet assay approach of single-cell gel electrophoresis (SCGE), were analyzed using the blood samples of Zacco platypus as a target species, and the parameters were used tail moment, tail DNA(%) and tail length (${\mu}m$) in the bioassay. The damages of DNA were evident in the impacted zone, but not in the control zone. The condition factor ($C_F$) as key indicators of the population evaluation indicator was analyzed along with the weight-length relation and individual abnormality. The four metrics of Qualitative Habitat Evaluation Index (QHEI) were added for the evaluations of physical habitat. In addition, the parameters of chemical water quality were used as eutrophic indicators of nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P), chemical oxygen demand (COD) and conductivity. Overall, our results suggested that attributes of biomarkers and bioindicators in the impacted zone ($I_Z$) had sensitive response largely to the chemical stress (eutrophic indicators) and also partially to physical habitat quality, compared to the those in the control zone.

• Korean Journal of Environmental Biology
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• v.19 no.4
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• pp.261-269
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• 2001

The purpose of present study was to introduce a multimetric approach, so called the Index of Biological Integrity (IBI) as a tool for evaluations of water environments. We used 11 metric systems for the IBI to evaluate stream conditions, based on the fish community, and modified 5 original metric attributes suggested by Karr (1981). Overall IBI values in Kap Stream averaged 36 (n = 5) and ranged 17${\sim}$49, indicating a 'fair condition' according to the modified criteria of Karr (1981) and U.S. EPA (1993). However, there were distinct differences in the IBI values among 5 study sites. The IBI values at sites 1, 2, and 3 were 49, 45, and 41, which indicated 'good${\sim}$excellent', 'good', and 'fair' condition, respectively, while values at sites 4 and 5 were 17 and 29, which indicated 'very poor' and 'poor', respectively. The minimum IBI at site 4 was probably due to continuous inputs of wastewater from wastewater disposal plants. The condition at site 4 resulted in predominance of tolerant species (50%), omnivore species (50%), and high abnormalies (43%). In the mean time, the IBI value at site 5, located near 5km downstream from the site 4, increased compared to that of site 4, and this seemed to be a result of recovery of water quality as the polluted water goes downward. We believe that present bioassessment methodology of IBI applied in this study may be used as a key tool to set up specific goals for stream restoration plans and dentify recovery levels of lotic ecosystems after restoration activities(i.e., prevention of point-source pollutant input, restoration of physical habitats, construction of riparian vegetation) as well as a biological measure diagnosing current stream conditions.

• Korean Journal of Ecology and Environment
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• v.39 no.3 s.117
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• pp.310-319
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• 2006

The objective of study was to evaluate ecological health from seven sampling locations of Yoogu Stream, one of the tributaries of Guem River, July and September 2005. The research approach was based on the Index of Biological Integrity (IBI) using fish assemblage and Qualitative Habitat Evaluation Index (QHEI) using fish assemblage. The models of IBI and QHEI were modified as 10 metric model and 11 metric model, respectively, for the regional applications. In Yoogu Stream, value of IBI were averaged 29.5 (n=7) which is judged as a 'fair condition'. The IBI model scores, at the site 3 and 7, were estimated as 23 and 24, indicating a 'poor${\sim}$fair condition' while, site 5 was estimated as 28, 'fair condition'. The remaining sites were between 31 and 34, indicating 'fair${\sim}$good condition'. According to the analysis of QHEI, the average was estimated as 136, 'fair${\sim}$good condition'. Spatial variation the QHEI were evident; site 1 and site 4 were 186 and 120 respectively, indicating an 'excellent and fair${\sim}$good conditions'. Site 3 was 69, fair condition while the other sites were 128${\sim}$156, good condition.

• Smart Structures and Systems
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• v.15 no.2
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• pp.335-353
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• 2015

Previous long-term measurements of the Uldolmok tidal current power plant showed that the structure's natural frequencies fluctuate with a constant cycle-i.e., twice a day with changes in tidal height and tidal current velocity. This study aims to improve structural health monitoring (SHM) techniques for offshore structures under a harsh tidal environment like the Uldolmok Strait. In this study, lab-scale experiments on a simplified offshore structure as a lab-scale test structure were conducted in a circulating water channel to thoroughly investigate the causes of fluctuation of the natural frequencies and to validate the displacement estimation method using multimetric data fusion. To this end, the numerical study was additionally carried out on the simplified offshore structure with damage scenarios, and the corresponding change in the natural frequency was analyzed to support the experimental results. In conclusion, (1) the damage that occurred at the foundation resulted in a more significant change in natural frequencies compared with the effect of added mass; moreover, the structural system became nonlinear when the damage was severe; (2) the proposed damage index was able to indicate an approximate level of damage and the nonlinearity of the lab-scale test structure; (3) displacement estimation using data fusion was valid compared with the reference displacement using the vision-based method.

• Journal of Ecology and Environment
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• v.40 no.1
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• pp.34-44
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• 2016

Background: Little is known about how chemical water quality is associated with ecological stream health in relation to landuse patterns in a watershed. We evaluated spatial characteristics of water quality characteristics and the ecological health of Dongjin-River basin, Korea in relation to regional landuse pattern. The ecological health was assessed by the multi-metric model of Index of Biological Integrity (IBI), and the water chemistry data were compared with values obtained from the health model. Results: Nutrient and organic matter pollution in Dongjin-River basin, Korea was influenced by land use pattern and the major point sources, so nutrients of TN and TP increased abruptly in Site 4 (Jeongeup Stream), which is directly influenced by wastewater treatment plants along with values of electric conductivity (EC), bacterial number, and sestonic chlorophyll-a. Similar results are shown in the downstream (S7) of Dongjin River. The degradation of chemical water quality in the downstream resulted in greater impairment of the ecological health, and these were also closely associated with the landuse pattern. Forest region had low nutrients (N, P), organic matter, and ionic content (as the EC), whereas urban and agricultural regions had opposite in the parameters. Linear regression analysis of the landuse (arable land; $A_L$) on chemicals indicated that values of $A_L$ had positive linear relations with TP ($R^2=0.643$, p < 0.01), TN ($R^2=0.502$, p < 0.05), BOD ($R^2=0.739$, p < 0.01), and suspended solids (SS; ($R^2=0.866$, p < 0.01), and a negative relation with TDN:TDP ratios ($R^2=0.719$, p < 0.01). Conclusions: Chemical factors were closely associated with land use pattern in the watershed, and these factors influenced the ecological health, based on the multimetric fish IBI model. Overall, the impairments of water chemistry and the ecological health in Dongjin-River basin were mainly attributes to point-sources and land-use patterns.

• Korean Journal of Ecology and Environment
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• v.40 no.2
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• pp.184-192
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• 2007

This study was to evaluate ecological health of Sumjin River during April${\sim}$June 2006. The ecological health assessments was based on the Index of Biological Integrity (IBI), Qualitative Babitat Evaluation Index (QHEI), and water chemistry. For the study, the models of IBI and QHEI were modified as 10 and 11 metric attributes, respectively. We also analyzed spatial patterns of chemical water quality over the period of $2002{\sim}2005$, using the water chemistry dataset, obtained from the Ministry of Environment, Korea. In Sumjin River, values of IBI averaged 33 (n= 12), which is judged as a "Fair${\sim}$Good" condition after the criteria of Barbour at al. (1999). There was a distinct spatial variation. Mean IBI score at Site 5 was estimated as 40, indicating a "Good" condition whereas, the mean at Site 3 was 23, indicating a "Poor${\sim}$Fair" condition. Habitat analysis showed that QHEI values in the river averaged 109 (n=6), indicating a "Marginal" condition after the criteria of Harbour et al. (1999). Values of BOD and COD averaged 1.3 mg $L^{-1}$ (scope: $0.9{\sim}1.8$ mg $L^{-1}$) and 3.3 mg $L^{-1}$ (scope: $2.8{\sim}4.0$ mg $L^{-1}$), respectively during the study. It was evident that chemical pollutions by organic matter were minor in the river. Total nitrogen (TN) and total phosphorus (TP) averaged 2.5 mg $L^{-1}$ and 0.067 mg $L^{-1}$, respectively, and the nutrients did not show large longitudinal gradients between the upper and lower reach. Overall, dataset of IBI, QHEI, and water chemistry suggest that river health has been well maintained, compared to other major watersheds in Korea and should be protected from habitat disturbance and chemical pollutions.