• Journal of the Korean Society of Marine Environment & Safety
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• v.29 no.5
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• pp.435-444
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• 2023

Suitable environmental conditions in Saemangeum frequently favor phytoplankton growth. There have been occurrences of sudden phytoplankton blooms, surpassing the algae management standards. A model was designed to prevent such blooms using scientific predictive techniques to forecast and regulate the possibility of phytoplankton blooms. We propose effective and efficient algae control measures concerning every phytoplankton species optimized through the policy control of nutrients (DIN, PO4-P) from rivers and controlling lake salinity using gate operations. The probability of phytoplankton blooms was initially forecast using an artificial neural network algorithm based on observations. The model's Kappa number fluctuated from 0.7889 to 1.0000, indicating good to excellent predictive power. The Garson algorithm was then utilized to assess the significance of explanatory variables for every species. Meanwhile, the probability of phytoplankton blooms was anticipated depending on the DIN and salinity value changes. Therefore, the model predicted the precise DIN and salinity concentrations to inhibit phytoplankton blooms for each species. Hence, the green algae model can create effective proactive measures to avoid future phytoplankton blooms in enormous artificial lakes.

• Journal of Ecology and Environment
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• v.32 no.4
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• pp.221-227
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• 2009

This study describes time lag responses between hydrological variables and phytoplankton biomass in a regulated river system, the lower Nakdong River in South Korea. The lower Nakdong is a typical flow-controlled lotic system, and its limnological characteristics are influenced by climatic variation such as monsoons and summer typhoons. Mean rainfall in the area during summer is about 1,200 mm, which comprises >60% of annual rainfall. Our results show that the regulation of flow in the Nakdong by multi-purpose dams from 1995 to 2004 affected phytoplankton dynamics. Diatom blooms occurred in winter, when the limited discharge allowed for proliferation of the phytoplankton community. Using multiple regression analysis, we detected significant time-delayed relationships between hydrological variables and phytoplankton biomass. These results may be useful for water resource managers, and suggest that 'smart flow' control would improve water quality in large regulated river systems of the Republic of Korea.

• Journal of Korean Society on Water Environment
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• v.29 no.3
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• pp.428-437
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• 2013

Physico-chemical water quality parameters and the phytoplankton communities from 12 sites in Oship-stream, Songchunstream, and Namdae-stream, located Gyeongsangbukdo Uljin-gun, Yeongdeok-gun, and Pyeonghae-eup respectively, were investigated from April 2009 to February 2010. Oship-stream, which is an open estuary, was easily affected by ocean current compared to that of Songchun-stream and Namdae-stream. OS3 and OS4 conductivity was higher with a season average of 3,397 ${\mu}s/cm$. The streams were mesotrophic to hypertrophic. Biological oxygen demand (BOD) was about 3mg/L, which was level 2 on the water quality ratings, but a concentration of 5mg/L in April 2009 indicated increased pollution due to drought. A total of 118, 117, and 124 phytoplankton taxa were found in Oship-stream, Songchun-stream, and Namdae-stream, respectively. The apparent dominant species in the polluted waters included Cryptomonas ovata, Fragilaria construens var. venter, Oscillatoria limnetica, O. limosa, and Phormidium tenue. All of Oship-stream, SC2 and SC4 of Songchun-stream, and ND3 of Namdae-stream were eutrophic as a result of standing crop analysis. BOD was highly correlated with chlorophyll-a content(r=0.52). Phosphorus concentration and proliferation of phytoplankton were thought to most affect BOD concentration in all three streams.

• Ocean and Polar Research
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• v.30 no.3
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• pp.261-275
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• 2008

The profile of a fixed site at station M ($34.77^{\circ}N,\;129.13^{\circ}E$) in the Korea Strait was studied from March 2006 to February 2007. The aim was to understand the relationship between the annual thermal stratification pattern and seasonal variation in phytoplankton community structure. Physicochemical factors including temperature, salinity and nutrient concentrations, which strongly influence the proliferation and diversity of phytoplankton, were measured. The study period was divided into three due to the characteristic of thermohaline structures; mixed I (March-May 2006), stratified (June-November 2006) and mixed II(December 2006-Feburuary 2007). Diatoms dominated during the mixed I (89%) and II (48%) periods, while nanoplankton group occupied over 83% of total population during the stratified period. The dominant species during the mixed I and II was Chaetoceros socialis (47% and 29%, respectively), while during the stratified period Gyrodinium sp.(4%) was the most dominant. Averaged total chl a concentrations during the mixed I and II periods were 0.61 mg $m^{-3}$ and 0.72 mg $m^{-3}$, respectively, which were at least two-fold higher than that during the stratified period (0.30 mg $m^{-3}$). The vertical mixing and convection process of the water column induced nutrient supply from the bottom layer to the euphotic zone. It also led to the dominance of diatoms during the mixed periods, whereas small phytoplankton prevailed over large phytoplankton as stratification blocked the upward movement of nutrients to subsurface during the stratified period. During the mixed I and II periods, microplanktonic chl a dominated concentrations (50% and 48%, respectively), while picoplanktonic chl a occupied over 37% of total chl a during the stratified period.

• Korean Journal of Environmental Biology
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• v.36 no.2
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• pp.156-164
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• 2018

In order to investigate the upwelling and island effects following the wind storm events in the East Sea (i.e., Uljin-Ulleungdo-Dokdo line) during spring, we assessed the vertical and horizontal profiles of abiotic and biotic factors, including phytoplankton communities. The assessment was based on the Geostationary Ocean Color Imager (GOCI) and field survey data. A strong south wind occurred on May 3, when the lowest sea level pressure (987.3 hPa) in 2016 was observed. Interestingly, after this event, huge blooms of phytoplankton were observed on May 12 along the East Korean Warm Current (EKWC), including the in the offshore waters of Ulleungdo and Dokdo. Although the diatoms dominated the EKWC area between the Uljin coastal waters and Ulleungdo, the population density of raphidophytes Heterosigma akashiwo was high in the offshore waters of Ulleungdo-Dokdo. Based on the vertical profiles of Chlorophyll-a (Chl. a), the sub-surface Chl. a maximum appeared at 20 m depths between Uljin and Ulluengdo, whereas relatively high Chl. a was distributed equally across the entire water column around the waters of Ulleungdo and Dokdo islands. This implies that the water mixing (i.e., upwelling) at the two islands, that occurred after the strong wind event, may have brought the rapid proliferation of autotrophic algae, with nutrient input, to the euphotic layer. Therefore, we have demonstrated that a strong south wind caused the upwelling event around the south-eastern Korean peninsula, which is one of the most important role in occurring the spring phytoplankton blooms along the EKWC. In addition, the phytoplankton blooms may have potentially influenced the oligotrophic waters with discrete time lags in the vicinity of Ulleungdo and Dokdo. This indicates that the phytoplankton community structure in the offshore waters of Ulleungdo-Dokdo is dependent upon the complicated water masses moving related to meandering of the EKWC.

• Proceedings of the Korean Society of Near Infrared Spectroscopy Conference
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• 2001.06a
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• pp.1272-1272
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• 2001

Eutrophication processes of aquatic environment are strictly correlated with the concentration levels of nitrogen, phosphorous, organic matter and biological parameters such as phytoplankton and chlorophylla (Tremel, 1996; Burns et al., 1997; Young et al. 1999; Wei et al.,2000). Accordingly, the monitoring and evaluation of these factors will provide useful information about the health of aquatic ecosystem. However, the traditional types of auqatic chemistry analysis and ecological monitoring of phytoplankton are time-consuming, costly, and further resulting in secondary pollution due to the use of reagents. NIR (near-infrared) spectroscopy, as a rapid, non-destructive, little sample preparation and reagents-free technology (Hildrum et al., 1992), has been extensively applied to the characterization of food (Osborne and Fearn, 1988), pharmaceutical (Morisseau and Rhodes, 1995) and textile materials (Clove et al.,2000). Currently, NIR technology has been used indirectly in inferring lake water chemistry by two approaches, suspended (Malley et al., 1996) or seston (Dabakk et al., 1999), and sediments (Korsman et al., 1992; Malley et al., 1999). In addition, the evaluation of trophic state and the identification of the key factors contributed to the trophication are the key step to restore the damaged aquatic environment. Moreover, an understanding of the factors, which regulate the algal proliferation, is crucial to the successful management of aquatic ecosystem. In the paper, NIR technology will be used to study the environmental factors affecting the algal proliferation in combination with the trophic state index and diversity index. This novel developed system can be applied in monitoring and evaluating allopathic water environment and provide real time information services for the aquatic environment management.

• The Korean Journal of Malacology
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• v.31 no.1
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• pp.61-67
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• 2015

The occurrence of 'algal bloom', caused by the mass proliferation of phytoplankton, causes serious problems in streams and lakes in Korea. Therefore, in this study, the phytoplankton filter-feeding trait of Unio douglasiae, a type of freshwater clam, was used to reduce the algal bloom in outdoor water tanks during the summer. This involved the construction of a U. douglasiae cultivation apparatus, wherein 1,000 clams were divided into 8 rectangular baskets arranged in the shape of an empty square. The control tank was manufactured in exactly the same shape within the water tank, but without the addition of clams. The algal bloom-reducing effect of U. douglasiae was confirmed by the measurement of (and comparing between) the water quality at the center and periphery of the test and control cultivation apparatus. Water quality measurements included the measurement of water temperature, pH, turbidity, dissolved oxygen (DO) content, and chlorophyll-${\alpha}$ concentrations; the water quality was measured twice a month between June and November 2014.The results of these analyses did not show a significant difference in water quality (temperature, pH, turbidity, DO) between the center and periphery of the test and control tanks. However, the chlorophyll-${\alpha}$ concentration was observed to be much lower at the center of the test tank compared to that at the center and periphery of the control tank, as well as at the periphery of the test tank. This was believed to be a result of the U. douglasiae surrounding the center of the test tank, which prevented the influx of plankton from the periphery. Accordingly, the results of these analyses suggest the possibility that U. douglasiae cultivation could reduce the proliferation of algal blooms in lakes and streams during the summer. In particular, these results indicate possible improvements in U. douglasiae activity (reduction in algal blooms) by their effective arrangement in the water bodies.

• Journal of Korean Society on Water Environment
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• v.29 no.2
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• pp.155-164
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• 2013

To confirm the relationship between climate change and Stephanodiscus in Mulgeum station of Nakdong River, Korea, this study was conducted. The temperature in crease by climate change was observed in the study site, where the temperature was gradually increased in most seasons, except for summer season. The mass proliferation of Stephanodiscus constantly appeared in every year, especially between November and March, and when Stephanodiscus abundance was above 90% in phytoplankton biomass. Among this period, phytoplankton biomass was high related with water temperature ($r^2$=0.249, P<0.01) than nutrient factors such as nitrogen and phosphorus in the study site. Finally, temperature by climate change can be regarded as the affecting factor for chl. a variation, because temperature was strongly related with water temperature ($r^2$=0.748, P<0.01). From 1997 to 2010, the annual maximum phytoplankton biomass was recorded in the range of temperature from $4.8^{\circ}C$ to $8.4^{\circ}C$, and the range was regarded as the temperature condition for the optimal growth of Stephanodiscus in the study site. On the optimal growth temperature, the trend of monthly average temperature corresponded to the trend of chl. a variation from November to March. In future, the increase of temperature by climate change can prolong Stephanodiscus blooming period in winter and spring seasons.

• Proceedings of the Korea Water Resources Association Conference
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• 2020.06a
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• pp.231-231
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• 2020

Unlike conventional treatment technologies, the performance of nature-based facilities were susceptible to seasonal changes and climatological variabilities. This study evaluated the effects of seasonal variables on the treatment performance of constructed wetlands (CWs). Two CWs treating runoff and discharge from agricultural and livestock areas were monitored to determine the efficiency of the systems in reducing particulates, organics, and nutrients in the influent. For all four seasons, the mean effluent suspended solids concentration in the agricultural CW (ACW) increased by -2% to -39%. The occurrence of algal blooms in the system during summer and fall seasons resulted to the greatest increase in the amount of suspended materials in the overlying water. unlike ACW, the livestock CW (LCW) performed efficiently throughout the year, with mean suspended solids removal amounting to 61% to 68%. Algal blooms were still present in LCW seasonally; however, the constant inflow in the system limited the proliferation of phytoplankton through continuous flushing. The total nitrogen (TN) and total phosphorus (TP) removal efficiencies in ACW were higher during the summer (21% to 25%) and fall (8% to 21%) seasons since phytoplankton utilize nitrogen and phosphorus during the early stages of phytoplankton blooms. In the case of LCW, the most efficient reduction in TN (24%) and TP (54%) concentrations were also noted in summer, which can be attributed to the favorable environmental conditions for microbial activities. The mean removal of organics in ACW was lowest during summer season (-52% to 35%), wherein the onset of algal decay triggered a relative increase in organic matter and stimulate bacterial growth. The removal of organics in LCW was highest (54 % to 55%) during the fall and winter seasons since low water temperatures may limit the persistence of various algal species. Variations in environmental conditions due to seasonal changes can greatly affect the performance of CW systems. This study effectively established the contributory factors affecting the feasibility of utilizing CW systems for treating agricultural and livestock discharges and runoff.

• Korean Journal of Ecology and Environment
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• v.41 no.1
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• pp.26-33
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• 2008

To understand the effect of water temperature on growth pattern of Stephanodiscus sp., we weekly or biweekly investigated in the lower part of the Nakdong River from 1994 to 2006 and performed a laboratory experiment. Stephanodiscus was the most dominant species among phytoplankton in winter when low flow persisted and the high abundances of the species were maintained from December to February. Three strains of Stephanodiscus sp. were isolated for the in vitro experiment from the Nakdong River in January 2005. Over the water temperature range of $4^{\circ}C$ to $20^{\circ}C$, the growth patterns of Stephanodiscus sp. were different in the short-term batch culture. The maximum cell density of Stephanodiscus sp. was observed at approximately $5^{\circ}C$ in the river systems, but the optimum water temperature of Stephanodiscus sp. was $10^{\circ}C$ for the growth in the laboratory experiment. However, the proliferation of Stephanodiscus sp. was related to low water temperature in the Nakdong River.