• Journal of Korean Society on Water Environment
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• v.35 no.6
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• pp.539-549
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• 2019

In 2016, Benthic Macroinvertebrates Streambed Index (BMSI) was proposed as an index to evaluate streams as benthic macroinvertebrate depending on the substrate type of streambed. However, orignal BMSI were selected without consideration of water quality. Analyzes without water quality do not constitute biological indices based solely on the substrate type of streambed. Therefore, in this study, the indicator value was improvement in consideration of water quality, and the distribution characteristics of benthic macroinvertebrates according to the substrate type of streambed were analyzed under relatively equal water quality conditions. We surveyed 20,155 sampling units in Korea from 2008 to 2018, and we re-estimated each lithophility of 191 taxa. As a result of estimating the streambed of each newly lithophilic value classification group considering the water quality, it was different from the original lithophilic value. Representative integer lithophilic values were newly calculated from 126 taxa among the 191 index taxa used in the analysis. The correlation between new constructed BMSI and community structure was compared and analyzed. It showed extreamely significance (p<0.001) in the dominance index, diversity index, abundance index, and evenness index of the community structure. Diversity index, abundance index, and evenness index showed positive correlation, and dominance index showed negative correlation. The correlation coefficient (r) was the highest in the richness index of about 0.664.

• Journal of Korean Society on Water Environment
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• v.39 no.4
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• pp.261-268
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• 2023

The benthic macroinvertebrates index (BMI) was developed based on the 5-day biochemical oxygen demand (BOD₅), which is the amount of biodegradable organic matter in stream water. However, benthic macroinvertebrates mainly live in the streambed substrate and are affected by the interaction of water quality and substrate. This study was conducted to examine the interactive relationship between water quality items (BOD₅, total phosphorus (TP), total suspended solids (TSS)) and substrate with BMI by performing statistical analyses (four-way analysis of variance, Pearson's correlation analysis, partial correlation analysis and multiple regression analysis). The data used in the analyses were collected from 19,915 sampling units at 1,937 sites in South Korea from 2010 to 2020. The interaction effect between BOD₅ and substrate types was confirmed through a four-way analysis of variance. Partial correlation analysis and multiple regression analysis estimated the degree of influence on the change in BMI value in the order of mean grain size of the substrate as (𝜱_m) > BOD₅ > TP > TSS. BMI can be regarded as an index that evaluates the comprehensive effects of water quality and streambed status, although it is an index that was developed based on the amount of biodegradable organic matter in a water column.

• Journal of Korean Society on Water Environment
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• v.32 no.1
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• pp.1-14
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• 2016

This study was conducted to develop a Benthic macroinvertebrates streambed index (BMSI) based on the response of the community to the substrate type of streambed. Analyzing the seasonal (Spring and Fall) data (11,367 sampling units) surveyed and collected during 2008~2014 at 960 sites in South Korea, we estimated the lithophility of 191 taxa. BMSI was composed of the lithophilic value, indicator weight value and individual abundance frequency. It showed an extremely significant correlation (r = -0.8, p<0.001) with the mean grain size (in phi-value) of the streambed.

• Korean Journal of Ecology and Environment
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• v.55 no.2
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• pp.145-155
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• 2022

Koreoleptoxis nodifila (Martens, 1886) is an endangered species only living in the central and north streams of South Korea. However, there is a lack of information on physical habitat characteristics of K. nodifila. We aimed to determine preference ranges for water depth, current velocity, streambed substrate of K. nodifila. The weibull model was used to estimate the habitat suitability based on distribution of individual abundance by physical factors. Optimal depth preferences ranged from 0.53~17.17 cm, current preferences ranged from 48.40~81.03 cm s^-1 and substrate (𝜱_m) preferences ranged from -4.36~ -2.26. Median values of central tendency were determined as follows: water depth 16.73 cm, current velocity 65.23 cm s^-1, substrate -3.51. Mean values of central tendency were determined as follows: water depth 21.32 cm, current velocity 65.65 cm s^-1, substrate -3.63. Mode values of central tendency were determined as follows: water depth 5.17 cm, current velocity 64.77 cm s^-1, substrate -3.24. Based on the habitat suitability analysis, the microhabitat types of K. nodifila were determined as riffle and coarse-grained streambed.

• Journal of Ecology and Environment
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• v.47 no.4
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• pp.200-210
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• 2023

Background: Cambaroides similis is an endangered candidate species living in the stream of South Korea. Freshwater crayfish is known to decline rapidly not only domestically, but also internationally. Its decline is projected to be further exacerbated due to climate change. Understanding physical characteristics of the habitat is crucial for the conservation of an organism. However, comprehensive data regarding the distribution and physical habitat characteristics of C. similis are currently unavailable in South Korea. Thus, the objective of this study was to ascertain preferred ranges for water depth, current velocity, and streambed substrate of C. similis using Weibull model. Results: In this study, C. similis was found at 59 sites across 12 regions in South Korea. Its optimal water depth preferences ranged from 11.9 cm to 30.1 cm. Its current velocity preferences ranged from 9.8 cm s^-1 to 29.1 cm s^-1. Its substrate preferences ranged from -5.1 𝜱_m to -2.5 𝜱_m. Median values of central tendency were determined as follows: water depth of 21.4 cm, current velocity of 21.2 cm s^-1, and substrate of -4.1 𝜱_m. Mean values of central tendency were determined as follows: water depth of 21.8 cm, current velocity of 22.0 cm s^-1, and substrate of -4.4 𝜱_m. Mode values of central tendency were determined as follows: water depth of 21.7 cm, current velocity of 20.1 cm s^-1, and substrate of -3.7 𝜱_m. Conclusions: Based on habitat suitability analysis, physical microhabitat characteristics of C. similis within a stream were identified as Run section with coarse particle substrate, low water depth, and slow current velocity. Due to high sensitivity of these habitats to environmental changes, prioritized selection and assessment of threats should be carried out as a primary step.

• Korean Journal of Ecology and Environment
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• v.51 no.4
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• pp.331-344
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• 2018

Lotic organisms in streams are affected by natural and anthropogenic disturbances such as increase of heavy rainfall event caused by climate change and flow regime change caused by weir constructions. Based on domestic and foreign literature, 157 Korean benthic macroinvertebrate taxa were selected species as potential lotic candidates. Three shoreline sites (total 54 samples) were surveyed consecutively before ('08~'09), during ('10~'12) and after ('13~'16) the construction of the weirs (Gangcheon, Yeoju and Ipo weir) in the Namhan-River for tracing changes of lotic communities. As a result, water flow of the Ipo-wier and water quality variables such as T-N, T-P, BOD5, etc. of the weir section revealed no significant changes. Physical habitat conditions such as the flow velocity and streambed substrate evidently changed. Particulary, flow velocity measured at sampling points along with each microhabitat drastically decreased and particle size of streambed substrate steadily decreased after weir constructions. Lotic organisms also decreased after construction, especially Hydropsychidae (insecta: Trichoptera) acutely decreased from $3,526ind.\;m^{-2}$ to $2ind.\;m^{-2}$ As a result of CCA, lotic species such as Hydropsyche valvata, Hydropsyche kozhantschikovi, Cheumatopsyche brevilineata, Cheumatopsyche KUa, Macrostemum radiatum, etc. correlated with the flow velocity, streambed substrate. Therefore, the decrease of the flow velocity and substrate size after weir construction seemed to be closely related to the decrease of the individual abundances of the lotic organisms independently of water quality. In order to evaluate the influence of the ecosystem on the flow regime change more accurately, it is necessary to study the indicator species based on the resistance or preference of the flow.

• Korean Journal of Ecology and Environment
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• v.41 no.2
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• pp.137-143
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• 2008

The abundance and community structure of epilithic diatoms grown on different substrata were investigated in two first-order streams located in a limestone and granite area, north of the Suzuka Mountains in Central Japan. Experiments were conducted as follows: limestone and granite without algae were submerged in their own streambed or another stream station and incubated for seven weeks, while limestone and granite with algae were transferred to another stream station and incubated at the same time. The diatom biomass was consistently high in the lime-stone station experiments compared to those at the granite station. In addition, there was more diatom biomass on granite substrata than on the limestone substrata at both stations. The present results suggested that the difference in water chemistry including the major nutrient concentrations was the limiting factor for algal growth in these two streams; however, when the water chemistry was the same in each stream, the difference in substratum characteristics became the important factor affecting the diatom abundance. The diatom community grown on the transferred substrata with and without algae became similar to those grown on the original substrata in each stream during the incubation period. It was suggested that the effect of the substrata characteristics on the diatom community structure was rather small.

• Journal of Korean Society on Water Environment
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• v.36 no.1
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• pp.36-47
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• 2020

Three large scale weirs were constructed 2010 - 2011 in the Namhan river, Korea. The purpose of this study was to investigate the spatial distribution of benthic macroinvertebrates and the influence of environmental factors at the weirs 2014 - 2015. The number of species was higher in the riparian zone than in the transition or the limnetic zone. This seems to be because of the diversification of microhabitats and food sources according to the development of littoral zones. From the riparian zone to the limnetic zone, the individual abundance proportion of gathering collectors among functional feeding groups decreased, and that of filtering collectors increased. In the limnetic zone, sprawlers and climbers among habitat orientation groups decreased, and burrowers increased. This means that coarse particulate organic matter originated from land or riparian zone was transformed to fine particulate organic matter in the limnetic zone. Asian clam (Corbicula fluminea) and chironomids were dominant species based on individual abundance. Asian clam, a major taxon considering biomass, was abundant toward the limnetic zone. This is becasue of the shallow depth, suitable water current, slightly coarse substrate, and good water quality. There was no significant relationship between the water quality and the characteristics of the benthic macroinvertebrate community because the water quality was spatially not heterogenous. The more influential factors for benthic community were physical factors, especially water depth. Water depth showed a markedly significant correlation with Shannon-Weaver's species diversity (r=-0.90), Margalef's species richness (r=-0.82), and McNaughton's dominance (r=0.86). Water depth showed a positive correlation (r=0.68) with the Kong and Kim BMSI (Bentic Macroinverebrates Streambed Index), and this may be related to the coarse substrate of the limnetic zone.

• Journal of Korea Water Resources Association
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• v.52 no.11
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• pp.917-929
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• 2019

Denitrification in streams is of great importance because it is essential for amelioration of water quality and accurate estimation of $N_2O$ budgets. Denitrification is a major biological source or sink of $N_2O$, an important greenhouse gas, which is a multi-step respiratory process that converts nitrate ($NO_3{^-}$) to gaseous forms of nitrogen ($N_2$ or $N_2O$). In aquatic ecosystems, the complex interactions of water flooding condition, substrate supply, hydrodynamic and biogeochemical properties modulate the extent of multi-step reactions required for $N_2O$ flux. Although water flow in streambed and residence time affect reaction output, effects of a complex interaction of hydrodynamic, geomorphology and biogeochemical controls on the magnitude of denitrification in streams are still illusive. In this work, we built a two-dimensional water flow channel and measured $N_2O$ flux from channel sediment with different bed geomorphology by using static closed chambers. Two independent experiments were conducted with identical flume and geomorphology but sediment with differences in dissolved organic carbon (DOC). The experiment flume was a circulation channel through which the effluent flows back, and the size of it was $37m{\times}1.2m{\times}1m$. Five days before the experiment began, urea fertilizer (46% N) was added to sediment with the rate of $0.5kg\;N/m^2$. A sand dune (1 m length and 0.15 m height) was made at the middle of channel to simulate variations in microtopography. In high- DOC experiment, $N_2O$ flux increases in the direction of flow, while the highest flux ($14.6{\pm}8.40{\mu}g\;N_2O-N/m^2\;hr$) was measured in the slope on the back side of the sand dune. followed by decreases afterward. In contrast, low DOC sediment did not show the geomorphological variations. We found that even though topographic variation influenced $N_2O$ flux and chemical properties, this effect is highly constrained by carbon availability.