• Journal of Environmental Science International
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• v.23 no.7
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• pp.1321-1332
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• 2014

The key objective of this study was to evaluate trophic state and empirical water quality models along with analysis of fish trophic guilds in relation to water chemistry (N, P). Trophic state index (TSI), based on total phosphorus (TP) and chlorophyll-a (CHL), ranged between oligotrophic and hypereutrophic state, by the criteria of Nurnberg(1996), and was lower than the trophic state of total nitrogen (TN). Trophic relations of Secchi depth (SD), TN, TP, and CHL were compared using an empirical models of premonsoon (Pr), monsoon (Mo), and postmonsoon (Po). The model analysis indicated that the variation in water transparency of Secchi depth (SD) was largely accounted (p < 0.001, range of $R^2$ : 0.76-0.80) by TP during the seasons of Mo and Po and that the variation of CHL was accounted (p < 0.001, $R^2=0.70$) up to 70% by TP during the Po season. The eutrophication tendency, based on the $TSI_{TP}$ vs. $TSI_{N:P}$ were predictable ($R^2$ ranged 0.85-0.90, p < 0.001), slope and y intercept indicated low seasonal variability. In the mean time, $TSI_{N:P}$ vs. $TSI_{CHL}$ had a monsoon seasonality in relation to values of $TSI_{N:P}$ during the monsoon season due to a dilution of reservoir waters by strong monsoon rainfall. Trophic compositions of reservoir fish reflected ambient contents of TN, TP, and CHL in the reservoir waters. Thus, the proportions of omnivore fish increased with greater trophic conditions of TP, TN and CHL and the proportions of insectivore fish decreased with greater trophic conditions.

• Korean Journal of Ecology and Environment
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• v.40 no.4
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• pp.503-510
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• 2007

The purposes of the study were to analyze the seasonal effects on the fish fauna and compositions including trophic guilds and tolerance guilds. For the study, we collected fish samples twice in June as premonsoon period and early September 2007 as monsoon periods in five sampling sites of the Gap Stream, and then biological oxygen demand (BOD), nutrients (TN, TP) and suspended solids (SS) were compared with the guild data along the gradient of upstream-to-downstream. Chemical water quality, based on BOD, TP, and TN degraded gradually from the upstream to downstream reach and there were about 3 fold difference between S1 and S5. Water quality was worse in the premonsoon than the monsoon, and the heavy monsoon resulted in a dilution of the polluted river by rain water, especially, in the downstream reach. Total number of fish species, based on the catch per unit effort (CPUE), showed a distinct difference between the two seasons; 30 species were sampled in premonsoon, but 23 species were sampled in the monsoon, indicating a seasonal difference in the fish fauna. Tolerant species dominated the fish community (48.3%) in the stream, and the proportions prior to physical disturbance by the monsoon rain were evidently greater in the downstream reach than the upstream. This reflected the characteristics of urban stream polluted by nutrient enrichment as shown in the BOD and TP values. Sensitive species in the premonsoon decreased from the gradient of upstream-to-downstream reach. Such seasonal modifications in the trophic and tolerance guilds were evident. In the analysis of trophic guild and habitat guild, during the premonsoon the proportion of insectivore and riffle-benthic species were largely greater in the upstream reach than the downstream, whereas the proportions were opposite along the gradient of the stream in monsoon. Thus, the patterns of chemical water quality along the longitudinal gradients reflected the premonsoon conditions of insectivores and tolerant species, indicating that summer monsoon data of fish may not match with water quality due to large physical disturbance by flow regime. Seasonal monsoon in this region as well as the chemical pollution may act as a key role influencing the fish compositions of trophic and tolerance guilds and fauna. The data collected during the premonsoon rather than the monsoon, thus, may be better predictor for a diagnosis of stream health conditions.

• Journal of Environmental Impact Assessment
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• v.21 no.5
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• pp.631-648
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• 2012

The integrative ecological approaches of chemical assessments, physical habitat modelling, and multi-metric biological health modelling were applied to Gwanpyeong Stream within Gap-Stream watersheds to evaluate environmental impacts on the constructions of residential and commercial complex. For the analysis, the surveys conducted from 45 sites of reference streams within the Gap-Stream watershed and 3 regular sites during 2009 - 2010. Physical habitat health, based on the habitat model of Qualitative Habitat Evaluation Index(QHEI) declined from the headwaters(good - fair condition) to the downstream(poor condition). Chemical water quality, based turbidity and electric conductivity(EC), was degraded toward to the downstream, and especially showed abrupt increases, compared to the values of control streams(CS). Also, concentrations of chlorophyll-a in the downstreams were greater compared to the control stream(CS), indicating an eutrophication. Biological health conditions, based on the Index of Biological Integrity(IBI) using fish assemblages, averaged 19.3 which is judged as a fair condition by the biological criteria of the Ministry of Environment, Korea. The comparisons of model metric values in sensitive species and riffle-benthic species on the Maximum Species Richness Line(MSRL) of 45 reference streams indicated a massive disturbances in all sampling locations. Also, tolerance guild and trophic guild analyses suggest that dominances of tolerant species and omnivores were evident, indicating a biological degradation by habitat disturbances and organic matter pollutions. There was no distinct longitudinal variations of IBI model values from the headwater to the downstream in spite of slight chemical and habitat health gradients among the sampling sites. Overall, integrative ecological health(IEH) scores, based on the chemical, physical, and biological parameters, were low compared to the 45 reference streams due to physical and chemical disturbances of massive constructions of the residential and commercial complex. This stream, thus showed a tendency of typical urban streams which are disturbed in the chemical water quality, habitat structures, and biological integrity. Effective stream management plans and restoration strategies are required in this urban stream for improving integrative stream health.

• Journal of Ecology and Environment
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• v.44 no.1
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• pp.1-7
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• 2020

Background: Fish body size is a major determinant of freshwater trophic interactions, yet only a few studies have explored the relationship between the fish body size and trophic interactions in river upstream. In this study, we investigated the relationship between the body size and trophic position (TP) of Coreoperca kawamebari (Temminck & Schlegel, 1843) in an upstream of the Geum River. Results: A stable isotope analysis (based on δ¹⁵N) was used to determine the TP based on the body size of C. kawamebari. The regression analysis (n = 33, f = 63.840, r² = 0.68) clearly showed the relationship between the body length and TP of C. kawamebari. The TP of C. kawamebari was clearly divided by body size into the following classes: individuals of size < 10 cm that feed on insects and individuals of size > 10 cm feed on juvenile fish. This selective feeding is an evolutionarily selective tendency to maximize energy intake per unit time. Furthermore, the diet shift of C. kawamebari was led by different spatial distributions. The littoral zone was occupied by individuals of size < 10 cm, and those of size > 10 cm were mainly in the central zone. The littoral zone can be assumed to be enriched with food items such as ephemeropterans and dipterans. Conclusion: The TP of C. kawamebari, as a carnivorous predator, will have a strong influence on biotic interactions in the upstream area of the Geum River, which can lead to food web implication.

• Korean Journal of Ecology and Environment
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• v.41 no.4
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• pp.441-448
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• 2008

The purpose of this study was to analyze chemical water quality, fish trophic guilds, tolerance indicators, and fish community conditions in the Gap Stream and to compare the stream conditions between the unimpacted site and impacted site. This study was conducted in the physically stable season (May 2008) to minimize physical impacts such as flow and hydrological disturbance, and applied the study in the Gap Stream with two sites of unimpacted upstream site (Unim-S), mainly surrounded by forested area and impacted site (Im-S), influenced by the wastewater disposal plants and industrial complex in the urban region. Chemical data analysis showed that the degree of organic matter pollution, based on BOD, and COD, was $2{\sim}3$ fold greater in the Im-S than the Unim-S, and that TP, as eutrophication indicators, was 4.7 fold greater in the Im-S. Also, $NH_3-N$ was in 8.2 fold greater in the Im-S ($6.25\;mg\;L^{-1}$) than the Unim-S ($0.76\;mg\;L^{-1}$), indicating a massive influence of wastewater from the disposal plant. Similar results were found in other chemical parameters. Thus, chemical impacts in the Im-S were evident, compared to the unimpacted site. Evaluations of tolerant indicator species indicated that sensitive species were dominant in the Unim-S (23.9%) and tolerant species were dominant (97.8%) in the Im-S. Condition factor (CF) was averaged 0.95 ($0.68{\sim}1.18$) in the Unim-S and 1.08 ($0.93{\sim}1.22$) in the Im-S. Fish community in the Unim-S and Im-S was categorized as Zacco-community and Hemibarbus-community, respectively, and the community diversity index (H') was significantly (p<0.05) higher in the Unim-S (0.810) than the Im-S (0.466). Overall, our results suggest that the comparison approach of various chemical and ecological indicators provide important information in identifying multiple stressors in the stream ecosystems.

• Korean Journal of Ecology and Environment
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• v.45 no.3
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• pp.263-270
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• 2012

The objectives of the study were to determine fish fauna and compositions during 2010~2011 in Walpyung Conservation Park along with analysis of fish community structures and trophic and tolerance guilds. Total number of species and individuals sampled were 31 and 2667, respectively and dominant species was Zacco platypus (46.6%) and subdominant species was Acheilognathus lanceolatus (8.7%), which were composed of >50% of the total. Total number of Korean endemic species including Microphysogobio yaluensis was 10 and the proportion of the individuals was 8.7%. Also, natural monument No. 454 of Iksookimia choii, which is endangered species and legal protected species, was sampled and the total number of individuals was only three. According to the analysis of fish community structures, species richness index in the mid-stream reach ($M_r$) was 3.145, which is higher than any other stream reaches ($U_r$ and $D_r$). In contrast, the richness index was 2.180 in the up-stream reach ($U_r$), which is minimum among the sampling sites. Species diversity index was 1.785 and 1.975, respectively in the headwater ($U_r$) and mid-stream reach ($M_r$) and the low values in the down-stream reach ($D_r$, 1.660) were due to the influences of pointsource (i.e., road construction) and non-point sources (sporadic agricultural spots). According to analysis of tolerance guilds, the proportion of tolerant species (TS), based on the number of individuals, was composed of 64.2% and sensitive species (SS) was only 3.3%, indicating a predominance of tolerant fishes in the compositions. The proportion of omnivore species (OS), however, was composed of 64.0% and insectivore species (IS) was 29.3%, indicating a predominance of omnivore fishes in the stream. The high proportions of tolerant and omnivore species in this stream indicates that the water quality and physical habitat environments were degradated in this system. For these reasons, especially natural monument and endemic fish species in this region should be protected from the massive constructions and required to provide efficient stream management strategies.

• Journal of Korean Society on Water Environment
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• v.28 no.4
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• pp.561-573
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• 2012

The object of this study was to analyze long-term water quality gradients during 1992-2008 at six sites of Geumho River and near-by two sites of Nakdong River and their influences on fish trophic guilds and tolerance guilds along with ecological health. Water quality including biological oxygen demand (BOD), chemical oxygen demand (COD), conductivity, total phosphorus (TP), total nitrogen (TN), and total suspended solids (TSS) varied largely depending on the sampling locations and seasons. Values of ambient BOD, COD, TP, and TN were greater in the downstream than in the upstream reach, and seasonal and interannual variabilities were also higher in the downstreams. This phenomenon was evident due to a dilution by the Asian monsoon rainfall during the monsoon. These outcomes indicate that point sources near the downstream are important for the chemical conditions, but also seasonal stream runoff was considered as an important factor regulating the chemical conditions. Conductivity decreased rapidly during the summer due to ionic dilution, and nutrients (N, P), BOD, COD had an inverse function of seasonal precipitation. Based on the water quality, we selected two sites (control site = $C_s$ vs. impacted site = $I_s$) for impact analysis of water chemistry on fish community and trophic/tolerant guilds. Fish guild analysis showed that species diversity was higher in the headwater stream ($C_s$) than the impacted downstream ($I_s$), and that the proportion of tolerant and omnivore species were greater in the impacted site of downstream. Comparisons of water quality between Geumho River and Nakdong River indicated that Geumho River was considered as a point source which degradated water quality to the Nakdong River. Overall, chemical water quality and fish guild analysis suggest that even if current chemical quality got better after 1996 due to continuous constructions of wastewater disposal plants near the downstreams, fish compositions of tolerant and omnivores were still dominated the community. Thus, biological restoration based on ecological health is required for the ecosystem conservation.

• Korean Journal of Ecology and Environment
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• v.40 no.4
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• pp.546-552
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• 2007

The objectives of this study were to analyze fish compositions, based on trophic guilds and tolerance guilds and determine community characteristics structure at five sampling sites of Yeongsan Lake during July 2006-May 2007. Total number of species sampled was 30 species and the number was 1350. Cyprinidae (77%) and Centrarchidae (15.7%) dominated the community and then followed by Cobitidae(2.7%), Gobiidae(2.4%), Mugilidae (0.5%), and others (0.1%). The relative abundance of tolerant and omnivore species at all sites was 63% and 77% of the total, respectively, suggesting an ecological degradations in the Lake. Exotics species such as large mouth bass (Micropterus salmoides), which is a top-carnivore in the water distributed at all sampling sites, implying that ecological disturbance was severe based on previous reference of US EPA (1991). Also, we found external anomalies such as external deformities, bleeding and tumors and not found migratory fish. Analysis of fish community structure showed that species diversity index and richness index was the highest in Site 1 and the dominance index was the highest in Site 2. In this study, high proportions of tolerant species and omnivore species, widespread exotic species, and frequent observations of abnormal fish. Such problems may be directly or indirectly associated with high nutrient enrichments and the reduced flow velocity by the dam construction. The ecosystem restoration by dam removal or removal of exotic top-carnivore fish may be one of the best strategies for better lak management.

• Korean Journal of Environment and Ecology
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• v.29 no.1
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• pp.29-45
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• 2015

Water chemistry and fish community, based on fish compositions and ecological characteristics(trophic/tolerance guilds and condition factor), were compared in Gucheon Reservoir($G_cR$) and Yeoncho Reservoir($Y_cR$). Chemical parameters of water quality such as BOD, COD, nutrient(N, P) and suspended solids indicated that water quality was better in the $Y_cR$ than $G_cR$, and the temporal variability in seasonal and interannual patterns were greater in the $Y_cR$. The greater variability was mainly attributed to intense dilutions of reservoir water by Asian monsoon rain during July-August. Fish guild analysis indicated that species diversity was higher in the $G_cR$ than the $Y_cR$, and that the proportion of tolerant and omnivore species were greater in the $Y_cR$. Regression analysis of body weight-total length showed that the regression coefficient(b value) was lower in the $G_cR$(2.15 ~ 2.40) than the $Y_cR$(2.59 ~ 3.14). Condition factor(K) of fish against the total length showed negative slope of Zacco temminckii, Carassius auratus, Pseudorasbora parva and Rhinogobius brunneus population in the $G_cR$, and a positive slope of Carassius auratus and Rhinogobius brunneus population in $Y_cR$. Overall, our data suggest that the growth of the fish populations, based on the length-weight relations and condition factor, reflected the trophic regime of nutrients and organic matter.

• Korean Journal of Ecology and Environment
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• v.41 no.3
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• pp.301-310
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• 2008

This study was to analyze characteristics of fish compositions and longitudinal distribution, based on trophic and tolerance guild at 22 sampling sites of Yeongsan River watershed during 2003$\sim$2006, and also to compare before and after the estuary dam construction. The collected fishes, based on catch per unit effort (CPUE), were 44 species in the watershed and dominant fishes were Zacco platypus, Acheilognathus macropeterus, Zacco temminckii and Carassius auratus. According to comparative analysis of fish in the non polluted sites (NPS) vs. polluted sites (PS), the number of species and individuals was lower by 70% in the PS than the NPS, indicating ecological degradations by chemical pollutions or/and habitat modifications. The relative abundance of sensitive and insectivore species decreased as the stream order increases, while tolerant and omnivore species increased with the stream order. In this survey, largemouth bass (Micropterus salmoides), which is a top-carnivore and exotic species, may influence trophic guild system throughout active predations on endemic species, resulting in modifications of ecological functions. The construction of estuary dam on Yeongsan River in 1981 resulted in wider lacustrine zone and desalinated through limitation of seawater input. These physical changes have caused increases of lentic dwelling species and limited fish migrations (i.e., eel). Overall, fish fauna and composition analyses showed that the number of species and individuals in this water body may be reduced due to inputs of pollutants from the watershed, habitat modifications, and increases of exotic species (largemouth bass). For these reasons, effective lake management strategies are required for the ecosystem conservation.