Estuary is important in terms of biodiversity because it has the characteristics of transition waters, created by the mixing of fresh- and seawater. The estuarine water circulation provides a variety of habitats with different environments by inducing gradients in the chemical and physical environment, such as water quality and river bed structure, which are ultimately the main factors influencing biological community composition. If the water circulation is interrupted, the loss of brackish areas and the interception of migration of biological communities will lead to changes in the spatial distribution of biodiversity. In this study, among the sites covered by the Estuary Aquatic Ecosystem Health Assessment, we selected study sites where changes in biodiversity can be assessed by spatial gradient from the upper reaches of the river to the lower estuarine area. The α-, γ- and β-diversity of diatom, benthic macroinvertebrates, and fish communities were calculated, and they were divided into open and closed estuary data and compared to determine the trends in biodiversity variation due to estuarine circulation. As results, all communities showed higher γ-diversity at open estuary sites. The benthic macroinvertebrate community showed a clear difference between open and closed estuaries in β-diversity, consequently the estuarine transects were considered as a factor that decreases spatial heterogeneity of their diversity among sites. The biodiversity trends analyzed in this study will be used to identify estuaries with low γ- and β-diversity by community, providing a useful resource for further mornitoring and management to maintain estuarine health.

Total of 325 estuaries in Korea were surveyed to analyze the effect of presence of sluice gate on the estuary environment and fish community from 2016 to 2018. Fish community in closed and open estuaries showed differences generally, and the relative abundance (RA) of primary freshwater species in the closed and migratory species in the open estuaries were high. The result of classifying species by habitat characteristics in closed and open estuaries showed similar tendencies at the estuaries of south sea and west sea. The relative abundances of primary freshwater species in the closed estuaries at the estuaries of south sea and west sea were the highest, but estuarine and migratory species were high in both closed and open estuaries at the estuaries of east sea. Primary freshwater species showed higher abundances in the closed estuaries with reduced salinity due to blocking of seawater since they are not resistant to salt. However, primary freshwater species in open estuaries at east sea was higher than that of the closed estuaries, which is considered to be the result of reflecting the characteristics (tide, sand bar, etc.) of the east sea. Korea Estuary Fish Assessment Index (KEFAI) was showed to be higher at open estuaries than closed in all sea areas (T-test, P<0.001), the highest KEFAI was observed in closed estuaries at south sea, and open estuaries in east sea. Fish community of closed and open estuaries in each sea areas showed statistically significant differences (PERMANOVA, East, Pseudo-F=3.0198, P=0.002; South, Pseudo-F=22.00, P=0.001; West, Pseudo-F=14.067, P=0.001). Fish assemblage similarity by sea areas showed a significant differences on fish community in closed and open estuaries at east sea, south sea, and west sea (SIMPER, Group dissimilarity, 85.85%, 88.36%, and 88.05%). This study provided information on the characteristics and distribution of fish community according to the types of estuaries. The results of this study can be used as a reference for establishing appropriate management plans according to the sea areas and type in the management and restoration of estuaries for future.

Fish assemblage of total 325 of Korean peninsula estuaries were surveyed to analyze the characteristics of community structure and diversity by sea areas for three years from 2016 to 2018. The scale (stream width) of Korean estuaries were various (14~3,356 m), and 68.9% of all estuaries showed salinity of less than 2 psu. Total 149 species classified into 52 families of fish were identified, and the dominant and sub-dominant species were Tribolodon hakonensis (relative abundance, RA, 12.5%) and Mugil cephalus (RA, 9.5%), respectively. The estuary of the Korean Peninsula had different physical and chemical habitat environments depending on the sea area, and accordingly, fish community structure also showed statistically significant differences (PERMANOVA, Pseudo-F=26.69, P=0.001). In addition, the NMDS (nonmetric multidimensional scaling) results showed the patterns that indicating fish community difference by sea areas, even though low community similarity within sea area (SIMPER, 21.79~26.39%). The estuaries of east sea areas were distinguished from the others in the aspects of which, the higher importance of migratory fishes and endangered species, and that of brackish species were characterized at south sea estuaries. However, the estuaries of west sea showed higher importance of species that have a relation with freshwater (primary freshwater species, exotic species), which is the result that associating with the lower salinity of west sea estuaries because of the high ratio of closed estuaries (78.2%). The SIMPER analysis, scoring the contribution rates of species to community similarity, also showed results corresponding to the tendency of different fish community structures according to each sea area. So far, In Korea, most studies on fish communities in estuaries have been conducted in a single estuary unit, which made it difficult to understand the characteristics of estuaries at the national level, which are prerequisite for policy establishment. In present study, we are providing fish community structure characteristics of Korean estuaries in a national scale, including diversity index, habitat salinity ranges of major species, distribution of migratory species. We are expecting that our results could be utilized as baseline information for establishing management policies or further study of Korean estuaries.

In this study, five different Lentinula edodes cultivar (Chamaram, Sanbaekhyang, Sanjo 713ho, Sanjo 715ho, Sanjo 718ho) were evaluated for their ability to decolorize Remazol Brilliant Blue R (RBBR) in MEB medium, respectively. Chamaram and Sanjo 713ho decolorized RBBR rapidly in MEB medium within 3 and 5 days. The activities of manganese peroxidase (MnP) and laccase were determined on the MEB medium with and without lignin. Sanjo 713ho resulted the highest ligninolytic enzyme activities on incubation day 1, indicating of 1,213 U/mg of MnP activity and 1,421 U/mg of laccase activity.

This study was conducted to investigate the effects of summer green manure crops as an alternative for imported expeller cake fertilizer on environment-friendly lettuce production. Sunnhemp, soybean, sudangrass, and sorghum, as summer green manure crops, were evaluated under the condition of a plastic film house. In the amount of nitrogen supplied through cultivation of green manure crops, soybean plot, which supplied 187 kg ha-1, was the highest, followed by sorghum plot, 156 kg ha-1. Since all green manure plots supplied more nitrogen than that required by soil testing, it was possible to replace the nitrogen supply of expeller cake fertilizer with the amount of nitrogen produced by green manures for autumn lettuce cultivation. N nutrient balances in sunnhemp, sudangrass, soybean, and sorghum plots were 13 kg ha-1, 28 kg ha-1, 30 kg ha-1, and 38 kg ha-1, respectively. The initial yield and total yield of lettuce showed no significant difference in green manure plots compared to the expeller cake plot, but . It was thought that all green manure crops could be substituted for expeller cake fertilizer used as nitrogen fertilizer, but it would be necessary to adjust the cultivation period and reduction point according to the type of green manure in order to maintain the C/N ratio, nitrogen supply, and nitrogen balance suitable for lettuce production.

In order to provide basic data for preparing management standards and to verify the safety of the Chinese oak mushroom-derived moisturizing medium—which is synthesized and imported in large quantities—the presence of 321 residual pesticides, 7 heavy metals, and 3 radioactive materials was analyzed in the moisturizer samples. Examination of residual pesticides in seven moisturizing medium samples prepared using the Chinese oak mushroom and three domestic sawdust samples used for mushroom culture revealed the presence of cypermethrin and iprodione in three moisturizer samples, but the contents of these pesticides were below the standard limits. Zn was detected in ten samples, Cu was detected in nine samples, and Ni was detected in four samples, but their contents were below the standard limits. Pb, Cd, Cr, and Hg were not detected in any sample. No radioactive materials were detected in the samples. In addition, fruiting bodies of the oak mushroom were observed in each medium. Examination did not reveal the presence of any residual pesticides or harmful compounds. In this study, the use of the moisturizing medium prepared using the Chinese oak mushroom was found to be safe. As residual pesticides, heavy metals, and radioactivity—even in trace amounts—remain concentrated in the human body, continuous verification of the safety of hazardous substances and pollutants during the systematic cultivation and management of these mushrooms is required.

This study was performed to evaluate the effect of pork belly thickness on physicochemical and sensory characteristics after pan frying. Pork belly with three different thickness (5, 10, 20 mm) from three different parts (A:thoracic vertebrae no. 5-9, B:thoracic vertebrae 10-14, C:lumbar vertebrae 1-6) was pan grilled with electronic grill until it reached an internal temperature of 71℃. Cooking loss, shear force, sensory characteristics, volatile compounds of cooked pork belly were determined. Electric nose analysis was performed to support descriptive analysis and consumer sensory analysis. The cooking loss of pork belly with 20 mm thickness from all positions was significantly low (p<0.05). Shear force increased with increase in thickness (p<0.05). Electric nose identified major seven volatile compounds such as acetonitrile, (Z)-4-heptenal, 2-octanol, linalool, carbon disulfide, methylcyclohexane, n-nonanal to discriminate those samples. The part of pork belly significantly affected the intensity of volatile compounds rather than thickness. In discriminate analysis, the overall acceptability of pork belly (A and B parts) with 20 mm thickness was higher than that of pork belly with 5 mm thickness. In addition, the overall acceptability by consumers for pork belly with 20 mm thickness from A, B, and C parts was higher than the overall acceptability for pork belly with 5 mm thickness. This preliminary study suggests that it is more desirable to use pork belly with 20 mm thickness from part A when cooking on a pan gril compared with pork belly of 10 mm or 20 mm thickness from part B or C in the meat markets and restaurant.