This study assessed the utility of netted melon ‘Top Earl’s’ and cantaloupe melon ‘Alex’ as functional fruits by analysing their moisture content, vitreous sugar, folic acid, citric acid, and beta-carotene levels. High-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) was used to analyse the free sugar, folic acid, citric acid, and beta-carotene levels. The moisture content was not significantly different between ‘Top Earl’s’ and ‘Alex.’ The glucose, sucrose, and fructose contents were three, two, and one-and-a-half fold higher in ‘Alex’ than in ‘Top Earl’s.’ Moreover, citric acid was approximately three times higher in ‘Alex’ than that in Top Earl’s.’ However, the folic acid content was higher in ‘Top ‘Earl’s’ than ‘Alex,’ and the amount was 124 μg / 100 g FW and 112 μg / 100 g FW respectively. ‘Beta-carotene was undetectable in ‘Top Earl’s,’ whereas it was 1000 μg / 100 g FW in ‘Alex.’ β-carotene, a substance that is converted in the body into vitamin A and acts as an antioxidant, is an important component in healthy food. These results suggested that the cantaloupe melon ‘Alex’ has a higher free sugar content and functional ingredients, such as antioxidants, including citric acid and beta carotene, than the netted melon ‘Top Earl’s.’

The objective of the study was to determine nutrition regime and limitation in the Boryeng Reservoir where there’s a water tunnel between Geum River and the reservoir. Evaluation was conducted through in situ algal bioassay experiments (in situ ABEs) using the cubitainer setting in the reservoirs. For in situ ABEs, we compared and analyzed variations in chlorophyll-a (CHL-a) and phosphorus concentrations in Boryeong Reservoir before and after the water tunnel construction. We then analyzed the nutrient effects on the reservoir. Analysis for nitrogen and phosphorus was done in the three locations of the reservoir and two locations of the ABEs. The in situ ABEs results showed that phosphorous and Nitrogen, the primary limiting nutrient regulating the algal biomass was not limited in the system. The treatments of phosphorus or simultaneous treatments of N+P showed greater algal growth than in the control of nitrate-treatments, indicating a phosphorus deficiency on the phytoplankton growth in the system. The water from the Geum River had 5 times higher total phosphorus (TP) than the water in the reservoir. Efficient management is required as pumping of the river water from Geum River may accelerate the eutrophication of the reservoir.

The purpose of this study was to analyze fish fauna and species compositions along with trophic guilds, tolerance indicators, and fish community conditions before weir construction (BWC) and after weir construction (AWC) in the Yeongsan River watershed. Total 45 and 44 fish species were sampled in BWC and AWC, respectively without any distinct differences through weir constructions. Fish fauna analysis revealed that the dominant species was the same, Zacco platypus with 24.3% and 20.8% in BWC and AWC, respectively. However, the subdominant species were Carassius auratus with 8.9% in BWC but Opsarichthys uncirostris amurensis with 20.3%, almost identical that of the dominant species AWC. This phenomenon showed the distinct modification of species composition in the watershed. We sampled the 1st class endangered species, Liobagrus obesus in tributary stream as previously reported. Also Culter brevicauda was sampled in the mainstream of Yeongsan River watershed and this was the first sampled record in this watershed. One of the most important features were an increase of exotic species, such as Micropterus salmoides and Lepomis macrochirus, with 3.2% BWC vs. 10.2% AWC as well as the increase in tolerant species with 49.2% BWC vs. 73.7% AWC, indicating ecological degradation through weir construction. Overall, our results indicated that fish fauna and composition analyses showed distinct ecological degradations related to increases of exotic and tolerant species AWC. Further long-term studies of fish monitoring should be conducted in the future to configure existent status of river conditions and to provide key information in order to conserve the healthy ecosystem.