The role played by reservoirs in the biogeochemical cycles of elements is a subject of ongoing debate. Recent research has revealed that reservoirs emit significant levels of greenhouse gases. To assess the importance of reservoirs in monsoon climate areas as a source of methane gas into the atmosphere, we investigated variations in organic carbon (OC) input into the reservoir, oxic state changes, and finally the amount of methane emitted (focusing on the ebullition pathway) in Lake Soyang, which is the largest reservoir in South Korea. Total organic carbon (TOC) concentrations were higher during summer after two years of heavy rainfall. The sedimentation rates of particulate organic carbon (POC) and particulate organic nitrogen (PON) were higher in the epilimnion and hypolimnion than the metalimnioin, indicating that autochthonous and allochthonous carbon made separate contributions to the TOC. During stratification, oxygen depletion occurred in the hypolimnion due to the decomposition of organic matter. Under these conditions, H2S and CH4 can be released from sediment. The methane emissions from the reservoir were much higher than from other natural lakes. However, the temporal and spatial variations of methane ebullition were huge, and were clearly dependent on many factors. Therefore, more research via a well-organized field campaign is needed to investigate methane emissions.

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 Nürnberg(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 R2 : 0.76–0.80) by TP during the seasons of Mo and Po and that the variation of CHL was accounted (p < 0.001, R2 = 0.70) up to 70% by TP during the Po season. The eutrophication tendency, based on the TSITP vs. TSIN:P were predictable (R2 ranged 0.85–0.90, p < 0.001), slope and y intercept indicated low seasonal variability. In the mean time, TSIN:P vs. TSICHL had a monsoon seasonality in relation to values of TSIN: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.