In stream ecosystem assessment, RIVPACS, which makes a simple but clear evaluation based on macroinvertebrate community, is widely used. In this study, a preliminary study was conducted to develop a RIVPACS-type model suitable for Korean streams nationwide. Reference streams were classified into two types (upstream and downstream), and a prediction model for macroinvertebrates was developed based on each family. A model for upstream was divided into 7 (train): 3 (test), and that for downstream was made using a leave-one-out method. Variables for the models were selected by non-metric multidimensional scaling, and seven variables were chosen, including elevation, slope, annual average temperature, stream width, forest ratio in land use, riffle ratio in hydrological characteristics, and boulder ratio in substrate composition. Stream order classified 3,224 sites as upstream and downstream, and community compositions of sites were predicted. The prediction was conducted for 30 macroinvertebrate families. Expected (E) and observed fauna (O) were compared using an ASPT biotic index, which is computed by dividing the BMWPK score into the number of families in a community. EQR values (i.e. O/E) for ASPT were used to assess stream condition. Lastly, we compared EQR to BMI, an index that is commonly used in the assessment. In the results, the average observed ASPT was 4.82 (±2.04 SD) and the expected one was 6.30 (±0.79 SD), and the expected ASPT was higher than the observed one. In the comparison between EQR and BMI index, EQR generally showed a higher value than the BMI index.

The community temperature index (CTI) reflects the temperature and environmental preferences of the community. We investigated the distribution patterns of major aquatic insect assemblages (Ephemeroptera, Plecoptera, and Trichoptera; EPT) based on CTI in streams of South Korea. We selected unpolluted 151 study sites at upper streams (less than 3rd) with less than 1.5 mg L-1 of biochemical oxygen demand. Study sites were clustered into six groups based on the similarities of their EPT composition. All three orders showed a continuous decrease in the number of species as CTI increased, especially in Plecoptera. In addition, the functional feeding groups were also significantly changed according the CTI changes. Temperature tolerance range of each group’s indicator species varied according to the CTI of the group. Finally, changes of CTI reflected differences of EPT assemblages according to the differences of environmental condition including temperature. Therefore, CTI can be applied to the evaluation and preservation of stream ecosystems and prediction of community changes due to climate change.

유사한 시기에 조사된 다른 위도의 저서성대형무척추동물 군집 구조의 시공간적 차이를 비교한 결과, 평창 조사지역에서는 3문 5강 12목 44과 69분류군 13,042개체, 완도 조사지역에서는 4문 5강 12목 37과 52분류군 8,887개체가 채집되었다. 평창이 완도보다 다양도와 균등도 또한 높게 나타났다. 우점종은 평창에서는 두점하루살이로 나타났고, 완도에서는 길쭉하루살이로 서로 달랐다. 집괴 분석 결과 평창과 완도 조사지역의 군집 특성이 명확하게 나누어졌으며 지역 내에서는 대체로 계절성의 영향이 컸다. 지표종 분석에서는 총 4종의 지표종이 선정되었으며 대체로 해당 조사시기 및 지점에만 나타난 종이 선정되었다. 기능적 군집으로는 주워 먹는 무리인 깔따구류를 제외하였을 때 평창 조사지점에서는 긁어먹는 무리가 가장 많았다. 완도 조사지점에서는 주워 먹는 무리가 가장 많았으며 평창 조사지역에 비해 걸러먹는 무리의 비율이 더 높았다. 군집 온도지수 산출 결과 평창이 9.8℃, 완도가 11.0℃으로 평창의 군집이 더 낮은 온도를 선호하는 것으로 나타났다. 이는 서식지 온도 특성이 저서성대 형무척추동물 군집 구성에 크게 영향을 미치고 있음을 반영해 주었다.

In this study, we investigated the relationships between benthic macroinvertebrate assemblages and various environmental factors in Iancheon (NIA) and Bukcheon (NBC) streams, Korea. We collected benthic macroinvertebrates and 33 environmental factors in April 2017 at 9 sites (5 sites in NIA and 4 sites in NBC). We identified 93 species (5 phyla, 9 classes, 16 orders, and 53 families) and 69 species (5 phyla, 9 classes, 17 orders, and 47 families) in NIA and NBC streams, respectively. Considering benthic macroinvertebrate index (BMI), NIA (88.2) and NBC (80.2) streams were in “very good” status. Upstream areas showed the highest scores, 95.5 (NIA1) and 94.2 (NBC1), whereas BMI score was the lowest in downstream areas of both streams, especially in NBC4 (51.0 “bad” status). Cluster analysis and non-metric multidimensional scaling analysis represented the differences of benthic macroinvertebrate assemblages according to spatial and anthropogenic gradients. Our findings provide reference data and highlight the need for the continued monitoring to maintain the good status and manage macroinvertebrate diversity in these two streams, in Sangju-si, Korea.

Chironomid communities are indicators of water pollution because of their ability to thrive under freshwater conditions. However, it is difficult to distinguish between chironomid larvae based on morphology. DNA barcoding, based on nucleotide sequences of marker genes, can be used to identify chironomid larvae. Samples of chironomid larvae were collected from Gwangju Stream and Pungyeongjeong Stream, tributaries of the Yeongsan River in South Korea. We identified 3 subfamilies, 13 genera, 16 species, and 1 cryptic species. There were 7 genera and 10 species from the subfamily Chironominae, 5 genera and 5 species from subfamily Orthocladiinae, 1 genus and 1 species from subfamily Tanipodinae, and the cryptic chironomid species of the family Chironomidae. There were 21 individuals from, 7 species and 1 cryptic species from the Gwangju Stream and 24 individuals, belonging to 10 species from the Pungyeongjeong Stream. The only species detected in both streams was Cricotopus bicinctus. The relationship between water quality and the species detected was difficult to explain, but the number of species showed a tendency to increase at sites where water quality was poor. Additional investigations and studies are needed to understand the relationship between water quality and the chironomid species occurring in these two streams.

The Odor-causing compounds from grilled meat restaurants are mainly ammonia, aldehydes, and volatile organic compounds (VOCs). Acetaldehyde is known to have the greatest odor contribution. This study examines the application of silica gel for acetaldehyde in gas stream. Heat-pretreated silica gel showed relatively good adsorption performance and at 150oC, its breakthrough capacity reached up to 51 mg/g. By using Thomas' dynamic model, which well estimated the adsorption performance in this study, the effects of inlet concentration and retention time on adsorption capacity were evaluated. The adsorbent saturated with acetaldehyde was regenerated by reducing the pressure, which was controlled by the vacuum pump. The design factors were found to be 10 sec−1 of space velocity, -184 kPa·hr of desorption condition, and 10 to 1 of the ratio of cross sectional area to the height for the fixed-bed. The cyclic operation of adsorption and desorption step in the fixed bed packed with silica gel appeared to have 7.0-8.8 mg/g of acetaldehyde removal capacity and 99% of regeneration.

수생태계 생물학적 온전성을 평가하기 위하여 국내 하천 및 하구 923개 지점의 자료를 근거로 한국형 다중형 돌말지수 (KMDI)를 개발하고, 이를 금강수계 233개 지점을 대상으로 온전성평가를 실시하여 단일형 돌말지수들과 비교 검토하였다. KMDI의 개발은 1) 먼저 선행문헌들을 참고로 300개 이상의 메트릭을 추출하고, 2) 이 중 설명력이 높은 46개 후보 메트릭을 선택하며, 3) 각 메트릭 값들의 변이성, 중복성, 변별력, 환경에 대한 민감성 등을 검증하고, 최종적으로 5가지의 메트릭을 선정하였다. KMDI는 매트릭의 단순합으로 표현하고, 환경요인들에 대한 신뢰성 검토 결과, 토지이용, BOD, TN, 전기전도도 등에 대해 높은 민감성 및 설명력을 보였으나 단일형 돌말지수들 보다는 동일 지점의 생물학적 온전성은 다소 높게 평가되는 특성을 보였다. 추후 국내는 물론 지역에 상관없이 적용가능한 설명력 높은 매트릭의 발굴 및 정확한 돌말류 분석 연구가 뒷따라야 될 것으로 판단되었다.

이 연구에서는 우리나라의 자연환경 조건 및 사회적 요구를 반영한 산지하천의 합리적 관리방안을 제시하기 위한 연구의 일환으로 산지하천을 대상으로 한 국제･국내 연구논문을 수집 및 분석한 후, VOSviewer 프로그램을 이용한 텍스트마이닝과 동시출현단어 분석을 통하여 연구주제에 따른 연구영역을 구별하였으며, 이후 각 연구영역별로 시･공 간적인 연구동향을 비교하였다. 그 결과, 산지하천을 대상으로 한 국내 연구논문은 국제 연구논문에 비하여 초보적인 단계에 있음을 확인할 수 있었다. 즉, 국제 연구논문은 산지하천의 어류 및 무척추동물의 서식환경과 종구성에 관한 연구영역(제1연구영역), 산지하천에서의 수문현상 및 양분이동에 관한 연구영역(제2연구영역), 산지하천에서의 유수에 의한 하상물질 이동 및 지형 변화에 관한 연구영역(제3연구영역), 산지하천 주변의 식물종 구성에 관한 연구영역(제4연 구영역)으로 구분되었다. 이 중 제1연구영역과 관련된 국내 연구논문은 주로 대형무척추동물만을 연구소재로 하고 있었으며, 제3연구영역과 관련된 국내 연구논문은 유수에 의한 하상물질 이동 및 지형 변화를 생태계의 교란작용이 아닌 산지토사재해의 원인으로 간주하고 있다는 것을 알 수 있었다. 이렇게 구분된 각 연구영역이 전체 연구논문 중에서 점유하고 있는 비율을 시기별･국가별로 파악한 결과, 국제 연구논문의 경우 3･4연구영역에 해당하는 연구논문 이 증가하는 것으로 나타났으며, 여기에는 미국을 중심으로 브라질･캐나다･중국의 영향이 크게 작용하였다. 이와 달리 국내 연구논문의 경우 1･3연구영역에 해당하는 연구논문이 시간의 경과에 따라 다소 증가하였으나, 이 두 연구영역 간 상호 연관성은 다소 부족한 것으로 나타났다. 따라서 향후에는 이를 보완한 하이브리드 성격의 연구가 필요할 것으로 사료된다.

The objectives of this study were to analyze the influence of chemical water quality on fish guilds, pollution tolerance and the multi-metric ecological health, based on the Fish Assessment Index (FAI) in the main stream of Mangyeong River between 2009−2016. The quality of water with specific conductivity, TP, and NH4-N got worse dramatically in the down region. During the study, a total of 50 species were collected and the most dominant species was Zacco platypus. Also known as tolerant species, accounted 22.9% of the total abundances, thus indicating a trophic degradation. The downstream region (S5) had the highest number of fish external abnormalities, indicating a degradation of ecological health, based on the fish assemblages. Pearson correlation analysis indicated that relative abundance of tolerant fish species and omnivore fish species had a significant positive correlation (r>0.30, p<0.05) with values of BOD, conductivity and NH4-N. Whereas, the relative abundance of the sensitive species and insectivore species had a significant negative relations (r<−0.30, p<0.001) with the parameters. The mean obtained from the multi-metric fish model, based on the FAI of all sites was 47 (n=40). This indicated a “fair condition” in the ecological health, and the downstream regions (S3−S5) were judged as “bad condition”, indicating an influence of the chemical degradation on the ecological health.

River water quality and organisms have a very close relationship with the human living environment and health, so it is very important to ensure and maintain the ecological integrity of the aquatic ecosystem. In that sense, benthic diatoms have relatively little mobility, can explain the effects of long-term exposed pollution sources, and are very suitable indicator organisms for river ecosystem evaluation. Diatom ecologists have been developed various diatom indices to assess water quality and stream ecosystem over the world. However, they so far have insufficient identification of taxa, are strongly regional, and are difficult to apply as they are domestically. Unfortunately, there has not been developed an independent diatom index suitable for the Korean stream. Therefore, management of water quality and aquatic ecosystem suitable for domestic rivers can be made, and development or improvement of comprehensive multivariate diatom index for the integrated assessment of water quality and aquatic ecosystem is urgently needed.

Headwater streams provide various microhabitats, resulting in high diversity of macroinvertebrate community. In this study, we compared the differences of communities between two adjacent headwater streams (Jangjeon stream (GRJ; GRJ1-GRJ5) and Haanmi stream (GRH; GRH1-GRH3)) in Jungwang and Gariwang mountains, Gangwon-do and evaluated the effects of habitat condition to the macroinvertebrates community composition. In order to characterize the macroinvertebrate communities and extract influential environmental factors, we applied to Cluster analysis (CA), Indicator species analysis and Non-metric multidimensional scaling (NMDS). Total 33,613 individuals in 3 phyla, 5 classes, 13 orders, 51 families, and 114 taxa (genera or species) were collected. Gammarus sp. was dominant at the upper stream of GRJ, whereas Chironomidae spp. was abundant at GRH and the downstream of GRJ. The CA classified samples into six clusters (1-6) reflecting spatial and temporal variation of benthic macroinvertebrate communities. Benthic macroinvertebrate community composition was significantly different between two adjacent streams. Sweltsa sp. 1, Psilotreta kisoensis, Rhyacophila shikotsuensis and Serratella setigera were identified as representative indicator species for clusters 1, 2, 3 and 5, respectively. Similar to CA results, NMDS revealed the spatial and temporal differences of benthic macroinvertebrate communities, indicating the difference of community composition as well as microhabitat condition. Forest composition, proportion of boulders (>256 mm), and water velocity were main factors affecting the macroinvertebrate community composition.

The long-term biological monitoring data in domestic streams need to be appropriately analyzed. Food-web analysis using network-based approach can give ecological implications on these kinds of data by including interactions between species. The purpose of this study is constructing food-webs as a preliminary step of the analysis. We used observed species list data for 8 years (2008-2015) provided in Water Information System (WIS), focusing cheonggye streams as a case study. On the basis of species interaction dataset extracted from Global Biotic Interactions (GloBI) database, 96 food-webs were constructed. In further studies, these food-webs could be analyzed in various ways such as static, dynamic and spatial approaches.

The distribution of benthic macroinvertebrates was investigated at 1,157 sites of 7 main water systems in Korea, including 442 sites of Han River system (Namhan River, Bukhan River, Han River main stream, Anseongcheon, etc.), 305 sites of Nakdong River system (Nakdong River, Hyeongsan River, Taehwa River, etc.), 199 sites of Geum River system (Geum River, Sapgyocheon, Mangyeong River, Dongjin River, etc.) 102 sites of Seomjin River system (Seomjin River), 102 sites of Yeongsan River system (Yeongsan River, Tamjin River, etc.), and 7 sites of Jeju stream system. A total of 151 families were found in the whole survey sites, including 141 families in Han River, 122 in Nakdong River, 115 in Geum River, 106 in Seomjin River, 113 in Yeongsan River, and 50 in Jeju. Chironomidae (20.8%) was the most dominant species in Korea, followed by Hydropsychidae (17.1%), Baetidae (12.6%), Tubificidae (10.3%), Heptageniidae (8.6%), Ephemerellidae (6.3%), Asellidae (2.7%), Leptophlebiidae (2.4%), Planariidae (1.7%), and Tipulidae (1.6%). Substrates compositions consisted of large sand (22.6%), large gravel (18.4%), silt (10.5%), and boulder (8.2%). The mean stream width was 133.5 m and the mean watercourse width was 61.7 m. The mean water depth and velocity were 30.2 cm and 33.1 cm s-1, respectively. Results of cluster analysis based on distributional characteristics of benthic macroinvertebrates were divided into six groups according to the frequency of benthic macroinvertebrate taxa which appeared in the study area. Finally, altitude, current velocity and substrate composition were the most influencial factors determining the distribution patterns of macroinvertebrate communities.

In this study, the fauna of freshwater fish were investigated from March until October of 2016 in 24 independent streams in the Jeonnam and Jeonbuk provinces, which were flowing into the Yellow Sea. The health of the aquatic ecosystem in those streams was assessed through the biological and abiological character index (BAc index). During the surveyed period, a total of 4,127 individuals were collected; they belonged to 59 species of 44 genera in 18 families. The most dominant species identified was Zacco platypus, and 12 species were endemic species of Korea, including Rhodeus uyekii. The BAc index indicated a statistically significant correlation (p<0.01 or 0.05). The stage distribution of the aquatic ecosystem health assessment showed the highest rating of 41.7% at the “Fair” stage. The “Good” and “Poor” stages accounted for 20.8% while the “Excellent” stage took up 16.7%. It has been confirmed that the aquatic ecosystem health of independent streams is influenced more by the abiological character index as a consequence of geographical characteristics and artificial/natural limiting factors, than by the biological character index.