Aquatic ecosystems are receiving various harmful effects due to anthropogenic chemical pollutions. To protect wildlife, risk assessments of the chemicals are conducted using reference indexes of toxicity estimated by species-level laboratory tests and/or micro-/mesocosm community-level studies. However, the existing micro-/mesocosm communities are structurally too complicated, and it is also difficult to compare the experimental results directly with those from species-level tests. Here, we developed a procedure of a simple bi-trophic microcosm experiment which contains the common species (a green algae, Pseudokirchneriella subcapitata and a cladoceran, Daphnia magna) for testing chemical toxicities. For the proper operation of bitrophic microcosm experiment, the minimum required concentration of primary producer (P. subcapitata) is 5×105 cells mL-1. The microcosm system showed higher stability when the initially introduced D. magna population was composed of neonates (<24-h old) than adults and those mixture. This simple microcosm system would be an applicable tool to estimate the disturbing impacts of pollutants on plant-herbivore interactions, and linking the species- and population-/community level risk assessments in the future studies.

Terrestrial toxic effects of soil arsenate were studied using a model system consisting of Capsicum annum, Myzus persicae, Aphidus colemani. We investigated the transfer of arsenic from soil to aphid and toxic effect of elevated arsenic on each trophic level. Artificial soil was treated with arsenate at 0, 2 and 6 mg/kg, then arsenic concentration of soil, plant tissues (root, stem, leaf) aphids were measured to observe the arsenic transfer. Toxic effects of elevated arsenic concentrations on each species were investigated at population level. Physiological and biochemical responses of plant and aphid were observed. In addition, enzyme activities against reactive oxygen species (ROS) induced by arsenic stress were also investigated. Host choice capacity and parasitism success of the parasitoids were examined. The results suggest that arsenic concentration in plant tissues and aphids were elevated with increased concentration of arsenic in soils. Physiological responses of plants were not affected by soil arsenic but there was change of biochemical responses. Decreased fecundity and honeydew excretion of aphids were observed, elevated activity of antioxidant enzymes indicated that aphids received the ROS stress induced by arsenic. Decreased eclosion rate of parasitoids were observed with increased arsenic treatment in soil. The results showed low concentration of arsenic in soil can transfer through food chain and can impact on higher trophic level species.

An eco-friendly integrated multi-trophic aquaculture (IMTA) farming technique was developed with the goal of resolving eutrophication by excess feed and feces as fish-farming by-products. A variety of seaweed species were tried to remove inorganic nutrients produced by fish farming. However, there have been few trials to use Sargassum fulvellum in an IMTA system, a species with a relatively wide distribution across regions with various habitat conditions, great nutrient removal efficiency and importance for human food source and industrial purposes. In this regard, our study tried to examine feasibility of using S. fulvellum in an IMTA system by analyzing growth characteristics of the species in an IMTA system comprising of rockfish (Sebastes shlegeli), sea cucumber (Stichopus japonocus) and the tried S. fulvellum (October 2011 – November 2012). We also monitored environment conditions around the system including current speed, water temperature and inorganic nutrient level as they may affect growth of S. fulvellum. S. fulvellum in the IMTA system, which were 15.72±5.67 mm long at the start of the experiment in October 2011, grew to a maximum of 1093±271.13 mm by May 2012. In September, seaweed growth was reduced to a minimum of 280±70.43 mm in length. Then, S. fulvellum began to grow again reaching 325±196.19 mm by November 2012. Wet weight of the seaweed was 4.01±1.89 g at the start of the experiment and reached a maximum of 109.26±34.23 g in May. The weight gradually declined to a low of 15.12±8.40 g in September 2012. Weight began to increase once more, rising to 39.27±21.69 g by November. During the experiment, the average velocity at the surface and the bottom was 6.5 cm/s and 3.4 cm/s, respectively. The water temperature ranged 5.0-23.5℃, which was considered suitable for growing S. fulvellum. Results of the study indicated no significant differences in inorganic nutrients between pre- and post-IMTA installation. It was thus concluded that S. fulvellum can be a suitable seaweed species to be used in an IMTA system.