Environ. Eng. Res. 2019; 24(4): 638-645 pISSN 1226-1025 https://doi.org/10.4491/eer.2018.353 eISSN 2005-968X Fish fauna and the population of a Korean endangered freshwater fish, Brachymystax lenok tsinlingensis, in Korea: Bonghwa Habitat Dohun Lim1, Yoonjin Lee2† 1Korea Natural Environment Institute, 414, Sungsa, Dukyanggu, Goyang 10465, Republic of Korea 2Department of General Education, Konyang University, Daejeon 35365, Republic of Korea ABSTRACT This research was an evaluation of the fish fauna and the habitat for Brachymystax lenok tsinlingensis (B. lenok tsinlingensis) for 11 stations at the Bonghwa-gun sanctuary. The predominant species in this research area was Zacco koreanus. B. lenok tsinlingensis, which has been designated as an endangered freshwater fish in Korea, was found in the Bonghwa sanctuary zone, except at stations 5 and 6. The B. lenok individuals were shorter in length than 400 mm. In total, 13 endemic species were found, including Coreoleuciscus splendidus and Iksookimia longicorpus. Specimens of Koreocobitis naktongensis, a first grade endangered species, were also collected. The benthic macroinvertebrates consisted of four divisions, four classes, seven orders, 30 families, 60 species, and 10,344 individuals and were distributed among the orders Ephemeroptera (55.9%), Diptera (18.2%), Trichoptera (12.4%), Plecoptera (2.1%), and Odonata (0.3%). Keywords: Brachymystax lenok tsinlingensis, Dominant species, Habitat environment, Migration, Threatened species 1. Introduction blue dorsal color and a silver white ventral color. Young fish have about 10 blackish brown cross striations on the sides of the body. Tiny dark brown spots are scattered on the sides of Brachymystax lenok tsinlingensis (B. lenok tsinlingensis) is a body and back. The lengths of the lower and upper jaws are cold-water fish that inhabits areas of Northeastern Asia, including almost the same. Siberia, the Maritime Province, Heilong Jiang, and the Songhua, Jean [5] concluded that the scientific name was B. lenok tsinlin- Amnok, and Tumen rivers [1, 2]. It is managed in natural monu- gensis, after a comparison of the morphological characteristics, ments in Korea established to preserve a number of fish species such as the lateral spots, the pyloric caeca, etc., for the corrected because of recent declines in its population. The habitat has also domestic lenok endemic to the upper region of the Han River. been disturbed by the development of mountain areas and road Byeon [6] assessed B. lenok tsinlingensis with lengths of 80-180 construction. The main reason for the decrease in B. lenok tsinlingen- mm, 200-300 mm, and over 300 mm as being 1 year, 2 years, sis in China has been illegal overfishing with electric shocks [3]. and 3 years old, respectively. Yoon and Jang [7], who observed The Bonghwa sanctuary is recognized as the southern limit the daily movements of B. lenok tsinlingensis in the upper part of the B. lenok habitat. However, this habitat was destroyed and of the Nakdong River, concluded that these fish move 8.6 m the streams were polluted by waste released from mining enter- per d and migrate pool to pool during the winter period, whereas prises in the 1960s. B. lenok was designated in 2012 as a protected they move 96.2 m per day in the spawning season [7]. wildlife species in Korea [4]. This study assessed the B. lenok habitat, fish fauna, and benthic B. lenok lives in mountain streams containing clean and low macroinvertebrate fauna of the Bonghwa sanctuary area. The pur- temperature water (below 20°C) with dissolved oxygen (DO) of pose of the research was to determine the existing fish species 10 mg/L. Its ground color is yellowish brown, with a midnight This is an Open Access article distributed under the terms Received October 5, 2018 Accepted December 31, 2018 of the Creative Commons Attribution Non-Commercial License † (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/3.0/) which per- Corresponding author mits unrestricted non-commercial use, distribution, and reproduction in any Email: [email protected] medium, provided the original work is properly cited. Tel: +82-42-600-8660 Fax: +82-42-600-8660 Copyright © 2019 Korean Society of Environmental Engineers ORCID: 0000-0003-0851-675X 638 Environmental Engineering Research 24(4) 638-645 distribution, the population of B. lenok tsinlingensis, and the growth conditions for B. lenok tsinlingensis. The ecological con- ditions in the habitat at the sanctuary area and the neighboring watershed were also evaluated. The overall aim was to supply basic data for assessment of the current habitat situation and for formulating future conservation plans that consider the con- ditions required to support food organisms and the water environ- ment for B. lenok tsinlingensis. 2. Materials and Methods 2.1. Water Quality The investigation area for this research was located in and around the natural monument of Bonghwa-gun, Gyeongsangbuk-do in Korea. The research area included the Sonjeongri and Byeongo streams, a branch of the Sonjeongri stream, and the Nakdong River. The Bonghwa-gun area has an annual mean temperature of 12.9°C, mean precipitation of 1,282.6 mm, and mean wind Fig. 1. Sampling stations in this study. velocity of 2.7 m/s. No wastewater treatment plants are located around the B. lenok habitat in Bonghwa. The water pH, temperature, conductivity, and DO were ana- 3. Results and Discussion lyzed with a YSI 556 multiprobe system (YSI Environmental, Yellow Springs, OH, USA) at each station. The suspended solid 3.1. Environmental Conditions (SS), biochemical oxygen demand (BOD), and total nitrogen (TN) An area of 24,232,086 m2 at the Bonghwa sanctuary is currently were measured using the official standard analytical methods protected as a national monument for the habitat of B. lenok for water quality in Korea after water samples from each sampling in Korea. However, development pressure has recently in- site were transferred to laboratory. creased around this area, necessitating suitable management 2.2. Sampling and Analysis plans for conservation of the B. lenok population and its habitat. For this purpose, the fish distributions in the sanctuary and Fish were sampled and analyzed from the 11 sampling sites in the neighboring area were monitored with respect to water indicated in Fig. 1. The experiments were performed three times, temperature and the presence of prey organisms. The mean from Sep., 2015 to Apr., 2016. 2 sites were selected for the Nakdong altitude in this area is 980 m and slope in most of the sanctuary River, 4 sites for the Byeongocheon stream, and 5 sites for the area is between 20° and 40°, which is a sharp slant; only 0.41% Songjeongri stream to evaluate the influence of each water system. of the area is flat land. The main habitat area for B. lenok The analyses considered the variations due to season by sampling was the Byeongo stream. Vegetation is poor in the area at the in the summer (Sep., 2015), fall (Nov., 2015), and spring (Apr., branch of the Songjeongri stream, due to a constriction of the 2016). Water analysis was performed at 6 sites to evaluate the river bank and bed. Shady spots are lacking at Stations 7, 10, environment of the B. lenok habitat in the Bonghwa natural monu- and 11. ment area and the branches of neighboring streams. Water samples were collected at the Stations 2, 3, 6, 7, 8, and 11. 3.2. Benthic Macroinvertebrates B. lenok specimens were collected with a cast net (mesh size: Fig. 2 shows photographs of benthic macroinvertebrates found 6 mm × 6 mm) and skimming net (mesh size: 5 mm × 5 mm) in this area, and the seasonal variations in benthic macro- to evaluate the growth state. The fish were identified using a invertebrates at the stations are shown in Table 1. The benthic classification table and illustrated book [8-13], following the classi- macroinvertebrates found at Stations 2, 6, 7, 9, and 11 were from fication described by Nelson [14]. 4 divisions, 4 classes, 7 orders, 30 families, and 60 species, and The species diversity index [15-16] were assessed to analyze consisted of 10,344 individuals. In this research, 60 species were the B. lenok communities in the research areas. Two species, found, in contrast to the results of a previous survey [20], which selected in accordance with the population standing crop, were reported 56 species in the research stream. assessed using McNaughton’s dominance index [17]. Species classifications were as follows: Eight (12.7%) were The relationship of total length to weight was compared for non-insect species. Insect species included Ephemeroptera the B. lenok specimens from each site to determine the state (36.5%), Trichoptera (28.6%), Diptera (11.1%), Plecoptera (9.5%), of growth and reproductive capacity. The growth rate and degree and Odonata (1.6%). The population of non-insect species in- of obesity can provide information about the habitat compatibility, cluded 1,144 individuals, while 5,785, 1,881, 1,285, 215, and food-use capability, and water quality [18-19]. 33 individuals were observed for the Ephemeroptera, Diptera, 639 Dohun Lim and Yoonjin Lee Chironomidae spp. Antocha KUa Psilotreta locumtenens Ecdyonurus dracon Baetis fuscatus Cincticostella tshernovae Paraleptophlebia japonica Cincticostella levanidovae Drunella aculea Fig. 2. Photograph of the benthic macroinvertebrates found in the research area. Table 1. Dominant and Sub-dominant Species Analyzed at Each Station Diversity Species Species Season Station Dominant species / Subdominant species DSI* BMI(grade) index evenness richness St. 2 Ecdyonurus dracon / Baetis fuscatus 0.42 2.39 0.84 2.66 94(A) St. 6 Baetis fuscatus / Chironomidae spp. 0.68 1.70 0.63 2.31 90(A) Sep. St. 7 Limnephilus KUa / Chironomidae spp. 0.49 1.97 0.90 1.89 90(A) St.