| Title |
Ecological Health Assessment of Mountainous Stream in Mt. Sik-Jang using Multi-metric Models |
| Authors |
배대열 ( Dae Yeul Bae ) ; 김유표 ( Yu Pyo Kim ) ; 안광국 ( Kwang Guk An ) |
| Keywords |
Index of biological integrity; IBI; Mountainous stream; Qualitative habitat evaluation index; QHEI; Stream management |
| Abstract |
This study was to introduce a methodology of ecological health assessment for efficient management and to provide some diagnostic results of the survey. We evaluated ecological health assessment at five sampling locations of Sikjang ountainous Stream using the index of biological integrity (IBI) and Qualitative Habitat Evaluation Index (QHEI) during May-October 2006. The health condition, based on the IBI model, averaged 32 and varied from 27 to 37 depending on the sampling sites. Thus, the stream health was judged as "good" to "fair" conditions. IBI values showed slight differences between upstream and downstream sites. Whereas, QHEI values varied from 75 (fair condition) to 196 (excellent condition) and QHEI at St. 4~5, indicating the downstream reach had significantly lower than the headwater site (St.1). Regression analyses also showed that QHEI values had a linear decrease from the headwater to downstream. This result indicated that habitat quality was rapidly degradated by human influence. Overall, data of IBI and QHEI suggested that the stream health was maintained well in the present but the habitat and biological quality were partially degradated in the downstream. So, the human interference should be minimized to protect the downstream environment. |