Genetic Implications of Two Different Ultramafic Rocks from Hongseong Area in the Southwestern Gyeonggi Massif, South Korea

Two distinct ultramafic bodies occur in Baekdong and Bibong in the Hongseong area within Gyeonggi massif of South Korea. The Hongseong area is now extensively documented as an extension of the Dabie-Sulu collision belt in China. The Baekdong ultramafic body has a NWW elongation direction. This elongation trend is similar to the general trend of the Dabie-Sulu collision belt. The Bibong ultramafic body is elongated in a NNE direction and runs parallel to the direction of the main fault in the study area. The Baekdong ultramafic bodies show porphyroclastic and mylonitic textures while those at Bibong exhibit a mosaic texture. Both were grouped into peridotite and serpentinite based on their modal abundance of serpentine. In the olivine (Fo) vs. spinel [Cr# = Cr/ (Cr+Al)] diagram, both ultramafic rocks fall with in olivine spinel mantle array. The compositions of olivine, orthopyroxene and spinel indicate that the Baekdong ultramafic rock formed in deeper parts of the upper-mantle under passive margin tectonic setting. The SREE content of Baekdong ultramafic rock vary from 0.19 to 5.7, exhibits a flat REE pattern in the chondrite-normalized diagram, and underwent 5% partial melting. Conversely, large variation in SREE (0.5 21.53) was observed for Bibong ultramafic rocks with an enrichment of LREE with a negative slope and underwent 17 24% partial melting. The Baekdong ultramafic rocks experienced three stages of metamorphism after a high pressure residual mantle stage. The first stage of metamorphism occurred under the eclogite-granulite transitional facies (1123 911°C, >16.3 kb) the second under the granulite facies (825 740°C, 16.3 11.8 kb) and the third is the retrogressive metamorphism under amphibolite facies (782 718°C, 8.2 8.7 kb) metamorphism. The Baekdong ultramafic rocks had undergone high-P/T metamorphism during subduction of the South China Block, and experienced a fast isothermal uplift, and finally cooled down isobarically. Evidences for metamorphism were not identified in Bibong ultramafic rocks. Hence, the Baekdong ultramafic rocks with in the Hongseong area may indicate a link on the Korean counterpart of Dabie-Sulu collision belt between North and South China Blocks.     

Spatial variation in organic matter utilization by benthic communities from Yura River–Estuary to offshore of Tango Sea,Japan

We investigated the distribution of δ¹³C and δ¹⁵N of organic matter among benthic communities from the upper estuary of Yura River to offshore of Tango Sea, Japan, to determine spatial variation in utilization of organic matter by benthic communities. The δ¹³C values of benthic animals ranged from −27 to −15‰ in the upper estuary, −21 to −15‰ in the lower estuary, −20 to −16‰ in the shallow coast (5–10 m depths), −18 to −16‰ in the deep coast (30–60 m depths) and −19 to −15‰ in offshore (100–150 m depths) stations. Adapting the dual isotope values to mixing models, we estimated the relative contributions of potential food sources to the benthos diet. Phytoplankton and macroalgae that intruded the estuary in summer were utilized as alternative food aside from the terrestrial-origin organic matter assimilated by the estuarine benthic consumers. Resuspended benthic microalgae were important source of energy in the shallow coastal stations, while abundant supply of phytodetritus fueled the deep coastal and offshore benthic food webs. Spatial difference in the diet of benthic communities depends largely on the shifts in the primary carbon source. Thus, benthic communities are important link of autochthonous/allochthonous production and secondary production in the continuous river–estuary–marine system.     

Alteration of hydrologic indicators for Korean catchments under CMIP5 climate projections

The change of hydrological regimes may cause impacts on human and natural system. Therefore, investigation of hydrologic alteration induced by climate change is essential for preparing timely proper adaptation to the changes. This study employed 24 climate projections from the Coupled Model Intercomparison Project Phase 5 (CMIP5) under Representative Concentration Pathway (RCP) 4.5 scenario. The climate projections were downscaled at a station‐spacing for seven Korean catchments by a statistical downscaling method that preserves a long‐term trend in climate projections. Using an ensemble of future hydrologic projections simulated by three conceptual rainfall‐runoff models (GR4J, IHACRES, and Sacramento models), we calculated Hydrologic Alteration Factors (HAFs) to investigate degrees of variations in Indicators of Hydrologic Alteration (IHAs) derived from the hydrologic projections. The results showed that the seven catchments had similar trend in terms of the HAFs for the 24 IHAs. Given that more frequent severe floods and droughts were projected over Korean catchments, sound water supply strategies are definitely required to adapt to the alteration of streamflow. A wide range of HAFs between rainfall‐runoff models for each catchment was detected by large variations in the magnitude of HAFs with the hydrologic models and the difference could be the hydrologic prediction uncertainty. There were no‐consistent tendency in the order of HAFs between the hydrologic models. In addition, we found that the alterations of hydrologic regimes by climate change are smaller as the size of catchment is larger. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Assessment of butyl- and phenyltin pollution in the coastal environment of Korea using mussels and oysters

Butyl- and phenyltin residues in bivalves were quantified around the coast of Korean peninsula in 1995–1998 and 2001. Butyltin compounds were detected at all the sites surveyed, whereas phenyltins were detected at 41 out of 67 sites in 1995–1998. Tributyltin (TBT) concentrations in bivalves ranged 48–2800 ng Sn/g on dry weight basis. Triphenyltin (TPT) concentrations ranged <3–1820. The mean TPT concentration was 3.5 times less than that of TBT. Spatial distribution of TBT was closely related to boating and dry-docking activities. TPT concentration in bivalves showed significant correlation with TBT. Concentrations of TBT in bivalves, 2001 are not significantly changed compared to those in 1995–1998. However, TPT concentrations in bivalves steeply decreased in 2001. High concentration of TBT and lesser extent TPT and their nation-wide distribution indicate that organotins are one of major organic pollutants in the marine environment of Korea.     

Summer pattern of phytoplankton distribution at a station in jangmok bay

Daily changes in phytoplankton abundance and species composition were monitored from July to September 2003 (n=47) to understand which factors control the abundance at a station in Jangmok Bay. During the study, the phytoplankton community was mainly composed of small cell diatoms and dinoflagellates, and the dominant genera wereChaetoceros,Nitzschia, Skeletonema andThalassionema. Phytoplankton abundance varied significantly from 6.40x10⁴ to 1.22x10⁷ cells/l. The initially high level of phytoplankton abundance was dominated by diatoms, but replacement by dinoflagellates started when the N/P ratio decreased to < 5.0. On the basis of the N/P and Si/N ratios, the sampling period could be divided into two: an inorganic silicate limitation period (ISLP, 14^th July-12^th of August) and an inorganic nitrogen limitation period (INLP, 13^th of August - the end of the study). Phosphate might not limit the growth of phytoplankton assemblages in the bay during the study period. This study suggests that phytoplankton abundance and species composition might be affected by the concentrations of inorganic nutrients (N and Si), and provides baseline information for further studies on plankton dynamics in Jangmok Bay.     

SWAT application to estimate design runoff curve number for South Korean conditions

Runoff estimations based on the standard USDA–NRCS curve number (CN) table without calibration have a tendency to give inaccurate results when the CN values are applied in South Korea which has many high slope watersheds and that has a continental monsoon climate. Particularly for the design flood estimation, accurately calibrated CN values are required because the estimated peak flow is very sensitive to the selection of CN. However, the lack of flood data makes it difficult to calibrate and assign runoff CNs to Korean watersheds. Even if sufficient data are available to estimate CN values, it is also difficult to obtain the direct flows by separating base flows from total runoff hydrographs due to the temporal irregularity of rainfall events and the resulting complex pattern of runoff. Therefore, an alternative method for estimating CNs needs to be developed to overcome these issues. The purpose of this study is to present a method for estimating runoff CNs using the soil and water assessment tool (SWAT) model which can take into account watershed heterogeneities such as climate conditions, land use and soil types. The proposed CN estimation method uses the simulated flow data by SWAT instead of using measured flow data. This method has advantages in estimating CN values spatially for each subbasin division considering watershed characteristics. The use of daily data can reduce the sensitivity to the abnormality that is commonly involved in flow data with a small time scale. The SWAT‐based CN estimation method, combined with the asymptotic CN method, was applied to the Chungju dam watershed in South Korea. A regression equation was then developed from this approach, which was used to estimate CN values that decrease exponentially as rainfall amounts increase and that converge to 60·6 and 79·4 without and with considering subsurface lateral flow, respectively. Furthermore, the CN values for the antecedent moisture conditions were determined using the probabilistic approach. The CN associated with the 50% probability for the Chungju dam watershed is 87·8 which can be taken to be representative of antecedent moisture condition (AMC) II. The CN_I and CN_III associated with 90% and 10% probabilities are 78·9 and 94·1, respectively. The estimated CN_II = 87·8 differs markedly from the geographic information system (GIS)‐based CN 65·0, which implies that the standard USDA–NRCS CN method should be calibrated to the studied area of interest. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Influence of rain infiltration on the stability of compacted soil slopes

Stability analyses for a homogeneous compacted embankment were undertaken considering infiltration of water into the embankment. The analyses include several different practical scenarios: (i) saturated condition, (ii) ponding (or runoff) along with saturated condition, (iii) short term analysis for unsaturated conditions, and (iv) long term analysis for unsaturated conditions. The appropriate shear strength parameters of the compacted soil required for analyzing different practical scenarios were determined using conventional and modified triaxial shear apparatus. The results of the study show that typically shallow circular failures above water front occur due to infiltration rather than the conventional infinite slope type failures.     

Characterization of cholinesterases in marbled sole, Limanda yokohamae, and their inhibition in vitro by the fungicide iprobenfos

Cholinesterases (ChEs) have been characterized in marbled sole (Limanda yokohamae) for use as a possible biomarker of pollution exposure. In brain, ChEs existed almost exclusively (>95%) as acetylcholinesterase (AChE) whereas in muscle, about 20-30% of ChE activity was in the form of butyrylcholinesterase (BChE; pseudocholinesterase). Acetylthiocholine and butyrylthiocholine (identified in mammalian studies as diagnostic substrates for AChE and BChE respectively) were hydrolyzed mainly, but not exclusively, by these enzymes. The inhibitors BW284C51 and iso-OMPA (identified in mammalian studies as diagnostic inhibitors of AChE and BChE respectively) were not specific for these enzymes in marbled sole. Brain AChE and muscle AChE and BChE were characterized in terms of their kinetic properties (KM etc.) and optimal conditions (substrate concentration, protein concentration, pH etc.) were established to allow routine assays of ChE activity to proceed under pseudo-first order conditions. The sensitivity of ChEs to a locally significant pesticide, iprobenfos (IBP; kitazin) was established in terms of IC50 concentrations. Brain AChE was relatively insensitive to IBP, but muscle AChE and BChE were sensitive to IBP concentrations in the high nM range. However, ambient IBP concentrations in Korean coastal waters are usually not high enough to cause detectable ChE inhibition in this species.