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Environmental quality of Korean coasts as determined by modified Shannon–Wiener evenness proportion

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Abstract

The coast of the Korean peninsula experiences a range of human impacts, including pollution, shipping, reclamation, and aquaculture, that have motivated numerous local studies of macrobenthic organisms. In this paper, 1,492 subtidal stations were compiled from 23 studies (areas) to evaluate environmental quality on a broader scale. A common index in biomonitoring, Shannon–Wiener evenness proportion (SEP), could not incorporate azoic or single-species samples. This shortcoming was overcome by developing an inverse function of SEP (ISEP), which was positively correlated with independent measures of water quality available for nine sites and was not biased by the size of the sampling unit. Additionally, at Shihwa Dike, where samples were collected before and after reinstating a tidal connection with the ocean, ISEP values improved over time, as expected. Thus, it is now possible to assign Korean subtidal sites to seven ISEP “grades” and to use their values and trends to guide coastal management.

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Author notes

  1. In-Seo Hwang

    Present address: Environmental Management Team, Sihwa Regional Headquarters, Korea Water Resources Corporation, 1031-8, Sa-dong, Sangnok-gu, Ansan-si, Gyeonggi-do, 426-170, Korea

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Korea Institute of Coastal Ecology, Inc., #801~3, IT 302, Ssangyong Technopark III, 36-1, Samjung-Dong, Ojeong-Gu, Bucheon-Si, Gyeonggi-Do, 421-808, Korea

    Jae-Won Yoo, Chang-Gun Lee, Chang-Soo Kim & Mi-Ra Park

  2. Science Division, Fish Program, Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife, 600 Capitol Way North, Olympia, WA, 98501-1091, USA

    Yong-Woo Lee

  3. Department of Biology, University of Washington, Box 351800, Seattle, WA, 98195, USA

    Jennifer L. Ruesink

  4. Department of Oceanography, Inha University, Incheon, 402-751, Korea

    Kon-Tak Yoon, In-Seo Hwang & Jae-Sang Hong

  5. Korea Environmental Institute, 613-2, Bulkwang-Dong, Eunpyung-Gu, Seoul, 122-040, Korea

    Jun-Ho Maeng

  6. Department of Marine Ecology, Kristineberg Marine Research Station, Göteborg University, Fiskebäckskil, 450 34, Sweden

    Rutger Rosenberg

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  1. Jae-Won Yoo
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Correspondence to Jae-Sang Hong.

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Yoo, JW., Lee, YW., Ruesink, J.L. et al. Environmental quality of Korean coasts as determined by modified Shannon–Wiener evenness proportion. Environ Monit Assess 170, 141–157 (2010). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10661-009-1222-0

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