Tuesday, June 5, 2007 - 8:00 AM
107

Freshwater Biomonitoring with Macroinvertebrates in Korea with a Case Study of the Cheonggye Stream Restoration Project in Downtown Seoul

Y.J. Bae and Il Kwon Shin. Department of Biology, Seoul Women's University, Seoul, 139-774, South Korea

The Korean peninsula experienced rapid environmental degradation beginning in the 1960s when the Korean government launched a land development program. In the 1990s, however, the land development trend slowed down when the Korean Government began promoting nature conservation and restoration, as seen, for example, in the Cheonggye stream restoration project in downtown Seoul. Cheonggye stream (5.8 km) that had been covered and paved with asphalt for motorway for more than a half century (1958-2003) was recently restored. In a survey conducted in 1986, only a few species of benthic macroinvertebrates, e.g., tubificid oligochaetes, psychodid fly larvae, and chironomid larvae, were found inside the tunnel. After the restoration project (2003-2005), based on a monthly monitoring of benthic macroinvertebrates, a total of 54 species in 33 families (aquatic insects 43 species) have been recolonized in the stream. This Cheonggye stream project triggered nation-wide biomonitoring and stream restoration activities in Korea, and more than 100 artificial streams are currently under the restoration procedure throughout the country.

See more of Special Session - Freshwater Biomonitoring with Macroinvertebrates in East Asia I
See more of Special Sessions

See more of The NABS 55th Annual Meeting