Long-term Changes of the Fish Fauna and Community Structure in the Jungrang Creek, Seoul, Korea

Long-term changes of the fish fauna and itscommunity structure from the Jungrang Creekof the Han River system in Seoul were investi-geted from 1990 to 2000. Total species occurredduring the survey period were 14 species in 6families, and total individual number was108,366. Fishes at the Jungrang Creek had notbeen distributed in the 1980s and 1990 becauseof heavy water pollution as well as environmen-tal damage in the riparian areas. However,Cyprinus carpio and Carassius auratus in cyp-rinidae were rehabitated since the early 1990swhen the water quality was improved because offoundation of sewage division pipe. Species num-bers gradually increased to 6 species in 1996, 9species in 1998, and 11 species in 2000. Indivi-dual numbers rapidly increased to 164 indivi-duals in 1996, 146 individuals in 1998, and108,094 individuals in 2000. A large number of Cyprinus carpio and Cara-ssius auratus, which are abundantly distributedin the main course of the Han River, were foundwhen they migrate to the upper reaches of theJungrang Creek for spawning. Mass fish floa-tings were occurred on the 21st of April and the11th of June in 2000 due to DO depletion at thelower site (Site 4) of discharging point of Jun-grang sewage treatment plant and stagnant spot(Site 3) of dammed pool. Major dominant specieswere Cyprinus carpio and Carassius auratus(Cyprinidae). Others dominant species werePseudorasbora labeo (Cyprinidae) and Silurusasotus(Siluridae). Dominance indices were rela-tively high (0.79 to 1.00). Species diversity andrichness indices were relatively low (0 to 1.66and 0 to 1.41, respectively). Species diversity andrichness indices were slightly higher at the mid-dle reaches (Site 2 and Site 3) than the upperreaches and the mouth of the Jungrang Creek.However, the fish fauna of the Jungrang Creekwas very poor and its community structure wasvery simple.Fish Fauna of the Jungrang Creek 69 KCI Citation Count: 7