Introduction to management plan by long-term monitoring on degraded estuary ecosystem by coastal development around Nak-Dong River, Korea

Abstract

Nakdong River, located in South Korea, has a typical estuary with diverse habitats such as marshes and developed sand bar. It has been experiencing the development of city, industrial and port facilities expansion. Since the barrage,which is close to the estuary, was completed in 1987, the functions of estuary have been adversely affected. Based on short-term changes, the dominant species as well as habitats differentiated distinctly close to the mouth of the river before and after the construction of barrage, are characterized by modest changes. But now, because of climate changes and lots of discharges through the barrage, the government set up a management plan to control thedischarge considering the estuaries and an integrated ecosystem model. We introduce to the management plan based on long-term monitoring of benthic habitats and considering restoration of the developed estuary area.