Seasonal Dynamics of Phytoplankton and Environmental Factors around the Chagwi-do off the West Coast of Jeju Island, Korea

The dynamics of phytoplankton abundance with seasonal variation in physicochemical conditions were investigated monthly at 10 stations around the Chagwi-do off the west coast of Jeju Island, Korea, including inshore, middle shore, and offshore in the marine ranching are a from September 2004 to November 2005. Water temperature varied from 12.1 to $28.9^{\circ}C$ (average $18.8^{\circ}C$), and salinity from 28.9 to 34.9 psu (average 33.7 psu). The chlorophyll a concentration was $0.02-2.05\;{\mu}g\;L^{-1}$ (average $0.70\;{\mu}g\;L^{-1}$), and the maximum concentration occurred in the bottom layer in April. A total of 294 phytoplankton species belonging to 10 families was identified: 182 Bacillariophyceae, 52 Dinophyceae, 9 Chlorophyceae, 12 Cryptophyceae, 6 Chrysophyceae, 4 Dictyophyceae, 13 Euglenophyceae, 6 Prymnesiophyceae, 5 Prasinophyceae, and 5 Raphidophyceae. The standing crop was $2.21-48.69\times10^4\;cells\;L^{-1}$ (average $9.23\times10^4\;cells\;L^{-1}$), and the maximum occurred in the bottom layer in April. Diatoms were most abundant throughout the year, followed by dinoflagellates and phytoflagellates. A phytoplankton bloom occurred twice: once in spring, peaking in April, and once in autumn, peaking in November. The spring bloom was represented by four Chaetoceros species and Skeletonema costatum; each contributed 10-20% of the total phytoplankton abundance. The autumn bloom comprised dinoflagellates, diatoms, and phytoflagellates, of which dinoflagellates were predominant. Gymnodinium conicum, Prorocentrum micans, and P. triestinum each contributed over 10% of the total phytoplankton abundance.