Seasonal Characteristics of Phytoplankton Dynamics and Environmental Factors in the Coast of Mara-do and U-do, Jeju Island, Korea

A study on seasonal characteristics of phytoplankton dynamics and environmental factors was carried out at four stations including Mara-do and U-do located in the western and eastern coast of Jeju Island in southern Korea from April 2003 to March 2004. Out of 101 phytoplankton species identified, 84 belong to Bacillariophyceae, 9 Dinophyceae, 6 phytoflagellates and 2 coccolithophorids, and the highest value of species diversity was observed in April. Phytoplankton was more abundant at the western coast than at the eastern coast from March to September and its highest abundance was 49.24 ${\times}$ 10$^3$ cells L$^{-1}$ at Mara-do in July. The pennate diatoms were more abundant at the western coast than at the eastern coast with the highest abundance of 38.75 ${\times}$ 10$^3$ cells L$^{-1}$ at Mara-do in July, and during this period Nitzschia longissima contributed 68.5% of the total phytoplankton abundance. Naviculaceae was more abundant at Gosan (western coast) in November when Stauroneis membranacea represented 80.1% of the abundance. Leptocylindrus dances contributed 49.4% of the abundance at U-do in November. Dinophyceae was more abundant at U-do in August. Water temperature and pH fluctuated from 11.7${^{\circ}C}$ to 27.1${^{\circ}C}$ and from 7.31 to 8.70, respectively. Water temperature of Mara-do was about 1-2${^{\circ}C}$ higher than the other stations. Salinity varied from 30.4 to 35.0 psu with the minimum in rainy season and the maximum at the end of winter. The concentration of NH$_4$-N, NO$_3$-N, NO$_2$-N, PO$_4$-P and SiO$_2$-Si ranged 0.07-6.79, 1.0-62.0, 1.0-8.0, 1.0-7.0 and 7.0-191.0 $\mu$g-at L$^{-1}$, respectively. Chlorophyll a concentrations varied from 0.10 to 1.17 $\mu$g L$^{-1}$. NH$_4$-N concentrations were high at U-do from May to December, and at Mara-do from January to February. The high concentrations of NO$_3$-N were found at Mara-do from June to September and at U-do from January to May. The effects of various physicochemical parameters on the seasonal distribution and succession of phytoplankton population suggest that there is a classical pattern of phytoplankton dynamics in Jeju coastal waters.