Summer Seaweed Flora and Community Structure of Uninhabited Islands in Goheung, Korea

The intertidal benthic macroalgal floras of 19 uninhabited islands were investigated in the Goheung area, South Sea, Korea, in June 2008. Seaweed community structures on the rocky shores of four (Naemaemuldo, Ceoldo, Araedombaeseom, and Jinjioedo) of the 19 islands were also examined. Eighty macroalgal species were identified, including 13 green, 19 brown, and 48 red algae. The maximum number of species was found at Naemaemuldo, with 35 species, and the minimum was at Aredombaeseom, with 21 species. Seaweed biomass ranged from 21.39-76.22 g dry wt/$m^2$, with a maximum at Naemaemuldo, and minimum at Jinjioedo. Sargassum thunbergii was a representative species, distributed widely in the intertidal zone of the four islands. Subdominant seaweeds were Corallina pilulifera and Ulva pertusa at Naemaemuldo and Jinjioedo, respectively. Also, Ishige okamurae was dominant at Ceoldo and Araedombaeseom. Six functional seaweed forms were found at each study site, except for Araedombaeseom, which had four functional groups. On the rocky shores of the four sites, a coarsely-branched form was the most dominant functional group ranging from 44.44-61.90% in species number and 72.42-91. 09% in biomass. In conclusion, among the four study sites, the shore of Naemaemuldo Island had the best ecological status, with the highest number of species, and greatest biomass (mainly brown and red algae) and functional form diversity of seaweeds. Furthermore, on the rocky shore of Naemaemuldo, coarsely branched- and joint calcareous-form seaweeds, which grow in clean and undisturbed environmental conditions, were the representative functional forms.

한국 고흥군 무인도서 하계 해조상 및 해조류 군집구조