Marine Algal Communities around Oryukdo, Busan, Korea

Marine algal flora and community structure were seasonally investigated at Oryukdo, on the southeast coast of Korea, from March 2011 to February 2014. A Total of 66 seaweed species including 6 green, 7 brown and 53 red algae were identified and 23 species were found throughout the survey period. Seaweed biomass was maximal during summer in 2012 (2276.2 g wet weight $m^{-2}$) and minimal in winter in 2012 (9.1 g wet weight $m^{-2}$). The dominant species in term of biomass were Undaria pinnatifida, Dictyopteris prolifera, Dictyota dichotoma, Sargassum horneri, Rhodymenia intricata, Acrosorium polyneurum, and Polyneura japonica during the suvery period. The flora could be classified into six functional groups: coarsely branched form (30.3%), filamentous form (24.2%), thick leather form (19.7%), sheet form (15.2%), jointed calcareous form (7.6%), and crustose form (3.0%). The numbers of marine algal species in the Oryukdo area were markedly reduced when compared with previous studies at Dongbaekseom in 1971. These results suggest possible future changes in the algal vegetation, considering the physical and chemical pollution loadings in the coastal marine environment of this area.

부산시 오륙도 주변 해역의 해조 군집