• The Sea:JOURNAL OF THE KOREAN SOCIETY OF OCEANOGRAPHY
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• v.7 no.1
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• pp.8-19
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• 2002

Spatial distribution pattern of macrozoobenthos was studied along the salinity gradient and sedimentary environment in the Watancheon estuary, Beobseongpo, southwest coast of Korea. Ten stations were set from the mouth towards the head of estuary. Three replicate sediment samples were taken using a van Veen grab (surface area $0.1m^{2}$) at each station between June 1998 and January 1999. A total of 114 species were collected during the study period and they are composed of 44 species of polychaetes (39%), 34 of crustaceans (30%), 24 of molluscs (21%) and 12 of miscellaneous. The former two taxa together accounted for 69% in the total number of species. The mean density was 3,053 ind./m$^{2}$, comprising 2,536 ind./m$^{2}$ from polychaetes (83%) and 439 ind./m$^{2}$, crustaceans (14%). Moreover, the mean biomass was 58.23 gwwt./m$^{2}$, consisting of 29.56 gwwt./m$^{2}$ from polychaetes (51%), 23.38 gwwt./m$^{2}$, molluscs (40%). A spionid polychaete Minuspio japonica, two corophiid amphipods Grandidierella japonica and Corophium sinense, a bivalve Potamocorbula amurensis were major dominants at the head of estuary where the salinity was relatively lower compared with contiguous sites. The distributions of M. japonica and G. japonica were significantly related to the salinity and sediment environment, respectively, whereas C. sinense and P, amurensis showed no significance. The nereid polychaete, Hediste japonica, also predominated at the head of the estuary where bottom salinity was relatively low. Species diversity was high at the mouth area whereas low diversity and few species number were seen at the stations in the head of the estuary, influenced by freshwater and sandy sediment. Based on the cluster analysis, the macrobenthic community was classified into four station groups from head (station group A) toward mouth (group D) in the study area. The number of species and abundance between station group B and C were significantly different. And the abundance of between two neighboring station groups (station group A and B, B and C, C and D) was also different. These results suggested that the spatial distribution pattern of macrobenthos in this estuary seemed mainly related to gradients in bottom salinity and sediment grain size among environmental factors.

• Korean Journal of Environmental Biology
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• v.27 no.1
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• pp.6-19
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• 2009

We investigated the macrozoobenthos at major two harbors of Korea in July and August 2007 in order to check the changes in the species composition due to the invasive species and to make a species inventory at each harbor system. At the Incheon Harbor, a total of 88 species was sampled with abundance of 3,212 ind. m$^{-2}$ and biomass of 239 g m$^{-2}$. The most dominant species was Tharyx sp. belong to polychaete taxa, followed by Chaetozone setosa in the harbor area. The dominant species of outer area were Musculus senhousia and Sternaspis scutata. The diversity index ranged between 0.9$\sim$2.4, and evenness index between 0.3$\sim$0.9, and richness index between 1.8$\sim$3.9. Benthic pollution index ranged between 16$\sim$74. The highest benthic pollution index was at station 4. On the other hand the lowest value was at station 6, where a large amount of M. senhousia belong to mollusca occurred. At the Busan Harbor, a total of 89 species was sampled with density of 1,845 ind. m$^{-2}$ and biomass of 133.6 g m$^{-2}$ in August 2007. The most dominant species was Tharyx sp., followed by M. japonica and Cirratulus cirrata within harbor area. M. japonica was dominant species in the outer area. The diversity index ranged between 0.7$\sim$2.2, evenness index between 0.3$\sim$1.0, and richness index between 1.1$\sim$4.1. Benthic pollution index ranged between 31$\sim$90. The lowest benthic pollution index was found at site 2 within harbor area.