• Ocean and Polar Research
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• v.40 no.4
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• pp.191-202
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• 2018

In this study we conducted a weekly monitoring exercise at a fixed station in the saltwater zone during the dry season (Jan-Mar, 2013) and wet season (Jun-Aug, 2013) to understand the fluctuations in phytoplankton communities and environmental factors in the Youngsan River estuary altered by a dike constructed in the coastal area. Phytoplankton communities displayed seasonality; diatoms were dominant during the dry season whereas dinoflagellates were dominant during the wet season. T-test analysis showed that water temperature was significantly different between the seasons whereas freshwater discharge from the dike was not significantly different. This suggests that seasonal variations of phytoplankton are more likely affected by water temperature than freshwater discharge. However, a short-term fluctuation was also observed in response to freshwater discharge; freshwater species appeared during or after the discharge in the dry and wet seasons and blooms of harmful species developed after the discharge. Phytoplankton communities may be affected by changes in physical factors such as turbidity and salinity and nutrient supply resulting from freshwater discharge. Especially, the nutrient supply may directly contribute to the harmful algal blooms (HABs) composed of dinoflagellates which can adapt to low salinity after freshwater discharge.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.30 no.1
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• pp.26-31
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• 2020

Heterosigma akashiwo is a globally distributed raphidophyte that forms blooms and causes significant losses to the aquaculture industry in many coastal countries. The development of a fast and sensitive detection method is therefore required to facilitate the appropriate warning of harmful algal blooms. In this study, a nuclease protection integrated with sandwich hybridization (NPA-SH) assay was developed to both qualitatively and quantitatively detect H. akashiwo. The NPA, capture and signal probes were designed by nucleotide sequencing of H. akashiwo. The applicability of NPA-SH was evaluated using cultured H. akashiwo cells and field samples collected at Goseong Bay, Korea. The results show that this method has good applicability and effectiveness in analyzing cultured cells and field samples. A linear regression equation for the quantitative analysis of H. akashiwo was obtained, and the lower detection limit of the assay was 1×10⁴ cells/ml. There was no statistically significant difference in the results of H. akashiwo quantitation using NPA-SH compared to those obtained using a microscope. These results indicate that NPA-SH can be a good alternative to the traditional microscopic method used to monitor H. akashiwo.

• Korean Journal of Environmental Biology
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• v.36 no.4
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• pp.601-609
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• 2018

Microcystis aeruginosa, a freshwater cyanobacteria species known to be one of the most predominant species responsible for cyanobacterial harmful algal blooms (CyanoHABs). It has been frequently associated with the contamination of neurotoxins and peptide hepatotoxins, such as microcystin and lipopolysaccharides-LPSs. CyanoHABs control technologies so far put in place do not provide a fundamental solution and cause secondary pollution linked with the control measures. For this study, algicidal peptides, which have been reported to be non-toxic and to have antimicrobial properties, were employed for the development of novel eco-friendly control against CyanoHABs. The four peptides (CMA1, CMA2, HPA3P, and HPA3NT3) selected in this study showed significant algicidal effects against M. aeruginosa cells inducing cell aggregation and flotation. Moreover, the newly generated peptides (K160242-5) with certain modifications also displayed high algicidal activity. The algicidal activity of the peptides was found to depend on the concentrations and structures of each of amino acid. The results of this study suggested a novel possibility of CyanoHABs control using the non-toxic algicidal peptides.

• Proceedings of the Korea Water Resources Association Conference
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• 2023.05a
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• pp.168-168
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• 2023

The frequent occurrence of cyanobacterial harmful algal blooms (CHABs) in inland waters under climate change seriously damages the ecosystem and human health and is becoming a big problem in South Korea. Satellite remote sensing is suggested for effective monitoring CHABs at a larger scale of water bodies since the traditional method based on sparse in-situ networks is limited in space. However, utilizing a standalone variable of satellite reflectances in common CHABs dual-models, which relies on both chlorophyll-a (Chl-a) and phycocyanin or cyanobacteria cells (Cyano-cell), is not fully beneficial because their seasonal variation is highly impacted by surrounding meteorological and bio-environmental factors. Along with the development of Artificial Intelligence (AI), monitoring CHABs from space with analyzing the effects of environmental factors is accessible. This study aimed to investigate the potential application of AI in the dual-model strategy (Chl-a and Cyano-cell are output parameters) for monitoring seasonal dynamics of CHABs from satellites over Korean inland waters. The Sentinel-3 satellite was selected in this study due to the variety of spectral bands and its unique band (620 nm), which is sensitive to cyanobacteria. Via the AI-based feature selection, we analyzed the relationships between two output parameters and major parameters (satellite water-leaving reflectances at different spectral bands), together with auxiliary (meteorological and bio-environmental) parameters, to select the most important ones. Several AI models were then employed for modelling Chl-a and Cyano-cell concentration from those selected important parameters. Performance evaluation of the AI models and their comparison to traditional semi-analytical models were conducted to demonstrate whether AI models (using water-leaving reflectances and environmental variables) outperform traditional models (using water-leaving reflectances only) and which AI models are superior for monitoring CHABs from Sentinel-3 satellite over a Korean inland water body.

• The Sea:JOURNAL OF THE KOREAN SOCIETY OF OCEANOGRAPHY
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• v.3 no.4
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• pp.193-202
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• 1998

Water quality of Masan-Jinhae Bay was monitored from January 1996 to August 1997. The monitoring focused on the spatial and vertical gradients and seasonal changes of eutrophication parameters such as nutrients, DO and water transparency. Flagellate phytoplanktons persistently bloomed from April to October with monospecific or mixed algal blooms and dynamic algal successions were observed in this area. Algal blooms were highly correlated with salinity drops and made the water less transparent. Stratification of oxygen content was persistent through summer and oligo-oxygenation was developed in the bottom waters. Nutrient gradients were consistently maintained through the depth in summer and through spatial distribution from inner Masan Bay to outer Jinhae Bay in winter. Except the rainfall seasons, water quality was under the influence of the waste waters discharged from watershed around the Masan Bay. The waste waters would act as the primary factor for the water quality deterioration of the bay. Literature data for eutrophication were gathered and analyzed to review the water quality trends of the Masan and Jinhae bays since 1970. Annual mean COD and phosphate concentration consistently increased from 1975 to 1990 and decreased or dropped after 1991. The sediment of inner part of Masan Bay was dredged from 1991 to 1994 as a decontamination process and it is assumed that the dredging has weakened more or less the deterioration trend of the water quality of the bay.

• Journal of Korea Water Resources Association
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• v.49 no.2
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• pp.155-164
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• 2016

Algal blooms not only destroy fish habitats but also diminish biological diversity of ecosystem which results into water quality deterioration of 4 major rivers in South Korea. The relationship between algal bloom and environmental factors had been analyzed through the cross-correlation function between concentration of chlorophyll a and other environmental factors. However, time series of cross-correlations can be affected by the stochastic structure such auto-correlated feature of other controllers. In order to remove external effect in the correlation analysis, the pre-whitening procedure was implemented into the cross correlation analysis. The modeling process is consisted of a series of procedure (e.g., model identification, parameter estimation, and diagnostic checking of selected models). This study provides the exclusive correlation relationship between algae concentration and other environmental factors. The difference between the conventional correlation using raw data and that of pre-whitened series was discussed. The process implemented in this paper is useful not only to identify exclusive environmental variables to model Chl-a concentration but also in further extensive application to configure causality in the environment.

• Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences
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• v.2 no.2
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• pp.172-175
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• 1999

Relative DNA contents in some harmful algae were measured using DAPI staining and image analysis system. This method was useful to identify some morphologically similar species and isolates from harmful algal blooms (HABs). In exponential phase, Prorocentrum micans had higher relative DNA content (RD) of $1.83\pm0.52$ than any other isolates, followed by Cochlodinium polykrikoides $(1.10\pm0.46)$ Alexandrium tamarense $(0.93\pm0.32)$ Gyrodinium impudicum $(0.56\pm0.17)$, Scrippsiella trochoidea $(0.41\pm0.26)$ and P. minimum$(0.05\pm0.01)$. When they were fixed with Lugol's solution, it was difficult to d,iscern C. polykrikoides from G. impudicum under the light microscope, but the DNA contents were quite different in two species. C. polykrikoides contained about twice as much RD as G. impudicum under the same culture conditions and exponential phase. DAPI­stained DNA feature in C. polykrikodes showed concentrated in the peripheral part of the cell, but in G. impudicum showed a compact structure in the central part. Although A. tamarense and S. trochoidea were morphologically similar under the light microscope, nuclear DNA content of A. tamarense was twice as much as that of S. trochoidea.

• Journal of Korean Society on Water Environment
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• v.39 no.3
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• pp.223-230
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• 2023

Harmful algae blooms have become a serious environmental problem in major river basins in Korea. They are known to produce various algal organic matters (AOMs) including intracellular organic matters (IOMs) and extracellular organic matters (EOMs). Generally AOMs cannot be easily removed by coagulation/flocculation process in conventional drinking water plants. AOMs produced by blue-green algae also include various toxins such as Microcystins, Anatoxin-a, and Saxitoxin known to have harmful effects on living organisms in aquatic environment. In this study, toxic effects of EOMs produced by three different algae species (Microcystis sp., Anabaena sp., and Oscillatoria sp.) on zebrafish were investigated using electroencephalography (EEG) recording method, a technology for recording brain activity. Electroencephalographic changes in zebrafish revealed that a low EOM had a negative effect on zebrafish compared to both Anabaena sp. and Oscillatoria sp. at 30 ppm EOM exposures. This result might be due to Microcystins present in EOMs produced by Microcystis sp. As a result of power spectrum density anallysis, exposure to EOMs produced by Microcystis sp. caused a state of vigilance in zebrafish. This EEG based toxicity test can be used to examine effects of harmful materials at low levels on living organisms in an aquatic system.

• Korean Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences
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• v.34 no.5
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• pp.457-464
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• 2001

Algal growth potential (AGP) assay using Cochlodinium polykrikoides was conducted in Saryang Island coast where C. polykrikoides red tide occurred annually from July to October 1998. The effects of macro- and micro-nutrients on the growth of C. polykrikoides were specifically evaluated by the algal assay method. Two different types of growth response of C. polykikoides for the addition of nutrients were clearly obseued. For both before and after C. polykrikoides occurrence, the growth of C. polykikoides was significantly stimulated by the addition of either nitrate or ammonium of $50{\mu]M$ with phosphate of $5{\mu}M$. The addition of a single nutrient had no clear effect on the growth of C. polyhikoides and the addition of trace metals, vitamins, and EDTA etc. did not stimulate the algal growth, also. This result indicates that both N and P potentially limited the growth of C. polyhikoides in this period. However, during a bloom of C. polyhikoides, the growth was unlikely to be stimulated by the addition of both macro- and micro-nutrients. At that time the nutrient concentration of Saryang Island coast was $24.33{\mu}M$ for ammonium, $1.61{\mu}M$ for phosphate, and $0.58{\mu}M$ for nitrate, respectively. The concentrations of nutrients increased, on average, 8.2-fold for ammonium and 4.8-fold for phosphate, decreased 3.3-fold for nitrate compared to both before and after the red tide. This result shows that the growth of C. polykikoides was not limited by the nutrients during the bloom in September. Therefore, our results suggest that the C. polykrikoides red tide may outbreak especially when the water is fertilized due to the increased N and P.

• The Sea:JOURNAL OF THE KOREAN SOCIETY OF OCEANOGRAPHY
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• v.10 no.1
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• pp.79-91
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• 2005

In order to understand growth characteristics of ten major species of microalgae responsible for frequent harmful algal blooms in Korean coastal waters, the growth rates of the isolates were examined in relation with the impacts of water temperature, salinity and irradiance. In addition, their bloom events since 1990 as well as monthly abundance of vegetative cells were analyzed. Heterocapsa triquetra, Eutreptiella gymnastica and Alexandrium tamarense were considered as relatively mid temperature adapted species in that growth rates were comparatively high at low water temperatures of $10{\sim}16^{\circ}C$ and drastically decreased at above $22^{\circ}C$. Prorocentrum micans and Pyramimonas sp. were categorized as relatively high temperature adapted species by showing comparatively better growths at high water temperatures above $25^{\circ}C$. Akashiwo sanguinea, Heterosigma akashiwo, Prorocentrum minimum and Scrippsiella trochoidea were eurythermal species with relative high growth rates in a broad ranges of water temperature, $16{\sim}25^{\circ}C$ were slightly halophobic, showing better growths at low salinities of $10{\sim}30$ psu than at above 35 psu. H. akashiwo, P. minimum and H. triquetra were euryhaline species with remarkable growths in a broad ranges of salinity, 15-40 psu. Frequent algal blooms by these three species at extremely low salinities below 25 psu after rainfall were attributed to their euryhaline and slightly halophobic physiological characteristics. Growth rates of H. akashiwo, P. minimum and Pyraminonas sp. increased with the increase of irradiance within the experimental ranges of $2{\sim}150\;{\mu}E{\cdot}m^{-2}{\cdot}s^{-1}$. However, A. sanguinea, A. tamarense and H. triquetra showed better growths at comparatively low irradiance of $50{\sim}100\;{\mu}E{\cdot}m^{-2}{\cdot}s^{-1}$ and drastic decreases in growth rates above $150\;{\mu}E{\cdot}m^{-2}{\cdot}s^{-1}$ of irradiance. Overall, relatively high temperature adapted species make blooms frequently in high water temperature season with strong natural irradiance, and relatively low temperature adapted species grow better at low water temperature with relatively weak natural irradiance.