• Korean Journal of Remote Sensing
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• v.37 no.4
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• pp.687-698
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• 2021

We present quantitative estimations of changes in the areal extent of coral reef habitats at Weno Island, Micronesia, using high-spatial-resolution remote sensing images and field observations. Coral reef habitat maps were generated from Kompsat-2 satellite images for September 2008 and September 2010, yielding classifications with 78.6% and 72.4% accuracy, respectively, which is a relatively high level of agreement. The difference between the number of pixels occupied by each seabed type was calculated, revealing that the areal extent of living corals decreased by 8.2 percentage points between 2008 and 2010. This result is consistent with a comparison of the seabed types determined by field observations. This study can be used as a basis for remediation planning to diminish the impact of changes in coral reefs.

• The Sea:JOURNAL OF THE KOREAN SOCIETY OF OCEANOGRAPHY
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• v.3 no.4
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• pp.214-227
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• 1998

This study was carried out to investigate the composition and diagenesis of the carbonate rocks from the seamounts in the Federated States of Micronesia, Central Pacific. Most of the samples were dredged from the water depth of about 1000-3000 m mainly in Chuuk Island, Hunter Bank, Caroline Ridge and Yap Trench. The carbonate rocks are either pelagic sediment mainly of planktonic foraminifera or shallow-marine sediment of corals, calcareous algae, mollusks and echinoderms. The rocks are altered texturally and chemically, except for those from the Hunter Bank and Yap A. The presence of shallow-marine cements suggests that the carbonate sediment has been subsided or reworked to the present water depth after deposition in shallow-marine environments. The texture of the carbonate sediment is reminiscent of meteoric diagenesis; however, the stable carbon isotopic composition of the altered rock samples shows affinity with that of sea water and the oxygen isotopic values are slightly enriched or same as compared to those of unaltered samples. These stable isotopic data suggest that the carbonate sediment of the study area has been diagenetically altered in the present deep-marine environment.

• Korean Journal of Microbiology
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• v.51 no.1
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• pp.31-38
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• 2015

The bacterial community structures of two marine sponges, Cinachyrella sp. and Plakortis sp., collected from Chuuk in the South Pacific in February 2012 were analyzed by PCR-DGGE (Denaturing Gradient Gel Electrophoresis) fingerprinting. After isolation of the total genomic DNAs from the sponges, the V3 regions of the 16S rRNA genes were amplified and subjected to DGGE profiling. The two species of sponges displayed different DGGE band patterns. The sequences derived from the DGGE bands revealed 85-100% similarities to known bacterial species in the public database. The bacterial community of Cinachyrella sp. was composed of 6 classes: Actinobacteria, Bacteroidetes, Chloroflexi, and Proteobacteria (Alpha-, Gamma-, Delta-). The bacterial community of Plakortis sp. included 7 classes: Actinobacteria, Chloroflexi, Firmicutes, Spirochaetes, and Proteobacteria (Alpha-, Gamma-, Delta-). Though Actinobacteria, Chloroflexi and Proteobacteria were commonly found in both sponges, the predominant bacterial communities differed between the two. Namely, the predominant bacterial groups in Cinachyrella sp. and Plakortis sp. were Proteobacteria and Chloroflexi, respectively. The sponge-associated bacteria are sponge host-specific, as each of the tested sponges from the same geographical location had different predominant bacterial diversity.

• Ocean and Polar Research
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• v.28 no.1
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• pp.13-23
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• 2006

This study was conducted to investigate the community structure and distributional pattern of meiobenthos on the sediment of the mangrove forest and seagrass bed in the Chuuk lagoon. The samples were collected by an acryl corer at 14 stations. Nematodes were the most abundant meiobenthos, followed by ciliophorans and polychaetes; these taxa comprised more than 70% of the total abundance at all stations. The meiofuuna sampled in seagrass bed were more diverse than those of mangrove substrates. Total densities were higher in mangrove stations than other sites, averaging 1,671 to $2,967inds/10cm^2$. Densities in seagrass area ranged between 605 and $1,053inds/10cm^2$. Biomasses, however, were higher in seagrass bed $(975-2,167{\mu}g\;free\;dry\;weight/10cm^2)$ than in mangrove area $(1,064-1,180{\mu}g\;free\;dry\;weight/10cm^2)$. Ordination chart by MDS of major meiofaunal density in each station showed difference between mangrove area and seagrass area in terms of habitat of meiobenthos.

• Ocean and Polar Research
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• v.31 no.4
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• pp.319-326
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• 2009

Analysis of four microsatellite markers from Mud Crab Scylla serrata revealed that there is high level of genetic diversity within this species. Genetic diversity of S. serrata was calculated using allele diversity, observed heterozygosity, expected heterozygosity (Het-exp), polymorphic information content, gene differentiation and Nei's $D_{A}$ distance. Mean polymorphic information content value was 0.797, which reflected high level of polymorphism across the loci of S. serrata. The Palau population has the highest genetic diversity (Het-exp=0.871), while the Kosrae population has the lowest genetic diversity (Hetexp=0.806). However, the geographical genetic distance among S. serrata populations from Yab, Chuuk, Pohnpei, Kosrae, and Palau were low (0.2009${\sim}$0.3350). These results suggest that despite their wide distribution, S. serrata are no different in geographical genetic diversity within the five sampled locations.

• Animal Systematics, Evolution and Diversity
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• v.31 no.1
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• pp.31-41
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• 2015

A new species of the genus Farranula Wilson, 1942 (Cyclopoida, Corycaeidae) is described based on both sexes collected off Chuuk Island in Micronesia (West Central Pacific). The new species F. dahlae differs from its close congener F. gibbula (Giesbrecht, 1891) in the following combination of characters in both sexes: body length is longer, length to width ratio of caudal rami is larger, basal element of maxilliped is distinctly longer, and terminal spine to distal segment ratio of P4 is smaller; while in females, lateral margins of fourth pedigerous somite are extended to mid-region of second urosomal somite, maximum width of the second urosomal somite is located at middle region in dorsal and lateral views, and length ratio of caudal seta III to seta V is much larger; and in males, sharply contracted portion of second somite is located at two-thirds distance from anterior margin. Some additional morphological details of F. gibbula are given and a key to species of the genus Farranula is provided.

• Korean Journal of Ichthyology
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• v.32 no.4
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• pp.239-244
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• 2020

The morphological characteristics of a larval fish (7.8 mm in body length) collected off Chuuk, Micronesia were highly similar to those of larval Omosudis sp., except fin development and body length. It was identified as Omosudis lowii by partial mitochondrial 12S rRNA gene analysis. The morphological traits of the larval fish validated by the molecular genetic marker will be informative for species-level identification of larval Omosudis lowii.

• Mycobiology
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• v.49 no.6
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• pp.551-558
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• 2021

The Federated States of Micronesia (FSM) is an island country in the western Pacific and is a known biodiversity hotspot. However, a relatively small number of fungi (236 species) have been reported till July 2021. Since fungi play major ecological roles in ecosystems, we investigated the fungal diversity of FSM from various sources over 2016 and 2017 and constructed a local fungal inventory, which also included the previously reported species. Fruiting bodies were collected from various host trees and fungal strains were isolated from marine and terrestrial environments. A total of 99 species, of which 78 were newly reported in the FSM, were identified at the species level using a combination of molecular and morphological approaches. Many fungal species were specific to the environment, host, or source. Upon construction of the fungal inventory, 314 species were confirmed to reside in the FSM. This inventory will serve as an important basis for monitoring fungal diversity and identifying novel biological resources in FSM.

• Aerospace Engineering and Technology
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• v.11 no.2
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• pp.19-25
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• 2012

GEO-KOMPSAT2 shall provide higher quality of image than the COMS and uses star tracker instead of earth sensor, which requires precise onboard orbit information. This requires precise on-ground orbit determination. For COMS, orbit determination is performed using the ranging data obtained from tracking system located in DAEJON. For accurate orbit determination of GEO-KOMPSAT2, KARI is building a secondary tracking station in CHUUK Islands. In this paper, the achievable accuracy of table based onboard orbit parameter generator which interpolates orbit data obtained from on-ground orbit determination using tracking data collected from two ground stations. Two types of approaches have been applied; covariance analysis and numerical analysis. By combining two analysis results, total orbit error has been estimated.

• Ocean and Polar Research
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• v.35 no.4
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• pp.427-439
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• 2013

Carbon cycling and productivity within Weno Island of Micronesia enclosed by the coral reef may be likely self-maintained and insignificantly affected by the open ocean. Therefore, it is important to understand the role of the mangrove known as providing the organic matter and habitats for many organisms in this enclosed area. In order to trace the nutritional source of fauna (mostly invertebrates) in the mangrove forest of Weno island, we analyzed the fatty acid (FA) and carbon and nitrogen stable isotopes of potential nutritional sources (mangrove leaf & pneumatophore, seagrass leaf & root, surface sediment, and particulate organic matter (POM) in water) and consumers (4 gastropods and anomura). The mangrove and seagrass contained the abundance of 18:2${\omega}$6, and 18:3${\omega}$3, whereas FAs associated with phytoplankton and bacteria were accounted for a high proportion in the surface sediment and POM. FA composition of consumers was found to be similar to those of the surface sediment, mangrove, and seagrass. These were also confirmed through the mixing model of stable isotope for contribution of nutritional sources to consumers. Overall results with the feeding types of investigated mangrove fauna indicate that investigated mangrove fauna obtained their nutrition from the various sources, i.e. the mangrove for Littorina cf. scabra, the microalgae for Strombus sp., and omnivorous Pagurus sp. and Terebralia cf. palustris. However, it is obvious that the nutrition of most species living in the mangrove ecosystem is highly dependent on the mangrove, either directly or indirectly. More detail food-web structure and function of the mangrove ecosystem would be established with the analysis of additional fauna and flora.