• Korean Journal of Environment and Ecology
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• v.32 no.4
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• pp.425-439
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• 2018

W investigated the environmental factors and inhabiting biota such as macrophytes and zooplankton in 43 sites located on Jeju Island from May and June 2017 to evaluate the spread and ecosystem risk of dotted duckweed (landoltia punctata) which was recently found for the first time in Jeju Island. Dotted duckweeds were found in a total of 18 sites which tended to show low biomass of aquatic macrophyte species other than the dotted duckweed. We conducted a pattern analysis using SOM (Self-Organizing Map), which extracts information through competitive and adaptive properties, to analyze the effect of inhabiting biota on aquatic macrophytes such as the dotted duckweed and environmental factors. The SOM analysis showed that the inhabiting biota such as the zooplankton affected the biomass of aquatic macrophytes than they did the environmental factors. In particular, the biomass of dotted duckweed was positively related to plant-attached species (Alona, Chydorus, and Pleuroxus). Considering that low density of aquatic macrophytes covers the streams and wetlands on Jeju Island because of irregular water source and sharp change of water depth, the dotted duckweeds are likely to play an essential role as the vital habitat for micro-biota including zooplankton in wetlands and streams on Jeju Island. Furthermore, considering that organic matters are utilized as the primary food source in the areas occupied by dotted duckweed, dotted duckweeds have the role of being both habitat and food source. Although the dense growth of dotted duckweed adversely affects growth and development of some aquatic plants due to the shadow effect, it is due to the dominance of floating plants on the water surface should not be regarded as the risk of the dotted duckweed. In conclusion, the dotted duckweeds have spread and settled in most of the water systems on Jeju Island, their impact on inhabiting biota and the aquatic environment was minor. It is necessary to monitor the distribution and spread of dotted duckweeds in the inland areas outside of Jeju Island in the future.