• Journal of Environmental Science International
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• v.18 no.10
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• pp.1171-1179
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• 2009

The solitary ascidian, Halocynthia aurantium, which is commonly called the sea peach because of its coloration and general shape, is a valuable organism of benthic marine population in the northern region of the East Sea, Korea. It is seldom found at a depth of less than 10 meters and the sea peach is frequently observed in large populations between 20 and 100 meters. It appears to prefer attachment to vertical rocks faces and artificial cement blocks exposed to the currents. Mass mortality and reduction of resources in sea peach, H. aurantium, were occurred in the benthic area of the northern region of the East Sea because of the rapid fluctuation of environmental factors such as temperature and salinity due to mass rainfall in summer and going up north of a strong warm current in winter. Therefore, we examined the effects of temperature and salinity on embryonic development of fertilized eggs, tadpole larva to metamorphosis, and attachment to siphon development. Laboratory-raised larvae were studied using a two-factorial experimental design with four levels of temperature(8, 12, 16 and $20^{\circ}C$) and four levels of salinity(20, 25, 30 and 34 psu). The ascidian larvae of H. aurantium survived environmental conditions between temperature of $8{\sim}20^{\circ}C$ and salinity of 25~34 psu and exhibited positive growth at $8{\sim}16^{\circ}C$ and 30~34 psu. Fertilized eggs have not developed at lower salinity of 20 psu irrespective of temperature range tested and have showed an abnormal development at the salinity of 25 psu between higher temperatures of 20 and $24^{\circ}C$. This result suggests that temperature increase and salinity reduction depending on environmental fluctuation may have significant impacts on population variation of H. aurantium in the northern region of the East Sea.

• Journal of Environmental Science International
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• v.17 no.2
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• pp.141-148
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• 2008

In order to investigate the effect of inflow of Yangze river on the distribution of chlorophyll-${\alpha}$, the results of serial oceanographic observation during 2000-2005 were used. The oceanographic conditions in the northern East China Sea is influenced by the Tsushima Warm Current and low saline water derived from the Yangze river. The distributions of these water masses vary significantly by the season in the northern East China Sea. The sea surface temperature and salinity were stable and concentrations of chlorophyll-${\alpha}$ were low in the eastern part of $126^{\circ}E$. On the contrary, the salinity was significantly influenced by the low saline water derived from Yangze river with the high concentrations of chlorophyll-${\alpha}$. It is suggested that the low saline water inflowed from the Yangze river affects high concentrations of chlorophyll-${\alpha}$ in the northern East China Sea in summer.

• Ocean Science Journal
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• v.41 no.1
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• pp.31-41
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• 2006

Seasonal changes of abundance of the main phytoplankton groups of species (diatoms, dinoflagellates, chrysophytes, small flagellates and cryptophytes) and a set of environmental parameters were investigated in coastal and pre-estuarine waters of Peter the Great Bay (East/Japan Sea) in May-October of 1998 and 1999. Three periods of mass development were revealed: spring, summer and autumn blooms, with successive change of species. The conditions favourable for each group of species were determined. Driving mechanisms of the succession include nutrients transport through seasonal pycnocline by turbulent mixing, terrestrial nutrients supply by monsoon floods, nutrients supply by upwellings, and light control by the thickness of upper mixed layer. Summer succession could be explained by a simple SST-MLD diagram similar to Pingree S-kh diagram with sea surface temperature as indicator of stratification (S) and mixed layer depth as indicator of light availability (kh).

• Journal of Environmental Science International
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• v.19 no.12
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• pp.1385-1395
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• 2010

Harmful dinoflagellate Cochlodinium polykrikoides blooms have been frequently occurred in coastal areas of the East Sea since 1995. We compared the oceanic conditions in years 1995, 2001 and 2003 when the C. polykrikoides bloom was strong, and in years 1998 and 2004 when the C. polykrikoides bloom was not appeared. We studied temporal and spatial variation of upwelling and geostrophic currents on the western channel of Korean Strait, an entrance of the East Sea. The period and occurrence area of C. polykrikoides bloom was depended on variation of upwelling in summer. In the distributions of geostrophic current, southward current was dominant near the coast in August, 1998 and 2000. Whereas northward current was dominant near and off the coast in August, 1995 and 2003 which the C. polykrikoides bloom was strong. When compared dominant phytoplankton of the coastal areas in each year, Kuroshio indicator species Proboscia alata and Chaetoceros affine were dominant, respectively, in 2001 and 2003 at every stations. However, the dominant species was variable at each coastal area in 1998 and 2000. In 2003, the abundance of Sagitta elegans which is known as the cold water indicator was low, but the abundance of S. enflata, warm water indicator, was very high in Gangneung compared to Sokcho. It seemed that the distribution of S. elegans is restricted by strong warm water current. In conclusion, it was estimated that the distribution of C. polykrikoides bloom in the coastal area of the East Sea was closely related with the strength of East Korea Warm Current and upwelling.

• Ocean Science Journal
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• v.40 no.1
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• pp.25-44
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• 2005

Long-term, continuous, and real-time ocean monitoring has been undertaken in order to evaluate various oceanographic phenomena and processes in the East/Japan Sea. Recent technical advances combined with our concerted efforts have allowed us to establish a real-time monitoring system and to accumulate considerable knowledge on what has been taking place in water properties, current systems, and circulation in the East Sea. We have obtained information on volume transport across the Korea Strait through cable voltage measurements and continuous temperature and salinity profile data from ARGO floats placed throughout entire East Sea since 1997. These ARGO float data have been utilized to estimate deep current, inertial kinetic energy, and changes in water mass, especially in the northern East Sea. We have also developed the East Sea Real-time Ocean Buoy (ESROB) in coastal regions and made continual improvements till it has evolved into the most up-to-date and effective monitoring system as a result of remarkable technical progress in data communication systems. Atmospheric and oceanic measurements by ESROB have contributed to the recognition of coastal wind variability, current fluctuations, and internal waves near and off the eastern coast of Korea. Long-tenn current meter moorings have been in operation since 1996 between Ulleungdo and Dokdo to monitor the interbasin deep water exchanges between the Japanese and Ulleung Basins. In addition, remotely sensed satellite data could facilitate the investigation of atmospheric and oceanic surface conditions such as sea surface temperature (SST), sea surface height, near-surface winds, oceanic color, surface roughness, and so on. These satellite data revealed surface frontal structures with a fairly good spatial resolution, seasonal cycle of SST, atmospheric wind forcing, geostrophic current anomalies, and biogeochemical processes associated with physical forcing and processes. Since the East Sea has been recognized as a natural laboratory for global oceanic changes and a clue to abrupt climate change, we aim at constructing a 4-D continuous real-time monitoring system, over a decade at least, using the most advanced techniques to understand a variety of oceanic processes in the East Sea.

• Ocean and Polar Research
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• v.25 no.3
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• pp.303-314
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• 2003

The initiation of Cochlodinium polykrikoides blooming in the South Sea of Korea occurs in the sea near Naro-Do in late August. In this paper, the relationships of this annual occurrence with the environmental conditions are presented. In early summer, the winds in the sea near Naro-Do are southwesterly and the upwelling occurs in the near-shore area. The favorable winds to the upwelling are relaxed in August and the downwelling favorable northeasterly winds set in around late August. The change of wind direction causes the onshore transport of warm-and-fresh off-shore water into the sea near Naro-Do and a front between near-shore water and off·shore water is formed. Along the front, downwelling occurs and the environmental conditions for the diatom become unfavorable. When the typhoon and storm bring well-mixed East China Sea water into the sea near Naro-Do in September, the conditions for the dinoflagellates become unfavorable and blooming of C. polykrikoides disappears.

• The Korean Journal of Quaternary Research
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• v.17 no.2
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• pp.1-7
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• 2003

Environmental changes caused by the abrupt climatic change are one of the important issues in the scientific community. In the East Sea, abrupt climatic shift, called Younger Dryas, is identified. The age of the Younger Dryas cold episode occurred at 11.2 ka. Overall, changes in circulation and bottom water conditions occurred during the Younger Dryas cold episode in the study area. Especially, climatic transition from meltwater spike to the Younger Dryas cold episode is characterized by significant shifts of oxygen isotope values, the coiling ratios of Neogloboquadrina pachyderma, and the planktonic foraminifers abundances. The impact of abrupt climate change on the ecosystem is very significant. In the East Sea, the calcium carbonate secreting organism(foraminifers) is replaced by silicon dioxide secreting organisms(diatom, radiolarian) after the abrupt and severe cold climatic event. Based on the Doctrine of Uniformitarianism, at least climate change for the next 100 years would be severely influence on the marine ecosystem.

• Ocean Science Journal
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• v.40 no.4
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• pp.191-200
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• 2005

In this study an analytical tide model of uniform width with three sub-regions is presented. The three-subregions model takes into account step-like variations in depths in the direction of the channel as a way to examine the $M_2$ tide of the East China Sea (ECS) as well as the Yellow Sea (YS). A modified Proudman radiation condition has been applied at the northern open head, while the sea surface elevation is specified at the southern open boundary. It is seen that, due to the presence of an abrupt change in depth, co-amplitude lines of the $M_2$ tide are splitted to the east and west near the end of the ECS shelf region. Variations in depths, bottom friction and the open head boundary conditions all contribute to the determination of formation of amphidromes as well as overall patterns of $M_2$ tidal distribution. It is seen that increasing water depth and bottom friction in the ECS shelf results in the westward shift of the southern amphidrome. There is however no hint at all of the well-known degenerated tidal pattern being formed. It is inferred that a lateral variation of water depth has to be somehow incorporated to represent the tidal patterns in ECS in a realistic manner. Regarding the radiation factor introduced by Fang et al. (1991), use of a value larger than one, possibly with a phase shift, appears to be a proper way of incorporating the reflected waves from the northern Yellow Sea (NYS).

• Korean Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences
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• v.45 no.2
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• pp.173-179
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• 2012

The common squid $Todarodes$ $pacificus$ is a dominant species in Korean waters, where it is captured preponderantly by the angling fishery. The spawning and nursery grounds of $T.$ $pacificus$ extend from the southern East Sea to the northern East China Sea. Consequently, the environmental conditions in this area during the spawning and nursery seasons might affect the abundance of $T.$ $pacificus$. This study, analyzed the relationship between the distribution of zooplankton and the abundance of $T.$ $pacificus$ and variation in the squid angling fishing grounds in Korean waters. There was a positive relationship between the fluctuations in zooplankton and the catch per unit effort (CPUE; $kg{\cdot}day^{-1}{\cdot}person^{-1}$) of the angling fishery in the East Sea of Korea. The main fishing season is from July to December and the CPUE was closely related to the zooplankton biomass in April in the East Sea. Recently, the center of the squid jigging ground has moved drastically from the area around Ulleung Island to the northern East Sea. We postulate that the fishing grounds of the squid angling fishery will move farther north with climate change.

• ALGAE
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• v.31 no.3
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• pp.231-241
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• 2016

We examined the genetic diversity and abundance of picocyanobacteria using barcoded amplicon sequencing approaches and flow cytometry in the East Sea and the East China Sea to determine the distribution patterns of diversity during spring in seas adjacent to the Korean Peninsula. Synechococcus clades I and IV, which have been known as cold-adapted ecotypes, dominated at most stations. However, the relative abundances of the two dominant clades differed in their spatial patterns. Clade I was exclusively dominant in the shelf area of the East China Sea and the north East Sea. However, the dominant genotypes belonging to clade I had different spatial distributions in the two areas and responded oppositely to seawater temperature. The dominance of distinct genotypes under the different ecological conditions suggests the presence of ecologically different ecotypes within the clade. Abundances of clade IV were greater than those of clade I at most stations in the southwest East Sea, showing an apparently different pattern from that of the other areas. A warm-water adapted clade II was observed at significant levels only at stations located in the eastern East China Sea affected by a branch of the warm Kuroshio Current. These results suggest that the physicochemical properties of influencing water masses play an important role in determining the distribution of Synechococcus genotypes.