• The Korean Journal of Quaternary Research
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• v.17 no.2
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• pp.33-38
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• 2003

This study is conducted to examine the data of climate or environmental change in the northeastern Asia during the last glacial maximum. A remarkable feature of the 18,000 BP biome reconstructions for China is the mid-latitude extention of steppe and desert biomes to the modem eastern coast. Terrestrial deposits of glacial maximum age from the northern part of Yellow Sea suggest that this region of the continental shelf was occupied by desert and steppe vegetation. And the shift from temperate forest to steppe and desert implies conditions very much drier than present in eastern Asia. Dry conditions might be explained by a strong winter monsoon and/or a weak summer monsoon. A very strong depression of winter temperatures at LGM. has in the center of continent has influenced in northeast Asia similarly. The vegetation of Hokkaido at LGM was subarctic thin forest distributed on the northern area of middle Honshu and cool and temperate mixed forest at southern area of middle Honshu in Japan. The vegetation landscape of mountain- and East coast region of Korea was composed of herbaceous plants with sparse arctic or subarctic trees. The climate of yellow sea surface and west region of Korea was much drier and temperate steppe landscape was extended broadly. It is supposed that a temperate desert appeared on the west coast area of Pyeongan-Do and Cheolla-Do of Korea. The reconstruction of year-round conditions much colder than today right across China, Korea and Japan is consistent with biome reconstruction at the LGM.

• Journal of the Korean earth science society
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• v.22 no.1
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• pp.47-64
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• 2001

Water mass classification was conducted using the data of 1985 and 1986 in the East China Sea and the Korea Strait. Kuroshio water (type K) and mixed water (type I) were broadly distributed at 50 m depth in winter and spring, and mixed waters (type I to IV) were distributed in summer and autumn. At 100 m depth of the East China Sea, and mixed water (type I) was broadly distributed in winter and spring, and mixed waters (type I to III) were in summer, and type I was in autumn. Water mass in summer is the most influenced from the Chinese coastal water. In the Korea Strait, the Kuroshio water (type K) was the main water mass in winter and spring, and mixed waters (type I to IV) were in summer and autumn. If temperatures are corrected to remove the cooling effect from the atmosphere, the Kuroshiowater region was diminished, however the mixed water region was expanded in winter and spring. This shows that although the Kuroshio water appears to be a main water mass of the East China Sea and the Korea Strait in winter andspring, in reality the mixed water (type I) which is slightly changed from the Kuroshio water (type K) widely distributed. The tongue-shaped distribution of low density surface water indicates that the water mixed with the Chinese coastal water flows to the Korea Strait and the Okinawa in summer.

• Korean Journal of Ichthyology
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• v.35 no.1
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• pp.50-56
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• 2023

This study is the first to report the biometric information between the length and weight relationships (LWR) and seasonal body condition factors (K) of Sebastes zonatus Chen & Barsukov, 1976 and Thamnaconus modestus (Günther, 1877) inhabiting the waters off Ulleung-do and Dokdo. The LWRs in spring and summer, and all seasons combined were highly correlated (r²>0.959), and the regression slopes of LWRs were significantly different between the spring and summer in both species. The body conditions of the two fish were significantly higher during the spring than during the summer, reflecting their fatness in relation to spawning. The results from this study contribute to the understanding of the biology of S. zonatus and T. modestus and provide useful data for the development of conservation and management plans for these species.

• The Sea:JOURNAL OF THE KOREAN SOCIETY OF OCEANOGRAPHY
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• v.28 no.4
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• pp.158-177
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• 2023

An estuary is a transitional water area that links the land and sea through rivers and streams, transporting various components from the land to the sea, which plays an important role in determining primary productivity in the coastal environment, and this coastal ecosystem captures a huge amount of carbon into biomass, known as blue carbon, which mitigates climate change as a potential carbon reservoir. This study examined the variation of mean grain size and organic carbon content of the surface sediments for 6 years and analyzed their relationship in the western and southern estuarine areas (Han River Estuary, Geum River Estuary, Yeongsan River Estuary, Seomjin River Estuary, and Nakdong River Estuary) and the East Sea upwelling area. During the sampling period (2015 to 2020), seasonal variation of both properties was not observed, because their variations might be controlled by diverse oceanographic environments and hydrographic conditions within each survey area. However, despite the synoptic problem of all samples, the positive relationship was obtained between the averages of mean grain size and organic carbon content, which clearly distinguishes each survey area. The unique positive relationship in all estuarine areas implies that the same process by sediment clay particles is important in the organic carbon accumulation. However, additional important factor may be expected in the organic carbon accumulation in the East Sea upwelling area. Further necessary data (sedimentation rate, dry bulk density etc) should be required for the estimation of carbon stock to evaluate the major estuaries in Korea as potential carbon reservoirs in the coastal environment.

• Proceedings of the KSRS Conference
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• v.1
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• pp.174-179
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• 2006

Information on the distribution characteristics of tuna resources in Kiribati EEZ waters in three zones (Zone 1: west Gilbert region, Zone 2: central Phoenix region, and Zone 3: east Line region) as well as their relationship with the ocean environment is critical for sustainable managing the migratory tuna resource and fishing practices in this region. Therefore, this study is designed to investigate the spatial and temporal distribution and concentration of bigeye (BET) and yellowfin tuna (YFT) in Kiribati EEZ waters in relation to sea surface temperature (SST) and thermocline depth so as to better understand the tuna resources management basis in Kiribati waters. The geographic and temporal distribution and concentration were first displayed. Paired t-test was utilized to compare the distribution between the two tuna species based on Catch per Unit Effort (CPUE) derived from the Korean longliners during 1996 to 2004, and also among the three zones of Kiribati EEZ waters. Environmental conditions of the three zones were then compared and correlated with the CPUE of YFT and BET. In addition, the effect of ENSO phenomena on the environmental conditions and the distribution of YFT and BET within the three zones were also examined. The BET was relatively higher in the Zone 3 whereas YFT predominate in the Zone 1 and the Zone 2 due to oceanographic differences among the three zones and the ecological habitats of the two tuna species. It was suggested that El Ni?o/Southern Oscillation (ENSO) phenomena altered the oceanographic conditions of the three zones that in turn change the distribution of the two tuna species. During El Ni?o, the warm phase of ENSO, resulted in having more BET in all the three zones and the opposite observed during La Ni?a (cold phase) replacing by having relatively higher catch rate for YFT, particularly in the Zone 2. Although the results of the study are from short periods (1996 to 2004) in considering oceanographic anomality, these environmental variations should be considered into sustainable fisheries management of tuna fisheries in Kiribati EEZ waters.

• Microbiology and Biotechnology Letters
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• v.37 no.3
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• pp.219-225
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• 2009

A bacterial strain, JE-34, producing a high concentration of red pigment was isolated from a sediment in East China Sea. It was identified as Zooshikella sp. JE-34 based on the 16S rRNA gene sequence analysis. The red pigment was purified by solvent extraction and HPLC was identified as prodigiosin-like compound. Nutritional and cultural conditions were optimized for the production of prodigiosin-like pigment in the flask level. Optimal culture conditions were at initial medium pH $6.0{\sim}7.0$, $30^{\circ}C$ and 4 days incubation. For carbon and, nitrogen sources were soluble starch and malt extract.

• 한국해양학회지
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• v.28 no.4
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• pp.259-271
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• 1993

The distributions of bottom sediments and the depositional processes on the continental shelves of Korean Seas are interpreted. Generally the continental shelf sediments can be classified into the sand-facies and mud-facies, showing the typical bimodal size distributions Most of the sandy and gravelly sediments on the outer shelf floor are interpreted as "relict" sediments that were deposited during the last glacial times when the sea level was lower than the present. On the other hand the muddy sediments on the inner shelf area are interpreted as "recent" sediments that are deposited under the present environment conditions. It is understood that most of the fine materials cannot escape the inner shelf area due to the strong tidal and coastal fronts, and are transported eastward from the West Sea along the southern coast of Korean Peninsula. The dark-colored muddy sediments in the Hupo Basin of the East Sea are, however, considered to be "relict" sediments. In the midshelf area fine materials are mixed with the relict coarse sediments, and some of the relict sediments are continuously reworked under the present environmental conditions forming the "palimpsest" sediments.

• Journal of the Korean earth science society
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• v.29 no.6
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• pp.454-465
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• 2008

Benthic foraminiferal assemblage and AMS radiocarbon dating of core sediments from the northern shelf of the East China Sea were analyzed in order to understand the paleoenvironment and sedimentary environmental changes around the Korean marginal seas since the last glacial maximum (LGM). The core sediments, containing continuous records of the last 16,000 years, reveal a series of well-defined vertical changes in number of species (S), P/T ratio and species diversity (H) as well as foraminiferal assemblage. Such down-core variations display a sharp change at a core depth of approximately 240 cm, which corresponds to ca. 10,000 year B.P. The sediments of the lower part of the core (240${\sim}$560 cm, Zone I), including the well-developed tide-influenced sedimentary structures, are characterized by high abundances of Ammonia beccarii and Elphidium clavatum (s.l.) and low values in number of species, P/T ratio and diversity. These tide-influenced signatures and foraminiferal assemblage characters suggest that the sediments of Zone I were deposited in a coastal environment (water depths of 20${\sim}$30 m) such as tidal estuary with an influence of the paleo-rivers (e.g., old-Huanghe and Yangtze rivers) during the early phase of the sea-level rise (ca. 16,000 to 10,000 years) since the LGM. In contrast, the upper core sediments (0${\sim}$240 cm, Zone II) are characterized by abundant Eilohedra nipponica and Bolivina robusta with a minor contribution of A. ketienziensis angulata and B. marginata. and high values in number of species, P/T ratio and diversity. Based on relative abundance of these assemblage, Zone II can be divided into two subzones (IIa and IIb). Zone IIa is interpreted to be deposited under the inner-to-middle shelf environment during the marine transgression in the early Holocene (after ca. 9,000 yr B.P.) when sea level rapidly increased. The sediments of zone IIb most likely deposited after 6,000 yr B.P. under the outer shelf environment (80${\sim}$100 m water depth), which is similar to modem depositional environments. The muddy sediments of zone IIb were probably transported from the old-Huanghe and Yangtze Rivers during the late Holocene. We suggest that the present-day oceanographic conditions over the Yellow and the East China Seas have been established after ca. 7,000${\sim}$6,000 yr B.P. when the Kuroshio Current began to influence this area.

• Journal of Ecology and Environment
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• v.36 no.3
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• pp.173-181
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• 2013

Two varieties of Aucuba japonica differ in ways that can be considered adaptive to differing geo-climatic conditions in their respective distribution ranges. Irrespective of growth stage, the mean leaf size of A. japonica var. japonica was significantly larger than A. japonica var. borealis. Smaller leaf size and ultimately smaller stature of A. japonica var. borealis are an advantage under the higher snow load and lower temperatures in the forests along the East Sea where the variety grows. Snow load also acted as an important driving force for structural modifications of A. japonica var. borealis from cellular level in leaves to the organization of branch extension growth. Global warming by changing snowfall patterns in Japan may lead to range shifts in the two varieties of A. japonica.

• Korean Journal of Environmental Biology
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• v.37 no.3
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• pp.268-277
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• 2019

Severe damages will result in human society, when several different critical natural phenomena coincide. One example relates to the resting cysts of Alexandrium species (dinoflagellates that cause paralytic shellfish poisoning), which are preserved in surface sediments throughout Osaka Bay, Japan. These cysts have been found to accumulate particularly densely in shallow areas in the inner parts of Osaka Bay, where a tsunami caused by an earthquake could occur any time. Damage by a tsunami could cause a change of the coastal ecosystems at Osaka Bay including the resuspension of surface sediments containing resting Alexandrium tamarense cysts and the subsequent redistribution of the cysts in newly deposited sediment. Under certain environmental conditions, these cysts could germinate and form dense blooms, leading to paralytic shellfish poisoning. Such a scenario could also affect other coastal areas, including the southern coast of the Korean Peninsula.