• Title/Summary/Keyword: Environmental Factors

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Spatio-temporal Distributions of Organic Matter in Surface Sediment in the Central Part of the South Sea, Korea (남해 중부해역 표층퇴적물 유기물의 시.공간 분포특성)

  • Noh, Il-Hyeon;Yoon, Yang-Ho;Park, Jong-Sick;Soh, Ho-Young;Kim, Dae-Il
    • Journal of the Korean Society for Marine Environment & Energy
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    • v.9 no.4
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    • pp.203-215
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    • 2006
  • Field observations on the spatio-temporal distribution of organic matter of the surface sediment were carried out at 15 stations in the central parts of the South Sea of Korea from April 2002 to January 2003. The range of water temperature and salinity in bottom waters, mud content and water content of surface sediment were $8.06{\sim}23.35^{\circ}C,\;29.20{\sim}34.51\;psu,\;71.2{\sim}99.9%$ and $38.7{\sim}68.9%$, respectively. Measured parameters on the surface sediments of ignition loss (IL), chemical oxygen demand (CODs), phaeopigment, particulate organic carbon (POC) and particulate organic nitrogen (PON) also ranged in $3.9{\sim}l2.5%,\;9.60{\sim}44.05\;mgO_2/g-dry,\;1.58{\sim}29.51\;{\mu}g/g-dry,\;3.12{\sim}13.01\;mgC/g-dry$ and $0.49{\sim}2.00\;mgN/g-dry$, respectively. The spatio-temporal distribution of organic matter demonstrated higher concentrations offshore than at lesions near the coastal line. Higher concentrations occurred in the summer and spring. The results indicated that the origin of organic matter in surface sediments in the central part of the South Sea was autochthonous rather than allocthonous because the organic matter had an average C/N ratio of 6.44 (${\pm}0.51$). However, the composition of autochthonous organic matter was mainly derived from detritus rather than living phytoplankton, which was Indicated by the results of the POC/phaeopigment ratio. A principal component analysis (PCA) indicated that 73.2% of the variability in the data was described by two factors: 1) an 'environmental factor concerning the accumulation of materials (57.3%)' and 2) 'origin of organic matter and the composition by primary production (15.9%)'. The sedimentary environment in the central part of the South Sea was divided into four regions from the factor score of the PCA by the concentrations of organic matter and the composition ratio of organic matters from phytoplankton in surface sediments.

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A Stduy on the Microflora of the Han River -Taxonomy of Phytoplankton for the South Han River and Estimation of Water Pollution Levels on the Central Area of the Han River- (한강의 Microflora에 관한 연구 (제6보) -남한강의 식물성플랑크톤에 대한 분류와 한강중심수역의 수질오탁판정-)

  • 정영호
    • Journal of Plant Biology
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    • v.15 no.s
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    • pp.1-32
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    • 1972
  • In order to utilize for the prevention and preservation of the Han River from the environmental pollution the present studies were carried out to clarify the microflora and estimation of the water pollution levels of the Han River. In addition to the above regional and seasonal fluctuation of the phytoplankton was also examined. Samples of phytoplankton were collected from 6 stations in the South Han River during the period from December, 1971 to October, 1972. The results obtained during the present studies are as follows: 1. The phytoplankton samples collected from 6 stations, Yeoju, Hajapo-ri, Yangpyeong, Daruraegi, Giduwon and Paldang were identified and classified by Engler's classification system(1954). It resulted in 2 phylum, 2 classes, 7 orders, 10 families, 29 genera, 137 species, 1 sub-species, 49 varieties, 6 forma and 2 variety-forma. The total numbers of phytoplankton identified were 195 species, of which 7 families, 27 species, 26 varieties, 4 forma and 2 variety-forma are new to Korea, that of 54 species are first described in Korea. 2. In lower area of the Han River it is found 53 species from Paldang and in middle area it is found 114 species from Giduwon, 95 species from Daruraegi, 66 species from Yangpyeong, 71 species from Hajapori and 81 species from Yeoju. In standpoint of seasonal fluctuation of phytoplankton, the total numbers of the plankton is more abundant in summer than in winter season and it shows bimodal pattern. 3. As compared with previous data which obtained from 30 stations covering estuary to upper area, both South and North Han River, during the period from 1965-1972 it is shown that 10 species of the South Han River and 11 species of the North Han River are found throughout all seasons. Among the above species two are common in both area. In the other hand it is found that 9 species in spring season and 6 species in fall season in the South Han River and 10 species in spring, 23 species in summer, 4 species in fall and 15 species in winter season in the North Han River shows their seasonal fluctuation in this area. Among the seasonal occurrence of phytoplankton 10 species were consider to be indicator for the estimation of biological water pollution levels. 4. According to Fjerdingstad's water pollution level system (1963) the total numbers of 1, 230 species which have been collected from the Han River since 1965 includes 27 species of phytoplankton as indicator; 3 species of blue-green algae, 20 species of diatom, and 4 species of green-algae. 5. With 27 indicator species new estimation of water pollution level system was arranged for water pollution in the Han River. 6. The lower part of the central area of the Han River indicates mesosaprobic. In central area of the Han River shows mesosaprobic and oligosaprobic, but predominant in mesosaporobic. And it is indicated that mesosaprobic, oligosaprobic, and polysaprobic factors mixed up in the North Han River. Compare with their water pollution level in the South and North Han River, with author's new system, it is estimated that North Han River is more polluted than South Han River. 7. The reason why North Han River is more polluted suggested that the selfpurification action was limited by their circulation speed. The rapid speed of water in the North Han River is mainly caused by their topography and water-drainage from waterpower plant. In conclusion the central area of the Han River consist of mesosaprobe zone, as a part with oligosaprobe zone. But the presence of polysaprobe zone in the North Han River gives us many problems in future for the nationa development programme and natural conservation in this area.

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Induction of Phase I, II and III Drug Metabolism/Transport by Xenobiotics

  • Xu Chang Jiang;Li Christina YongTao;Kong AhNg Tony
    • Archives of Pharmacal Research
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    • v.28 no.3
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    • pp.249-268
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    • 2005
  • Drug metabolizing enzymes (DMEs) play central roles in the metabolism, elimination and detoxification of xenobiotics and drugs introduced into the human body. Most of the tissues and organs in our body are well equipped with diverse and various DMEs including phase I, phase II metabolizing enzymes and phase III transporters, which are present in abundance either at the basal unstimulated level, and/or are inducible at elevated level after exposure to xenobiotics. Recently, many important advances have been made in the mechanisms that regulate the expression of these drug metabolism genes. Various nuclear receptors including the aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AhR), orphan nuclear receptors, and nuclear factor-erythoroid 2 p45-related factor 2 (Nrf2) have been shown to be the key mediators of drug-induced changes in phase I, phase II metabolizing enzymes as well as phase III transporters involved in efflux mechanisms. For instance, the expression of CYP1 genes can be induced by AhR, which dimerizes with the AhR nuclear translocator (Arnt) , in response to many polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon (PAHs). Similarly, the steroid family of orphan nuclear receptors, the constitutive androstane receptor (CAR) and pregnane X receptor (PXR), both heterodimerize with the ret-inoid X receptor (RXR), are shown to transcriptionally activate the promoters of CYP2B and CYP3A gene expression by xenobiotics such as phenobarbital-like compounds (CAR) and dexamethasone and rifampin-type of agents (PXR). The peroxisome proliferator activated receptor (PPAR), which is one of the first characterized members of the nuclear hormone receptor, also dimerizes with RXR and has been shown to be activated by lipid lowering agent fib rate-type of compounds leading to transcriptional activation of the promoters on CYP4A gene. CYP7A was recognized as the first target gene of the liver X receptor (LXR), in which the elimination of cholesterol depends on CYP7A. Farnesoid X receptor (FXR) was identified as a bile acid receptor, and its activation results in the inhibition of hepatic acid biosynthesis and increased transport of bile acids from intestinal lumen to the liver, and CYP7A is one of its target genes. The transcriptional activation by these receptors upon binding to the promoters located at the 5-flanking region of these GYP genes generally leads to the induction of their mRNA gene expression. The physiological and the pharmacological implications of common partner of RXR for CAR, PXR, PPAR, LXR and FXR receptors largely remain unknown and are under intense investigations. For the phase II DMEs, phase II gene inducers such as the phenolic compounds butylated hydroxyanisol (BHA), tert-butylhydroquinone (tBHQ), green tea polyphenol (GTP), (-)-epigallocatechin-3-gallate (EGCG) and the isothiocyanates (PEITC, sul­foraphane) generally appear to be electrophiles. They generally possess electrophilic-medi­ated stress response, resulting in the activation of bZIP transcription factors Nrf2 which dimerizes with Mafs and binds to the antioxidant/electrophile response element (ARE/EpRE) promoter, which is located in many phase II DMEs as well as many cellular defensive enzymes such as heme oxygenase-1 (HO-1), with the subsequent induction of the expression of these genes. Phase III transporters, for example, P-glycoprotein (P-gp), multidrug resistance-associated proteins (MRPs), and organic anion transporting polypeptide 2 (OATP2) are expressed in many tissues such as the liver, intestine, kidney, and brain, and play crucial roles in drug absorption, distribution, and excretion. The orphan nuclear receptors PXR and GAR have been shown to be involved in the regulation of these transporters. Along with phase I and phase II enzyme induction, pretreatment with several kinds of inducers has been shown to alter the expression of phase III transporters, and alter the excretion of xenobiotics, which implies that phase III transporters may also be similarly regulated in a coordinated fashion, and provides an important mean to protect the body from xenobiotics insults. It appears that in general, exposure to phase I, phase II and phase III gene inducers may trigger cellular 'stress' response leading to the increase in their gene expression, which ultimately enhance the elimination and clearance of these xenobiotics and/or other 'cellular stresses' including harmful reactive intermediates such as reactive oxygen species (ROS), so that the body will remove the 'stress' expeditiously. Consequently, this homeostatic response of the body plays a central role in the protection of the body against 'environmental' insults such as those elicited by exposure to xenobiotics.

Interspecific Competition and spatial Ecology of three Species of Vipers in Korea: An Application of Ecological niche-based Models and GIS (한국산 살모사과 3종의 경쟁과 공간적 생태 - 생태적 지위를 기반으로 한 모델과 지리정보시스템 적용 -)

  • Do, Min Seock;Lee, Jin-Won;Jang, Hoan-Jin;Kim, Dae-In;Yoo, Jeong-Chil
    • Korean Journal of Environment and Ecology
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    • v.30 no.2
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    • pp.173-184
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    • 2016
  • Knowledge of the relationships among interspecific competition, spatial distributions and ecological niches plays an important role in understanding biogeographical distribution patterns of species. In this study, the distributional characteristics and ecological niches of the three Viperidae species (Gloydius ussuriensis, G. brevicaudus, and G. saxatilis) in South Korea were determined based on observation data and species distribution model. The effects of interspecific competition on geographical distribution and the division of the ecological niches of the vipers were also examined based on the models of predicted species distribution. The results showed that altitude was the most important environmental variable for their distribution, and the altitudes at which these snakes were distributed correlated with the climate of that region. Although interspecific ecological niches are quite overlapped, their predicted distribution patternsvary by the Taebaek Mountains. When overlaying the distribution models, most of the overlapping habitats were forest areas, which were relatively less overlapped than were the entire research areas. Thus, a parapatric distribution pattern was expected. The abundance of species occurring sympatrically was positively correlated with each other, indicating the lack of serious interspecies competition in this region. In conclusion, although the three Viperidae species in South Korea occupy similar ecological niches, these snakes exhibit parapatric distribution patterns without direct competition. Further research on various geographic variables (e.g., altitude, microhabitat characteristics) using relatively fine grid sizes, as well as further detailed ecological and behavioral research, is needed to determine the causative factors for the parapatric distribution pattern.

Avifauna and Management of Breeding Season in Taeanhaean National Park (태안해안국립공원의 번식기 조류상과 관리)

  • Paik, In-Hwan;Jin, Seon-Deok;Yu, Jae-Pyoung;Paek, Woon-Kee
    • Korean Journal of Environment and Ecology
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    • v.24 no.2
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    • pp.139-146
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    • 2010
  • The survey was done in order to find what kinds of birds visit Taeanhaean National Park during breeding season, where we fixed up 10 coastal areas and islands within the National Park. Three groups concurrently performed the field research from 5th to 9th of July in 2009. Total 58 species and 7,323 individuals were recorded in Taeanhaean National Park. 48 species including 6,187 individuals were observed in coastal areas and 33 species including 1,136 individuals in island areas. The most dominant species in the National Park are Larus crassirostris which accounts for 60% of the birds inhabiting there, and they seem to have been bred in the islands near the National Park. The birds observed only around the coastal areas include Anas poecilorhyncha, Fulica atra, Egretta intermedia and the others which consist of 25 species and amount to 318 individuals, and the birds found exclusively in island areas include Phalacrocorax filamentosus, Apus pacificus¸ Locustella pleskei and other birds, which consist of 10 species and the number of those individuals observed was 308. The inhabited islands areas such as Gauido were characterized by high ratio of waterbird population, which seems to be correlated with the factors such as the extent of island, the richness of water resources, and the diversity of habitats. Based on the data collected during the research and other data from the previous observations, the kinds of dominant species remain nearly unchanged. And in spite of the oil spill accident in 2007, the increase in the number of waterbirds compared to 2004 may be the evidence that the area is recovering from the environmental pollution. At present, the tidal power plants are being built or scheduled to be built and large-scale reclamation is also under way. What is worse, those areas are seeing the increase of pension construction, which is likely to be the potential cause of damage and disturbance against some key habitats for the waterbirds. Therefore, it is a major priority that we build the bird information system to efficiently manage the knowledge-based asset collected from bird-watching groups and to better monitor the areas that need enhanced database through which the National Park can be appropriately administered.

A Study on the Hydraulic Characteristics of Rashig Super-Ring Random Packing in a Counter-Current Packed Tower (역류식 충전탑에서 Raschig Super-ring Random Packing의 수력학적 특성에 대한 연구)

  • Kang, Sung Jin;Lim, Dong-Ha
    • Clean Technology
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    • v.26 no.2
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    • pp.102-108
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    • 2020
  • In recent years, packed column has been widely used in separation processes, such as absorption, desorption, distillation, and extraction, in the petrochemical, fine chemistry, and environmental industries. Packed column is used as a contacting facility for gas-liquid and liquid-liquid systems filled with random packed materials in the column. Packed column has various advantages such as low pressure drop, economical efficiency, thermally sensitive liquids, easy repairing restoration, and noxious gas treatment. The performance of a packed column is highly dependent on the maintenance of good gas and liquid distribution throughout a packed bed; thus, this is an important consideration in a design of packed column. In this study, hydraulic pressure drop, hold-up as a function of liquid load, and mass transfer in the air, air/water, and air-NH3/water systems were studied to find the geometrical characteristic for raschig super-ring experiment dry pressure drop. Based on the results, design factors and operating conditions to handle noxious gases were obtained. The dry pressure drop of the random packing raschig super-ring was linearly increased as a function of gas capacity factor with various liquid loads in the Air/Water system. This result is lower than that of 35 mm Pall-ring, which is most commonly used in the industrial field. Also, it can be found that the hydraulic pressure drop of raschig super-ring is consistently increased by gas capacity factor with various liquid loads. When gas capacity factor with various liquid loads is increased from 1.855 to 2.323 kg-1/2 m-1/2 S-1, hydraulic pressure drop increases around 17%. Finally, the liquid hold-up related to packing volume, which is a parameter of specific liquid load depending on gas capacity factor, shows consistent increase by around 3.84 kg-1/2 m-1/2 S-1 of the gas capacity factor. However, liquid hold-up significantly increases above it.

Effects of Breeds and Environmental Factors on Certain Postweaning Traits in Swine (돼지의 이유후형질(離乳後形質)에 미치는 품종(品種) 및 환경(環境)의 효과(效果))

  • Sang, Byong Chan;Han, Sung Wook;Chung, Hong Ki
    • Korean Journal of Agricultural Science
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    • v.20 no.1
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    • pp.48-55
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    • 1993
  • This study was conducted to determine the main effect of the breed, parity, forrowing year and month on average daily gain, feed efficiency, backfat thickness, age at 90 Kg body weight and selection index. The data analysis were the record of 115 male pigs producted from Landrace. Large Yorkshire and Duroc purebreds tested at Chungnam Province Animal Breeding Station from 1986 to 1990. The results obtained are summarized as follows : 1. The breed average of daily gain, feed efficiency, backfat thickness, age at 90Kg body weight and selection index were $922.25{\pm}17.2$g, $2.85{\pm}0.04$, $2.03{\pm}0.04$cm, $135.44{\pm}1.38$ days and $168.33{\pm}2.42$, respectively. 2. The effect of breed was highly significant at 1% level in average daily gain, age at 90Kg body weight and selection index, and significant at 5% level in backfat thickness. Among the purebreds, Duroc was superior in average daily gain, age at 90Kg body weight and selection index with 977.22g, 132.47 days and 172.35, respectively. But Large Yorkshire was 1.95cm thiner than other breeds in backfat thickness. 3. The effect of parity was highly significant at 1% level in average daily gain, and significant at 5% level in backfat thickness and selection index. Among the parity, the 3rd and 4th parity were superior in average daily gain and selection index with 974.92g 177.61, 959.48g and 177.84, respectively. 4. The effect of forrowing year was highly significant at 1% level in average daily gain, feed efficiency and selection index, and that of forrowing month was highly significant at 1% level in average daily gain, and significant at 5% level in backfat thickness and selection index, respectively. Among the forrowing month, March was superior in average daily gain and selection index with 968.22g and 174.54, respectively.

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A Survey on the Perceptions of Consumer Organizations to Promote Risk Communication for Food Additives (식품첨가물의 리스크 커뮤니케이션 촉진을 위한 소비자단체의 인식조사)

  • So, Yun-Ji;Kim, Suna;Lee, Jee-Hyeon;Park, Eun-Young;Kim, Hee-Jung;Kim, Ji-Sun;Kim, Jeong-Weon
    • Korean journal of food and cookery science
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    • v.29 no.2
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    • pp.105-113
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    • 2013
  • Consumer organizations usually lead the opinions of the consumers. This study was performed to investigate the perceptions and information needs of consumer organizations on food additives for the promotion of risk communication. A survey was conducted for 4 weeks in March 2012 by using a self-administered questionnaire consisting of 32 questions. Total 111 responses were collected for analysis. 'Safety (91.0%)' was the most important factor influencing the purchase of processed food, and both 'food additives (24.3%)' and 'environmental pollution (23.4%)' were considered as main risk factors. The longer the career of the members had, the higher negative perceptions on food additives (p<0.01). About 70% of the respondents who had known KFDA's researches on evaluating safety of food additives answered that researches were not enough to make sure the safety. Although lectures and other domestic organization were the main channels for getting information, 'TV' was considered as the most suitable way for it. 'Poor risk communication (32.4%)' was pointed out as the serious problem of government's food safety policy. Based on these results, consumer organizations' low level of trust on government should be overcome by continuous supply of information what they need to facilitate risk communication on food additives.

Effects of Local Climatic Conditions on the Early Growth in Korean White Pine (Pinus koraiensis Sieb. et Zucc.) Stands -Relation between Annual Increment and Local Climatic Conditions- (지역별 잣나무 초기생장에 미치는 미기후의 영향 - 연년생장과 미기후와의 관계-)

  • Chon Sang- Keun;Shin Man Yong
    • Korean Journal of Agricultural and Forest Meteorology
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    • v.1 no.1
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    • pp.41-51
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    • 1999
  • This study was conducted to investigate the effects of local climatic conditions on the annual increment of Korean white pine planted in Gapyung and Yaungdong. For this, stand variables such as mean DBH, mean height, basal area per hectare, and volume per hectare by stand age were measured and summarized for each locality. Based on these statistics, annual increments for 8 years from stand age 10 to 18 were calculated for each of stand variables. A topoclimatological technique which makes use of empirical relationships between the topography and the weather in study sites was applied to produce normal estimates of monthly mean, maximum, minimum temperatures, relative humidity, precipitation, and hours of sunshine. Then, the yearly climatic variables from 1990 to 1997 for each study site were derived from the spatial interpolation procedures based on inverse- distance weighting of the observed deviation from the climatic normals at the nearest 11 standard weather stations. From these estimates, 17 weather variables such as warmth index, coldness index, index of aridity etc., which affect the tree growth, were computed on yearly base for each locality. The deviations of measured annual increments from the expected annual increments for 8 years based on yield table of Korean white pine were then correlated with and regressed on the yearly weather variables to examine effects of local climatic conditions on the growth. Gapyung area provides better conditions for the growth of Korean white pine in the early stage than Youngdong area. This indicates that the conditions such as low temperature, high relative humidity, and large amount of precipitation provide favor environment for the early growth of Korean white pine. A ccording to the correlation and regression an analysis using local climatic conditions and annual increments, the growth pattern of Gapyung area corresponds to this tendency. However, it was found that the relationship between annual increments and local climatic conditions in Youngdong area shows different tendency from Gapyung. These results mean that the yearly growth pattern could not sufficiently be explained by climatic conditions with high variance in yearly weather variables. In addition, the poor growth in Youngdong area might not only be affected by climatic conditions, but also by other environmental factors such as site quality.

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Isolation and Physiological Properties of Marine Bacteria in the Eutropic Coastal Waters 1. Environmental Factors and Marine Bacterial Flora in the Eutropic Coastal Waters (부영양화 해역의 해양세균의 분리 및 분리균의 생리적 성질에 관하여 1. 부영양화 해역의 환경 및 세균상)

  • LEE Won Jae;CHUNG Hee Dong;KANG Chang Geun;PARK Hee Yeol
    • Korean Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences
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    • v.19 no.6
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    • pp.586-592
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    • 1986
  • The marine bacterial flora of seawater at Masan Bay located in southern part of Korea was investigated to provide basic information about the origin of red tides in this area. The samples were collected at 5 sampling stations (see fig.1) established once a month from July 1985 to June 1986. The results are summerized as follows: 1. Two hundred and ninety one strains of marine bacteria among 299 strains isolated were identified from 156 samples(150 seawater samples and 6 mud samples) collected in the study area. 2. During the study period, the dissolved oxygen ranged from 2.1 to 6.3 ml/l; temperature of surface seawater ranged from 4.6 to $30.1^{\circ}C$; phosphate, silicate and nitrite ranged from 1.6 to 5.6 ${mu}g-at/l$, 327.27 to 3798.38 ${mu}g-at/l$, and 1.09 to 5.5 ${mu}g-at/l$, respectively. 3. Pseudomonas spp. were the most dominant bacterial species before red tides, Ancinetobacter spp. and Flavobacterium spp. during red tides, and Flavobacterium spp., Vibrio spp. and Acinetobacter spp. after red tides. 4. Viable counts marine bacterial flora ranged $10^4{\sim}10^8cell/ml$, and the most abundant viable counts of marine bacteria occured during red tides ($10^7{\sim}10^8cell/ml$).

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