• Korean Journal of Environmental Biology
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• v.37 no.2
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• pp.217-227
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• 2019

The purpose of this study was to investigate the initial growth, burrowing depth, and relative growth of mud shrimps (Upogebia major and Austinogebia wuhsienweni), living in damaged high density tidal flat shellfish farms form 2008 in the Western coast of Korea. By August, young mud shrimps (Upogebia major), which had settled down on the tidal flats in early May, grew to more than 10 mm in carapace length (CL). At the end of the first year, their CL and total length (TL) increased to 14.21 mm and 42.28 mm, respectively. The inhabiting depth of the young mud shrimps (Upogebia major) increased rapidly up to about 6 months after stocking (5 cm in July, 12.5 cm in September, and 28 cm in November, respectively). The inhabiting depth of adult mud shrimps in their burrows was about 10-93 cm during the year. As results, the analysis of the relative growth between the carapace length (CL) - the total length (TL) and the CL - total wet weight (TWW), the total wet weight of mud shrimps at Boryeong Saho (inner part of the Cheonsu-bay) was estimated to be 1.2-4 g heavier than those of Boryeong Jugyo (Outer part of the Cheonsu-bay) tidal flat. The young mud shrimps primarily grew from April to October. It is therefore crucial to observe whether the settlement of young mud shrimps on tidal shellfish farms from May to June to minimize the damage of shellfish farms by newly stocked young mud shrimps. In addition, it is recommended that young mud shrimps grown in fisheries be harvested before they dig deep into the sediment until early December.

• The Sea:JOURNAL OF THE KOREAN SOCIETY OF OCEANOGRAPHY
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• v.28 no.4
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• pp.143-157
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• 2023

This study confirmed the characteristics of macrobenthic community due to anthropogenic environmental changes in the Boryeong Jugyo tidal flat, where the habitat of manila clam (Ruditapes philippinarum) and mud shrimp (Upogebia major) is separated. The total number of occurring species was 55 during the study period with an average habitat density of 338 ind./m² and a biomass of 212.2 gWWt/m². The number of occuring species increased from 27 species at the upper flat to 37 species at the lower flat, and the dominant species differed by tide levels (Upper: Leonnates persica, Middle: Heteromastus filiformis, Lower: R. philippinarum). The macro-benthic community sturctures of the top 10 species using cluster analysis and nMDS were divided into two groups, focusing on Manila clam culture farm of lower flats and middle flats with high habitat density, reflecting the influence of specific species. The sediment composition of the U. major habitat space fluctuated highly, but it was maintained annually, and the sorting coefficient was 2.1 𝜑, and the proportion of the same particle size was increased. In particular, because the middle flat has a dense anthropogenic impact, a dominant species, H. filiformis dominated and revealed a relationship with the density of burrow holes of U. major, which is considered to be a biological interaction between these two macrofauna in this tidal flat.