• Journal of the Korean Society of Marine Environment & Safety
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• v.23 no.7
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• pp.869-877
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• 2017

Recently, Gomso Bay saw a decrease in the production of manila clam, which accounted for 17.8 % of production across the whole country in 2015, while Geunso Bay saw an increase that raised its contribution to 49.1 %. The tidal flats in these bays are inhabited by various benthos, and material flows in and out according to the tide. It is essential to understand the mass balance of these regions while giving consideration to the characteristics of these tidal flats. In this study, we compared areas where aquaculture farms were located in Gomso Bay with those without from May to August 2015. We divided the region into three sea areas (Sector I, Sector II, and Control), and the mass balance was estimated using the LOICZ model. As a result, the DIP of Sector II in Gomso Bay and another region in Geunso Bay, where a manila clam farm was located, were found to be -207.2 kg/day and 77.2 kg/day. The DIN was -4,996.7 kg/day and 926.6 kg/day. These results suggest that Gomso Bay han a higher density than Geunso Bay, which is thought to be mainly due to the feeding action of organisms. Therefore, in order to maintain a healthy tidal flat ecosystem and to sustain the production of manila clams, sustainable management to reduce the high density of tidal flat farms is necessary.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Marine Environment & Safety
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• v.22 no.6
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• pp.708-722
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• 2016

Land-Ocean Interactions in the Coastal Zone (LOICZ) models for nutrient budgets were used to estimate the seasonal capacity of the Youngsan Estuary and Youngam-Geumho Estuary to sink and/or supply nutrients such as dissolved inorganic phosphorus (DIP) and nitrogen (DIN) to provide an understanding of the behavior of the coupled biogeochemical cycles of phosphorus and nitrogen in the estuaries (Youngsan Estuary, Youngam-Geumho Estuary) near Mokpo Harbor. During non-stratified periods (May, September, and November, 2008), simple three-box models were applied in each sub-region of the system, while a two-layer box model was applied during on-site observation of stratification development (July, 2008). The resulting mass-balance calculation indicated that even after large discharges from artificial lakes (in May and July), DIP influxes due to a mixing exchange ($V_{X-3}$, or $V_{deep}$) were more than terrigenous loads, indicating the backward transportation of nutrients from a marine source. The model results also indicated that for nutrient loads (DIP and DIN fluxes) in September, an extreme congestion of nutrients occurred around the mouths (sub-region III of the model) of the estuaries, possibly due to an imbalance in physical circulations between the estuaries and offshore locations. In November, the Youngam-Geumho Estuary, into which freshwater was discharged from artificial lakes (Youngam and Geumho Lake), showed nutrient enrichment in the water column, but the Youngsan Estuary showed nutrient depletion. In conclusion, to efficiently control water quality in the estuaries near Mokpo Harbor, integrated environmental management programs should be implemented. I.e., the reduction of nutrient loads from land basins as well as the deposit of nutrient loads into adjacent coastal lines.