• Journal of the Korean Association of Geographic Information Studies
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• v.25 no.3
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• pp.100-117
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• 2022

This study examines the spatio-temporal characteristics of the macrobenthic community in the coastal areas of South Korea for the past six years(2015-2020). The relationship between the number of individuals of macrobenthic species and the benthic environments were investigated using data collected at a total of 154 stations located in the West (70), the South (61), and the East Seas (23), except for the Jeju Sea. We examined the benthic environmental characteristics such as water depth, sediment, grain size, ignition loss, and total organic carbon. A total of 1,614 macrobenthic species were found in the coastal area, with a mean density of 0.62 ind./m² by station. The mean density was relatively high in the spring and summer seasons (May to August) with more than 450 species. The most dominant species belong to Polychaetes and the top five of them accounted for more than 20% of the total number of populations. The top five species were Heteromastus filiformis, Scoletoma longifolia, Sigambra tentaculata, Sternaspis scutata, and Notomastus latericeus. Cluster analysis was performed on the top five dominant species. The stations were clustered into three groups with similar locations on the West, South, and East Sea. Cluster 1 and 3 represent Heteromastus filiformis (44% each), but cluster 2 represents Scoletoma longifolia (66%). Each cluster has different benthic environmental characteristics, especially in the sediment's sand (31.0%, 51.9%) and clay (15.9%, 9.7%) contents.

• Journal of Marine Life Science
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• v.1 no.2
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• pp.95-108
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• 2016

This study was performed to investigate the community structure of macrobenthic assemblages in the Environmental Conservation area, Korea. Benthic animals were collected by van Veen grab sampler at spring (May) and summer (August) 2009. The total species number and mean density were 195 species 5.6 m^-2 and 667 individuals m^-2, respectively. Polychaetes were the most dominant faunal group in species (96 species) and abundance (431 individuals m^-2). The major dominant species were the polychaetes Lumbrineris longifolia (76±224 individuals m^-2), Mediomastus californiensis (42±117 individuals m^-2), Tharyx sp.3 (26±110 individuals m^-2), the bivalvia Theora fragilis (54±78 individuals m^-2) and the amphipod Eriopisella schellensis (70±146 individuals m^-2). Based on the cluster and nMDS ordination analysis, macrobenthic communities were divided into three faunal groups. The first group was characterized by high abundance of the polychaeta Sternaspis scutata and the amphipod Ampelisca cyclops iyoensis, which is located by most stations of Hampyeong Bay and St. 4 of Deungnyang Bay. The second group was numerically dominated by the polychaeta Capitella capitata at St. 4 and St. 5 in Gamak Bay where was most pollutant area. Finally, the third group was dominated by the polychaetes Heteromastus filiformis, Tharyx sp.3 and the amphipod Sinocorophium sinensis. Therefore, geochemical characteristics such as the bay shape and pollution gradient may be important factors controlling of the macrobenthic community structure in Environment Conservation Area.

• The Sea:JOURNAL OF THE KOREAN SOCIETY OF OCEANOGRAPHY
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• v.14 no.4
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• pp.213-228
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• 2009

This study was conducted to investigate spatio-temporal changes in macrobenthic community structure and benthic environmental conditions in Geoje-Hansa Bay, which is the greatest oyster producing site in Korea. Field survey for benthic environment and macrobenthos was seasonally carried out at 15 stations covering oyster farming sites and non-farming sites from February to November, 2008. The grain size of surface sediments was dominated by very fine silt with the mean phi of about $9\;{\Phi}$ and TOC was 1.9% on average. Mean dissolved oxygen content was 8.1 mg/L and lowest in August corresponding to the 2nd degree in seawater quality criteria. Total species number was 351 and mean density was $3,675\;ind./m^2$, both of which were dominated by polychaete worms. Spatio-temporal variation in above two biological variables was great with higher values seasonally in spring and spatially in channels rather than inner bay. Dominant species were Lumbrineris longifolia (21.3%), Aphelochaeta monilaris (17.8%) and Ericthonius pugnax(6.1%), all of which are typical species of organically enriched area. From the multivariate analyses, the whole macrobenthic community was distinguished into two groups of channel and inner bay group. Spatio-temporal changes of macrobenthic community in Geoje-Hansan Bay were related to those of TOC and acid volatile sulfide (AVS). Our results showed that Geoje-Hansan Bay should be intermediately affected by organic pollution, and that such organic enrichment was more remarkable at farming stations in the inner bay.