• The Sea:JOURNAL OF THE KOREAN SOCIETY OF OCEANOGRAPHY
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• v.12 no.3
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• pp.186-190
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• 2007

The species composition and the biomass of intertidal microphytobenthos (MPB) were investigated at four sites in the Nakdong Estuary from Feb. to Dec. 2006. The chlorophyll (chl) ${\alpha}$ concentration showed a positive correlation with MPB abundance, and depth profiles showed similar patterns: high at the surface, rapidly decreasing within 4 cm from the surface, and slowly decreasing thereafter. A MANOVA analysis revealed that the chl ${\alpha}$ concentration varied significantly not only with depth, month, and site, but also with combinations of these factors. Among the four investigated sites, site D (Baekhabdeung) showed a seasonal biomass variation trend distinct from those of the other sites: higher in summer, decreased in autumn and with sustained low values until winter. As indicated, the other sites contrastingly showed low biomasses in summer, after which the biomasses continuously increased, with some variation among the sites. A cluster analysis of species composition indicated that sites near to each other and with similar sediment structures had closer similarities in the same seasons. The species of genus Amphora and Navicula were dominant at the four sites throughout the study period.

• The Sea:JOURNAL OF THE KOREAN SOCIETY OF OCEANOGRAPHY
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• v.14 no.1
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• pp.48-55
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• 2009

Seasonal variations of microalgal biomass and community composition in both the sediment and the seawater were investigated by HPLC pigment analysis in an estuarine muddy sandflat of Gwangyang Bay from January to November 2002. Based on the photosynthetic pigments, fucoxanthin, diadinoxanthin, and diatoxanthin were the most dominant pigments all the year round, indicating that diatoms were the predominant algal groups of both the sediment and the seawater in Gwangyang Bay. The other algal pigments except the diatom-marker pigments showed relatively low concentrations. Microphytobenthic chlorophyll ${\alpha}$ concentrations in the upper layer (0.5 cm) of sediments ranged from 3.44 (March at the middle site of the tidal flat) to 169 (July at the upper site) mg $m^{-2}$, with the annual mean concentrations of $68.4{\pm}45.5,\;21.3{\pm}14.3,\;22.9{\pm}15.6mg\;m^{-2}$ at the upper, middle, and lower tidal sites, respectively. Depth-integrated chlorophyll ${\alpha}$ concentrations in the overlying water column ranged from 1.66 (November) to 11.7 (July) mg $m^{-2}$, with an annual mean of $6.96{\pm}3.04mg\;m^{-2}$. Microphytobenthic biomasses were about 3${\sim}$10 times higher than depth-integrated phytoplankton biomass in the overlying water column. The physical characteristics of this shallow estuarine tidal flat, similarity in taxonomic composition of the phytoplankton and microphytobenthos, and similar seasonal patterns in their biomasses suggest that resuspended microphytobenthos are an important component of phytoplankton biomass in Gwangyang Bay. Therefore, considering the importance of microphytobenthos as possible food source for the estuarine benthic and pelagic consumers, a consistent monitoring work on the behavior of microphytobenthos is needed in the tidal flat ecosystems.

• Korean Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences
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• v.46 no.2
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• pp.176-185
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• 2013

Seasonal species composition and biomass of microphytobenthos were examined at the intertidal flats of Jinsanri, Taean, Korea, from April to December 2011. In total, 121 species were identified, including 109 diatoms, 5 blue-green algae, and 5 dinoflagellates. Seasonal variation in species number ranged from 49 to 56 species (minimum in October and maximal in April), while vertical variation across three different shore levels ranged from 64 to 77 species with maximum at high and minimum at low shore. Species diversity ranged from 3.22 to 3.42 seasonally and from 3.50 to 3.17 across vertical shore levels. Seasonal average values of the normalized difference vegetation index and the vegetation index were 0.06 and 1.14, respectively. Chlorophyll a concentrations were $66.00-120.73mg/m^2$, with a seasonal minimum and maximum in July and October, respectively, and a vertical shore maximum of $137.35mg/m^2$ at mid shore. Phaeopigment concentrations peaked in October ($50.78mg/m^2$) and at high shore ($61.58mg/m^2$) and were lowest in December ($22.53mg/m^2$) and at low shore ($15.28mg/m^2$). The number of microphytobenthos ranged from 78,556 to 287,898 cells/$cm^2$, reaching a maximum in April and a minimum in July. The diatoms Paralia sulcata, Navicula sp., and Delphines surirella were dominant at all tidal levels over the study period. Dinoflagellates were dominant in July at low shore, and blue-green algae were abundant between July and October at mid shore. In conclusion, species composition and primary production of microphytobenthos exhibited clear seasonal and vertical patterns.

• The Sea:JOURNAL OF THE KOREAN SOCIETY OF OCEANOGRAPHY
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• v.17 no.2
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• pp.87-94
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• 2012

To compare monthly variations of phytoplankton biomass and community composition between in seawater and sediment of the Gomso Bay (tidal flat: approximately 75%), the photosynthetic pigments were analyzed by HPLC every month in 1999 and every two months in 2000. Ambient physical and chemical parameters (temperature, salinity, nutrients, dissolved oxygen, and chemical oxygen demand) were also examined to find the environmental factors controlling structure of phytoplankton community. The temporal and spatial variations of chlorophyll a concentration in seawater were correlated well with the magnitude of freshwater discharge from land. The biomass of microphytobenthos at the surface sediments was lower than that in other regions of the world and 2-3 times lower than phytoplankton biomass integrated in the seawater column. Based on the results of HPLC pigment analysis, fucoxanthin, a marker pigment of diatoms, was the most prominent pigment and highly correlated with chlorophyll a in seawater and sediment of the Gomso Bay. These results suggest that diatoms are the predominant phytoplankton in seawater and sediment of the Gomso Bay. However, the monthly variation of chlorophyll a concentration in seawater at the subtidal zone was not a good correlation with that in sediment of the Gomso Bay. Although pelagic plankton was identified in seawater by microscopic examination, benthic algal species were not found in the seawater. These results suggest that contribution from the suspended microphytobenthos in the tidal flat to the subtidal zone of the Gomso Bay may be low as a food source to the primary consumer in the upper water column of the subtidal zone. Further study needs to elucidate the vertical and horizontal transport magnitude of the suspended microphytobenthos in the tidal flat to the subtidal zone.

• The Korean Journal of Malacology
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• v.23 no.1
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• pp.9-16
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• 2007

Data obtained from field observation revealed that the degree of shell bioerosion of the scallop, Patinopecten (Mizuhopecten) yessoensis, by endolithic organisms significantly higher on the muddy sand than on the sand. At the area studied, the polychaete worm, Polydora brevipalpa (=Polydora ciliata brevipalpa, Polydora ciliata Okuda, Not Johnston, Polydora variegata), which is common symbiotic species for the scallop made 95-100% of total scallop shell bioerosion at the area studied. The muddy bottom sediments enriched by organic matter create favourable conditions for development of microphytobenthos and bacteria, which are predominantly consumed by P. brevipalpa. Linear regressions for the degree of shell bioerosion on the scallop shell height, total wet weight and adductor muscle wet weight revealed negative relationships between them for the scallops inhabiting both sand and muddy sand. The influence of polychaetes on scallops is complex. They may be food competitors. Polychaete can directly affect the host through their boreholes. Scallop expends energy for shell regeneration to prevent the polychaete penetration into its interior cavity. It was found that the degree of shell bioerosion increased considerably with scallop age.

• Journal of the Korean Society for Marine Environment & Energy
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• v.10 no.2
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• pp.93-101
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• 2007

In order for bioremediate the benthic layer in polluted inner Bay, the effects of irradiance and wave-length irradiated from light emission diode (LED) on the growth of benthic diatom Nitzschia sp. (Hakozaki Bay strain of Japan) were investigated. The Nitzschia sp. was cultured under blue LED (450 nm), yellow LED (590 nm), red LED (650 nm) and fluorescent lamp (mixed wavelengths). At $25^{\circ}C$ and 30 psu, the growth of Nitzschia sp. showed its peak at $20\;{\mu}mol\;m^{-2}\;s^{-1}$ (blue LED) and $40\;{\mu}mol\;m^{-2}\;s^{-1}$ (fluorescent lamp), and was inhibited at the irradiance higher than that irradiance. Nitzschia sp. in yellow LED and red LED is fitted by a rectangular hyperbolic curve because no photoinhibition was observed under maximum irradiance used in this study. The irradiance-growth curves were described as ${\mu}=-0.46{\exp}(1-I/6.32)+0.46-0.00043I,\;(r^2=0.98)$ under blue LED, ${\mu}=0.42(I+7.87)/(I+58.9),\;(r^2=0.99)$ under yellow LED, ${\mu}=0.39(I+3.39)/(I+21.6),\;(r^2=0.94)$ under red LED, ${\mu}=-0.38{\exp}(1-I/7.23)+0.38-0.00016I,\;(r^2=0.96)$ under fluorescent lamp. Maximum specific growth rate of blue LED, yellow LED, red LED and fluorescent lamp was $0.44\;day^{-1},\;0.42\;day^{-1},\;0.39\;day^{-1}$ and $0.37\;day^{-1}$, respectively. The absorption coefficient ($a_{ph}$) of Nitzschia sp. was similar under all the wavelengths (400 nm-700 nm), although maximum $a_{ph}$ was $0.0224\;m^2\;mg\;chi.\;{\alpha}^{-1}$ in 472 nm and $0.0179\;m^2\;mg\;chi.\;{\alpha}^{-1}$) in 663 nm. The results may indicate the possibility of environmental improvement around the benthic layer in polluted coastal area because microphytobenthos growth is stimulated by means of irradiated blue LED at the benthic boundary layer during both autumn and winter, and yellow LED, which might have been suppressed growth of harmful algae, at the layer during both spring and summer.

• The Sea:JOURNAL OF THE KOREAN SOCIETY OF OCEANOGRAPHY
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• v.24 no.1
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• pp.1-17
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• 2019

In this study, the surveys were carried out from October (2016) to October (2017) along the tidal flat of Geunso Bay, Taean Peninsula of the western edge of Korea. The sampling trips were carried out for a total of 16 times, once or twice a month. In order to investigate the monthly variation of the microphytobenthos (MPB) biomass, community composition and photo-physiology were analyzed by HPLC (High performance liquid chromatography). The total chlorophyll a (TChl a) concentrations used as an indicator of biomass of MPB in the upper 1 cm sediment layer ranged from 40.4 to $218.9mg\;m^{-2}$ throughout the sampling period. TChl a concentrations showed the maximum level on $24^{th}$ of February and remained high throughout March after which it started to declined. The biomass of MPB showed high values in winter and low values in summer. The monthly variations of Phaeophorbide a concentrations suggested that the low grazing intensity of the predator in the winter may have partly attributed to the MPB winter blooming. As a result of monthly variations of the MPB community composition using the major marker pigments, the concentrations of fucoxanthin, the marker pigment of benthic diatoms, were the highest throughout the year. The concentrations of most of the marker pigments except for chlorophyll b (chlorophytes) and peridinin (dinoflagellates) increased in winter. However, the concentrations of fucoxanthin increased the highest, and the relative ratios of the major marker pigments to TChl a except fucoxanthin decreased during the same period. The vertical distribution of Chl a and oxygen concentrations in the sediments using a fluorometer and an oxygen micro-optode Chl a concentrations decreased with oxygen concentrations with increasing depth of the sediment layers. Moreover, this tendency became more apparent in winter. The Chl a was uniformly vertical down to 12 mm from May to July, but the oxygen concentration distribution in May decreased sharply below 1 mm. The increase in phaeophorbide a concentration observed at this time is likely to be caused by increased oxygen consumption of zoobenthic grazing activities. This could be presumed that MPB cells are transported downward by bioturbation of zoobenthos. The relative ratios (DT/(DD+DT)) obtained with diadinoxanthin (DD) and diatoxanthin (DT), which are often used as indicators of photo-adaptation of MPB, decreased from October to March and increased in May. This indicated that there were monthly differences in activity of Xanthophyll cycle as well.

• Journal of the korean society of oceanography
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• v.36 no.4
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• pp.109-123
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• 2001

The importance of phytoplankton, benthic vegetation, vascular marsh plants (primarly Phragmites communis and Salix gracilstyla) and riverine particulates inputs to the coastal bay food web was studied in Kwangyang Bay, Korea using stable carbon isotope ratios. Vascular marsh plants (${\delta}^{13}$C=-27.4${\pm}$0.8%o) and riverine particulates (-26.0${\pm}$0.8%o) were isotopically distinct from phytoplankton (-20.7${\pm}$0.8%o), microphytobenthos (-14.2${\pm}$0.6%o) and seagrass (8.8%o). The ${\delta}^{13}$C values of consumers in the study site ranged from -20.2 to -11.3olo suggesting the assimilation of carbon derived from both phytoplankton and benthic vegetation (including algae and seagrass), The relative importance of both pelagic and benthic origins of food sources was likely to vary depending on feeding habit of the consumers. The isotopic difference between pelagic and benthic consumers indicated that plankton-derived carbon was used mostly by pelagic consumers, but the carbon derived from intertidal benthic vegetation was incorporated into food webs through benthic consumers. The ${\delta}^{13}$C values of consumers in the present study differed noticeably from published values of the phytoplankton-based ecosystem, particularly in the $^{13}$C enrichment of benthic grazers, deposit-feeders and demersal feeders of fishes. This tendency of the $^{13}$C enrichment was also found in suspension-feeding bivalves. Taking the biomasses of benthic vegetation into consideration, benthic microalgae was likely to account for the consumer $^{13}$C enrichment. Role of terrestrially derived riverine carbon was limited to the riverine system and was not evident within the bay systems. Phragmites, despite their important biomass, appeared to be of little importance as consumer diet.

• The Sea:JOURNAL OF THE KOREAN SOCIETY OF OCEANOGRAPHY
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• v.16 no.2
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• pp.81-96
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• 2011

Sediment oxygen demand(SOD) and denitrification rates were measured in four major estuaries(Suncheon Bay, Seomjin river estuary, Goseong stream estuary and Masan Bay) in south coast of Korean peninsula from March of 2009 to May 2010 to estimate organic matter cleaning capacity. SOD was estimated from the temporal dissolved oxygen concentration change and isotopic pairing technique was employed to measure denitrification. Sediment oxygen demand(SOD) was ranged from -5.1 to 24.6 mmole $O_2m^{-2}d^{-1}$ and denitrification rate was ranged from 0.0 to 3.9 mmole $N_2m^{-2}d^{-1}$in the study area. SOD was the highest in Masan Bay(-2.2 to 19.2, average = 10.2 mmole $O_2m^{-2}d^{-1}$) and Suncheon, Goseong, Tae-an and Seomjin followed. Denitrification was also the highest in Masn Bay(0.0 to 3.9, average = 1.0 mmole $N_2m^{-2}d^{-1}$) and Goseong, Seomjin, Suncheon and Taean followed. The effect of benthic photosynthesis by microphytobenthos on denitrification was evident in some season of Tae-an, Seomjin, and Masn Bay. The increased oxygen level produced by photosynthesis stimulated nitrification without severe adverse effect on denitrification and, as a result, coupled nitrification and denitrification was enhanced in these areas. A difference of seasonal patterns of denitrification at each site depended on relative importance of denitrification on different nitrate source($D_w$: nitrate from water column and $D_n$: nitrated produced during nitrification). Denitrification was maximum during spring in Goseong, Suncheon and Masan Bay. On the contrary, denitrification was the highest during summer in Tae-an and Seomjin estuary.

• ALGAE
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• v.30 no.2
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• pp.121-137
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• 2015

Studies on carbon flux in the oceans have been highlighted in recent years due to increasing awareness about climate change, but the coastal ecosystem remains one of the unexplored fields in this regard. In this study, the dynamics of carbon flux in a vegetative coastal ecosystem were examined by an evaluation of net and gross ecosystem production (NEP and GEP) and $CO_2$ exchange rates (net ecosystem exchange, NEE). To estimate NEP and GEP, community production and respiration were measured along different habitat types (eelgrass and macroalgal beds, shallow and deep sedimentary, and deep rocky shore) at Gwangyang Bay, Korea from 20 June to 20 July 2007. Vegetative areas showed significantly higher ecosystem production than the other habitat types. Specifically, eelgrass beds had the highest daily GEP ($6.97{\pm}0.02g\;C\;m^{-2}\;d^{-1}$), with a large amount of biomass and high productivity of eelgrass, whereas the outer macroalgal vegetation had the lowest GEP ($0.97{\pm}0.04g\;C\;m^{-2}\;d^{-1}$). In addition, macroalgal vegetation showed the highest daily NEP ($3.31{\pm}0.45g\;C\;m^{-2}\;d^{-1}$) due to its highest P : R ratio (2.33). Furthermore, the eelgrass beds acted as a $CO_2$ sink through the air-seawater interface according to NEE data, with a carbon sink rate of $0.63mg\;C\;m^{-2}\;d^{-1}$. Overall, ecosystem production was found to be extremely high in the vegetated systems (eelgrass and macroalgal beds), which occupy a relatively small area compared to the unvegetated systems according to our conceptual diagram of a carbon-flux box model. These results indicate that the vegetative ecosystems showed significantly high capturing efficiency of inorganic carbon through coastal primary production.