• Korean Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences
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• v.33 no.4
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• pp.307-319
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• 2000

Community structure (seasonal fluctuation), taxon diversity, nematodes/benthic harpacticoids and nematodes/kinorhynchs ratios of meiobenthos were studied in the Gamak Bay, Korea. A series of samplings were carried out from April 1997 to May 1999. Meiobenthic organisms was collected by van Veen grab and three subcores of 34 mm in internal diameter were taken from each sediment sample. The total density of meiobenthos in each seasons was found to be the highest in May 1999, and the lowest in December 1998. Total density of meiobenthos at each station was the highest at Station 9 in May 1999 ($2,218 inds./10 cm^2$) and the lowest at Station 3 in December 1998 ($2 inds./10 cm^2$). The Gamak Bay seemed to have an individual number increased from the inner toward the outer stations. The highest number of meiobenthos was observed on 0.125 and 0.063 mm mesh size. In every season, over $80{\%}$ of the meiobenthos was composed of only four groups: nematodes, benthic harpacticoids, sarcomastigophorans and nauplius larvae of crustaceans. Seasonal fluctuation of meiobenthos was also studied. The nematodes/benthic harpacticoids(nematodes/kinorhynchs) ratios were studied as an index of pollution monitoring for benthic ecosystem at each station in each season. The value of nematodes/benthic harpacticoids ratio was the highest at the inner stations and the lowest at the outer stations in the Gamak Bay. Taxon diversity (H') was the highest at the outer stations and the lowest at the inner stations in the Gamak Bay. The value of nematodes/benthic harpacticoids ratio significantly increased from the outer toward the inner stations, whereas the taxon diversity (H') significantly increased from the inner toward the outer stations in Gamak Bay.

• Ocean and Polar Research
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• v.22 no.1
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• pp.15-23
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• 2000

The community structure of meiobenthos was studied in tidal flats of Kanghwado in November, 1997. Nematodes were the most dominant group among 18 total meiofaunal groups at most stations except for at lower tidal flats where the most abundant groups were harpacticoid copepods. Meiobenthos were the most abundant in the upper 1cm and their density decreased depending on the depth from the surface. The highest density of the meiobenthos was 6,094 inds. $10cm^{-2}$ at the upper tidal flat, while the lowest was 1,524 ind. $10cm^{-2}$ at the lower tidal flat. The density was higher in general at the upper tidal flats, but decreased at the stations toward lower tidal flat at all transect lines. At all transect lines, nematodes decreased as stations were along toward lower tidal flat whereas harpacticoids increased. The values of N/C(nematodes/benthic harpacticoids) ratio were higher at the upper tidal flats than the lower tidal flats at all transect lines.

• Ocean and Polar Research
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• v.33 no.3
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• pp.265-280
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• 2011

The temporal dynamics of the meiofauna community in Marian Cove, King George Island, Antarctica were observed from March 7 to December 21 2007. Nine meiofauna taxa were found, with nematodes the most dominant group, making up 92.97% of the total meiofauna density, followed by harpacticoid copepods (3.18%). Meiofauna abundance ranged from 123 to 874 individuals per 10 $cm^2$ (mean 464 inds.10 $cm^{-2}$), which is lower than that found in some polar and temperate regions. The lowest meiofauna abundance was found in the 26th April sample (III) and the highest meiofauna abundance was found in the March 23rd sample (II). There was no correlation between meiofauna abundance and season. The seasonal changes were likely caused by meltwater runoff, and there were the physical disturbances on the bottom sediment by huge iceberg. Biomass of meiofauna varied between 20.36 and 101.02 ${\mu}gC{\cdot}10\;cm^{-2}$, and overall mean biomass was 54.17 ${\mu}gC{\cdot}10\;cm^{-2}$ during the study periods. More than 80% of meiofauna was concentrated in the upper 2 cm of the sediment, and density decreased with depth. The mean diversity index was 0.37, and the ratio between the abundance of nematodes: and harpacticoids (N/C) ratio ranged from 7.31 to 95.04 (mean 26.39). NMDS analysis divided the community into three groups: A (III, IV, V, VII, VIII), B (II, IX, XI, XII) and C (I, V, X). The results of ANOSIM and SIMPER analysis revealed significant differences in community structure among three groups and major contributed meiofauna taxon in grouping were nematodes and copepods. No significant correlations were observed between major meiofauna taxon and environmental factors. Thirteen species in 12 genera representing nine families of harpacicoids were recorded. Ancorabolidae was the most diverse family, and Heteropsyllidae was the most abundant. The correlation analysis between benthic harpacticoid copepods and environmental factors showed that some species were affected by water temperature, sediment temperature, salinity, chlorophyll a concentration, grain size of the sediments and heavy metal contents of the sediments. These data describe the usefulness of benthic harpacticoid copepods as biological indicator species in Antarctic regions.

• Korean Journal of Environmental Biology
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• v.34 no.2
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• pp.79-90
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• 2016

This study investigates seasonal variation and spatial distribution of meiobenthic community of Gamak Bay (one of the major bays of southern coastal area of Korea). Total of 6 surveys of 10 stations took place, once in February, June and October of 2009 and through 2010. Community structure, taxon diversity (H') and nematodes/copepods ratio of meiobenthos were studied in Gamak Bay. During the study period, nematodes and harpacticoids were the most dominant taxa among the meiofaunal groups in Gamak Bay. Taxon diversity (H') was the highest at the outer stations and the lowest at the inner stations in the Gamak Bay. The nematodes/copepods ratio was seasonally studied as an index of pollution monitoring for the benthic ecosystem at each station. As a result, nematodes/copepods ratio was the highest at the inner stations and the lowest at the outer stations in Gamak Bay.

• Korean Journal of Environmental Biology
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• v.19 no.2
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• pp.159-171
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• 2001

Community structure, horizontal distribution, density, and ratio between nematodes and benthic harpacticoid copepods of the meiobenthos within the sediments of inner Sihwa Lake were investigated in May 1999 and May 2000. A total of 11 and 8 classes of meiobenthic animals were identified in 1999 and 2000, respectively, which were much lower than other coastal areas. The dominant animals during both sampling periods was the nematodes, followed by sarco-mastigophorans, nauplius of crustaceans, benthic harpacticoid copepods and polychaetes. These five classes of animals comprised more than 90% of total abundance of neiobenthos presented in the samples. In 2000, a lot of polychaete larvae were identified. The most abundant animal were the size that fits in 0.063 mm sieve size. Lower density was observed upper inner part of the Sihwa Lake during both sampling periods, and higher density was observed around the Sihwa floodgates. The average density between those two numbers were observed in the samples collected in the middle of the lake. Lower nematodes to betnhic harpacticoides (N/C) ratio, a relative indicator of environmental pollution, was observed to be lower around the floodgate but higher ratios were observed in the upper inner Sihwa Lake. The present study indicated that inner upper part of the lake becomes unsuitable for the meiobenthos, and the most inner upper lake was considered to be polluted.

• Korean Journal of Environmental Biology
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• v.40 no.2
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• pp.125-137
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• 2022

To assess the characteristics of meiofaunal community fluctuations related to environmental factors, seasonal surveys were conducted in the subtidal zone of Hallyeohaesang National Park. The average depth of the study area was about 20 m, and the average water temperature at the bottom was low in winter(11.33℃) and high in summer(17.95℃). The sedimentary particles mainly comprised silt and clay at most stations. The abundance of meiofauna ranged from 81.7 to 1,296.5 Inds. 10 cm^-2, and the average abundance was 589.3 Inds. 10 cm^-2. The average abundance of meiofauna in each season was the lowest at 416.5 Inds. 10cm^-2 in winter and the highest at 704.5Inds.10 cm^-2 in spring. The dominant taxa were nematodes (about 92%) and harpacticoids (about 5%). In the cluster analysis of meiofaunal communities, they were divided into four significant groups. The largest group mainly contained spring and summer samples, and contained stations with a high nematode density of over 500 Inds. 10 cm^-2 and harpacticoids below 50 Inds. 10 cm^-2 with a high composition ratio of nematodes. In the cluster analysis, no regional division was found between the stations, and it was thought to be divided by the seasons with high abundance according to seasonal variation and the composition ratio of nematodes and harpacticoids. In the Spearman rank correlation analysis, the density of total meiofauna and the most dominant taxa, nematodes, was not significantly related to environmental factors. However, the density of harpacticoids had a significant positive correlation with water depth and a negative correlation with sediment particle size.

• Journal of Wetlands Research
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• v.6 no.1
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• pp.43-55
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• 2004

Meiobenthic community structure was studied in intertidal mud flat and sand flat of Yeochari in Ganghwado in May and August, 1998. Sixteen groups of meiofauna were found at all study sites in the Yeochari tidal flats. Nematodes were the most dominant animal group among the meiofaunal groups as a whole. Sarcomastigophorans, harpacticoid copepods, nauplius larvae of crustaceans and ciliophorans which were also important components of the meiofaunal community. All of these five faunal groups comprised more than 90% of total meiofauna. The maximum total density of meiobenthos was $5.8{\times}10^6ind./m^2$ at the station of sand flat in August and the minimum density was $4.0{\times}10^6ind./m^2$ at same station in May. Biomass of meiobenthos was $1.5g/m^2$(May), $2.3g/m^2$(August) at mud flat and $1.7g/m^2$(May), $2.6g/m^2$(August) at sand flat. At the station of mud flat in May, the highest density was observed within 1cm in depth of upper sediment and steeply decreased increasing depth of sediment. At the sand flat station in August, the highest density was also observed within 1cm in depth of upper sediment and decreased with depth, while the concentration of the animals at the surface was not conspicuous as the mud flat. The value of N/C(nematodes/benthic harpacticoids) ratio was the highest at the station of sand flat in May and the lowest at the sand flat in August.

• Ocean and Polar Research
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• v.31 no.2
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• pp.199-212
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• 2009

The community structure of meiofauna was surveyed from six stations in sand mining area near around Sungapdo, Taean five times from April-December, 2007. Ten meiofaunal taxa in total, comprising 5-9 taxa per station were recovered. Nematodes were dominant from four stations in April and from five stations in May. In June, copepods were dominant from all stations except station two, from which sarcomastigophorans were predominant. Copepods were also dominant from three stations in October and four stations in December. The mean density of meiofauna per $10\;cm^{-2}$ was the highest in October (130 individuals) and lowest (68 individuals) in April. Meiofauna mean biomass per $100\;cm^{-2}$ was $3.80-75.26{\mu}gC$ from each station, with the monthly mean biomass being lowest in April ($11.97{\mu}gC$) and highest in October ($39.50{\mu}gC$). The highest biomass was recorded at station five in October ($75.26{\mu}gC$). Eleven families of harpacticoid copepods occurred Ameiridae and Ectinosomatidae were the most frequent. The mean diversity index was 1.21 from all the stations, 1.22 from the sand mining stations, and 1.19 from the reference stations. The nematode:copepod (N/C) ratio was 1.57 from the sand mining stations and 1.37 from the reference stations. Non-metric multidimensional scaling analysis divided the community into group A (station one, non-sand mining and reference area) and groups B and C in the sand mining area. The present study reports similar numbers of taxa but lower density and biomass of meiofauna compared to previous studies in Korean waters. The variability of the diversity index and N/C ratio may indicate large fluctuation of meiofauna depending on temporal and spatial conditions of the environment in the study area.

• Korean Journal of Environmental Biology
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• v.18 no.2
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• pp.279-290
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• 2000

To alleviate the harmful effects from contamination, the Sihwa Lake waters have been regularly fluxed out into the ocean to mix and circulate with the oceanic waters, and then allowed to flow back into the lake. In the present study, eco-environmental impacts by the outflowing contaminated lake waters to the benthic communities of the coastal zones along Kyonggi Bay were examined at three separate areas. A total of 22 groups of meiobenthic animals were commonly found in the subtidal zones of the Bay. All groups of the meiobenthic animals on the 1st and 7th days after the outflow were remarkably reduced in numbers from the selected areas examined, as compared to those observed one day before the outflow. It was also found that the community structure of meiobenthos was changed drastically: At the station near the water gate, for example, where the immediate outflow of the lake water was encountered, the benthic harpacticoids, the group observed to be one of the predominant groups before the outflow, were found to have disappeared completely. For an area that was relatively far away from the water gate, the reduction rate of meiobenthos after the outflow events was slower and more gradual than the nearer sites. An area that is the farthest from the water gate, no reduction in any of the meiobenthos group was observed. The ratio between nematodes/copepods (N/C) was remarkably changed by the outflows at the station near the water gate: One day before the outflow, the ratio was 0.7 while the ratio was 19.0 at the station near the water gate. In contrast, at the stations relatively far from the water gate, the ratio decreased one day after the outflow event, but increasing trends were observed one week later. In the tidal flats, Station 1 exhibited the common observed regional values of the ratio whereas Station 2 showed a very high ratio of 191.3. The results suggested that the contaminated lake water outflows directly effect meiobenthos in a relatively short time period and thus the meiobenthos may be a good indicator animal group for examining the effect of pollution. [Lake Sihwa, contaminat water outflow, meiobenthic animals living]