• Journal of Aquaculture
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• v.15 no.2
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• pp.79-86
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• 2002

This study is the first attempt to understand the feeding physiology of a sea-urchin larva on a red-tide dinoflagellate. Fifteen day old larvae of S. intermedius capture C. polykrikoides cells by localized reversal of ciliary beats. No failure to transporte the algal cells from theciliated band to mouth and no rejection at the mouth suggest that C. polykrikoides has no feeding deterrence to S. intermedius larvae. The trend obtained for the clearance rate of S. intermedius larvae is similar to that of other sea urchin larvae. Thus, the clearance rate decreased as the algal concentration increased. Maximum clearance rate of S. intermedius on C. polykrikoides was 17.7 $\mu l$/larva/hr. Ingestion rate rapidly increased at lower algal concentrations and saturated at higher concentrations. There was no inhibition in ingestion rate at the highest prey concentration of ca. 3000 cells/ml. Maximum ingestion rate of S. intermedius on C. polykrikoides was 131 ngC/larva/d, which is higher than that reported for the larvae of the mussel Mytilus gal-lotrovincialis, but lower than that of the ciliate Strombidinopsis sp. The grazing rate, calculated by combining the field data on algal abundances with experimental data on ingestion rate, suggests that due to its low abundance, sea urchin Iarva has no significant grazing impact on C. polykrikoides population.

• Development and Reproduction
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• v.14 no.4
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• pp.225-231
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• 2010

Gonadal development and reproductive cycles of red sea urchin Pseudocentrotus depressus were investigated based on the monthly variations of gonadosomatic index (GSI), gametogenesis and developmental phases of gonad. The specimens were sampled monthly in the north coastal waters of Ongpo and the south coastal waters Bubhwan of Jeju Island, Korea, from December 1994 to December 1995. Monthly changes of GSI values and reproductive cycles showed similar trends in Ongpo and Bubhwan. In females GSI values were reached the maximum in December ($17.8{\pm}4.04$ in Ongpo, $13.8{\pm}1.51$ in Bubhwan). In males GSI values were reached the maximum in December ($15.4{\pm}1.53$ in Ongpo, $13.6{\pm}1.32$ in Bubhwan). In both Ongpo and Bubhwan major spawning probably occurred between November and February when water temperatures and daylengths decrease. The histological observations of the gonads suggested that this species seemed to have a synchronous gametogenesis and one spawning season a year in Jeju Island costal waters.

• Korean Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences
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• v.45 no.3
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• pp.262-270
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• 2012

Seaweeds provide habitats in which marine animals can spawn and develop, and serve as a food supply for algaegrazing species such as sea urchins and abalone. Recently, seaweed species have disappeared from coastal ecosystems, leaving barren ground, defined as habitats that have lost their algae forests and where coralline algae containing calcium carbonate components have become encrusted on rocks. The biological causes of barren ground include grazing by herbivores and excessive seaweed harvest. The environmental harm caused by the spread of barren ground includes accelerated eutrophication following the reduction in seaweed, which plays an important role in oceanic purification. In the present study, we identified the relationships between various seaweed species and the occurrence of barren ground. Subtidal benthic macroalgal flora and community structure were observed seasonally on barren ground along vertical transects of rocky shores of Bihwa, Samchuck, and the east coast of Korea from February to November 2006. Fifty-eight seaweed species were identified, including 7 green, 15 brown, and 36 red algae species. There were between 6 and 28 species among seasons. Over the whole study period, average seaweed biomass (g wet wt $m^{-2}$) was 241.90 g, with a seasonal range of 25.26 to 760.34 g. Seaweed biomass declined with increasing seawater depth and ranged between 91.26 and 422.08 g. The vertical distribution of algae was characterized by Undaria pinnatifida and Sargassum honeri at 5 m, S. honeri and U. pinnatifida at 10 m, and U. pinnatifida and Agarum clathratum at 15 m depth. Seasonal patterns in community indices were not found. Community indices showed different patterns along vertical shoreline gradients; the dominance index increased but the richness, evenness, and diversity indices decreased with seawater depth. Sea urchin density was 8 to 24 individ. $m^{-2}$ in Bihwa. These urchin populations had significantly aggregated spatial patterns and recurrent destructive grazing appeared to be occurring.

• Korean Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences
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• v.45 no.6
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• pp.686-693
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• 2012

The seaweed community and stomach contents of the dominant herbivorous sea urchins Anthocidaris crassispina and Hemicentrotus pulcherrimus were examined from November 2008 to October 2009, in coastal areas of Tongyeong, Korea. Thirty-five seaweeds including two green, nine brown, and 24 red algae, were found over the study period. Seventeen seaweeds (two green, two brown, and 13 red) and two invertebrates were found in the stomachs of A. crassispina. In H. pulcherrimus, stomach contents were two green, one brown, 11 red seaweeds, and two invertebrates. The shell diameter of A. crassispina and H. pulcherrimus ranged from 22.3 to 62.3 mm and 15.3 to 40.1 mm, respectively. Total body weights ranged from 48.5 to 86.7 g for A. crassispina and from 7.7 to 25.9 g for H. pulcherrimus. The total weight of stomach contents were 5.1 to 25.8 g in A. crassispina and 1.7 to 11.8 g in H. pulcherrimus. The range of gonad weight was 3.6 to 17.0 g in A. crassispina and 0.8 to 4.0 g in H. pulcherrimus. The gonad index (GI) for A. crassispina peaked in July and reached a minimum in December, whereas the GI for H. pulcherrimus was highest in February, and lowest in May.

• Journal of Environmental Science International
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• v.14 no.12
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• pp.1129-1139
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• 2005

A series of experiments was conducted to identify the potential of five phytoplankton species as standard test species for marine ecotoxicological tests. The candidate phytoplankton species are Skeletonema costatum, Heterosigma akashiwo, Prorocentrum micans, Isochrysis galbana, and Tetraselmis suecica. Salinity tolerance and sensitivity on potassium dichromate as a reference material were identified. Toxicity of eleven ocean dumped sewage sludges and four red tide expellent extracts were estimated by the inhibition of population growth rates (PGR) of marine diatom S. costatum, While most species revealed relatively weak tolerance on salinity, T. suecica demonstrated the highest salinity tolerance ranged from $5\~35$ psu and the others $15\~35$ psu. H. akashiwo revealed the highest sensitivity as 72h $IC_{50}$=0.76mg/L and T. suecica the lowest as 72h $IC_{50}$=8.89mg/L on potassium dichromate. Sludge extracts from industrial waste, domestic sewage and livestock farm waste sludge showed high toxicity as 72h $IC_{50}$<$2\%$ and lowest toxicity from filtration bed sludge as 72h $IC_{50}$=$30.50\%$ NOEC (No Observed Effective Concentration) of sludge extract ranged from <$0.4\%$ to $1.6\%$ and this indicated high phytotoxicity of ocean dumped sewage sludge. The test sensitivity of phytoplankton PGR inhibition was much higher than those of marine rotifer Brachionus plicatilis mortality test and bioluminescent inhibition test by marine bacteria Vibrio fischeri, and comparable with the sea urchin (Strongylocentrotus intermedius) fertilization test. As a result the phytotoxicity test using phytoplankton PGR inhibition ($IC_{50}$) must be a useful tool for marine phyto-toxicological evaluation of ocean dumped materials.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Marine Environment & Safety
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• v.23 no.4
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• pp.338-346
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• 2017

Natural seaweed beds and habitat environments were investigated using quantitative and qualitative methods from May to December 2015 at 3 sites in Gangneung, Uljin, and Busan along the eastern coast of Korea. In total, 9 green, 23 brown, and 64 red algal taxa were identified. The biomass of the seaweed at Gangneung was 173.2 to $613.8wet\;wt.g/m^2$ of Dictyota divaricata, 360.8 to $520.4wet\;wt.g/m^2$ of Symphyocladia linearis, and 25.9 to $470.8wet\;wt.g/m^2$ of Undaria pinnatifida. At Uljin, these numbers were 5.5 to $256.2wet\;wt.g/m^2$ of Plocamium telfarirae and 46.8 to $241.5wet\;wt.g/m^2$ of Agarum clathratum. The biomass of Sargassum coreanum and Ecklonia cava were 388.1 to $6,972.4wet\;wt.g/m^2$ and 194.9 to $958.5wet\;wt.g/m^2$, respectively, at Busan. S. coreanum and E. cava showed higher biomass compared to other seaweed at Busan. The biomass rate represented an average of 19.2 percent of the total population, ranging from 0.0 to 55.5 percent in Gangneung. In Uljin, the average was calculated as 63.8 percent, and this figure was 48.5 percent in Busan. The percentage of barren ground averaged 46.7 percent in Gangneung and 91.1 percent in Uljin. Uljin showed the highest percentage of barren ground compared to other regions. Sea urchin density appeared to be $6.0ind./m^2$ in Gangneung, $7.0ind./m^2$ in Uljin, and $2.0ind./m^2$ in Busan, with the lowest sea urchin density being that of Busan. In conclusion, the composition of species, appearance ratio, and abundance of vegetation found were similar to previous studies, but it is thought that continuous monitoring is needed due to concerns about physical and chemical pollution caused by global warming, climate change, and coastal development.