• Korean Journal of Environmental Biology
• /
• v.40 no.4
• /
• pp.374-386
• /
• 2022

Phytoplankton communities, with emphasis on picoplankton and nanoplankton, were investigated in Gamak Bay, South Korea, where freshwater input and coastal water intrusion shape ecosystem functions. Shellfish farms and fish farms are located in the inner bay and outer bay, respectively, and tides translocate uneaten food and urine production from aquaculture farms toward the inner bay. Water masses were distinctly different based on a significantly different density between the surface and bottom layer and among three water masses, including the inner bay, outer bay, and Yeosu Harbor. Phytoplankton communities were quantified using flow cytometry and size-fractionated chlorophyll-a (chl-a) was measured. Salinity was a principal variable separating phytoplankton communities between the surface and bottom layer, whereas Si(OH)₄ controlled the communities in the inner bay, and NH₄⁺ and PO₄^3- governed the outer bay communities. While phycocyanin-containing (PC) cyanobacteria dominated in the outer bay, phycoerythrin-containing (PE) cyanobacteria dominance occurred with cryptophyte dominance, indicating that nutrients affected the distribution of pico- and nanoplankton and that cryptophytes potentially relied on a mixotrophic mode by feeding on PE cyanobacteria. Interestingly, picoeukaryotes and eukaryotes larger than 10 ㎛ were mostly responsible for the ecological niche in the western region of the bay. Given that chl-a levels have historically declined, our study highlights the potential importance of increased small phytoplankton in Gamak Bay. Particularly, we urge an examination of the ecological role of small phytoplankton in the food supply of cultivated marine organisms.

• Ocean Science Journal
• /
• v.41 no.1
• /
• pp.11-29
• /
• 2006

We investigated species composition and spatial distribution of the euphausiid community in the Yellow Sea and identified the relationship with environmental factors (temperature, salinity, chlorophyll $\alpha$, nitrate, phosphate, and silicate) using bimonthly data from June, 1997 to April, 1998. The environment varied during the sampling period. In warm seasons, thermocline was well developed rendering lower temperature and higher salinity and nutrient concentrations in the bottom layer. During cold seasons the water column was well mixed and no such vertical stratification was noted. Horizontal distribution of temperature, however, differed slightly between near-coast and offshore areas because of the shallow depth of the Yellow Sea, and between southern and northern areas because of the intrusion of water masses such as Yellow Sea Warm Current and Changjiang River Diluted Water. Four euphausiid species were identified: Euphausia pacifica, E. sanzoi, Pseudeuphausia sp. and Stylocheron affine. E. sanzoi and S. affine were collected, just one juvenile each, from the southern area in June and December, respectively. Pseudeuphausia sp. were collected in the eastern area all the year round except June. E. pacifica occurred at the whole study area and were the predominant species, representing at least 97.6% of the euphausiid abundance. Further, the distribution pattern of the species was varied in regards to developmental stages (adult, furcilia, calyptopis, egg). From spring to fall, E. pacifica adults were abundant in the central area where the Yellow Sea Bottom Cold Water prevailed. Furcilia and calyptopis extended their distribution into nearly all the study area during the same period. From late fall to winter, adults were found at the near-coastal are a with similar pattern for furcilia and calyptopis. The distribution pattern of E. pacifica was consistent regarding temperature, salinity, and three nutrients during the sampling period, whereas chlorophyll $\alpha$ showed a different pattern according to the developmental stages. The nutrients should indirectly affect via chlorophyll $\alpha$ and phytoplankton concentration. With respect to these results, we presented a scenario about how the environmental factors along with the water current affect the distribution of E. pacifica in the Yellow Sea.

• The Sea:JOURNAL OF THE KOREAN SOCIETY OF OCEANOGRAPHY
• /
• v.5 no.1
• /
• pp.16-26
• /
• 2000

Physical characteristics and nutrient distributions in seawater were investigated to understand the mechanism of red tide outbreak in coastal waters off Kohung area. To identify any physical and chemical differences before, during and after the red tide outbreaks, 6 times of field observations have been carried out from May to October, 1997. We found that major environmental properties of the seawater in the study area were determined not by the local meteoric conditions or nearby-land influences, but by the intrusion of seawater from offshore. In particular, extreme environmental variations in seawater were found during the period of red tide outbreak from August to September. Before the red tide outbreak, high concentrations of DIN(Dissolved Inorganic Nitrogen)were found in seawater, but they decreased during the outbreak. Whereas no significant variations of DIP(Dissolved Inorganic Phosphate) were found. For the water mass in the semienclosed northern part of the study area, local nutrient sources originated from nearby-lands were estimated to cover 70% of total DIN input, but the rest part of the water mass in the study area, sporadic intrusion of offshore water mass could account for the major source of DIN supply. An offshore water mass influenced by Yangtze river effluent was suggested as one of the candidates with its high nitrate contents, high seawater temperature and low salinity. A red tide related phytoplankton, Gyrodinium impudicum, was found in seawater on the 21th day of August and, on the same day, a unique water mass with high temperature and extremely low salinity suddenly appeared in the study area. On the 22th day of September, after one and half month duration of red tide we found that red tide had disappeared simultaneously with the intrusion of new water mass with different characteristics.

• Korean Journal of Ichthyology
• /
• v.22 no.4
• /
• pp.256-266
• /
• 2010

The distribution characteristics of the eggs and larvae of anchovy Engraulis japonica, and environmental factors in the southern coastal waters of Korea were investigated from May to August 2009. Eggs and larvae were mainly distributed in the waters off Naro Island, Namhae Island and Saryang Island. High densities of eggs and larvae in temperatures of $19.0{\sim}24.0^{\circ}C$, salinites of 33.0~34.4 psu, DO of 6.05~8.13 mg/L and chlorophyll-a $1.2{\sim}2.3{\mu}g/L$ were observed. Water temperature in the coastal region was higher than that in the open sea, while salinity was lower. Evidence of sea water intrusion toward Sori Island and Maemul Island, and an inner-water intrusion from Yeoja Bay, Gamak Bay and Gwangyang Bay were observed. High densities of eggs in early developmental stage occurred in waters off Naro Island, Dolsan Island and Namhae Island, but high densities of eggs in a later developmental stage occurred in waters off Yokji Island and Maemul Island. During the survey period, the proportion of later developmental-stage eggs was higher in the eastern part of the study area.

• Journal of Korea Water Resources Association
• /
• v.48 no.12
• /
• pp.1023-1035
• /
• 2015

This study applies 3-D N-S solver based on PBM (Porous Body Model), LED-WASS-3D ver 2.0 to directly analyze non-linear interaction of seawater-freshwater-coastal aquifer in order to simulate the seawater infiltration into coastal aquifer. This numerical simulation is the first trial in Korea, as well as unusual and new numerical analysis abroad. Firstly, to validate the applied numerical model, the validity and effectiveness was verified for the numerical model by comparing and considering it with the result of laboratory experiment for seawater-freshwater interface in coastal aquifer. And then it simulated the seawater infiltration into coastal aquifer considering the changed levels of seawater and groundwater in order to analyze the distribution characteristics of flow field and seawater-freshwater interface of coastal aquifer as the level difference between seawater and groundwater and rate of seawater level (${\Delta}h/h$) increased. In addition, the characteristics of seawater infiltration were analyzed from the vertical salinity in the coastal aquifer by ${\Delta}h/h$, which cannot be obtained from existing non-diffusion numerical models. Finally, it analyzed the effect of ${\Delta}h/h$ on the seawater infiltration distance in coastal aquifer, which was indexed.

• Journal of Soil and Groundwater Environment
• /
• v.26 no.6
• /
• pp.144-156
• /
• 2021

This study examined hydrogeological characteristics of groundwater and surface water interaction in the fresh-saline water mixed zone of East Coast lagoon area, Korea, using several technical approaches including hydrological, lithological, and isotopic methods. In addition, the fresh-saline water interface was evaluated using vertical electrical conductivity (EC) data. For this purpose, three monitoring wells (SJ-P1, SJ-P2, and SJ-P3) were installed across the Songji lagoon at depths of 7.4 to 9.0 m, and water level, EC, and temperature at the wells and in the lagoon (SJ-L1) were monitored using automatic transducers from August 1 to October 21, 2021. Isotopic composition of the groundwater, lagoon water, and sea water were also monitored in the mid-September, 2013. The mixing ratios calculated from oxygen and hydrogen isotopic composition decreased with increasing depth in the monitoring wells, indicating saline water intrusion. In the study area, the interaction of groundwater-surface water-sea water was evident, and residual salinity in the sedimentary layers created in the past marine environment showed disorderly characteristics. Moreover, the horizontal flow at the lagoon's edge was more dominant than the vertical flow.

• Journal of the Korean Society for Marine Environment & Energy
• /
• v.16 no.4
• /
• pp.290-298
• /
• 2013

A Saemangeum Development Project, which is a national project in South Korea, has started with the objective of developing the reclaimed area mainly agricultural land use since the mid'80s. To develop a model of the global eco-reclamation, constructions of the eco-friendly counter facilities such as sluice gates and inner dikes, as well as environmental preservation measures for an estuary reservoir, have been carried out. However, reasonable measures of the water quality management for the Saemangeum area are required. Thus, the purpose of this study is to rigorously analyze and quantitatively evaluate the environmental problems due to the water level management associated with inner dike constructions. To achieve these objectives, the affecting factors on determination of water level management are described and a series of calibrated transient-state numerical simulations was performed to demonstrate the salinity distribution difference in the estuary before and after the construction of inner dikes. The overall salinity reduced about 2~5 psu, and the seawater intrusion was weakened by a well-regulated waterway after construction of the inner dikes compared to before construction of them.

• Korean Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences
• /
• v.23 no.3
• /
• pp.225-237
• /
• 1990

Various chemical constituents were measured from April to August 1988 at the down-ward 20 stations of Keum River, which is located in the Midwest of Korea, to understand the characteristics of water quality with respect to spatio-temporal variations of each constituent. The 24-hrs continuous measurements with 2-hrs interval were made simultaneously at station 2 near the estuary weir and station 9(Ganggyeong) of 35 km upstream from the weir in April. By the results observed for one day in April at station 2, salinity has a range of $7.88\~22.14\%_{\circ}$ and its temporal variability is identical to the pattern of tidal cycle in the neigh-bouring Kunsan Harbor. However, turbidity shows relatively high values only at an interval of 4~5 hours after the lowest salinity time, though hourly fluctuation of pH is very small. Silicate and dissolved inorganic nitrogen have inversively linear correlationships with salinity, implying the concentration of the two nutrients strongly regulated by estuarine mixing of sea and river waters. In contrast, phosphate sustains roughly a constant level over a wide salinity range and distinctly lower values than those corresponding to nitrate in the oceans. Such distributions of phosphate have been observed in some estuaries, and interpreted as driven by removal of dissolved phosphate into bottom sediments and the bufforing of phosphate by particulate matter. COD values at station 2 are relatively high in day-time(particularly afternoon) and in high-salinity periods. At station 9, saltwater intrusion was never found but water level changed to the extent of 2.5 m for one day. Although each parameter at this station exhibits very slight variations in their abundance for 24 hours compared with station 2, the contents of COD, silicate and ammonia are significantly higher than at station 2. Concentration of suspended matter is relatively high in the brackish water region up to $\~20$ km above the river mouth, probably due to strong tidal stirring of the bottom de-posits. Also, relatively high pH, COD and $O_2$ saturation at the upward stations of $40\~50$ km from the weir are presumably attributable to active photosynthesis of plants in the region. In general, COD and nutrients except phosphate are higher values at the upper stations than in the estuary zone, and show the highest abundances in July nearly at all stations. Finally, in the estuarine region tidal mixing of sea-river waters seems to be an important factor controlling the distributions of turbidity, COD, silicate and nitrate as well as salinity. However, water quality in the upward fresh-water zone is remarkably variable according to months or seasons.

• Journal of Korea Water Resources Association
• /
• v.34 no.1
• /
• pp.19-30
• /
• 2001

A laterally averaged 2-dimensional hydrodynamic model is newly developed. The coordinate system is first transformed to minimize the effects of irregularity of bottom and surface. The advection terms of the governing equations are then discretized by an upwind scheme. By employing an explicit scheme for longitudinal direction and an implicit scheme for vertical direction, the model is free from restriction of temporal step size caused by a relatively small grid ratio. To demonstrate the applicability of the model, calculated time histories of free surface displacements and distributions of velocity and salinity are compared with the field measurements of the Keum River Estuary before construction of the estuary dam. A reasonable agreement is observed between them.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Marine Environment & Safety
• /
• v.9 no.2
• /
• pp.65-72
• /
• 2003

Oceanic conditions of the Tsushima Warm Current (TWC) region in the southern area of the East Sea (Japan Sea) are examined using data obtained from a CREAMS (Circulation Research if the East Asian Marginal Seas) cruise in June 1996. In 1990s, a lower temperature appears in 1996 and in this period, two branches of the TWC exist and the first branch of the TWC flows inshore of the Japanese coastal region compared to that in the other years, especially in the shallower water layer at depth less than about 200 m. The TWC cored with the higher salinity (>34.6 psu) is clearly observed over the continental shelf in the Japanese coastal region and offshore and identified by geostrophic calculation. Intrusion of the TWC into the East Sea through the Korea Strait (the Tsushima Strait) makes the density structure in the water column change and the water mass in the TWC region is unstable based on Brunt­Vaisala frequency.