• Korean Journal of Environmental Biology
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• v.29 no.3
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• pp.113-125
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• 2011

Seabirds have adapted to life in marine environments. More than 25% of the bird species observed in South Korea are seabirds, using the coast area of Korean peninsula as a stop-over and wintering, and breeding site. The aims of this review are to provide information about migratory and resident Korean seabirds and to discuss the methods that are currently employed to monitor the marine environment. In Korea, it has been reported that more than 400,000 individuals of seabirds breed on Nando Islet, Chilbaldo Islet, Guguldo Islet, Sasudo Islet, Hongdo Islet and Dokdo Islet. In 2010, approximately 160,000 seabirds also visited South Korea during the winter. Two of the main treats were introduced wildlife and habitat destruction by humans. Seabirds are monitored mainly at the population and individual levels. The assessment of population sizes and biomagnifications of pollutants are performed preferably at the community and population levels. Behaviour, growth, morphological characteristics, and breeding success is analyzed at the individual level and employed to gauge the health of the marine environment. In addition, we could suggest that molecular technique of seabirds successfully adopted to investigate the effects of pollutants and toxins in the marine environment.

• Proceedings of the Korea Society of Environmental Toocicology Conference
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• 1999.05a
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• pp.49-49
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• 1999

• The Sea:JOURNAL OF THE KOREAN SOCIETY OF OCEANOGRAPHY
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• v.27 no.3
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• pp.158-172
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• 2022

The distribution of seabirds was investigated in 24-34 major coastal wetlands in Korea from 2015 to 2019. During the study period, seven orders, 16 families, and 111 species were observed, and the largest number of species (51-89 species) was recorded in 2018. 92,821-265,783 individuals per year were observed with the largest number in 2018. The largest number of species (55-72 species) was observed in the southern sites of Jeollado, and the largest number of individuals (annual average of 62,542 individuals) was found in Chungcheong regions. The largest number of seabird species (68 species) was observed at the Suncheon Bay site in 2016, and the largest number of individuals (95,399 individuals) was observed at Biin and Jangan sites in 2018. In terms of the habitat type of seabirds, at the family level, shorebirds appeared most frequently with an average of 38%, followed by waterfowl, wading birds, seabirds, and raptors. With regard to legally protected species, eight protected marine species, 19 endangered wildlife species (Level I: six species, Level II: 13 species), and twelve natural monument species were observed. Overall, there was a significant difference in the number of species and individuals of seabirds in the Korean coastal wetlands during the research period. This suggests the importance of conducting systematic and continuous seabird surveys and developing a conservation policy considering habitat characteristics.

• Korean Journal of Environmental Biology
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• v.40 no.1
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• pp.25-53
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• 2022

In this study, trends in research methods and topics of seabird and marine fish migration were examined. Based on the framework of existing animal migration studies, future research directions were proposed in relation to the migration of seabirds and fish. In terms of research methodology, with the development of science and technology, tracking techniques using radio telemetry, acoustic telemetry, RFID (radio-frequency identification), satellite tracking, and geolocators are widely used to study seabird and fish migration. Research is also conducted indirectly through a population survey and the analysis of substances in the body. Research contents are largely classified into extrinsic factors that affect migration(such as environmental variables and interspecific competition), intrinsic factors such as hormones, anthropogenic activities including fishery and offshore wind farm, and the effect of global climate change. In future studies, physiological factors that influence or cause migration and dispersal should be identified concerning intrinsic factors. For the analysis of migration ability, it is necessary to study effects of changes in the magnetic field on the migration ability of seabirds and fish, interspecific differences in spatiotemporal migration ability, and factors that influence the migration success rate. Regarding extrinsic factors, research studies on effects of anthropogenic disturbances such as fishery and offshore wind farm and global climate change on the migration and dispersal patterns of marine animals are needed. Finally, integrated studies on the migration of seabirds and fish directly or indirectly affecting each other in various ecological aspects are required.

• Parasites, Hosts and Diseases
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• v.54 no.2
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• pp.233-238
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• 2016

The 65th Medical Brigade and Public Health Command District-Korea, in collaboration with the Migratory Bird Research Center, National Park Research Institute, conducted migratory bird tick surveillance at Sogugul and Gaerin Islands (small rocky bird nesting sites), Jeollanam-do (Province), Republic of Korea (ROK), on 30 July and 1 August 2009. Breeding seabirds captured by hands in their nesting burrows were banded, identified to species, and carefully examined for ticks during the nesting season. A total of 9 Ornithodoros sawaii larvae were removed from 4 adult Hydrobates monorhis (Swinhoe's storm petrel). The identification of the larvae of O. sawaii collected from migratory seabirds were molecularly confirmed using mitochondrial 16S rDNA primer sets.

• Environmental Analysis Health and Toxicology
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• v.21 no.3 s.54
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• pp.267-273
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• 2006

Concentrations of four essential metals (Fe, Cu, Mn and Zn) were determined in apparently oil-polluted dead or near-dead three loon species collected in the Busan coast, Korea. Fe, Cu, Mn and Zn concentrations were generally high in liver, and also, Mn and Zn were high in bone. There were significant differences in some tissue concentrations of Fe, Cu, Mn and Zn among three species, but did not show any consistent evidence of species-specific accumulation. Mean concentration of Fe was 11,635$\pm$4010 $\mu$g/g, Cu 64.3$\pm$30.7 $\mu$g/g, Mn 13.1$\pm$2.32 $\mu$g/g, and Zn 121$\pm$24.8 $\mu$g/g in liver of all three species examined. Mn and Zn levels in this study were similar to those of normal loons and other seabirds reported from different countries. However, Fe and Cu liver levels were extraordinarily higher than those of reported. This result suggests that unusual accumulations of essential metals such as Fe and Cu may partially arise from long-term starvation due to oil pollution.

• Ocean and Polar Research
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• v.36 no.1
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• pp.49-57
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• 2014

The seabird plays an important role as one of the indicator species for the status of and changes within marine ecosystems. Therefore, the conservation of seabirds and their habitats is important for maintaining the structure and function of marine ecosystems. Biological invasions affect most ecosystems on oceanic islands. In particular, Rattus spp. is the invasive species with the greatest impact on the seabird population. Introduced predators, like rats, severely affect seabirds and endanger them worldwide. The breeding population of Streaked Shearwaters Calonectris leucomelas in Sasu Island is one of biggest seabird colonies in Korea, and the Norway Rat Rattus norvegicus is known as an alien predator in this island. In this study we investigated rates of burrow occupancy and breeding success of Streaked Shearwaters for 7 years, and the impact of Norway Rats on the breeding success of Streaked Shearwaters breeding in Sasu Island for 4 years. Our results show that the percentage of breeding burrows decreased according to breeding stage during several years in the monitoring period, and that predation by the Norway Rat was the main cause in hatching failures. Consequently, although our results indicate that their breeding population is not likely to decline, Norway Rats have been affecting the breeding status of Streaked Shearwaters on Sasu Island during the last decade.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.14 no.1
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• pp.41-47
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• 2004

This study was performed to investigate the antimicrobial effects of hetero-chitosans and their oligosaccharides on the halophilic bacterium, Vibrio parahaemolyticus. Nine classes of hetero-chitosan oligosaccharides were prepared based on their molecular weights, using an ultrafiltration membrane reactor system with chitosanase and celluase, from partially different deacetylated chitosans, 90%, 75%, and 50% deacetylated chitosan, respectively. Thirty-two strains of V. parahaemolyticus were isolated from various marine organisms such as shellfish, shrimps, octopus, and seabirds. Seventy-five percent deacetylated chitosan showed the highest antimicrobial acitivity. The minimal inhibitory concentration (MIC) was 0.5 mg/ml on 14 strains of V. parahaemolyticus, and MIC of the rest strains (18 strains) was 1.0 mg/ml. In addition, MIC of most hetero-chitosan oligosaccharides was 8.0 mg/ml. The results revealed that the antimicrobial effects of hetero-chitosans and their oligosaccharides against V. parahaemolyticus depend on the degree of deacetylation, their molecular weights, and strains tested.

• Ocean and Polar Research
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• v.25 no.2
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• pp.213-226
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• 2003

Kongsfjorden near Korean Arctic Station, Dasan, is a glacial fjord in the Svalbard archipelago, Arctic that is influenced by both Atlantic and Arctic water masses. During the Arctic field season August 2002, surface temperature, salinity, density, and phytoplankton biomass (chi a) was measured in Kongsfjorden. A total of 15 surface samples were collected for the phytoplankton related measurements. Chl a values ranged from 0.08 to 1.4mg chi a $m^{-3}$ (mean of 0.53mg chl a $m^{-3}$) in the overall surface stations. The highest values of the chi a concentrations (> 1.0mg chi a $m^{-3}$) were found near glacier in the northeastern part of Kongsfjorden. Nanoplanktonic (< $20{\mu}m$) phytoflagellates were important contributors for the increase of the chi a. The nano-sized phytoflagellates accounted for more than 90% of the total chi a biomass in the study area. Surface temperatures and salinities ranged from 2.5 to $7.18^{\circ}C$ (mean of $4.65^{\circ}C$) and from 22.55 to 32.97 psu (mean of 30.16 psu), respectively. The physical factors were not highly correlated with phytoplankton distribution. The character of surface water due to down-fjord wind was highly similar to phytoplankton distribution. Drifting ice, freshwater, and semdiment inputs from large tidal glaciers located in the inner part of Konsfjorden create steep physico- and biogeochemical environmental gradients along the length of this ford. The glacial inputs cause reduced biodiversity biomass and productivity in the pelagic community in the inner fjord. Primary production of benthic and pelagic microalgae is reduced due to the limited light levels in the turbid and mixed inner waters. The magnitude of glacial effects diminishes towards the outer fjord. Kongsfjorden is an important feeding ground fer marine mammals and seabirds. Especially, seabirds play the largest energy intake and also export nutrients for primary production of the marine microalgae. Kongsfjorden has received a lot of research attention as a site for exploring the impacts of climate changes. Dasan Station in Kongsfjorden will be an important Arctic site for monitoring and detecting future environmental changes.

• Journal of Ecology and Environment
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• v.36 no.4
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• pp.217-222
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• 2013

Sea temperature in the South Sea of Korea has been increased over the last decades. Seabirds are sensitive to changes in food availability in marine environment. In this study, we investigate the diet of Black-tailed gulls (Larus crassirostris) during the breeding season to identify changes of marine environment and biological response such as breeding performance in the South Sea of Korea. A total of 22 fish species or family (n = 128) from regurgitates by chicks were collected on Hongdo Island in 2002 and 2012. The most important prey item was Japanese anchovies (Engraulis japonicas). Proportion of Anchovy in diet increased in 2012 (70.5%) compared to 10 years ago (27.5%). Some species were newly found in 2012: Spotted chub mackerel (Scomber australasicus), Pacific sand lace (Ammodytes personatus), White ventral goby (Acanthogobius lactipes), Silver-strip round herring, Multicolorfin rainbowfish (Halichoeres poecilopterus), Silverside (Hypoatherina tsurugae), Surfperch (Neoditrema ransonneti) and Spotnape ponyfish (Leiognathus muchalis), but not in 2002. Especially, sub-tropic fish such as Kammal thryssa (Thryssa kammalensis), and Rosefish (Helicolenus hilgendorfi) were frequently observed in the diet of 2012. These results might reflect the increase of sea temperature in the South Sea of Korea.