• Journal of Ecology and Environment
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• v.35 no.1
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• pp.15-25
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• 2012

Time series of ocean climate indices and catch records were used to identify the alternation patterns of pelagic fish populations in relation to climate regime shifts. During 1910-2008, an orderly alternation of dominant pelagic fish groups was observed in the Tsushima Warm Current (TWC; Yellow Sea-East China Sea-East Sea/Japan Sea) and Kuroshio-Oyashio Current (KOC; Northwestern Pacific) regions. After the collapse of herring fishery in the late 1920s, the sardine (A group) dominated in the 1930s, 3 other species (C group; Pacific saury, jack mackerel, and anchovy) dominated in the 1950s-1960s, chub mackerel (B group) dominated in the 1970s, and then sardine (A group) dominated again during cool regime in the 1980s. As sardine biomass decreased in association with the climate regime shift that occurred in the late 1980s, catches of C group immediately increased after the regime shift and remained at high levels during warm regime in the 1990s. Alternations of dominant fish groups occurred 6 times between 1910 and 2008. The dominant period of the 7 species lasted for 10-20 years. The catch of Pacific sardine in the TWC and KOC regions showed a negative correlation with the catch of the other 5 species (Pacific herring, anchovy, jack mackerel, Pacific saury, and common squid), suggesting that the abundance of the 5 species is strongly affected by the abundance of Pacific sardine in relation to the climate regime shifts. The total catch level of the 7 species in the KOC region was generally higher than that in the TWC region before 1991 but was lower after 1992, suggesting that the fish populations in the Pacific side are shifted to the TWC region by zonal oscillation of the oceanic conditions in relation to the climate regime shift in the late 1980s.

• Proceedings of the KSRS Conference
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• 2004.10a
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• pp.553-556
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• 2004

Spatial and temporal aspects of toxic dinoflagellate Cochlodinium.p blooms and consequences of physical features in complex coastal ecosystems, off the southern Korean coast, have been investigated using data obtained from SeaWiFS and AVHRR as well as in-situ observations. Hydrographic parameters measured using CTD sensors were used to elucidate physical factors affecting the spatial distribution and abundance of Cochlodinium.p blooms. The results show spatial and temporal variations of chlorophyll-a (Chl-a) and sea surface temperature (SST) and reveal significant information about Cochlodinium.p blooms and process underlying their evolution. Satellitederived Chl-a estimates appear to be potential in explicating the evolution, movement and distribution of Cochlodinium.p blooms in the enclosed bays of the South Sea. The existence of thromohaline waters offshore provide favorable conditions for the rapid growth and subsequent southward initiation of Cochlodinium.p blooms that are influenced to flow on the offshore branch (OB) during September. It was observed that there was a significant variation in the sun-induced chlorophyll-a fluorescence signal in the remote sensing fluorescence spectra and its high-intensity was recognized during the period of exponential growth and physical transport. Satellite-derived Chl-a concentration during September 1999 ranged between $3­60mg/m^3$ inside the Jin-hae and adjacent Bays and $1-6mg/m^3$ in offshore waters, with varying Cochlodinium.p abundances 1500 to 26000 cells $ml^{-1}.$ The closely spaced CTD surveys and satellite-derived SST give a complete overview on the initiation of Cochlodinium.p blooms in hydrodynamically active regions of the offshore southern East Sea by the influence of Tsushima Warm Current (TWC).

• Korean Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences
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• v.54 no.4
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• pp.456-466
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• 2021

The distribution and abundance of euphausiids were investigated in Korean waters in 2016. Euphausiids were sampled with a Bongo net. A CTD (Sea Bird Electronics 9 plus) measured the water temperature and salinity while sampling. Mean water temperature ranged from 4.2-31.0℃. The highest temperatures occur in September and lowest temperatures in February. The mean water salinity ranged from 27.9-34.8 psu, with the highest salinities in March and lowest in September. Euphausiid species in group W consisted of four species. Among the euphausiid species, Euphausia pacifica was the dominant species with peak densities in September. The E. pacifica from group W was distributed in the bottom cold water during summer when a thermocline was formed. Five euphausiid species occurred in group S. E. pacifica and E. nana were the dominant species. In group S, E. nana was located in the warm and saline Tsushima Warm Current, a branch of the influential Kuroshio Current. Five euphausiid species occurred in group E. E. pacifica and T. longipes were the dominant species. In group E, E. pacifica and T. longipes were distributed in the deep and cold waters, these species prefer low water temperatures and perform vertical migration. The distribution of euphausiids in Korean waters were highly influenced by mass water characteristics, such as temperature and salinity.

• Korean Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences
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• v.46 no.6
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• pp.941-947
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• 2013

To understand the relationship between various oceanographic factors and seaweed production, we examined the annual accumulated aquaculture production of Undaria pinnatifida with respect to water temperature, salinity, dissolved oxygen, current patterns and nutrients over 21 years (1990-2010) (this date range does not add up to over 21 years) along the coast of Busan, Korea. According to the results of the cross-correlation function, annual production of U. pinnatifida was closely related to the following conditions: low water temperature, low salinity, strong Tsushima Warm Current, and high concentrations of dissolved oxygen and nutrients. In this study, we also considered the Index of Oceanographic factors for U. pinnatifida (IOU) by computation of a simple equation. This index will be used for the prediction of U. pinnatifida aquaculture production off the coast of Busan.

• Journal of the korean society of oceanography
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• v.32 no.3
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• pp.128-137
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• 1997

This study presents results from a detailed sedimentological investigation of surface sediments obtained from the Korea Strait region, the southern part of the East Sea (Sea of Japan). The distribution of different types of bottom sediments is controlled by the recent fine-grained sediment transport and deposition combined with the lowerings of sea level during the last glacial period, forming a diverse mixture of organic-rich fine-grained and shelly coarse-grained sediments. In comparison to high organic concentration of fine-grained sediments in the inner continental shelf and slope areas, the shell-rich coarse-grained sediments on the outer shelf are discernible being further modified. These coarse-grained sediments are confirmed as relict resulting from the sediment dynamics during the lower sea levels of the last glacial period. Clay mineral distribution of the fine-grained sediments gives information about the transport mechanism. Presence of present-day current system (the Tsushima Warm Current) is most probable source for the fine-grained particles into the open East Sea from the East China Sea, indicating that Holocene sediment dynamics may be used to explain the observed distribution of surface coarse-grained shell-rich sediments.

• Ocean Science Journal
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• v.42 no.3
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• pp.179-192
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• 2007

Understanding in climate effects on marine ecosystem is essential to utilize, predict, and conserve marine living resources in the 21st century. In this review paper, we summarized the past history and current status of Korean fisheries as well as the changes in climate and oceanographic phenomena since the 1960s. Ocean ecosystems in Korean waters can be divided into three, based on the marine commercial fish catches; the demersal ecosystem in the Yellow Sea and the East China Sea, the pelagic ecosystem in the Tsushima Warm Current from the East China Sea to the East/Japan Sea, and the demersal ecosystem in the northern part of the East/Japan Sea. Through the interdisciplinary retrospective analysis using available fisheries, oceanographic, and meteorological information in three important fish communities, the trend patterns in major commercial catches and the relationship between climate/environmental variability and responses of fish populations were identified. Much evidence revealed that marine ecosystems, including the fish community in Korean waters, has been seriously affected by oceanographic changes, and each species has responded differently. In general, species diversity is lessening, and mean trophic level of each ecosystem has decreased during the last $3\sim4$ decades. Future changes in fisheries due to global warming are also considered for major fisheries and aquaculture in Korean waters.

• Journal of Environmental Science International
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• v.14 no.11
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• pp.1063-1069
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• 2005

In order to investigate the distribution of suspended particulate matter of the surface water in the South Sea of Korea in early winter, the cruise results during 2 to 8 December 2004 were analyzed in relation to the hydrography. The front was formed along the line connecting between Tsushima and Cheju Islands, which divided the water into two water masses; the coastal water with for temperature and for salinity, and the Tsushima Warm Current Water with high temperature and high salinity. In the coastal water the suspended particulte matter was 5.0-6.5 mg/l, while in the oceanic water suspended particulate matter was 4.5-5.0 mg/l. The coastal water showed higher mixing effects, compared to the oceanic area where vertical stratification was clearly formed. These indicate that the distribution of suspended particulate matter was affected by the stratification or mixing of the water column. Also it is suggested that the mixing effects of sea surface cooling and rind play an important role on the distribution of suspended particulate matter in the South Sea of Korea in winter time.

• The Sea:JOURNAL OF THE KOREAN SOCIETY OF OCEANOGRAPHY
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• v.17 no.4
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• pp.225-242
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• 2012

This is the first attempt to produce simultaneous surface current field from satellite altimeter data for the entire East Sea and to provide surface current information to users with formal description. It is possible to estimate surface geostrophic current field in near real-time because satellite altimeters and coastal tide gauges supply sea level data for the whole East Sea. Strength and location of the major currents and meso-scale eddies can be identified from the estimated surface geostrophic current field. The mean locations of major surface currents were explicated relative to topographic, ocean-surface and undersea features with schematic representation of surface circulation. In order to demonstrate the practical use of this surface current information, exemplary descriptions of annual, seasonal and monthly mean surface geostrophic current distributions were presented. In order to objectively classify surface circulation patterns in the East Sea, empirical orthogonal function (EOF) analysis was performed on the estimated 16-year (1993-2008) surface current data. The first mode was associated with intensification or weakening of the East Korea Warm Current (EKWC) flowing northward along the east coast of Korea and of the anti-cyclonic circulation southwest of Yamato Basin. The second mode was associated with meandering paths of the EKWC in the southern East Sea with wavelength of 300 km. The first and second modes had inter-annual variations. The East Sea surface circulation was classified as inertial boundary current pattern, Tsushima Warm Current pattern, meandering pattern, and Offshore Branch pattern by the time coefficient of the first two EOF modes.

• Ocean and Polar Research
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• v.42 no.3
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• pp.211-223
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• 2020

With the increasing demand for improved marine environments and safety, greater ability to minimize damages to coastal areas from harmful organisms, ship accidents, oil spills, etc. is required. In this regard, an accurate assessment and understanding of current systems is a crucial step to improve forecasting ability. In this study, we examine spatial and temporal characteristics of current systems in the adjacent seas of Jeju Island using a high-resolution regional ocean circulation model. Our model successfully captures the features of tides and tidal currents observed around Jeju Island. The tide form number calculated from the model result ranges between 0.3 and 0.45 in the adjacent seas of Jeju Island, indicating that the dominant type of tides is a combination of diurnal and semidiurnal, but predominantly semidiurnal. The spatial pattern of tidal current ellipses show that the tidal currents oscillate in a northwest-southeast direction and the rotating direction is clockwise in the adjacent seas of Jeju Island and counterclockwise in the Jeju Strait. Compared to the mean kinetic energy, the contribution of tidal current energy prevails the most parts of the region, but largely decreases in the eastern seas of Jeju Island where the Tsushima Warm Current is dominant. In addition, a Lagrangian particle-tracking experiment conducted suggests that particle trajectories in tidal currents flowing along the coast may differ substantially from the mean current direction. Thus, improving our understanding of tidal currents is essential to forecast the transport of marine pollution and harmful organisms in the adjacent seas of Jeju Island.

• The Sea:JOURNAL OF THE KOREAN SOCIETY OF OCEANOGRAPHY
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• v.24 no.2
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• pp.318-331
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• 2019

In this study, comparative analysis is performed on the long-term persisted warm eddies that were generated in 2003 (WE03) and in 2014 (WE14) over the East Sea using the HYCOM reanalysis data. The overshooting of the East Korea Warm Current (EKWC) was appeared during the formation period of those warm eddies. The warm eddies were produced in the shallow Korea Plateau region through the interaction of the EKWC and the sub-polar front. In the interior of the both warm eddies, a homogeneous water mass of about $13^{\circ}C$ and 34.1 psu were generated over the upper 150 m depth by the winter mixing. In 2004, the next year of the generation of the WE03, the amount of the inflow through the western channel of the Korea Strait was larger, while the inflow was lesser than its climatology during 2015 corresponding to the development period of the WE14. The above results suggest that the heat and salt are supplied in the warm eddies through the Tsushima Warm Current (TWC), however the amount of the inflow through the Korea Strait has negligible impact on the long-term persistency of the warm eddies. Both of the warm eddies were maintained more than 18 months near Ulleung island, while they have no common feature on the pathways. In the vicinity of the Ulleung basin, large and small eddies are continuously created due to the meandering of the EKWC. The long-term persisted warm eddies in the Ulleung Island seem to be the results of the interaction between the pre-existed eddies located south of the sub-polar front and fresh eddies induced by the meanderings of the EKWC. The conclusion is also in line with the fact that the long-term persisted warm eddies were not always created when the overshooting of the EKWC was appeared.