• Journal of Environmental Science International
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• v.33 no.7
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• pp.533-546
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• 2024

The coastal urchin barren phenomenon in our country began to spread and expand from the 1980s, centering on the southern coast and Jeju Island, and by the 1990s, it appeared along the east coast and nationwide. The urchin barren phenomenon is mainly conducted through field surveys by diving, but recently, various surveying techniques have been applied. In this study, a spectral library for terrestrial and marine areas was established for the identification of urchin barrens using airborne hyperspectral imagery, and the distribution area was analyzed through the SAM (spectral angle mapper) algorithm. An analysis of the urchin barren phenomenon in the five islands of the West Sea revealed that it occurrs in most areas, with the combined severity of the urchin barren phenomenon in Sapsido and Oeyeondo being approximately 19.9%. Hyperspectral imagery is expected to be highly useful not only for detecting the urchin barren phenomenon but also for managing and monitoring marine fishery resources through the classification of seaweeds.

• ALGAE
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• v.30 no.2
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• pp.139-146
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• 2015

Urchin barrens have been a major issue of rocky coastal ecosystems in temperate regions. In South Korea, the east coast and Jeju Island have especially been a focus because the area of barren ground increases in spite of continual efforts to install artificial reefs. This study approached the urchin barrens issue in South Korea, by focusing on a correlational analysis of urchin and macroalgal abundance. Urchin density and algal species coverage were obtained using a quadrat image analysis. Subtidal sites were then classified into three groups according to the average densities of urchins to evaluate the characterization of the macroalgal community: no urchin (NU) zone; transition (TR) zone, $4inds.\;m^{-2};$ and urchin (UR) zone, ${\geq}8inds.\;m^{-2}$. The average urchin density in the study site was $4.7inds.\;m^{-2}$ and 57 macroalgal species were found in the study site. From the NU zone to UR zone, total species number, species diversity index and evenness gradually decreased, whereas the dominance index increased. The algae species with negative correlations were Grateloupia divaricata, Polysiphonia morrowii, Chondracanthus intermedius, Delesseria violacea, Desmarestia viridis; and those with positive correlations were the crustose corallines, Sargassum horneri. Other species were not significantly correlated with urchin density. The significant correlations indicate that the abundance of some macroalgal species is proportionally regulated by sea urchin density. This study also shows how macroalgal vegetation changes in response to an urchin's density gradient in a natural condition; and there is a TR zone that existed with respect to an intermediate level of algal abundance.

• 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.

• The Sea:JOURNAL OF THE KOREAN SOCIETY OF OCEANOGRAPHY
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• v.9 no.1
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• pp.40-49
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• 2004

An ecological study on a sea urchin population, Strongylocentrotus nudus, a key role species in recovery of macroalgal bed, was conducted in Hosan, Samcheok area on the east coast of Korea. Three experimental plots, namely, AMB (artificially-restored macroalgal bed), BG (barren grounds) and NMB (natural macroalgal bed) were established after a pilot survey in June 2002. Distribution and abundance, grazing rates, predation pressure and predator guilds on S. nudus were estimated in three plots bimonthly from Aug. to Dec., 2002. Abundance of S. nudus was lowest, but median test diameter of the urchin was highest (Kruskal-Wallis test, p-value, p<0.001 in Aug. and p=0.003 in Oct.) in NMB In-situ grazing rate of S. nudus estimated by enclosure cage experiment in NMB was about 12 times higher in Aug. (160.0 mg seaweed/g sea urchin/day) than in Oct. (13.8). Predation intensity measured by tethering experiment was higher in NMB. Most of the predators on S. nudus were invertebrates and no fish predators were found. Predator guilds identified by the fish trap experiment using live or dead sea urchins included who]ks Neptunea arthritica, starfish Asterina pectinifera, hermit crabs Pagurus of. samuelis, Paguristes barbatus, brown shawl crabs Atergatis integerrimus and crabs Actaea subglobosa. High predation pressure on S. nudus in natural macroalgal beds was the likely cause of its low density. Elevated sea urchin density and the consequent lasting deforestation of macroalgae in barren grounds demonstrate the importance of predation pressure on sea urchins.

• 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.