• Ocean and Polar Research
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• v.30 no.3
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• pp.303-312
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• 2008

Despite the impacts of the climate changes on the pelagic ecosystem, few studies have examined the pelagic-benthic coupling in the adjacent East China Sea and Korea Strait. Therefore, the species composition and abundance of the macrobenthic community, as well as the potential food sources of benthic fauna were investigated in the present study using stable isotope analysis (${\delta}^{13}C\;and\;{\delta}^{15}N$) for suspended particulate organic matter (SPOM), sedimentary organic matter (SOM), phytoplankton, and zooplankton. A total of 157 macrobenthic fauna were collected, and the density of the macrobenthic fauna ranged from 4 to 434 ind./0.25 $m^2$, with an average density of 149 ind./0.25 $m^2$. The density of the benthic fauna increased moving from offshore shelf sites to coastal sites adjacent to the Korea Strait. Cluster analysis showed that the macrobenthic communities consisted of three distinct groups: group A in the Korea Strait, group B in the East China Sea, and group C near Ieodo. The dominant species in group A were the amphipods Photis japonica and Ampelisca miharaensis, followed by the polychaete Scolotoma longifolia. Environmental variables, such as the temperature of the seawater and sediment, and oxygen, and chlorophyll a levels, appeared to affect the structure of the community, suggesting the importance of coupling with the pelagic system. The ${\delta}^{13}C$ values of SPOM and zooplankton ranged from -22.97 to -23.5% and -19.92 to -21.86%, respectively, showing a relatively narrow range(<1%) between the two components. The difference between the ${\delta}^{13}C$ values of SOM and pelagic organic matter was also within 1%, suggesting that the SOM originated from the pelagic system, which is an important factor controlling the macrobenthic community.

• Journal of Ecology and Environment
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• v.38 no.3
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• pp.293-305
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• 2015

In order to understand the mechanisms of conversion between different algal dominance, an experiment was performed in a greenhouse from 22 June to 10 July 2011. The experiment included a treatment group subjected to three instances of nutrient enrichment and a control with no nutrient enrichment. The initial water was dominated by Ankistrodesmus of Chlorophyta. The average water temperature at 08:30 h and 14:00 h during the experiment was $31.6^{\circ}C$ and $34.6^{\circ}C$, respectively. The results showed that the total nitrogen (TN), total phosphorus (TP), dissolved total nitrogen (DTN), dissolved total phosphorus (DTP), and soluble reactive phosphorus (SRP) concentrations in the treatment were significantly higher than in the control (P < 0.05). However, the TN/TP and DTN/DTP in the control was higher than in the treatment (P < 0.05). The dominant algae in the control did not change during the experiment, while the dominant algae in the treatment switched to Planktothrix of Cyanophyta on day 9. The chlorophyll a (Chl-a), wet weight of all algae, wet weight of Cyanophyta, and percentage of Cyanophyta in the control were all significantly lower than in the treatment (P < 0.05). Amounts of zooplankton, especially rotifers, were present at the end of the experimental period. The density of rotifers between the control and treatment was not significantly different (P > 0.05), while the copepod density in the treatment was higher than in the control (P < 0.05). We conclude that green algae dominance quickly switches to cyanobacteria dominance after nutrient enrichment in a greenhouse with elevated temperature.

• Korean Journal of Ecology and Environment
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• v.33 no.4 s.92
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• pp.358-365
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• 2000

To evaluate the influences of stocking and removal of silver carp on plankton communities and physicochemical parameters, fish biomanipulation was conducted in six enclosures constructed on the coast of a hypertrophic lake during the summer of 1997. Of these, three enclosures were established for the fish-stocking experiment; one fishless enclosure used as a control and two enclosures with high and low densities of fish. The other three enclosures for the fish-removal experiment were prepared in an entirely converse process compared to that for fish stocking. The results of randomized intervention analysis (${\alpha}=0.05$) showed significant changes in several physicochemical parameters and plankton communities after fish stocking and removal. Fish stocking decreased water transparency, DO, pH and chi-a (> $40\;{\mu}m$), while increasing the concentration of nitrogen and chi-a (<$2\;{\mu}m$). However, water transparency did not increase by fish removal. Small plankton communities, such as picocyanobacteria, eukaryotic picoplankton and ciliates (<$2\;{\mu}m$) showed significant reciprocal changes after both fish treatments: increase by the presence of fish and decrease by the absence of fish. No count of large sized phytoplankton and zooplankton showed significant change in the presence of fish, while large zooplankton, Diaphanosoma, Cyclopida and nauplii were significantly increased by fish removal. Although the frequent heavy-winds and endless supply of phosphorus from the lake sediment strongly disturbed the fish behavior and enclosure management, the stocking and removal of silver carp showed an obvious reciprocal influences on plankton communities and its physico-chemical parameters in a shallow-hypertrophic lake.

• The Sea:JOURNAL OF THE KOREAN SOCIETY OF OCEANOGRAPHY
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• v.10 no.2
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• pp.113-123
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• 2005

Samples were collected to investigate the effect of salinity change on biological interaction between primary producers and herbivores in water column of the Youngsan estuary (Mokpo Harbor) at 8 stations from October 2003 to September 2004. The highest river freshwater inputs were introduced into the estuary from the Youngsan dike during summer (June and July 2004). Ranges of salinity were between 6 and 28.9 psu when the gates of dike were open whereas the ranges were between 24.4 and 30.3 psu when the gates were closed. Algal bloom occurred in February and July when the gates were not open at the upper region of the Youngsan estuary and the bloom was dominated $(70\%)$ by large cells of phytoplankton $(micro-sized;>20{\mu}m).\;Nano-sized (2-20{\mu}m)$ and pico-sized phytoplankton $(<2{\mu}m)$ were dominant in October, November 2003, June, August and September 2004 when the gates were open suggesting that size structure was affected by river discharge from the dike. Micro-and meso-zooplankton (herbivores) displayed the similar pattern to that of phytoplankton. The biomass of zooplankton was higher when the gates were closed than when the gates open and also the biomass was higher at the upper region of the harbor system. This results suggest that freshwater inputs affect size structure and biomass of phytoplankton by changing salinity, nutrient inputs, turbidity or light level In water column resulting in the change of the interaction between primary producters and herbivores in the Youngsan estuary.

• Korean Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences
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• v.32 no.1
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• pp.22-29
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• 1999

Biological and chemical characteristics and trophodynamics in the frontal zone were investigated in the southern waters of Korea, Temperature, nutrients (dissolved inorganic nitrogen, $PO_4^{3-}-P$, and $SiO_2^{-}-Si$) chlorophyll a and zooplankton were collected and analyzed along the two transects, the frontal zone and the non-frontal zone, in April, 1994. Nutrients were higher in the non-frontal zone than in the frontal zone. But chlorophyll a concentration was high in the frontal zone, particularly at the 20 m depth of the main frontal station (St. TII-2), where was located at the junction between the stratified layer and the non-stratified layer with the lowest nutrients. Zooplankton was more abundant in the frontal zone than in the non-frontal zone, particularly at the innermost station of the frontal zone. Copepods showed high composition rate more than $90\%$ at all stations except the main frontal station (St. TII-2). At the main frontal station (St. TII-2), euphausiids and siphonophores were dominated. Chlorophyll a revealed a significant relationships with $SiO_2^{-}-Si$ in both transects and copepods in the non-frontal zone. Copepods also showed very close relationship with siphonophores in the frontal zone. This suggests that the abundance of copepods could be controlled as bottom-up in the non-frontal zone and as top-down in the frontal zone.

• Journal of Korean Society on Water Environment
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• v.31 no.6
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• pp.665-679
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• 2015

Yearly mean temperature in the 29 lakes surveyed ranges from 12.6 (Suncheon) to 13.9℃ (Mokpo), the lowest in −2.7℃ (January) and the highest in 25.9℃ (July). Monthly mean the amount of rainfall recorded the highest of 336.7 mm in August and the lowest with 4.9 mm in January. A total of 424 species of phytoplankton were identified. They were 157 Chlorophyceae, 161 Bacillariophyceae, 39 Cyanophyceae, and 67 other algal taxa. The phytoplankton diversity were low in stream type reservoirs such as Guemho, Youngsan and Youngam. The population density of phytoplankton ranged from 19 to 53,161 cells/ml. Annual mean of total zooplankton abundance in 45 sites was 369±827 ind./L (n=180). Rotifers were the most common taxa and their relative abundance was high (65~77%). The benthic microinvertebrate fauna of 10 reservoirs of Jeonnam province were 71 species of 61 genera of 44 families of 16 orders of 7 classes of 4 phyla. Aquatic insects of Phylum Arthropoda were 50 species of 44 genera of 28 families of 6 orders. The number of individuals was 6,132. Diptera was highiest (41.3%), and Ephemeroptera (31.0%), Trichoptera (17.5%), Anellida (3.8%), Mollusca (3.3%), Crustacea (0.4%). Large hydrophytes were identified 32 taxa, 2 varieties 30 species 26 genera and 20 families. Especially, Jijung and Juam lakes require management such as physical remove of this ecosystem disturbance field plants. Fishes were identified total 44 taxa, such as 25 Cyprinidae (56.8%), 8 Cobitidae (17.0%), 3 Gobiidae (6.4%), 2 Bagridae (4.3%), 2 Osmeridae (4.3%), 2 Odontobutidae (4.3%), 2 Centrachidae (4.3%), 1 Siluridae (2.1%), and 1 Centropomidae (2.1%). A pale chub was dominant species (18.9%).

• Korean Journal of Ecology and Environment
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• v.44 no.4
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• pp.347-357
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• 2011

We examined two reservoirs (Inkyung res. and Joongang res.) and two streams (Kyungan str. and Jecheon str.), all of which were eutrophic, during the 2010 warm season, to evaluate the water quality improvement activity (WQIA) of plant-mineral composite (PMC), which was previously developed to control suspended solids, including cyanobacterial bloom (Kim et al., 2010). We simultaneously measured both solid (S-MCLR) and dissolved microcystin-LR (D-MCLR), before and after PMC treatment, in the Joongang reservoir. Taking water body size and volume into account, we conducted the whole-scale experiment in the Inkyung reservoir, and mesocosm-scale experiments in the other three systems. The WQIAs of PMC were found to be comparatively high in SS (70~81%), TP (75~91%), BOD (65~91%), Chl-a (88~98%), phytoplankton (84~92%) and zooplankton (68~88%), except for the Kyungan stream, which was below 45% in all parameters. After PMC treatment, the concentrations of both SMCLR (47%) and D-MCLR (96%) decreased within two days, suggesting a mitigation possibility of hazardous chemicals such as agrochemicals and endocrine disrupters in the aquatic ecosystem. Our results collectively indicate that PMC is a useful agent to control suspended solids, including nuisance cyanobacterial bloom and their exudates, in an undisturbed water system with a long residence time.

• Ocean Science Journal
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• v.40 no.3
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• pp.167-176
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• 2005

A time-series sediment trap was deployed at 1,034 m water depth in the eastern Bransfield Strait for a complete year from December 25, 1998 to December 24, 1999. About 99% of total mass flux was trapped during an austral summer, showing distinct seasonal variation. Biogenic particles (biogenic opal, particulate organic carbon, and calcium carbonate) account for about two thirds of annual total mass flux $(49.2\;g\;m^{-2})$, among which biogenic opal flux is the most dominant (42% of the total flux). A positive relationship (except January) between biogenic opal and total organic carbon fluxes suggests that these two variables were coupled, due to the surface-water production (mainly diatoms). The relatively low $\delta^{13}C$ values of settling particles result from effects on C-fixation processes at low temperature and the high $CO_2$ availability to phytoplankton. The correspondingly low $\delta^{l5}N$ values are due to intense and steady input of nitrates into surface waters, reflecting an unlikely nitrate isotope fractionation by degree of surface-water production. The $\delta^{l5}N$ and $\delta^{l3}C$ values of sinking particles increased from the beginning to the end of a presumed phytoplankton bloom, except for anomalous $\delta^{l5}N$ values. Krill and the zooplankton fecal pellets, the most important carriers of sinking particles, may have contributed gradually to the increasing $\delta^{l3}C$ values towards the unproductive period through the biomodification of the $\delta^{l3}C$ values in the food web, respiring preferentially and selectively $^{12}C$ atoms. Correspondingly, the increasing $\delta^{l5}N$ values in the intermediate-water trap are likely associated with a switch in source from diatom aggregates to some remains of zooplankton, because organic matter dominated by diatom may be more liable and prone to remineralization, leading to greater isotopic alteration. In particular, the tendency for abnormally high $\delta^{l5}N$ values in February seems to be enigmatic. A specific species dominancy during the production may be suggested as a possible and speculative reason.

• Korean Journal of Environmental Biology
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• v.32 no.4
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• pp.319-326
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• 2014

Fish community was investigated in eutrophic Jeondae agricultural reservoir from April to November 2012. The food web structure of major fish species of Jeondae reservoir showed that due to serious organic pollution, the hyper-eutrophic condition with high chemical oxygen demand (COD), chlorophyll-a (Chl-a), total nitrogen (TN) and total phosphorus (TP), as estimated by stable isotope analysis. Total of 679 individuals were collected from the reservoir, and 9 species were identified. Interestingly, Lepomis macrochirus and Hemiculter eigenmanni known as less sensitive to pollution and water quality deterioration, dominated the reservoir, and their relative abundances were 38% and 27%, respectively. Further, the analysis of the stomach contents revealed that main food source of dominant L. macrochirus was high amount of zooplankton, which includes copepoda and cladocera, while Cyprinidae species mainly consumed organic particles with zooplankton preys. Stable isotope analysis also suggested that L. macrochirus, Carassiusauratus, Pseudorasboraparva, and H. eigenmanni are major zooplantivorous group in the Jeondae Reservoir.

• Journal of the Korean Society for Marine Environment & Energy
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• v.15 no.3
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• pp.198-207
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• 2012

In this study, we investigated the effect of ocean fertilization by deep sea water, using an ecosystem model which contains not only phytoplankton but also zooplankton. The model is based on NEMURO which consists of eleven compartments - two species of phytoplankton, three species of zooplankton, $NO_3$, $NH_4$, $Si(OH)_4$, particulate organic nitrogen, dissolved organic nitrogen and particulate silicon. We introduced nitrogen cell quota in the both species of phytoplankton, and silicon cell quota in the large phytoplankton in addition to the eleven compartments of NEMURO. We made the experiment at Izu Oshima Island in order to investigate the effect of ocean fertilization. In this experiment, we could not find clear differences between the cases with and without deep sea water. We investigated the causes of the experiment results by the model simulations. One of the causes was high concentrations of nutrients in surface seawater used in the experiment. Another was that the increase of total concentration of inorganic nitrogen does not necessarily accelerate the photosynthetic rate because inorganic nitrogen uptake rate is related to the ratio of $NO_3$ to $NH_4$. Because the model can represent the results of the experiment, we investigated the effect of ocean fertilization by deep sea water using this model. We found that the effect of ocean fertilization hardly appeared when the interval of the addition of deep sea water was too short, or the amount of deep sea water was too much. It is supposed that if the addition of deep sea water is too frequent or too much, the dilution of plankton's concentrations will exceed the effect of promoting phytoplankton's photosynthesis.