• ALGAE
• /
• v.32 no.1
• /
• pp.57-66
• /
• 2017

The red alga Gracilaria vermiculophylla, a species native to the waters of Korea and Japan, has invaded marine coastal areas of Europe and the Americas, thriving in conditions that differ from those of its native habitat. In recent years, G. vermiculophylla has been discovered in the Long Island Sound (LIS) estuary growing alongside the native congener Gracilaria tikvahiae. The goal of this study was to determine whether the two strains of G. vermiculophylla from different regions of the world have evolved genetic differences (i.e., ecotypic differentiation) or if the physiological performance of the strains simply reflects phenotypic plasticity. Two strains of G. vermiculophylla (isolated in Korea and LIS) and a strain of the LIS native G. tikvahiae were grown for four weeks under temperatures ranging from 20 to $34^{\circ}C$ using a temperature gradient table (all other environmental conditions were kept constant). At the end of each week, wet weight of each sample was recorded, and thalli were reduced to the original stocking density of $1gL^{-1}$ (excess biomass was preserved for tissue carbon and nitrogen analysis). Generally, the growth rates of Korean G. vermiculophylla > LIS G. vermiculophylla > G. tikvahiae. After one week of growth G. tikvahiae grew 9.1, 12.0, 9.4, and 0.2% $d^{-1}$, at temperatures of 20, 24, 29, and $34^{\circ}C$, respectively, while G. vermiculophylla (LIS) grew 6.6, 6.2, 5.7, and 3.6% $d^{-1}$. G. vermiculophylla (Korea) grew 15.4, 22.9, 23.2, and 10.1% $d^{-1}$, much higher than the two strains currently inhabiting the LIS. On average, the LIS G. vermiculophylla strain contained 4-5% DW N, while the Korean strain and G. tikvahiae had more modest levels of 2-3% N DW. However, tissue N content declined as temperature increased in LIS and Korean G. vermiculophylla. The non-native haplotype may have evolved genetic differences resulting in lower growth capacity while concentrating significantly more nitrogen, giving the non-native a competitive advantage.

• Korean Journal of Ecology and Environment
• /
• v.40 no.2
• /
• pp.337-345
• /
• 2007

Changes of feeding habitat and feeding organ of a land-locked sweetfish, Plecoglossus altivelis related to their growth process were investigated in the Lake Okjeong, Sannae-myeon, Jeongeup-si, Jeollabuk-do, Korea from 2004 to 2005. In the lake, the post-larvae from 25 to 40 mm in standard length fed mainly on animal organisms such as Copepoda, Branchiopoda and Rotatoria. Also, the juveniles from 50 to 60 mm (SL) fed on Chironomidae of Diptera, Copepoda and Branchiopoda. However, the juvenile from 60 to 70 mm (SL) in the Churyeong Stream fed on animal organisms and aquatic algae, the immature fishes more than 70 mm (SL) fed on only periphyton such as Synedra, Cymbella, Navicula and Pinnularia. Also, the feeding organs of the tooth and stomach were changed according to its growth and food change.

• Korean Journal of Ecology and Environment
• /
• v.47 no.4
• /
• pp.292-301
• /
• 2014

Akinete germination may be a starting point of some akinete-producing cyanobacterial blooms in eutrophic freshwater systems. This study examined germinability of akinete of a cyanobacterium Anabaena circinalis isolated from the sediment of the North Han River (Cheongpyung Dam), Korea, under several environmental factors such as temperature ($5{\sim}25^{\circ}C$), light ($0{\sim}100{\mu}mol\;photons\;m^{-2}\;s^{-1}$), nutrients (nitrogen and phosphorus) and pH (5~12). The high germination rate appeared at high temperature: >55% at $25^{\circ}C$, followed by 15% at $15^{\circ}C$, $10^{\circ}C$ and 10% at $5^{\circ}C$. Low light intensity was favorable for akinete germination. Over 45% of germination occurred at low light intensities (5, 15 and $30{\mu}mol\;photons\;m^{-2}\;s^{-1}$), while less than 10% of germination occurred at both 50 and $100{\mu}mol\;photons\;m^{-2}\;s^{-1}$. No germination occurred in the dark condition. Akinete germination rate increased with nutrient (phosphorus and nitrogen) enrichment, and nitrogen addition showed greater effect on the germination compared to phosphorus addition. Akinetes germinated well at neutral or slightly alkaline pH condition (pH 7 and pH 8: >55%), but no germination was observed at pH 11~12. The present study demonstrates some favorable ambient conditions of Anabaena circinalis germination, which could provide useful information to study the germination conditions of other Anabaena species or akinete-forming algae and predict its bloom in eutrophic freshwaters.

• Korean Journal of Ecology and Environment
• /
• v.46 no.2
• /
• pp.225-233
• /
• 2013

We examined the effect of different field temperatures on water quality improvement (WQI) of natural domestic plant-mineral composites (PMCs). This method was previously used by Kim et al. (2011), to monitor the restoration of water quality of a eutrophic lake, Lake Shingal (Korea). Results indicate that PMCs on phytoplankton, BOD and phosphorus showed more than 70% WQI below $20^{\circ}C$, and less than 40% WQI over $25^{\circ}C$, respectively. The WQIs of PMCs on blue-green algae were gradually decreased with the increase of temperature, whilst diatoms exhibited more than 90% higher WQIs, regardless of water temperature. Additionally, the WQIs on bacterial biomass and total nitrogen were low at all temperatures. These results collectively indicate that water quality improvement activity of plant-mineral composites was dependent on the water temperature, and that the field application of above chemical during temperatures over $25^{\circ}C$, would be less effective in treating a cyanobacteria bloom dominated by Microcystis aeruginosa, than by diatoms.

• Korean Journal of Ecology and Environment
• /
• v.34 no.4 s.96
• /
• pp.292-297
• /
• 2001

As a part of study on the microalgal dynamics in a small pond in Hongsung, Chungnam, we found a massive bloom of chlorococcalean green alga, Dictyosphaerium pulchellum during the year-round survey from January 2000 to January 2001. D. pulchellum occurred at a low frequency throughout the year. However, D. pulchellum began to increase from 12 March, showed a peak of blooming with 59,200 colonies $mL^{-1}$ in 2 April, and abruptly decreased in 16 April. Colonies were 8-celled and 16-celled at early stage of blooming, 32-celled or 64-celled at the midst of blooming, and most of colonies consisted of 64 cells at the end of blooming. Colonies of D. pulchellum were healthy at the early stage of blooming, but most of colonies were infected with some parasites at the end of blooming. The infected cells bleached out with decomposing chloroplast and pyrenoids. The infection with parasites, together with irradiance and nutrient limitations, appears to stop D. pulchllum bloom. This is the first report on the occurrence of blooming of a green algal genus Dictyosphaerium and its infection with parasite in Korea.

• Korean Journal of Ecology and Environment
• /
• v.34 no.4 s.96
• /
• pp.285-291
• /
• 2001

Grazer-induced colony formation was examined using a green alga Scenedesmus dimorphus (T$\ddot{u}$rpin) K$\ddot{u}$tzing. Algae were cultured in a medium with or without filtered water taken from cultures of Daphnia magna Straus (300 ind./L) or Moina macrocopa Straus (500 ind./L). The exposure to zooplankton filtered water (ZFW)promoted colony formation in S. dimorphus, with the magnitude of this response being directly proportional to the relative volume of ZFW that was added to the culture medium. The number of cells/colony and mean particle biovolume of S. dimorphus increased between 24 and 72 hours after exposure to ZFW, most likely due to the influence of chemicals released from D. magna or M. macrocopa, and possily as a defense mechanism against zooplankton grazing.

• Korean Journal of Ecology and Environment
• /
• v.38 no.2 s.112
• /
• pp.181-187
• /
• 2005

For 4 years (2000 ${\sim}$ 2003), annual fluctuations of standing crops of cyanobacteria and physicochemical factors were examined at five sites from Bridge of Seungsoo to Bridge of Seungsan in the lower part of Han River. The cyanobacterial abundance (ND to 4,167 cells $mL^{-1}$) was strongly decreased during the heavy rains in every year. During the similar periods in 2003, cyanobacteria hardly observed, and comprised below of 10 percentage of total phytoplankton. In the period of little cyanobacteria, some green algae and diatom dominated the phytoplankton community, while the concentration of chlorophyll a has not largely change. These results indicate that heavy frequent precipitation strongly limited the growth of cyanobacteria, and lead an algal succession by the appearance of new algal groups.

• Korean Journal of Ecology and Environment
• /
• v.34 no.2 s.94
• /
• pp.90-97
• /
• 2001

The seasonal changes in phytoplankton standing crops, species composition, dominant species, species diversity and physico-chemical characteristics in Woopo and Mokpo swamps were studied from January to December, 1998. Phytoplankton of a total 353 taxa were identified, the composition of phytoplankton community was characetrized by green algae and diatoms and quantity composition of standing crops was dominated by green alga Oscillatoria sp. was especially prominent. The standing crops varied from 108 cells/ml and 118 cells/ml to 19,178 cells and 38,393 cells/ml in Woopo and Mokpo swamps, respectively. The maximum algal density was observed in November, Micractinium pusillum and Oscillatoria sp. usually contributed 83.2% to total cell numbers in Woopo swamp. However, the maximum density occurred in May when Oscillatoria sp. formed bloom in Mokpo swamp. The low species diversity of the phytoplankton coincided with maximum standing crops of the filamentous blue-green alga Oscillatoria sp. and green alga Micractinium pusillum in May and November.

• Korean Journal of Ecology and Environment
• /
• v.45 no.2
• /
• pp.232-241
• /
• 2012

The seasonal changes in phytoplankton species composition, standing crops, dominant species, species diversity and physico-chemical characteristics in the Unmun dam were studied, from August, 2009 to April, 2010. The phytoplanktons of a total of 121 taxa were identified, the composition of phytoplankton community was characterized by a green algae and diatoms, and the quantity composition of standing crops was dominated by diatoms and dinophyceae. The diatoms Aulacoseria granulata and blue-green alga Anabaena planktonica in Summer, Peridinium voltzii in Autumn and Asterionella formosa in Winter to Spring were, especially, prominent. The seasonal changes of the biomass varied from 578 cells $mL^{-1}$ to 12,938 cells $mL^{-1}$, and the maximum algal density was observed in April, Asterionells formosa contributed to 88% of the total cell numbers. The species diversity and richness were highest during autumn, and dominance index was highest in the spring season.

• Korean Journal of Ecology and Environment
• /
• v.45 no.2
• /
• pp.242-251
• /
• 2012

To investigate foodweb of aquatic ecosystem in the Tamjin River, carbon and nitrogen stable isotopes ratios of aquatic organisms, as well as environmental indicators based on the water, were determined in this study. Various organisms such as fishes (Coreoperca kawamebari, Zacco platypus, Cobitis lutheri, and Pungtungia herzi) and periphyton (epilithon and epiphyte), and particulate- and coarse particulate organic matters (POM and CPOM) were collected in upper (Tamjin River, Yuchi Stream, and Omcheon Stream) and lower (TJ-1~TJ-5) reaches of Jangheung Dam. The nitrate concentration and ${\delta}^{15}N$ signature of POM and organisms (invertebrates and fish) were found to be more enriched toward the downstream section of the river. It was determined that allochthonous matter occurring from a tributary alters the chemical character of water, as well as the isotopic signature of organisms contained therein. Attached algae (ephilithon) were identified as a base component of the benthic foodchain further downstream.