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

• Korean Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences
• /
• v.38 no.3
• /
• pp.205-213
• /
• 2005

A hydroacoustic and a close-open-close zooplankton net survey were conducted to understand the distribution characteristics of the deep scattering layer (DSL) and to estimate the density of zooplankton in the DSL, in the Uljin coastal area. The survey was carried out during March 13-14 and June 4-5, 2003 at each station for zooplankton. The vertical migration mechanisms of zooplankton are very variable to the taxa. In this study, after we grasp the vertical migration of zooplankton through the results of an echo-sounder survey, we verified the mechanisms of their vertical migration in the Uljin coastal area. Also, to estimate effectively the biomass of zooplankton, we researched the acoustic scattering strength according to the species. On the basis of these results, we devised a method for estimating zooplankton biomass through comparing net and echo-soundings. We obtained the results as a follows; 1) According to the examination of collections from the net sampling, in March, 2003, Euphausia pacifica comprised $38\%$ of zooplanktons inhabiting the sound scattering layer, while copepods, chaetognaths, and amphipods accounted for $29\%,\;23\%\;and\;10\%$, respectively. And in June, 2003, the ratio of E. pacifica was $51\%$, copepods $43\%$, and the others comprised $6\%$. In both March and June E. pacifica showed dominance among the species of zooplankton. 2) The analysis of vertical distribution through acoustic data in the scattering layer was more apparent in June (spring/summer) of 2003, than in March (winter/spring) of that year. The vertical migration of zooplankton peaked around sunrise and sunset in both March and June. 3) As for the sound scattering layer, it distributed in the open sea in March, and in the inland sea in June. Therefore it is suggested that some zooplankton species such as E. pacifica performed ontogenic horizontal migration througth the spring and early summer.

• Korean Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences
• /
• v.38 no.6
• /
• pp.399-412
• /
• 2005

This study investigated the composition and the distribution of the benthic polychaeta community in the semi-enclosed Yoja Bay on the southern coast of Korea and was designed to deduce temporal changes in the community with the comparison of the previous studies. In YoJa Bay, benthic polychaetous community structure was investigated on the base of the samples from 87 stations. The surface sediment was mainly composed of fine-grained sediment, mixed clayey silt and silty clay. The total benthic macrofaunal density was $387 indiv./m^2$, and the density was higher in the middle bay, and in the mouth of bay than in the inner bay. scapharca subcrenata (Bivalvia) and amphipods (Crustacea) were important species in the inner and the middle of the bar, respectively. Benthic polychaetes were comprised of 72 species with a mean density of $149 indiv./m^2$. Their distributions showed higher densities in the mouth of bay than in the rest of bay. The dominant species over 1.0 percentages were composed of the 20 species, and they occupied $84.5\%$ of the total density. The most dominant species was Sternaspis scutata ($13.6\%$), fallowed fly Heteromastus filiformis ($9.8\%$), Polynoidae indet. ($8.3\%$), Sigambra tentacuzata ($7.1\%$) and others. The cluster analysis revealed that the study area was divided into three station groups. At the station group YI located in the inner bay, the most dominant species was Heteromastus filiformis . At the station group YII in the middle bay, the dominant species was Sternaspis scutata. And at the station group YIII in the mouth of bay, the dominant species was Paraiacydonia paradoxa. Whereas Sternaspis scutata and Mediomastus sp. were the dominant species in the past study, Heteromastus filiformis and Tharyx sp. appeared newly to be the dominant species, even if their low densities that in the past. These facts mean that Yoja Bay be maintained yet as little polluted area compared to other bays on the coast of Korea, but needed some caution of marine environmental management.

• Korean Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences
• /
• v.37 no.4
• /
• pp.295-306
• /
• 2004

Spatial patterns in the macrobenthic community structure in the inter- and subtidal zones in front of the Iwon Dike and environmental variables were examined in August 2001, In total, 156 macrobenthic species(123 intertidal species and 90 subtidal species) were recorded during this study, predominately polychaetes $(40{\%})$, bivalves $(22{\%})$, and crustaceans $(22{\%})$. Polychaetes made up less than $40{\%}$ of the intertidal communitr, but more than $50{\%}$ of the subtidal community. The mean density during this study was $1,456ind./m^{2}.$ Multivariate analysis (multidimensional scaling) revealed significant differences in community structure among four regions: near the Iwon dike (B1), the high and middle intertidal zone (B2), low intertidal zone (Al), and subtidal zone (A2). The number of species, total density, and diversity (H') varied significantly among the four regions. The distribution of macrobenthic community was affected by environmental variables, such as ${\%}$ silt/clay content, total sulfide, lose of ignition, and chemical oxygen demand. These environmental variables were negatively correlated with the dominant species (Nephtys polybranchia, Umbonium thomasi, and Scoloplos armiger) in the intertidal area, but positively correlated with the dominant species (Lumbrineris cruzensis, Notomastus latericeus, and Moerella sp.) in the subtidal area. Environmental variables $({\%}\;silt/clay content and total sulfide)$ were positively correlated with the dominant species (Heteromastus filiformis) in region Bl, but negatively correlated with the dominant species (Umbonium thomasi and Scoloplos koreanus) in region B2. Amphipods Urothoe spp. and Monoculodes koreanus were the dominant species in region Al. Umbonium thomasi, the dominant species in region B2, was not found in regions Bl or Al. We suggest that the inter-specific competition for territory and exposure to seawater may be important factors controlling the macrobenthic community structure in the inter- and subtidal zones in front of the Iwon Dike.

• Journal of Wetlands Research
• /
• v.8 no.3
• /
• pp.79-89
• /
• 2006

The survival rate and tube number of Monocorophium uenoi, one of the dominant species in Lake Sihwa, was investigated under laboratory condition with salinity gradients (1, 5, 10, 15, 20, 25, 30, 35, 40‰). Another laboratory experiments were conducted to investigate the survival rate of Monocorophium uenoi in sulphide-rich sediment with oxic overlying water, and the effect of amphipod bioturbation on sulphide and oxygen profiles. The survival rate and tube-forming number of the amphipod were high in salinity range of 20 to 30‰. The amphipod survival rate was also high in sulphidic sediment when the water column was oxic. The amphipod bioturbation affected the oxygen and sulphide content in the sediment; oxygen conditions in the upper sediment layers were improved, and simultaneously the concentrations of sulphide were reduced. And their depth was clearly dependent on amphipod density. In Lake Sihwa, previously anoxic bottoms with sulphidic sediment during summer turn oxic with pycnocline disappearance during autumn. Amphipods seem to have the capability to quickly invade such areas, and their tubing of the sediment may play an important role in preparing the sediment for further recolonisation of other macrobenthos.

• Korean Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences
• /
• v.31 no.4
• /
• pp.500-507
• /
• 1998

Using a sledge net, the benthic amphipods were taken over one cycle of the neap and spring tides in January 1993 at the sandy shore surf zone of Dolsando, southern Korea. From these samples, we investigated the diel and tidal effects on the intraspecific zonation of Pontogeneia rostrata. The density of p. rostrata was higher during neap tide than spring. Of three categories (adult males and females and juveniles), juveniles and males attained to its highest density during neap and spring tides, respectively. Length- frequency data show that the high mortality of juveniles seemed to occur in winter. In the surface at night, it is significant that juveniles were significantly more abundant during neap tide than spring, whereas both adult males and females were more abundant during spring tide than neap. This suggests that the vortical migration patterns of juveniles and adults vary with the type of tides. During flood of spring tide, more than $90\%$ of population collected at the area above the mean sea level (MSL) were adults. With a decrease of female/male ratio, size of males increased there but that of female did not change, indicating an active migration of large males. This behavior can provide an extension of distribution area far large males, and also give a competitive advantage to large male against small one for mate and feeding. Although adult p. rostrata was collected at 100 cm above MSL at night during spring tide, a major portion of population as usually present on the shore below MSL. The center of zonation was restricted from 50 cm to 250 cm below MSL.

• Journal of Marine Life Science
• /
• v.5 no.2
• /
• pp.81-91
• /
• 2020

This study was conducted to find the faunal composition and distribution patterns of macrobenthos where the sand tidal flat around barrier island at Nakdong River estuary in May, 2016 and 2017. The number of species ranged from 31 to 39, and density was from 789 to 1,644 ind.m^-2 during the study period in the three tidal flats. The number of species and density were the highest in the tidal flat of Shinja-do and Jinwoo-do, respectively. The dominant species were Gammaridae unid. in amphipods of crustacea, Scoletoma heteropoda, Scoloplos armiger, Heteromastus filiformis, Prionospio japonica in polychaeta and Batillaria cumingii, Laternula marilina in mollusks from the three tidal flats. The proportion of carnivores such as crustacea and mollusks was higher in the upper part of the tidal flat, and polychaetes of deposit feeders, dominated in the middle and lower tidal flat. Overall, the intertidal macrobenthic communities in the study area showed a high proportion of carnivores. However, the sites where the mud content is high such as muddy sand sites, they showed a higher proportion of surface deposit feeders belonging to tube-builders which contribute to sediment stability. From this study, it seemed that the macrobenthic fauna of the sandy tidal flat at the Nakdong River estuary showed a similar fauna composition and zonal distribution patterns from those in other sandy tidal flats in Korea.

• Korean Journal of Ichthyology
• /
• v.35 no.2
• /
• pp.113-120
• /
• 2023

The diet composition of chub mackerel Scomber japonicus were studied using 959 specimens collected in the coastal waters of Jeju Island, Korea from January to November 2022. The size of the specimens ranged from 22.8 to 45.8 cm in total length. S. japonicus were fed mainly on euphausiids that constituted 77.7% in IRI. Fishes were the second largest prey component. Its diet also includes small quantities amphipods, copepods, shrimps, crabs and cephalopods. The diet composition of S. japonicus showed changes in season. The euphausiids feeding rate was highest in summer, whereas the proportion of fishes was higher in winter than in other seasons. The proportion of fishes has increased as the body size of S. japonicus increased, whereas the proportion of euphausiids decreased gradually. As the body size of S. japonicus increased the mean weight of prey per the stomach (mW/ST) tended to increase significantly (One-way ANOVA, P<0.05).

• Korean Journal of Ichthyology
• /
• v.35 no.2
• /
• pp.129-135
• /
• 2023

The diet composition of skinnycheek lanternfish, Benthosema pterotum were collected by bottom trawl net in the South Sea of Korea during 2021 (February, May, August, and November) and 2022 (February, April, August, and November). The size of the specimens ranged from 16 to 73 mm in total length. B. pterotum were mesopelagic carnivores that mainly consumed euphausiids and copepods. Its diets included small quantities of amphipods, shrimps, mysids, etc. We calculated the trophic level as 3.16 for B. pterotum. The individuals of small size class (<40 mm) fed mainly on copepods. In the next size classes (40~45 mm, 45~50 mm, 50~55 mm), copepods' proportion decreased and euphausiids increased. In the largest class (55~60 mm and ≥60 mm), the proportion of euphausiids' decreased, and shrimps increased. As the body size of B. pterotum increased the mean weight of prey per stomach (mW/ST) tended to significantly increase (One-way ANOVA, P<0.05).

• The Sea:JOURNAL OF THE KOREAN SOCIETY OF OCEANOGRAPHY
• /
• v.13 no.2
• /
• pp.106-111
• /
• 2008

Six standard methods for marine ecotoxicological tests were established(or applicated) using marine decomposer, primary producers and consumers. Development processes referred to the standard methods established by USEPA(United States Environmental Protection Agency), international organizations and European methods. However, the standard test species were selected among the domestic species generally found in the Korean waters and sediments. The test methods provide the culture/maintenance of test species, test methods, reproducibility and quality acceptance criteria etc. A total of nine test species were designated including bioluminescent bacteria(Vibrio fischeri), diatom(Skeletonema costatum), seaweed(Ulva pertusa), rotifer(Brachionus plicatilis), benthic copepod(Tigriopus japonicus), benthic amphipods(Mandibulophoxus mai, Monocorophium acherusicum), and fishes(Oryzias latipes, Paralichthys olivaceus). These test species represent the decomposer, primary producer and consumers in marine trophic system in Korean coastal ecosystems, and we recommend the "battery test" including at least one species from the each trophic level for marine ecotoxicological test.