• Ocean and Polar Research
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• v.30 no.4
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• pp.419-426
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• 2008

Ciliate plankton samples were collected biweekly from July 2006 to June 2008 in Jangmok Bay of Geoje Island. Species composition and abundances were analyzed by quantitative protargol stain and environmental parameters were also examined. A total of 88 ciliate species occurred during the study period, consisting of 22 tintinnids, 51 oligotrichs, and 15 other species. Higher ciliate abundances appeared from June to October during the warm season ($<20^{\circ}C$) and the maximum ($4.0{\times}10^4\;cells\;L^1$) in August, while the lower abundances were found during the cold season. The minimun ciliate abundance was found in November when water temperature rapidly decreased. The temporal succession of dominant species was very clear and opportunistic. Pelagostrombidium sp., Tontonia simplicidens, Helicostomella subulata, and Myrionecta rubra were co-dominant in summer while Rimostrombidium orientale occurred abundantly in winter. Strombidium tressum and S. compressum, eurythermal species, were observed during all seasons. Based on the species-specific ecology of ciliate plankton, it is suggested that the indicative ciliate species can be applied as a biological tool to detect environmental change in the southern coastal waters of korea.

• The Sea:JOURNAL OF THE KOREAN SOCIETY OF OCEANOGRAPHY
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• v.26 no.3
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• pp.248-262
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• 2021

Marine planktonic ciliates include two major groups, loricated tintinnids and naked oligotrichs. The study of marine ciliate plankton in Korea began with taxonomic efforts on tintinnids based on the morphology of lorica, a vase-shaped shell. Despite polymorphism in the lorica, it is utilized as a key characteristic in identification of tintinnid species. However, oligotrichs have been studied only recently in Korea due to challenges associated with the observation of ciliary arrangements and the technical development for cell staining. Species diversity and phylogenetic classification of the ciliates have been informed by recent advances in morphological and molecular analyses. Illustrations of the planktonic ciliate in Korea have been published on the basis of taxonomic data of tintinnids and oligotrichs. Planktonic ciliates acting as the major consumers of pico- and nanoplankton as well as the prey of mesozooplankton, has been monitored by spatial and temporal investigations in Korean coastal waters. A practical approach addressing the limitations and potential of marine ciliate studies in Korea is proposed here to improve the data quality of planktonic ciliates, providing an enhanced basis for quality control of ciliate monitoring.

• Korean Journal of Ecology and Environment
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• v.37 no.2 s.107
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• pp.149-179
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• 2004

In order to understand the taxonomic and ecologic characteristics on ciliates plankton, surface water samples were collected once a weekly from March 2001 to December 2001 except once a monthly from December 2001 to January 2001 and twice a monttdy at February 2001 at Pal'tang reservoir in Korea. Totally 12 species belonging to 10 genera in 7 families of 6 order, were identified and all species new record in Korea. All of them had been recorded in eutrophic water bodies. Succession of dominant species occurred obviously according to seasonality. Large -sized Codonella cratera, Rimostrombidium lacustris, Strobilidium caudatum, Limnostrombidium viride, Pelagostrombidium fallax, Stylonychia sp., Pseudostrombidium plaktonticum and Phascolodon vorticella dominated during the period of outbreak of nanophytoplankton in winter to spring. However, small-sized Rimostrombidium hyalinum, rimostrombidium brachykinetum, Halteria gradinella and Vorticella convallaria occurred when the bacteria abundance increased in summer to autumn.

• Ocean Science Journal
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• v.42 no.1
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• pp.9-17
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• 2007

The summer distributions of planktonic microbial communities (heterotrophic and phtosynthetic bacteria, phtosynthetic and heterotrophic nanoflagellates, ciliate plankton, and microphytoplankton) were compared between inner and outer areas of Lake Sihwa, divided by an artificial breakwater, located on the western coast of Korea, in September 2003. The semi-enclosed, inner area was characterized by hyposaline surface water (<17 psu), and by low concentrations of dissolved oxygen (avg. $0.4\;mg\;L^{-1}$) and high concentrations of inorganic nutrients (nitrogenous nutrients $>36\;{\mu}M$, phosphate $>4\;{\mu}M$) in the bottom layer. Higher densities of heterotrophic bacteria and nanoflagellates also occurred in the inner area than did in the outer area, while microphytoplankton (mainly diatoms) occurred abundantly in the outer area. A tiny tintinnid ciliate, Tintinnopsis nana, bloomed into more than $10^6\;cells\;L^{-1}$ at the surface layer of the inner area, while its abundance was much lower ($10^3-10^4\;cells\;L^{-1}$) in the outer area of the breakwater. Ciliate abundance was highly correlated with heterotrophic bacteria (r = 0.886, p < 0.001) and heterotrophic flagellates (r = 0.962, p < 0.001), indicating that rich food availability may have led to the T. nana bloom. These results suggest that the breakwater causes the eutrophic environment in artificial lakes with limited flushing of enriched water and develops into abundant bacteria, nanoflagellates, and ciliates.

• Korean Journal of Environmental Biology
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• v.28 no.3
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• pp.125-132
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• 2010

In order to assess the effect of pollution on marine ecosystem, we examined the plankton health assessment at 16 stations during summer season in Jinhae Bay. The organic and inorganic pollutant sources (dissolved organic carbon; DOC, chemical oxygen demand; COD and Chlorophyll a; Chl.a), including planktonic orangism such as enterobacteria Escherichia coli, heterotrophic bacteria (HB), autotrophic nano-flagellates (ANF), heterotrophic nano flagellates (HNF), ciliate and harmful algal bloom species (HABs) were used to characterize marine ecosystem health assessment. Of these, we tentatively selected those items Chl.a, HABs, HB and E. coli for plankton health index (PHI). Also, the scoring criteria for each metric were based on a statistical analysis and then, the grades are rated on four levels. As a result, the ecological assessment of these data reveals that PHI in Jinhae Bay is rated as "Good or fair" for overall conditions. The present study suggests that the PHI might be considered as one of important management tool to assess marine ecosystem health of Jinhae Bay.

• Korean Journal of Ecology and Environment
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• v.41 no.2
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• pp.174-187
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• 2008

In an effort to identify structure and function of microbial loop in Paldang reservoir, we monitored environmental and biological factors at Kyungan stream (station K), Paldang dam (station P) and the confluence of North and South Han River (station M) from March to December, 2005. DOC concentration was higher in March to May and November than the others. Nutrient concentration in station K detected relatively higher than that of two stations. Both of phosphate and silicate gradually increased at all stations until September, after then decreased. The highest Chl-$\alpha$ concentration was observed at all stations in April, and November. The carbon biomass of bacteria and HNF were relatively higher in March, May and August than the others, whereas that of the ciliate showed no significant difference in monthly fluctuation. Nevertheless, the significant relationships revealed between ciliate (P<0.001) and HNF (P<0.05) and bacterial density. Tintinnopsis cratera, Didinium sp., Vorticella sp., Paramecium sp. and Strombidium sp. were dominant species in ciliate community. The dominant species of phytoplankton were Stephanodiscus hantzschii and Cyclotella meneghiniana at almost stations in Spring, Summer and Autumn. However, Aulacoseira granulata accounted for >95% of phytoplankton biomass at station P and M in Autumn. The carbon biomass of zooplankton was highest at station P and M in June, and relatively higher biomass observed at all stations in August, October and November. Diaphanosoma brachyurum and Bosmina longirostris were dominant in stations P and M of June and in all stations of October and November, respectively. The maximum growth (A. granulata: $0.17\;d^{-1}$, S. hantzschii: $0.14\;d^{-1}$) and grazing rate (A. granulata: 1.93 preys $d^{-1}$, S. hantzschii: 1.63 preys $d^{-1}$) of Bosmina longirostris revealed in algal preys as Aulacoseira granulata and Stephanodiscus hantzschii. In conclusion, these results suggest that bacteria and phytoplankton can play the most crucial source as prey within microbial food chain in Spring and Summer and grazing food chain in Autumn, respectively.

• Korean Journal of Environmental Biology
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• v.36 no.2
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• pp.217-231
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• 2018

Planktonic ciliates play an important role in the food web of marine ecosystem as well as a bio-indicator for invasive species from ballast waters or from changing flow of ocean currents due to climate changes. This study was carried out to find some evidences for introduction of such invasive species using ciliate plankton in four major international ports of Korea. We surveyed the seasonal species composition of planktonic ciliate to find out the evidence for the invasive species at Busan, Ulsan, Gwangyang and Incheon ports from February 2007 to November 2008. A total of 45 ciliates species, belonging to 15 genera, were identified during the study period: 33 species occurred at Busan, 31 at Gwangyang, 30 at Ulsan, 18 at Incheon. The abundance of naked ciliates ranged from 566 to $65,151cells\;L^{-1}$ and that of tintinnids 10 to $5,973cells\;L^{-1}$. Based on vector species of ciliates reported from Coos Bay in Oregon, 13 vector species of tinitinnids were identified as follows, Eutintinnus lususundae, E. tubulosus, Favella ehrenbergii, F. taraikaensis, Helicostomella subulata, Stenosemella nivalis, Tintinnopsis ampla, T. beroidea, T. cylindrica, T. directa, T. lohmanni, T. radix, T. rapa. All vector species occurred at Gwangyang port. Most tintinnids were mainly neritic species throughout the survey, while warm water species occurred only in short period at Busan, Ulsan and Gwangyang ports that might be affected seasonally by Tsushima warm current.

• Korean Journal of Ecology and Environment
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• v.39 no.3 s.117
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• pp.378-389
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• 2006

Seasonal changes of biomass and cell size of bacteria and protozoa, and factors affecting their distribution in Lake Paldang and Kyungan Stream were analyzed from April to December, 2005. Bacterial abundance at Paldang Dam and Kyungan Stream was similar, but it did not much increase during hot summer period. Protozoan carbon biomass was much greater at Kyungan Stream compared to Paldang Dam. HNAN generally accounted for the majority of total protozoan biomass, but ciliates made up the highest proportion in April and November at Paldang Dam and June at both sites. PNAN showed low biomass at both sites, but it was high during spring and fall season. Small-sized HNAN ($3{\sim}7\;{\mu}m$) numerically predominated the protozoan community at both sites. Average cell size of HNAN was bigger at Kyungan Stream where nutrients concentration was much higher than Paldang Dam. Average cell size of ciliates varied seasonally; it was relatively small during the summer. HNAN biomass significantly correlated with Chl-a concentration and ciliates biomass at Paldang Dam, indicating that HNAN increase might link to the ciliates increase. At Kyungan Stream, HNAN biomass showed a significant relationship with PNAN biomass, and Chl-a concentration was closely related with both of HNAN and PNAN biomass. Ciliate biomass showed significant relationship with nutrient (TN, TP) and particulate matter (SS) only at Kyungan Stream. At both sites, protozoan biomass was significantly correlated with bacterial biomass, and ciliates were additionally related flagellates. High biomass of microbial components and the close relationships among them suggest that the energy transfer through the microbial loop may important in the plankton food web of Lake Paldang ecosystem.