• Ocean and Polar Research
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• v.24 no.1
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• pp.55-61
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• 2002

Eelgrass, Zostera marina L. widely spreads throughout all the coastal areas of the Korean Peninsula. However, some previously reported eelgrass populations disappeared. The disappearance was probably caused by anthropogenic disturbance such as reclamation and pollutant or exceeded nutrient release. Eelgrass beds occurred from the intertidal to the subtidal zone, mainly in lagoon, estuaries, ports, barrier reef and bays. Eelgrass beds were also found at the intertidal mud and sand flats, subtidal mud and sandbank in more exposed areas. Habitat characteristics of eelgrass beds distributed on the coasts of the Korean Peninsula varied among coast areas. Eelgrass distributed constantly throughout the southern coast of Korea, while the distribution was limited at lagoon, bay, port, or barrier reef on the eastern coast, because of steep water depth and high wave energy in that coast. On the western coast, eelgrass mainly appeared at the intertidal and subtidal zones in islands. Sediment characteristics of the Z. marina beds varied with locality, tidal current and water motion. Sediments of Z. marina beds were composed of sand, muddy sand, sandy mud and mud. Mean grain size ranged from 1.5 to 4.1 phi.

• Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences
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• v.12 no.1
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• pp.60-69
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• 2009

Fish community structure between eelgrass beds and an adjacent unvegetated area was investigated. Fishes were collected monthly from two eelgrass beds (Gamak and Yeoja Bays) and one adjacent unvegetated area in the southern sea of Korea between February 2006 and February 2007. The number of species for the Gamak and Yeoja Bays were 33, 28, respectively, while 28 species were identified from the unvegetated area. Leiognathus nuchalis was dominant in both Gamak and Yeoja Bays, while Engraulis japonicus was dominant in the unvegetated area. Cluster analysis conducted on total number of individuals for each species produced 3 groups; group A (appeared only in winter regardless of eelgrass), group B (appeared in eelgrass beds during all seasons except winter) and group C (appeared in the unvegetated area during all seasons except winter). The most important differentiating species between eelgrass beds and the unvegetated area were Lateolabrax japonicus, L. nuchalis, Takifugu niphobles and Pholis nebulosa. Based on the results of this study we can assume that eelgrass beds function as a nursery ground for young fishes from spring to fall, but not in winter.

• ALGAE
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• v.23 no.1
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• pp.83-90
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• 2008

Eelgrass beds are very productive and provide nursery functions for a variety of fish and shellfish species. Management for the conservation of eelgrass beds along the Korean coasts is critical, and requires comprehensive strategies such as vegetation mapping. We suggest a mapping method to spatial distribution and quantify of eelgrass beds using a digital echosounder. Echosounding data were collected from the northeast part of Kwangyang Bay, on the south of Korea, in March, 2007. A transducer was attached to a boat equipped with a DGPS. The boat completed a transect survey scanning whole eelgrass beds of 11.7 km2 with a speed of 1.5-2 m s-1 (3-4 knot). The acoustic reflectivity of eelgrass allowed for detection and explicit measurements of canopy cover and height. The results showed that eelgrass bed was distributed in depth from 1.19 to 3.6 m (below MSL) and total dry weight biomass of 4.1 ton with a vegetation area of 4.05 km2. This technique was found to be an effective way to undertake the patch size and biomass of eelgrass over large areas as nondestructive sampling.

• Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences
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• v.12 no.3
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• pp.219-226
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• 2009

Seasonal variation in the biomass of eelgrass (Zostera marina) and epiphytic algae in two eelgrass beds (Dongdae and Aenggang Bay) around Namhae Island was investigated throughout 2005. Shoot density and eelgrass biomass differed across months and locations. Peak shoot density occurred from April to August 2005, whereas eelgrass biomass was higher in July and August 2005. Shoot density as well as eelgrass biomass were higher in Dongdae Bay compared to Aenggang Bay. A total of 21 epiphytic algal species (4 Chlorophyta, 2 Phaeophyta, and 15 Rhodophyta) were collected, and dominant species included Polysiphonia japonica, Lomentaria hakodantensis, Symphyocladia latiuscula, Champia sp., and Heterosiphonia japonica. Seasonal variation in both the species composition and biomass of epiphytic algae was substantial: peak epiphytic algal biomass occurred in January and December 2005. We also observed high epiphytic algal biomass in the eelgrass bed of Dongdae Bay. Seasonal changes in the biomass of eelgrass and epiphytic algae were primarily influenced by water temperature, whereas those of the epiphytic algal community were also correlated with eelgrass (substrate) morphology and growth, the life cycle of epiphytic algae, and physical characteristics within eelgrass beds. The spatial variation of eelgrass density and biomass were also limited by sediment characteristics.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Marine Environment & Safety
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• v.22 no.7
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• pp.814-820
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• 2016

In order to utilize coal ash for eelgrass beds, a pilot plant experiment was carried out. Eelgrass was transplanted to on artificial bed made of granulated coal ash. Successful settlement of eelgrass was achieved and the density of the eelgrass increased at an exponential rate through vagetative propagation after 24 months. An increase in biodiversity in and around the artificial eelgrass bed was observed after the transplant took place. From the results of this experiment, it can be concluded that granulated coal ash is a suitable material for creating eelgrass beds.

• Korean Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences
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• v.37 no.2
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• pp.122-128
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• 2004

On the basis of monthly samples, we investigated the seasonal variation and feeding habits of amphipods inhabiting Zostera marina beds in Gwangyang Bay. Dominant species $(>1\%$ of the total number of amphipods) consist of 5 gammarids (Gammaropsis japonicus, Jassa slatteryi, Pontogenia rostrata, Atylus collingi and Ceinina japonica) and 1 caprellid (Caprella tsugarensis). Mean densities of amphipods varied from the highest of $63,148\;ind.\;m^{-2}$ in-May to the lowest of $1,247\;ind.\;m^{-2}$ in September. G. japonicus and J. slatteryi dominated in summer whereas C. japonica in autumn and winter. C. japonica was found to be a carnivorous feeder consuming mainly harpacticoid copepods and unidentified crustaceans, whereas G. japonicus, J. slatteryi, and C. tsugarensis consumed both phytoplankton and detritus. Seasonal densities of amphipods were significantly related with the shoot standing crop of the eelgrass and its epiphyte. Also densities of amphipods displayed significant difference in related with the shoot density of the eelgrass among sampling stations. These results suggest that the biological interactions between the eelgrass and amphipods as well as between the carnivorous and the herbivorous amphipods may be important in the seasonal variation of amphipods inhabiting Z. marine beds.

• Korean Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences
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• v.48 no.6
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• pp.920-928
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• 2015

This study aims to reveal the relationship between growth of young sea bass and environmental variables in two adjacent eelgrass beds. Fishes were collected from Gamak Bay (GB) and Yeoja Bay (YB) on the southern coast of Korea from February 2006 to February 2007 using a dragnet (15 m in length and 3 m in width). During the study period, a total of 367 individuals of young sea bass Lateolabrax japonicus were collected from GB (171 inds.) and YB (196 inds.). Significant differences were observed in the occurrence periods and growth patterns of young sea bass, as well as in environmental variables between GB and YB. Young sea bass were collected from April to December in GB, but from April to July in YB. These differences may be associated with differences in eelgrass density, leaf width, and zooplankton density between GB and YB.

• ALGAE
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• v.30 no.2
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• pp.121-137
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• 2015

Studies on carbon flux in the oceans have been highlighted in recent years due to increasing awareness about climate change, but the coastal ecosystem remains one of the unexplored fields in this regard. In this study, the dynamics of carbon flux in a vegetative coastal ecosystem were examined by an evaluation of net and gross ecosystem production (NEP and GEP) and $CO_2$ exchange rates (net ecosystem exchange, NEE). To estimate NEP and GEP, community production and respiration were measured along different habitat types (eelgrass and macroalgal beds, shallow and deep sedimentary, and deep rocky shore) at Gwangyang Bay, Korea from 20 June to 20 July 2007. Vegetative areas showed significantly higher ecosystem production than the other habitat types. Specifically, eelgrass beds had the highest daily GEP ($6.97{\pm}0.02g\;C\;m^{-2}\;d^{-1}$), with a large amount of biomass and high productivity of eelgrass, whereas the outer macroalgal vegetation had the lowest GEP ($0.97{\pm}0.04g\;C\;m^{-2}\;d^{-1}$). In addition, macroalgal vegetation showed the highest daily NEP ($3.31{\pm}0.45g\;C\;m^{-2}\;d^{-1}$) due to its highest P : R ratio (2.33). Furthermore, the eelgrass beds acted as a $CO_2$ sink through the air-seawater interface according to NEE data, with a carbon sink rate of $0.63mg\;C\;m^{-2}\;d^{-1}$. Overall, ecosystem production was found to be extremely high in the vegetated systems (eelgrass and macroalgal beds), which occupy a relatively small area compared to the unvegetated systems according to our conceptual diagram of a carbon-flux box model. These results indicate that the vegetative ecosystems showed significantly high capturing efficiency of inorganic carbon through coastal primary production.

• Korean Journal of Ichthyology
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• v.35 no.2
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• pp.101-112
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• 2023

The survey was conducted to find out the temporal variation of the fish species in the eelgrass beds in Punghwa-ri, Tongyeong-si, Gyeongsangnam-do from April 2021 to March 2022. In comparison with the results of previous study conducted 10 years ago, there was a significant difference in species composition and dominant species. In addition, this study found that subtropical fish species such as Siganus fuscescens, Plotosus lineatus, Petroscirtes breviceps, which were not reported in the previous study.

• Korean Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences
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• v.31 no.1
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• pp.56-62
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• 1998

Seasonal variations of eelgrass and epiphytic algae in eelgrass beds in Kwangyang Bay were studied from January 1994 to December 1994. A peak of the shoot length and standing crop of eelgrass occurred in summer, but low values were observed in fall and winter. The dominant species of epiphytic algae were Callophyllis rhynchocarpa and Champia sp. In spring and summer, while Polysiphonia japonica and Lomentaria hakodatensis in fall and winter. In contrast to the eelgrass, the standing crop of epiphytic algae showed a minimum in summer. There was a gradual increase in the standing crop of epiphytic algae during fall, and a peak of standing crop occurred in winter. Epiphytic algae accounted for approximately $15\~20\%$ of total plant standing crops of the eelgrass meadows. Correlation analysis with environmental factors indicated that temperature influences on both the standing crop of eelgrass and epiphytic algae. There was a positive relationship between the standing crop of eelgrass and temperature, while there was a reverse relationship between that of epiphytic algae and temperature.