• ALGAE
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• v.27 no.1
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• pp.63-70
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• 2012

Algae are sensitive to a wide range of pollutants, and are effective bioindicators in ecotoxicity assessments. Here, we evaluated the sub-lethal sensitivity of the marine dinoflagellate Cochlodinium polykrikoides upon exposure to copper (Cu), lead (Pb), bisphenol A (BPA), and Aroclor 1016 (polychlorinated biphenyl, PCB). Toxic effects were assessed by observations of the reduction in cell counts and chlorophyll a levels after exposure to each toxicant. C. polykrikoides displayed dose-dependent, sigmoidal responses when exposed to the tested chemicals. $EC_{50}$-72 h values for Cu, Pb, BPA, and PCB were 12.74, 46.70, 68.15, and $1.07mg\;L^{-1}$, respectively. PCB, which is an endocrine-disrupting chemical, was the most sensitive, proving its toxic effect on the dinoflagellate. This study provides baseline data on the toxic effects of commonly used heavy metals and endocrine-disrupting chemicals to a marine dinoflagellate.

• Korean Journal of Environmental Biology
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• v.25 no.3
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• pp.205-214
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• 2007

Marine environmental characteristics on the dinoflagellate cysts distribution in surface sediment of the southwest sea of Korea were investigated from 21 stations in September 2003, and 36 stations in June, 2004. The water mass characteristics indicated that the southwest sea of Korea is characterized by various oceanographic conditions due to coastal waters of Korea and China. The Tsushima warm currents and the cold bottom water of the Yellow Sea. Mud contents and chlorophyll a concentrations were higher in central region such as, Namhaedo, Yeosu and Goheung coast than in western region such as, Wando, Haenam and Jindo coast in the South Sea of Korea. A total of 35 taxa of dinoflagellate cysts were identified representing 21 genera, 33 species, 2 unidentified species. Cyst abundance ranged from 13 to 527 cysts $g-dry^{-1}$, showing higher abundance in the coastal areas than in western region of the South Sea of Korea. From the result of the PCA analysis, the distribution of dinoflagellate cysts was not only related to the different water masses which appeared in the southwestern sea but also to physical and biological parameters such as water temperature, light, surface sediment faces and phytoplankton biomass.

• ALGAE
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• v.26 no.1
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• pp.41-50
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• 2011

Yellow Sea surface sediment samples collected on October 15-31, 2003 were analyzed using the palynological process to investigate the spatial distribution of dinoflagellate resting cysts. The sampling areas comprised four latitudinal transects, the northernmost of which was located off the Shandong Peninsula, China and the southernmost off Jeju Island, Korea. Each transect line was composed of six to nine stations, spanning the distance between the Chinese and Korean coasts. Twenty-five different types of dinoflagellate cysts were identified. Gonyaulax scrippsae, Alexandrium spp. (ellipsoidal type), and G. spinifera were the most dominant at all stations surveyed. Dinoflagellate cysts belonging to the Gonyaulacales comprised over 50% of all cysts collected. The latitudinal distribution trend showed that cyst concentrations along the two middle transects were much higher than those along the two northern and southern transects. Cyst concentrations in the offshore central areas reached their highest values within each transect and gradually decreased toward the Chinese and Korean coasts. Overall, cyst concentrations were markedly elevated in the offshore central Yellow Sea areas and gradually decreased outward in all four directions. This concentric cyst distribution pattern was consistent with the hydrographic features of the Yellow Sea, such as circular current systems, sedimentary properties, and water depth.

• Korean Journal of Environmental Biology
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• v.31 no.4
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• pp.243-274
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• 2013

To investigate the research state and characteristics of dinoflagellate cyst along the Korean coastal waters, this work analyzed 45 studies conducted in the Korean coasts and basin, the south of Jeju, East China Sea including some part of the Yellow Sea. It was found that the research on dinoflagellate cyst began in the later half of the 1980s in Korea, and that the research areas focused on eutrophied regions where a red tide occurred or on the seas where coastal development occurred. In other words, no research on the East Sea was found. In terms of research contents, there were various studies on analysis of cyst assemblage, tracking of the changes in marine environment like process of eutrophication, roles as a seed population in occurrence of a red tide, creation of cyst by use of sediment trip and tracking of its changes, morphological changes by the change of pH concentration in the hypoxia zone of eutrophied region, germination of a specific species, and other international-level studies. Species composition and cell density also varied in the Korean coastal waters. However, much research on dinoflagellate cyst in Korea is not systematic, and is fragmentary and individual and hencesuffers from great limitations. The research results so far have focused only on specific regions, and sporadic research had been conducted by specific research groups. Dinoflagellate cyst of surface sediments represents the accumulation index of pelagic environment in the sea and is a useful index to understand the marine environment efficiently. In conclusion, Korea requires organized human resources and collaborative research on dinoflagellate cyst which in turn should be considered as a component of marine ecosystem and as an essential aspect of marine biology.

• The Sea:JOURNAL OF THE KOREAN SOCIETY OF OCEANOGRAPHY
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• v.10 no.4
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• pp.196-203
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• 2005

To describe dinoflagellate cyst distribution from Busan Harbor, eleven surface sediment samples and a vertical sediment sample were collected in 2003. Dinoflagellate cysts were identified 12 genera 22 species, and the total cyst concentrations varied from $210\~869\;cysts/g$. The proportion of heterotrophic dinoflagellate cysts was higher in inner parts than in outer parts of the harbor, which reflects that water quality is worse in inner harborthan that in outer harbor. On the basis of the sedimentation rate of 2.0 mm/yr, total depth of the vertical core reflects marine environment far the past 260 years, where dinoflagellate cysts were identified 9 genera 18 species and the total cyst concentrations were $79\~446\;cysts/g$. The cyst concentrations were low and the proportion of heterotrophic dinoflagellate cysts were incerased in the upper part from $14\~15cm$ depth$(1928\~1933)$, which shows industrialization and urbanization in this study area.

• Korean Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences
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• v.23 no.4
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• pp.303-309
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• 1990

To provide essential information of the role of marine bacteria on the dinoflagellate blooms, distribution of marine bacterial flora and dinoflagellate species was investigated in Chinhae Bay located in southern part of Korea from August 1989 to April 1990. Two hundred and fifty one strains of marine bacteria were isolated from seawater samples collected from the study area. Among them, Flavobacterium spp. and Acinetobacter spp. were the most dominant in bacterial flora. Another 32 strains which comprised 13 percent of total strains were Erythrobacter spp.. Based on the physiological character, Erythrobacter spp. were identified as Erythrobacter longus, Erythrobacter sp.(J-2) and Erythrobacter sp. (J-8). From the phytoplanktonic community, fourteen genera and twenty nine taxa of dinoflagellate species were identified. Based on the spatio-temporal frequence and abundance Gymnodinium sanguneum, Prorocentrum micans and Prorocentrum minimum were the aestival dominent species. However, Heterocapsa triquetra was appeared as predominant species in April. Cell density of about 2,000 cells/ml was prevailed in the bloom of August, but it developed into more intensive bloom of above 500 cells/ml in September. The water quality showed eutrophic or hypereutrophic condition, which was proved by high concentration of dissolved inorganic nitrogen, ortho-phosphate and chemical oxygen demand. Oxygen deficient water mass was found in the bottom overlying waters in August and September. High relationship between abundant bacterial flora and persistent dinoflagellate blooms in eutrophic condition would be approvable.

• Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences
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• v.11 no.4
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• pp.209-211
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• 2008

Heterotrophic dinoflagellate Pfiesteria piscicida (Dinophyceae) has been claimed to produce potent ichthyotoxins that cause disorientation and eventually death of fish and other marine animals. A real-time PCR probe targeting for SSU rRNA gene was used for detection of P. piscicida in Chinhae Bay, Korea. PCR inhibitors were successfully removed by dilution of template DNA. Positive detections were shown from surface water samples indicating the presence of P. piscicida in Chinhae Bay.

• Korean Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences
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• v.36 no.2
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• pp.151-156
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• 2003

Spatio-temporal distribution of dinoflagellate cysts was monthly investigated at 6 stations in Gamak Bay, the southern Korea from April 2000 to April 2001. A total of 37 species of dinoflagellate cysts belonging to 22 genera were identified. The temporal changes of species number fluctuated with an annual mean of 8 species, 1 species at Stn. 6 in July in the middle Gamak Bay and 17 species at Stn. 2 in June southern Gamak Bay, but 11 to 20 species occurred in the northwestern Gamak Bay all the year round. The major species were Brigantedinium cariacoense, Brigantedinium simpler, Brigantedinium spp., Protoperidinium americanum, Quinquecusphix concretum, Selenopemphix quanta, Scrippsiella trochoidea, Spiniferites bulloideus, Spiniferites spp., Stelladinium reidii, Votadinium carvum, and Polykrikos sp. of kofoidii. The dominant species of dinoflagellate cysts was not evident in the over-all study areas, but in the northwestern Gamak Bay Brigantedinium spp. and Protoperidinium americanum were dominant $(50.4-76.0\%)$ during the study periods. Abundance of dinoflagellate cysts on the surface sediment in the Gamak Bay ranged from 21 cysts/g dry at Stn. 6 in July to 4,322 cysts/g dry at Stn. 4 in August with an annual mean of 688 cysts/g dry. Especially, the highest value occurred in the northwestern Gamak Bay. Heterotrophic species was more abundant than autotrophic species on the surface sediment. In particular, the former occurred in $75-94\%$ in the northwestern Gamak Bay throughout the year. The northwestern area was very different from other area in species number, dominant species and abundance of dinoflagellate cysts. It is mainly due to water stagnation and eutrophication in the area. And the seasonal abundance of dinoflagellate cysts in Gamak Bay was inversly related to water temperature.

• Korean Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences
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• v.41 no.3
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• pp.228-231
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• 2008

Two methods for separating dinoflagellate cysts from marine sediments were compared: panning and sodium polytungstate (SPT). After pretreatment with the SPT solution, Protoperidinium species had a high germination rate and cell growth rate. The germinated cells grew continuously, even in a low nutrient environment. Alexandrium cysts did not germinate, because their germination is usually active in winter. Using SPT solution, the separation process was easier, quicker, and caused much less eye fatigue than the panning method. Therefore, SPT solution offers a convenient way of pretreating dinoflagellate cysts for separation and analysis.

• ALGAE
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• v.23 no.2
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• pp.135-140
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• 2008

A field survey for dinoflagellate cysts was carried out from May 2000 to November 2002 for the Southwest Sea of Korea. A total dinoflagellate cysts identified were 33 species, which belonged to 17 genera, 31 species, and 2 unidentified species. A cysts density were 16-1,501 cysts-gdry$^{-1}$. The dominant species of dinoflagellate cysts in the Southwestern Sea of Korea were Spiniferites bulloideus and Scrippsiella trochoidea, which are autotrophic species. To investigate the environmental characteristics of the Southwestern Sea of Korea using the dinoflagellate cysts, a principal component analysis (PCA) was conducted using the data collected from a total of 51 stations. From the score distribution map by the PCA, the Southwestern Sea of Korea was largely divided into three regions according to the first primary component and the second primary component. In other words, Group 1 was the western sea area of Mokpo and Jindo, Group 2 was the outer sea area of the South Sea, and Group 3 was the coastal areas of the South Sea around the Archipelago. It was found that this division of sea area was influenced by effects of the sea environment of the coastal areas of Korea. The coastal areas of Mokpo and Jindo that belong to Group 1 were affected by the cold Yellow Sea water. The outer sea area of the central parts of the South Sea that belong to Group 2, which is the boundary between the Southern coastal water of Korea and the Tsushima warm water, was subject to the formation of temperature fronts throughout the year, while Group 3 was affected by the coastal waters of Korea. It was also found that this division was in close relationship with the distribution of sediment facies in the bottom layer. From the above results, the environmental factors that influence the cyst distribution in he Southwestern Sea of Korea were found to include the eutrophication status of the sea area, the physical characteristics of the sea environment such as the flow of sea current and fronts, the sediment facies in the bottom layer, and the appearance volume of motile cells.