• Ocean and Polar Research
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• v.30 no.3
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• pp.289-301
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• 2008

Community structure of heterotrophic protists and their grazing impact on phytoplankton were studied in Northwest Pacific Ocean during October, 2007. The study area was divided into four regions based on physical properties (temperature and salinity) and chlorophyll-a distribution. They were Region I of North Equatorial Currents, Region II of Kuroshio waters, Region III of shelf mixed water, and Region IV of Tsushima warm current from East China Sea. The distribution of chlorophyll-a concentrations and community structure of heterotrophic protists were significantly affected by physical properties of the water column. The lowest concentration of chlorophyll-a was identified in Region I and II, where pico-sized chlorophyll-a was most dominant (>80% of total chlorophyll-a). Biomass of heterotrophic protists was also low in Region I and II. However, Region III was characterized by low salinity and temperature and high chlorophyll-a concentration, with relatively lower pico-sized chlorophyll-a dominance. The Highest biomass of heterotrophic protists appeared in Region III, along with the relatively less important nanoprotists. In Region I, II and IV, heterotrophic dinoflagellates were dominant among the protists, while ciliates were dominant in Region III. Community structure varied with physical(salinity and temperature) and biological (chlorophyll-a) properties. Biomass of heterotrophic protists correlated well with chlorophyll-a concentration in the study area ($r^2=0.66$, p<0.0001). The potential effect of grazing activity on phytoplankton is relatively high in Region I and II. Our result suggest that biomass and size structure of heterotrophic protists might be significantly influenced by phytoplankton size and concentration.

• Ocean and Polar Research
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• v.32 no.4
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• pp.397-409
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• 2010

Herein, we compared the production rate of UV-absorbing compounds (mycosporine-like amino acids) and carotenoids in two phytoplankton species--Phaeocystis pouchetii and Porosira glacialis--which are the dominant species in Polar Regions under artificial UV radiation conditions. P. pouchetii exposed to UVR and PAR evidenced reductions in the carbon fixation rate, and was not significantly influenced by differing light conditions. However, the concentrations of UV-absorbing compounds and photo-protective pigments of P. pouchetii were increased with increasing exposure time, but P. glacialis maintained constant levels during the UVR exposure experiment. The production rates of MAAs showed a reverse phase between the two phytoplankton species. The carbon fixation rate of P. pouchetii cells was inhibited by exposure to UV radiation, but the production rates of MAAs in P. pouchetii were increased under UV radiation exposure. The carbon fixation rate and production rate of MAAs in P. glacialis were simultaneously inhibited under UV radiation exposure conditions. These results provide us with new information regarding the processes involved in the production of UV-absorbing compounds and photoprotective pigments in two phytoplankton species.

• Journal of the Korean Society for Marine Environment & Energy
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• v.5 no.4
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• pp.48-56
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• 2002

It was peformed to estimate the sensitivity analyses and mass balance for tributyltin in Masan Bay, using the model builded by stella program. The results of the sensitivity analysis for dissolved tributyltin and tributyltin in the particulate organic carbon showed that not only organic carbon partition coefficient but also settling rate is important. In the case of tributyltin in phytoplankton, bioconcentration factor of phytoplankton is most important. The results of the mass balance showed that standing stocks of tributyltin in water, in phytoplankton and in particulate organic carbon are 3.29×10⁴g, 1.16×10²g and 3.17×10³g, respectively. In the case of flux, partition to particulate organic carbon showed most high value, 1.64×10³g/4ay, and next were deposition to sediment, 1.64×10³g/day and transportation to open sea by tide, 1.64×10³g/day.

• Journal of Advanced Marine Engineering and Technology
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• v.33 no.6
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• pp.952-958
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• 2009

The International Maritime Organization (IMO) has adopted the ballast water management convention at a diplomatic conference in early 2004 that all ships should be equipped with a treatment system from 2010 gradually. In this paper, the disinfection characteristic of ultra-violet (UV) rays was studied and a ballast water treatment system (BWTS) which can treat $50m^3$/h sea water was manufactured. The system consists of a disinfection chamber with six 3.5 kW UV lamps which are operated by magnetic ballasts, a programmable logic controller (PLC) and set of pipe lines. The biological disinfection efficacy of the prototype BWTS was evaluated following the IMO rules using zooplankton such as Artemia and Rotifer species for the size over $50{\mu}m$, and phytoplankton such as Tetraselmis and Thalassiosira species for the size between 10 to $50{\mu}m$. From the experimental results, the disinfection efficacy was 99.99 % that meets the IMO requirement. However, more studies on an energy saving system are needed because the consumption power of the prototype system is as high as over 21 kWh for $50m^3$/h.

• Korean Journal of Environmental Biology
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• v.34 no.1
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• pp.18-29
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• 2016

The effects of water temperature, salinity, water column nutrient contents, and phytoplankton primary productivity on pigment composition and concentration, as well as primary productivity of Pyropia yezoensis Ueda purple lavers were studied at the primary cultivation areas in the Manho (Jindo-Haenam) region on the southwestern coast of Korea in March 2014. The water temperature was $9.1{\sim}9.6^{\circ}C$, salinity was 32.5~33.1, and transparency was 0.7~1.5 m. The shallow euphotic depth resulted from the high turbidity. Water column dissolved inorganic nitrogen (DIN), dissolved inorganic phosphorus (DIP), and silicate concentrations were $3.59{\sim}5.73{\mu}M$, $0.16{\sim}0.41{\mu}M$, and $12.41{\sim}13.94{\mu}M$, respectively. Chlorophyll a (Chl a) concentration was $0.51{\sim}1.25{\mu}g\;L^{-1}$. Nanoplankton ($0.7{\sim}20{\mu}m$ size class) accounted for 58% of the total Chl a concentration. Fucoxanthin was the dominant photosynthetic pigment at all sites. Microplankton ($20{\sim}200{\mu}m$ size class) accounted for 64% of the total fucoxanthin concentration. The primary productivity of phytoplankton was $57.72{\pm}4.67(51.05{\sim}66.71)mg\;C\;m^{-2}d^{-1}$. The nanoplankton ($0.7{\sim}20{\mu}m$ size class) accounted for 77% of the total phytoplankton primary productivity. The calculated phytoplankton primary productivity was $11,337kg\;C\;d^{-1}$. The primary productivity of Pyropia blades was $1,926{\pm}192(1,102{\sim}2,597)mg\;C\:m^{-2}d^{-1}$, i.e., calculated as $39,295kg\;C\;d^{-1}$. The total primary productivity of phytoplankton and Pyropia blades was $50,632kg\;C\;d^{-1}$. The primary productivity of Pyropia blades was 3.5 times greater than that of phytoplankton in the Manho region on the southwestern coast of Korea.

• The Sea:JOURNAL OF THE KOREAN SOCIETY OF OCEANOGRAPHY
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• v.24 no.1
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• pp.92-105
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• 2019

Spatial and temporal characteristics of phytoplankton communities around the coastal waters of Jeju Island were investigated with environmental factors such as water temperature, salinity, and dissolved oxygen. Monthly samples were collected at 0 and 30 m depths of 10 stations from March 2015 to February 2016. During the survey period, water temperature ranged in 13.7~25.9 and $13.6{\sim}20.8^{\circ}C$ at 0 and 30 m, salinity in 31.51~34.47 and 33.03~34.47 psu at 0 and 30 m, and dissolved oxygen in 6.12~8.10 and $5.73{\sim}7.88mg\;L^{-1}$ at 0 and 30 m, respectively. Chlorophyll-a ranged in 0.28~2.48 and $0.44{\sim}1.01{\mu}g\;L^{-1}$ at 0 and 30 m, respectively. Phytoplankton abundance fluctuated in the range of $5,300{\sim}639,900cells\;L^{-1}$ during the year, showing the lowest in February at all stations, and the highest in July at the northern and western sea as well as in August at the southern and eastern sea of Jeju Island. A total of 362 species were occurred including 181 spp. of Bacillariophyta, 147 spp. of Dinophyta and 34 spp. of other phytoflagellates. Dominant species with occupancy rate over 20 percent of phytoplankton abundance showed apparent seasonal succession such as Paralia sulcata and Skeletonema costatum in spring and autumn, 6 spp. of genus Chaetoceros in summer, and 2 spp. of genus Chaetoceros and Thalassionema frauenfeldii in winter. Monthly abundance in the northern and western sea fluctuated with similar tendency, and the southern and eastern sea also showed similar pattern of monthly abundance variation. Species composition and dominant species succession mentioned above were quite different from previous studies, so some physical changes such as water temperature, salinity and current pattern might cause the changes of phytoplankton assemblages around Jeju Island.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Marine Environment & Safety
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• v.29 no.5
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• pp.417-426
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• 2023

Rapid climate change has resulted in glacial retreat and increased meltwater inputs in the Antarctic Peninsula, including King George Island where Marian Cove is located. Consequently, these phenomena are expected to induce changes in the water column light properties, which in turn will affect phytoplankton communities. To comprehend the effects of glacial retreat on the marine ecosystem in Marian Cove, we investigated on phytoplankton biomass (chlorophyll-a, chl-a) and various environment parameters in this area in December 2021 and January 2022. The average temperature at the euphotic depth in January 2022 (1.41 ± 0.13 ℃) was higher than that in December 2021 (0.87 ± 0.17 ℃). Contrastingly, the average salinity was lower in January 2022 (33.9 ± 0.10 psu) than in December 2021 (34.1 ± 0.12 psu). Major nutrients, including dissolved inorganic nitrogen, phosphate, and silicate, were sufficiently high, and thus, did not act as limiting factors for phytoplankton biomass. In December 2021 and January 2022, the mean chl-a concentrations were 1.03 ± 0.64 and 0.66 ± 0.15㎍ L^-1, respectively. The mean concentration of suspended particulate matter (SPM) was 24.9 ± 3.54 mgL^-1 during the study period, with elevated values observed in the vicinity of the inner glacier. However, relative lower chl-a concentrations were observed near the inner glacier, possibly due to high SPM load from the glacier, resulting in reduced light attenuation by SPM shading. Furthermore, the proportion of nanophytoplankton exceeded 70% in the inner cove, contributing to elevated mean fractions of nanophytoplankton in the glacier retreat marine ecosystem. Overall, our study indicated that freshwater and SPM inputs from glacial meltwater may possibly act as main factors controlling the dynamics of phytoplankton communities in glacier retreat areas. The findings may also serve as fundamental data for better understanding the carbon cycle in Marian Cove.

• ALGAE
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• v.37 no.4
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• pp.265-279
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• 2022

The primary production (PP) by phytoplankton in marine ecosystems is essential for carbon cycling and fueling food webs. Hence, estimating the PP in the territorial sea of each country is a necessary step to achieving carbon neutrality. To estimate the PP in the territorial sea of the Republic of Korea from 2005 to 2021, we analyzed various physiochemical parameters, such as sea surface temperature (SST), Secchi depth, and concentrations of chlorophyll-a and nutrients in the seas of five regions, including the East Sea, West Sea, western South Sea, eastern South Sea, and the waters off Jeju Island. During the 17-year study period, the SST tended to increase, while the nutrient concentrations declined, except in the Jeju area. Overall, the PP did not show a specific temporal trend, but daily PP in the western South Sea was the highest among the five regions. Moreover, the maximum PP in the Korean territorial waters (76,450 km²) was estimated at 11,227 Gg C y^-1, which accounts for 0.03% of the global PP. The results may give insights into a better understanding of the PP, further resource utilization, and environmental sustainability in the studied region.

• Journal of Environmental Science International
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• v.16 no.8
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• pp.941-957
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• 2007

This study monitored marine environments and ecological characteristics of phytoplankton in southern coastal waters during June to October in 2004-2006 and provided an information to how Cochlodinium blooms have occurred. A total of sampling sites was 16 (Dukyang bay, Goheung, Yeoja bay, Gamak bay, Gwangyang bay, Yeosu, and Namhae). Temperature ranged from $19^{\circ}C\;to\;29^{\circ}C$, which all of sampling in Yeoja bay was the highest temperature of $27^{\circ}C\;and\;29^{\circ}C$ during summer. On June, July, September, and October did not show a remarkable difference regardless of sampling sites. Yeoja and Gwangyang bays had 25-27 in salinity that was lower approximately 5-6 compared with other sampling sites. Chlorophyll had considerable fluctuations depending on sampling sites on July and October, in particular, Gwangyang bay was the highest value of $15{\mu}gl^{-1}$ that had five times as much as. Unlikely to temperature, salinity, and chlorophyll, transparency ranged from 2 m to 5 m regardless of sampling sites. Gwangyang bay was the highest DIN (Dissolved Inorganic Nitrogen) of $0.53mgl^{-1}$ on July and August that had ten times as much as, whereas DIP (Dissolved Inorganic Phosphorus) did not show a significant difference between sampling sites. On July, the correlation of DIN and chlorophyll was a negative that should extremely require DIN to grow phytoplankton, but was a positive liner on August. Mean cell number of phytoplankton reached to encounter a peak of 500 cells $ml^{-1}$ in July and August, which diatoms were dominant species and attained an abundance of >60% regardless of months. In August, the occurrence of dinoflagellates ranged from 20% to 30%. Skeletonema costatum, one of dominant speicies, was the highest occurrence to throughout sampling sites during 2004 to 2006. On the basis of cluster analysis for phytoplankton, they were distributed in all of sampling sites. Consequently, significant fluctuations of marine environments were shown in summer and S. costatum was regarded as the representive phytoplankton in southern coastal waters. In particular, the outbreaks of Cochlodinium polykrikoides have occurred in Dukyang bay, Gamak bay, Goheung, Yeosu, and Namhae, but Yeoja and Gwangyang bays did not occur. The distinguish characteristics of occurring sampling sites and non-occurring in Cochlodinium blooms based on this study was DIN that was enough to persistently grow and maintain them even a litter dissolved in water. This suggests that Cochlodinium red tide seems to be occur in off waters.

• Journal of the Korean Society for Marine Environment & Energy
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• v.9 no.2
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• pp.109-119
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• 2006

This study investigated the effect of artificially enhanced mesozooplankton on the phytoplankton dynamics during fall blooming period using a mesocosm in Jangmok bay located in the Southern Sea of Korea in 2001. The four bags with 2,500 liter seawater containment were directly filled with the ambient water. And then, abundances of mesozooplankton in two experimental bags were treated 6 times higher than those in control bags by towing with net($300{\mu}m$) through the ambient water. Phytoplankton community between control and experimental bags were not significantly different in terms of chlorophyll-a(chl-a) concentration and standing crop (one-way ANOVA, p>0.05) during the study period. Initial high standing crop and chl-a concentration of phytoplankton drastically decreased and remained low until the end of the experiment in all bags. Diatoms, accounting for most of the phytoplankton community, consisted of Skeletonema costatum, Pseudo-nitzschia seriata, Chaetoceros curvisetus, Ch. debilis, Cerataulina pelagica, Thalassiosira pacifica, Cylindrotheca closterium, and Leptocylindrus danicus. Noctiluca scintillans dominated the temporal variation of mesozooplankton abundances, which peaked on Day 10 in the control and experimental bags, while the next dominant copepods showed their peak on Day 7. Shortly after mesozooplankton addition, copepod abundance in the experimental bags was obviously higher than that in the control bags on Day 1, however, it became similar to that in the control bags during the remnant period. It was supported by the higher abundance and length of both ctenophores and hydromedusae in experimental bags relative to the control bags. However, the cascading trophic effect, commonly leading to re-increase of phytoplankton abundance, was not found in the experimental bags, indicating that copepods were not able to control the phytoplankton in the bags based on the low grazing rate of Acartia erythraea. Besides that, rapidly sunken diatoms in the absence of natural turbulence as well as N-limited condition likely contributed the no occurrence of re-increased phytoplankton in the experimental bags.