• Journal of Marine Life Science
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• v.5 no.2
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• pp.72-80
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• 2020

A sea dike in the Yeongsan River estuary was constructed in 1981 to supply water and reclaim tidal flats for agriculture, separating the estuary into the freshwater and seawater zones. However, the sluice gates are frequently opened and freshwater is discharged in summer when more rainfall is recorded than other seasons, then converting the estuary to brackish water system. In this study, the direct effect of freshwater discharge was investigated by monitoring daily variation in water properties and phytoplankton size structure before and after the freshwater discharge events from 2013 to 2015. Freshwater discharge resulted in a sharp decrease in salinity and dissolved oxygen (DO) at surface water whereas it increased the turbidity of water column. However, salinity did not decrease sharply in 2014 when freshwater was discharged one day before the monitoring and salinity remained low prior to the monitoring. Levels of nutrients especially dissolved inorganic nitrogen (DIN) increased after the discharge and this contributed to potential limitation of nutrients such as P or Si rather than N in the estuary. Freshwater discharge also caused the changes in phytoplankton biomass (chlorophyll a) and size structure although their responses were different between years. The changes may affect growth of grazers and thus structure of marine food web by alternating food availability in the Yeongsan River estuary.

• Journal of Environmental Impact Assessment
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• v.21 no.3
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• pp.445-460
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• 2012

In order to evaluate and predict the environmental impact of the low-trophic-level ecosystem to environmental changes in the Yellow Sea and the East China Sea, an ecological modelling study was undertaken. Simulation results of average distribution patterns and concentrations of water quality factors during the summer by the model were acceptable. Phytoplankton and remineralization rate of organic matter were very important parameters by a sensitivity analysis. Water quality factors showed high values in the estuary of the Yangtze River and in the West and South Sea of Korea and low values in the central area of the Yellow Sea. There is a plume of high values, especially nutrients, off the mouth of the Yangtze that expands or contracts with changes in the discharge strength. Characteristics of responses of water quality factors vary for different scenarios of environmental change, such as land-based pollution sources and atmospheric forcing. It is suggested that changes of light intensity, discharges of input sources, and wind play an important role in the marine ecosystem.

• ALGAE
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• v.26 no.2
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• pp.141-152
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• 2011

The present study describes the morphology, taxonomy, and distribution of species belonging to the diatom genus Rhizosolenia in Korea's marine coastal waters. From September 2008 to February 2010, we collected phytoplankton samples at 30 sites along the Korean coastline and studied them by light and scanning electron microscopy. We found 6 rhizosolenid genera in our samples: Rhizosolenia, Dactyliosolen, Guinardia, Pseudosolenia, Proboscia, and Neocalyptrella. In the present paper, we studied the following rhizosolenid species and compared them with congeners: R. pungens, R. fallax, R. imbricata, Rhizosolenia sp. 1, and Rhizosolenia sp. 2. The morphology of R. pungens exhibits important diagnostic characteristics in its girdle segment structure in the column and in its external process. To distinguish R. fallax and R. imbricata, the most important characteristics are the striation and the velum structure. R. pungens occurred in our samples all along the Korean coast. Only rarely did we find R. imbricata in the samples and at low abundance. We recorded R. fallax, Rhizosolenia sp. 1 and Rhizosolenia sp. 2 for the first time in Korean waters, but they rarely occurred.

• Korean Journal of Environmental Biology
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• v.17 no.3
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• pp.217-232
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• 1999

The author made a special review on/red-tides from the following points: definition, terms, yearly progress of researches, causative organisms, searching the causes, toxins, a loss of lives, damages of aquatic products, reducing aquacultural damages and removal efficiency. Red-tides in Korea were caused by diatoms in the early 1960’s, in the end of 1970’s it was caused by non-toxic dinoflagellates when marine pollutions were growing more and more serious. In the end of 1980’s, red-tides were caused by toxic dinoflagellates. Red-tide was only found in selected areas at first, but recently large-scaled red-tides are frequently found in the southern coastal waters of Korea, causing huge losses of marine life. A plan is greatly needed to reduce the damaging red-tides, and removal systems need to be developed.

• Korean Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences
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• v.44 no.2
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• pp.162-166
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• 2011

The distribution and occurrence of Charybdis japonica larvae were investigated off Yeonpyong-do, Korea, in the Yellow Sea. C. japonica larvae were collected monthly at 15 stations from early June to late October in 2006 and 2007. At each station, a Bongo net with 303 and $505{\mu}m$ mesh was deployed once with a double oblique tow. No larvae were caught in June, in both years. Zoea I was predominant in late July in 2006 and early August in 2007, whereas Zoea I accounted for 84% of all larvae collected and no larval stages later than Zoea III were sampled. Megalopa were the most abundant larval stage at all stations in late August in both years. The timing of larval hatching of C. japonica may be related to that of phytoplankton blooms in the study area. The finding that Zoea I and Megalopa were predominant in the study are may indicate that C. charybdis larvae are carried by advection.

• ALGAE
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• v.21 no.2
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• pp.253-259
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• 2006

Organic substances are released from phytoplankton cells during all phases of growth. The type and amounts of organic substance excreted and the effects of nutrient limitation are often highly species-specific. Dinoflagellate, Cochlodinium polykrikoides grown in batch culture produced an exopolysaccharide. Exopolysaccharide and intracellular polysaccharide concentrations increased as C. polykrikoides cultures progressed from exponential phase, through stationary phase, to declining phase. In the exponential phase, the concentration of exopolysaccharide was relatively low, but in the stationary phase, it showed a rapid increase which seemed to coincide with the depletion of nitrate from the medium. Of the 20 amino acids analyzed, proline dominated in the organic matter of all cultures ranging from 48.2 to 79.9 nmol L–1, and constituting the 20-90% of total amino acids, and followed by histamine varying from 0.7 to 47.5 nmol L–1. Leucine and cysteine were also abundant in the stationary phase. The release rates of exopolysaccharide and intracellualr polysaccharide were higher the end of stationary phase than in the exponential phase. Exopolysaccharide concentration per cell was more than two times higher during the end of stationary phase than that in exponential phase. C. polykrikoides produced extracellular polysaccharide at a rate of 47.04 pg cell–1 day–1.

• Ocean and Polar Research
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• v.43 no.4
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• pp.335-352
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• 2021

Trace elements in the ocean have been known as essential micronutrients for the primary production of phytoplankton and the growth of marine organisms. The GEOTRACES program beginning in the mid-2000 provided a new understanding of the distribution, origin and behavior of trace elements in the ocean, together with the establishment of both clean seawater sampling and trace element analysis techniques. The Indian Ocean, one of the major oceans, is relatively the least explored area, despite playing an important role in global climate variability. Although trace element observations have recently been conducted in the Indian Ocean by Japanese-and Indian scientists, relatively not much study has been done compared to the Atlantic, Pacific and Polar Regions. Recently, together with the launch of R/V Isabu, a 5,000-ton grade large- and comprehensive research vessel, the observations of trace elements has been conducted in the Indian Ocean for the first time in Korea since 2018. In this paper, we introduce the key results of currently conducted GEOTRACES expedition in the Indian Ocean to present future trace element research directions in the Indian Ocean, and also reviewed the preliminary results in the Indian Ocean studies from Korea. In the 2020s, new Indian Ocean GEOTRACES projects are planned around European countries, and it is time for Korea to prepare for the next phase of the trace element study in the Indian Ocean in line with these international trends.

• Ocean and Polar Research
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• v.45 no.1
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• pp.1-9
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• 2023

Marine microalgae have different collection methods depending on their habitat. In the case of adhesive microalgae, it is difficult to separate organisms from the substrate surface, and contamination is likely to occur during the sampling process. In this study, we analyzed the collection efficiency of adhesive microalgae using three artificial fiber materials (nylon, blend fabric, and viscose rayon). Each fiber showed different fiber diameter and pore characteristics (nylon 26.09 ㎛, blend fabric 56.6 ㎛, viscose rayon 101.3 ㎛). In addition, attached organisms were collected on the surface of artificial substrates at Bukseong Port in Incheon using each tested fiber material. After that, we investigated the population and species composition. The highest number of cells was found in nylon, which was 8 times higher than in the least collected viscose rayon material. In addition, we identified 24 microalgal species from the substrate, demonstrating that the species composition differed from that of surface water. The number of collected microalgae species varied depending on the fiber materials, with nylon containing all the adhesive microalgae. In contrast, only a few microalgae were observed in other fibers. These results suggest that, of the tested fibers, nylon material may be suitable for collecting adhesive microalgae. As a result, this study may be useful for future research on adhesive microalgae.

• Ocean and Polar Research
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• v.32 no.2
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• pp.165-175
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• 2010

Dietary lipid biomarkers (fatty acids, fatty alcohols, and sterols) in adult specimens were analyzed to compare and understand the feeding ecology of the euphausiid, Euphausia pacifica, from three geographically and environmentally diverse Korean waters (Yellow Sea, East China Sea, and East Sea). Total lipid content of E. pacifica from Korean waters was about 10% dry weight (DW) with a dominance of phospholipids (>46.9% of total lipid content), which are known as membrane components. A saturated fatty acid, C16:0, a monounsaturated fatty acid, C18:1(n-9), and two polyunsaturated fatty acids, C20:5(n-3) and 22:6(n-3), were most abundant (>60% of total fatty acids) in the fatty acid composition. Some of the fatty acids showed slight differences among regions although no significant compositional changes of fatty acids were detected between these regions. Phytol, originating from the side chain of chlorophyll and indicative of active feeding on phytoplankton, was detected all samples. Trace amounts of various fatty alcohols were also detected in E. pacifica. Specifically, krill from the Yellow Sea showed relatively high amounts of longchain monounsaturated fatty alcohols (i.e. 20:1 and 22:1), generally found in herbivorous copepods. Three different kinds of sterols were detected in E. pacifica. The most dominant of these sterols was cholest-5-en-$3{\beta}$-ol (cholesterol). The lipid compositions and ratios of fatty acid trophic markers are indicative of herbivory in E. pacifica from the Yellow Sea and East Sea (mainly feeding on dinoflagellates and diatoms, respectively). The lipid compositions and ratios of fatty acid trophic markers are indicative of carnivory or omnivory in E. pacifica from the East China Sea, mainly feeding on microzooplankton such as protozoa. In conclusion, lipid biomarkers provide useful information about krill feeding type. However, further analyses and experiments (i.e. gut content analysis, in situ grazing experiment, etc.) are needed to better understand the feeding ecology of E. pacifica in various marine environments.

• Microbiology and Biotechnology Letters
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• v.34 no.1
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• pp.1-6
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• 2006

Harmful algal blooms (HABs or red tides), caused by uncontrolled proliferation of marine phytoplankton, impose a severe environmental problem and occasionally threaten even public health. We sequenced the genome of an EPS-producing marine bacterium Hahella chejuensis that produces a red pigment with the lytic activity against red-tide dinoflagellates at parts per billion level. H. chejuensis is the first sequenced species among algicidal bacteria as well as in the order Oceanospirillales. Sequence analysis indicated a distant relationship to the Pseudomonas group. Its 7.2-megabase genome encodes basic metabolic functions and a large number of proteins involved in regulation or transport. One of the prominent features of the H. chejuensis genome is a multitude of genes of functional equivalence or of possible foreign origin. A significant proportion (${\sim}23%$) of the genome appears to be of foreign origin, i.e. genomic islands, which encode genes for biosynthesis of exopolysaccharides, toxins, polyketides or non-ribosomal peptides, iron utilization, motility, type III protein secretion and pigment production. Molecular structure of the algicidal pigment was determined to be prodigiosin by LC-ESI-MS/MS and NMR analyses. The genomics-based research on H. chejuensis opens a new possibility for controlling algal blooms by exploiting biotic interactions in the natural environment and provides a model in marine bioprospecting through genome research.