• Korean Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences
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• v.33 no.1
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• pp.1-8
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• 2000

Benthic environments and composition of macrobenthic fauna around the marine fish culture cages were studied to clarify the effect of fish farming near Tongyong from August, 1995 to february, 1996. Sediment grain size and bottom dissolved oxygen under the fish cages were similar to that of a control site, but organic content was higher under the cages. Fewer species were found under the fish cages than under the control site, but conspicuously higher density was obtained under cages. Capitella capitals, Nebalia bipes were dominant infauna, and Asterina pertinifera and Astelias amurensis were dominant epifauna under the fish cage whereas Lumbrineris longifolia and Anphioplus sp. dominated in the control site. Diversity index showed seasonal variation under the fish cages, but showed little variation at the control site. The benthic fauna under the fish cages showed different community structures from the control site. As results, the fish culture cages affected the benthic environment and the community structure of benthic fauna by input of the organic content and biological effects such as dead shells.