• Korean Journal of Environmental Biology
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• v.19 no.2
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• pp.159-171
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• 2001

Community structure, horizontal distribution, density, and ratio between nematodes and benthic harpacticoid copepods of the meiobenthos within the sediments of inner Sihwa Lake were investigated in May 1999 and May 2000. A total of 11 and 8 classes of meiobenthic animals were identified in 1999 and 2000, respectively, which were much lower than other coastal areas. The dominant animals during both sampling periods was the nematodes, followed by sarco-mastigophorans, nauplius of crustaceans, benthic harpacticoid copepods and polychaetes. These five classes of animals comprised more than 90% of total abundance of neiobenthos presented in the samples. In 2000, a lot of polychaete larvae were identified. The most abundant animal were the size that fits in 0.063 mm sieve size. Lower density was observed upper inner part of the Sihwa Lake during both sampling periods, and higher density was observed around the Sihwa floodgates. The average density between those two numbers were observed in the samples collected in the middle of the lake. Lower nematodes to betnhic harpacticoides (N/C) ratio, a relative indicator of environmental pollution, was observed to be lower around the floodgate but higher ratios were observed in the upper inner Sihwa Lake. The present study indicated that inner upper part of the lake becomes unsuitable for the meiobenthos, and the most inner upper lake was considered to be polluted.