• Journal of Environmental Science International
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• v.29 no.11
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• pp.1125-1139
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• 2020

This study investigated the distributional pattern of meiobenthos associated with future deep-sea mining in the Korea Deep Ocean Study area present in the Clarion-Clipperton Fracture Zone (CCFZ) located in the southeastern part of the North Pacific Ocean. Standing stocks of meiobenthos were investigated in benthic impact experiment sites (BIS) and Korea Institute of Ocean Science & Technology long-term monitoring (KOMO) sites during the 2008-2014 annual field survey. A total of 14 taxa of meiobenthos were identified. Nematodes were the most abundant taxon (60-86%). Harpacticoid copepods (5-26%) and benthic foraminifera (1-12%) were also dominant at all sites. The total meiobenthic densities varied from 4 to 150 ind./10 cm2. The mean value of total meiobenthic abundance was higher at BIS than at KOMO sites, but there was no significant difference between the two sites. The mean values of the number of taxa and biomass at BIS and KOMO sites were similar. The mean abundance of nematodes that were the most dominant taxa was also higher at BIS than at KOMO sites. The standing stocks in our study sites were relatively lower than those previously reported at other CCFZ sites. These results seem to reflect a low organic concentration in the study area.

• Korean Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences
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• v.33 no.4
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• pp.307-319
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• 2000

Community structure (seasonal fluctuation), taxon diversity, nematodes/benthic harpacticoids and nematodes/kinorhynchs ratios of meiobenthos were studied in the Gamak Bay, Korea. A series of samplings were carried out from April 1997 to May 1999. Meiobenthic organisms was collected by van Veen grab and three subcores of 34 mm in internal diameter were taken from each sediment sample. The total density of meiobenthos in each seasons was found to be the highest in May 1999, and the lowest in December 1998. Total density of meiobenthos at each station was the highest at Station 9 in May 1999 ($2,218 inds./10 cm^2$) and the lowest at Station 3 in December 1998 ($2 inds./10 cm^2$). The Gamak Bay seemed to have an individual number increased from the inner toward the outer stations. The highest number of meiobenthos was observed on 0.125 and 0.063 mm mesh size. In every season, over $80{\%}$ of the meiobenthos was composed of only four groups: nematodes, benthic harpacticoids, sarcomastigophorans and nauplius larvae of crustaceans. Seasonal fluctuation of meiobenthos was also studied. The nematodes/benthic harpacticoids(nematodes/kinorhynchs) ratios were studied as an index of pollution monitoring for benthic ecosystem at each station in each season. The value of nematodes/benthic harpacticoids ratio was the highest at the inner stations and the lowest at the outer stations in the Gamak Bay. Taxon diversity (H') was the highest at the outer stations and the lowest at the inner stations in the Gamak Bay. The value of nematodes/benthic harpacticoids ratio significantly increased from the outer toward the inner stations, whereas the taxon diversity (H') significantly increased from the inner toward the outer stations in Gamak Bay.

• Ocean and Polar Research
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• v.33 no.3
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• pp.193-209
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• 2011

The community structure of meiobenthos was studied at 16 stations within sandy tidal and subtidal zones in Jangbongdo in the Yellow Sea, Korea from Aug. 2006 to Jan. 2007. Meiobenthic organisms were collected by three core samples, with a 3.6 cm diameter, from each sediment sample taken with a Smith-McIntyre Grab. Mean grain size of study stations ranged from $1.49{\phi}$ to $3.55{\phi}$. Composition of sand ranged from 80.38% to 99.89%. There was reduction in total abundance and biomass of meiobenthos from summer to winter. Total densities of meiofauna ranged between 17 inds./10 $cm^2$ and 853 inds./10 $cm^2$. Nematodes, gastrotricha, nauplius and harpacticoids appeared as major taxa in decreasing order. This study shows that major taxa comprised 90 percent of total abundance. Most meiofaunal organisms are concentrated in the upper sediment layers and the total abundance and biomass of organisms in the tidal zone is higher than the subtidal zone.

• Ocean Science Journal
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• v.43 no.3
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• pp.153-160
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• 2008

The distribution of the taxonomical composition and the density of meiobenthos depending on some factors of environment has been studied in bottom sediments of the northern estuary part of Ha Long Bay (Cua Luc estuary). The basic factor of influence on meiobenthic community structure was the granulometric composition of sediment. The greatest taxonomic diversity is noted in the silted sands, lowest - in the silty sediments. The density of meiobenthic community was higher in the silty sediments. Slightly expressed correlation between the density of nematodes and the percentage of silty particles in the sediments is detected (Spearman rank correlation coefficient was $0.49{\pm}0.21$, p=0.035). The nematodes were dominant at all stations. In total, representatives of 66 species of nematodes belonging to 17 families and 52 genera were identified.

• The Sea:JOURNAL OF THE KOREAN SOCIETY OF OCEANOGRAPHY
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• v.5 no.3
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• pp.245-254
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• 2000

This study was conducted to investigate the community structure and distributional pattern of meiobenthos in the deep sea bottoms of northeastern Pacific during July 1998. The faunal samples were collected using the multiple corer at ten stations; eight stations along the transects from 5$^{\circ}$N to 12$^{\circ}$N, and two stations in the Preservation Zone and Impact Zone of the KODOS (Korea Deep Ocean Study) area. The organic carbon content in sediments ranged from 0.79 to 1.76 mg cm$^{-3}$, and higher concentration appeared at stations in lower latitudes than 8$^{\circ}$N. The most abundant meiobenthos was nematodes and followed by foraminiferans; these two taxa comprised more than 70% of the total abundance at all stations. The most abundant meiobenthos occurred with mesh size of 0.063 nm. The maximum density of meiobenthos was 442 ind./10 cm$^2$ at station N5, and the density gradually decreased toward station N8 where the minimum density of 92 md./10 cm$^2$ was found. More than 60% of meiobenthos were distributed at surface sediment layer within 1.0 cm, and the peak abundance was found at 0-0.25 cm layer. The latitudinal distribution pattern of meiobenthos in the study area seemed to be related with the primary productivity of the surface water that is also connected to the water circulation pattern of the Pacific Ocean near the Equator, diverging at latitude of 8$^{\circ}$N and conversing at 5$^{\circ}$N.

• 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.

• Korean Journal of Environmental Biology
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• v.37 no.3
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• pp.406-425
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• 2019

To observe the seasonal fluctuation of the meiobenthic fauna community around the coastal area of Jeju island, 20 stations were selected and seasonal surveys were conducted. Three-replicate meiobenthic samples were collected from each station in April, July, and November 2017; February, May, August, and November 2018; and February in 2019, in a total of eight months from 2017 to 2019. The total density of meiobenthos at each station ranged from 733 to 2,505 ind. 10 cm^-2. The month in which the highest habitat density appeared in most stations was April 2017 and the month in which the lowest habitat density was seen was February 2019. Nematodes were the most dominant faunal group among the representative 13 meiofaunal groups at all stations. The subdominant groups were benthic harpacticoid copepods and nauplius. The nematode/copepod (N/C) ratio, reflecting the health indices within the ecosystem, varied from 0.02 to 87.40 over the entire season and the average station values ranged from 2.00 to 16.80. The lowest N/C ratio value was found in April 2017 (0.02) and the highest N/C ratio was found at Station 11 in February 2019, which was 87.40, indicating the highest level of pollution. Seasonal and regional meiobenthos community structure similarity was divided into three groups through group analysis and multi-dimensional scaling (MDS) analysis, which showed that the meiobenthos community structure was affected by seasonal variations, rather than by regional differences.

• Ocean and Polar Research
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• v.23 no.2
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• pp.109-119
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• 2001

Meiobenthic community structure of tidal flats near the Yeonggwang Nuclear Power Plant have studied during summer (June) and fall (October) 1997. Examination of sediment samples collected along the transects showed that there were 18 different types of meiobenthos in the study area. The most abundant meiobenthic animals belonged to Phylum Nematoda in both seasons and all transects. However, sediment samples collected near discharge areas, transects A and B, showed relatively lower abundance than other general coastal areas. Another abundant meiobenthic organism is benthic Harpacticoids which is very sensitive to any environmental changes. Polycheats and Ostracods were next abundant meiobenthos which also showed the difference between the study area and other general coastal areas. Only transect C maintained similar meiobenthic abundance and diversity to other coastal areas. Horizontal distribution for transects A and B showed higher densities in upper and mid tidal flat zones. On the other hand, transect C which is located furtherest from the discharges showed an increasing trend in abundance from upper to lower areas. For size distribution analyses showed that animals which fit into the meshsize of 0.125 mm were abundant, Vertical distribution of meiobenthic animals within the sediments for both sampling seasons showed the highest individual numbers in the surface sediment layers of 0-1 cm depth and showed a decreasing trend as sediment gets deeper. Each class of meiobenthos had different vertical profiles. When comparing survey transects A and B with other similar tidal flat areas, this sites seems to a very unstable environment of tidal flats near the Yeonggwang Nuclear Power Plant.

• Ocean Science Journal
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• v.42 no.3
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• pp.165-170
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• 2007

The structure of the nematodes communities has been studied in the sediments on two sites located outside and under the layer of Ahnfeltia tobuchiensis (Kanno and Matsubara 1932; Makijenko 1970). Bottom sediments at the stations were represented by sands with a different degree of silting. Specific structure of nematodes at the stations was significantly different under the similar environmental conditions (water depth, dissolved oxygen saturation, salinity, temperature of the bottom layer and organic carbon content inside of the sediment). Nematodes dominated (75.7 %) in meiobenthos community under the layer of A. tobuchiensis where concentration of silt particles was 12 %. Representatives of the family Comesomatidae were dominant. Low index of species diversity and high Simpson domination index were detected in this community. Under a layer of A. tobuchiensis with the thickness of 30 cm concentration of the silt particles was 5.39 %; nematodes density was low and made 32.1 % of the general density of meiobenthos. Species of the families Xyalidae and Monoposthiidae were dominant. Outside of A. tobuchiensis, field percentage of silt particles was minimal (3.1 %) and representatives of families Cyatholaimidae and Axonolaimidae dominated. The specific structure of nematodes in this type of the ground is characterized by high index of species diversity and low level of domination.

• Korean Journal of Environmental Biology
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• v.18 no.2
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• pp.279-290
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• 2000

To alleviate the harmful effects from contamination, the Sihwa Lake waters have been regularly fluxed out into the ocean to mix and circulate with the oceanic waters, and then allowed to flow back into the lake. In the present study, eco-environmental impacts by the outflowing contaminated lake waters to the benthic communities of the coastal zones along Kyonggi Bay were examined at three separate areas. A total of 22 groups of meiobenthic animals were commonly found in the subtidal zones of the Bay. All groups of the meiobenthic animals on the 1st and 7th days after the outflow were remarkably reduced in numbers from the selected areas examined, as compared to those observed one day before the outflow. It was also found that the community structure of meiobenthos was changed drastically: At the station near the water gate, for example, where the immediate outflow of the lake water was encountered, the benthic harpacticoids, the group observed to be one of the predominant groups before the outflow, were found to have disappeared completely. For an area that was relatively far away from the water gate, the reduction rate of meiobenthos after the outflow events was slower and more gradual than the nearer sites. An area that is the farthest from the water gate, no reduction in any of the meiobenthos group was observed. The ratio between nematodes/copepods (N/C) was remarkably changed by the outflows at the station near the water gate: One day before the outflow, the ratio was 0.7 while the ratio was 19.0 at the station near the water gate. In contrast, at the stations relatively far from the water gate, the ratio decreased one day after the outflow event, but increasing trends were observed one week later. In the tidal flats, Station 1 exhibited the common observed regional values of the ratio whereas Station 2 showed a very high ratio of 191.3. The results suggested that the contaminated lake water outflows directly effect meiobenthos in a relatively short time period and thus the meiobenthos may be a good indicator animal group for examining the effect of pollution. [Lake Sihwa, contaminat water outflow, meiobenthic animals living]