• The Sea:JOURNAL OF THE KOREAN SOCIETY OF OCEANOGRAPHY
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• v.26 no.3
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• pp.220-237
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• 2021

Since the functional importance of marine phytoplankton was firstly advocated from early 1880s massive data on the species composition and abundance were produced by classical microscopic observation and the advanced auto-imaging technologies. Recently, pigment composition resulted from direct chemical analysis of phytoplankton samples or indirect remote sensing could be used for the group-specific quantification, which leads us to more diversified data production methods and for more improved spatiotemporal accessibilities to the target data-gathering points. In quite a few cases of many long-term marine ecosystem monitoring programs the phytoplankton species composition and abundance was included as a basic monitoring item. The phytoplankton data could be utilized as a crucial evidence for the long-term change in phytoplankton community structure and ecological functioning at the monitoring stations. Usability of the phytoplankton data sometimes is restricted by the differences in data producers throughout the whole monitoring period. Methods for sample treatments, analyses, and species identification of the phytoplankton species could be inconsistent among the different data producers and the monitoring years. In-depth study to determine the precise quantitative values of the phytoplankton species composition and abundance might be begun by Victor Hensen in late 1880s. International discussion on the quality assurance of the marine phytoplankton data began in 1969 by the SCOR Working Group 33 of ICSU. Final report of the Working group in 1974 (UNESCO Technical Papers in Marine Science 18) was later revised and published as the UNESCO Monographs on oceanographic methodology 6. The BEQUALM project, the former body of IPI (International Phytoplankton Intercomparison) for marine phytoplankton data QA/QC under ISO standard, was initiated in late 1990. The IPI is promoting international collaboration for all the participating countries to apply the QA/QC standard established from the 20 years long experience and practices. In Korea, however, such a QA/QC standard for marine phytoplankton species composition and abundance data is not well established by law, whereas that for marine chemical data from measurements and analysis has been already set up and managed. The first priority might be to establish a QA/QC standard system for species composition and abundance data of marine phytoplankton, then to be extended to other functional groups at the higher consumer level of marine food webs.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Marine Environment & Safety
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• v.23 no.5
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• pp.513-523
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• 2017

We evaluated the viability of phytoplankton along the salinity gradient in the flood and ebb tides of spring tide of February and the ebb tide of neap tide of March 2017 in the Seomjin River Estuary. Additional laboratory experiments were also conducted to determine the reason of the pH changes along the salinity gradient using the field natural sample in February. In field, saltwater was well mixed at downstream vertically and the salinity gradient was horizontally appeared toward upstream of freshwater zone. There were strong negative correlations between salinity and nutrient (nitrate + nitrite R=0.99, p<0.001, and silicate R=0.98, p<0.001), implying that those two nutrients of freshwater origin were gradually diluted with mixing the saltwater. On the other hands, relatively high phosphate concentration was kept in the stations of saltwater over 15 psu, indicating that it was caused by resuspended sediments of Gwangyang Bay and downstream by tidal water mixing.Among phytoplankton community structure in winter, Eucampia zodiacus have occupied to be c.a. 70 % in the most stations. Based on the field survey results for survivability of phytoplankton by phytoPAM instrument, there was positive correlations between salinity and chlorophyll a (R=0.82, p<0.001) and, salinity and active chlorophyll a (R=0.80, p<0.001), implying that the dominant marine diatom species may have significantly damaged in low salinity conditions of upstream. Also, maximum mortality rate of phytoplankton caused by low salinity shock was appered to be 75% in the upstream station. In particular, the pH in spring tides of February had tended to increase with high phytoplankton accmulated stations, suggesting that it was related with absorption of $CO_2$ by the photosynthesis of dominant diatom. In laboratory experiments, phytoplankton mass-mortality caused by low salinity shock was also occurred, which is confirmed with reducing the photosynthetic electron transport activity. Following the phytoplankton mass-mortality, bacteria abundance was significantly increased in 24 hours. As a result, the mass-proliferating bacteria can produce the $CO_2$ in the process of biodegradation of diatoms, which can lead to pH decrease. Therefore, marine phytoplankton species was greatly damaged in freshwater mixing area, depending on along the salinity gradient that was considered to be an important role in elevating and reducing of pH in Seomjin River Estuary.

• The Sea:JOURNAL OF THE KOREAN SOCIETY OF OCEANOGRAPHY
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• v.24 no.1
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• pp.128-138
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• 2019

Effects of feeding type and food resource availability on community structure of mollusks inhabiting hard-bottom subtidal areas were investigated. By following guidance from several references, mollusks observed in this study were divided into 5 groups according to feeding type - 1) grazing, 2) filter feeding, 3) deposit feeding, 4) omnivorous and 5) predation. The results showed that both grazing and filter feeders were the most numerous, explaining grazing type in the East Sea accounting for 47.9%, 32.6% in the South Sea and 29.6% for filter feeding, and filter feeding as a dominant feeding type in Yellow Sea accounting for 42.3%. Results of this study showed distinctive difference in community structure depending on mechanism of feeding type and geographical areas where sampling took place. With the results, attempts were made to understand whether community structure could be affected by feeding type or feeding availability and found out that community structure depended heavily on food resource availability. In the East Sea where marine algal density was high, the algal community in the forms of thick-leathery and sheet often occurred in water column with high transparency which provides proper environment for growth. In the South Sea where grazing and filter feeding types were predominated similarly, the algal density was high, but had the relative highest phytoplankton density. Whereas in the Yellow Sea showing the lowest algal biomass compared to the one in the East and the South Sea, and phytoplankton density was similar to those. It might be a adequate environment for filter feeders than grazers. This study concluded that community structure of mollusks showing high abundance was present where food resource availability with types and quantity was high.

• Korean Journal of Environmental Biology
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• v.40 no.1
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• pp.54-69
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• 2022

We conducted a field survey from 2018 to 2020 to analyze the spatial distribution of phytoplankton communities at 13 stations in the East Sea. The diatom Chaetoceros curvisetus appeared as the dominant species in winter, and small flagellates less than 20 ㎛ prevailed in all seasons except winter. The seasonal average range of the micro (>20 ㎛), nano (20 ㎛≥Chl-a>3 ㎛), and picophytoplankton (≤3 ㎛) was 20.6-26.2%, 27.1-35.9%, and 40.8-49.0%, respectively. The composition ratio of nano and picophytoplankton was high at the surface mixed layer from spring to autumn when the water columns were strongly stratified. Especially, the stability of the water mass was increased when the summer surface water temperature was higher than that of the previous year. As a result, the nutrient inflow from the lower layer to the surface was reduced as the ocean stratification layer was strengthened. Therefore, the composition ratio of nano and picophytoplankton was the highest at 77.9% at the surface mixed layer. In conclusion, the structure of the phytoplankton community in the East Sea has been miniaturized, which is expected to form a complex microbial food web structure and lower the carbon transfer rate to the upper consumer stage.

• Korean Journal of Environmental Biology
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• v.17 no.4
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• pp.481-492
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• 1999

The observations on the spatio-temporal distribution and seasonal fluctuations of phytoplankton community were carried out in Deukryang Bay of the Korean Southwestern Sea from June 1992 to April 1993. A total of 75 species of phytoplankton belonged to 47 genera was identified. In Deukryang Bay seasonal succession in dominant species; P. alata, G. flaccida, S. costatum, L. danicus and N. longissima in summer, St. palmeriana, Ch. curvisetus and B. paxillifera in autunm, S. costatum, Ch. curvisetus, E. zodiacus and Pn. pungens in winter, and As. glacialis, As. kariana, N. pelagica, Th. nitzschioides and S. costatum in spring, were very marked, that is to say, the communities structure of phytoplankton in Deukryang Bay appeared to be various species composition and it was occupied with diatoms all the year round. Phytoplankton standing crops fluctuated with an annual mean of $1.4{\times}10^5 cells/1 between the lowest value of 2.6{\times}10^3 cells/1 in July and the highest value of 1.0{\times}10^6 cells/1$ by S. costatum in January. Densities of the phytoplankton cell number by the samples of Deukryang Bay ranged from $2.6{\times}10^3cells/1 to 1.2{\times}10^5 cells/1 with the mean value of 3.6{\times}10^4cells/1 in summer, from 6.0{\times}10^3cells/1 to 2.6{\times}10^5 cells/1 with mean of 1.5{\times}10^5 cells/1 in autumn, from 1.3{\times}10^4cells/1 to 1.0{\times}10^6 cells/1 with mean 3.5{times}10^5 cells/1 in winter, and from 4.8{\times}10^3cells/1 to 6.0{\times}10^5 cells/1 with mean of 1.6{\times}10^5 cells/1$ in autumn. That is to say, phytoplankton standing crops was large in low temperature seasons, on the other hand small in high temperature seasons. Chlorophyll $\alpha$ concentration fluctuated between 0.l9 $\mu$g/l and 12.3 $\mu$g/l in March. in Deukryang Bay seasonal flucturation in chi-$\alpha$ concentration was not marked. Especially, chl-$\alpha$ concentration in the water around Deukryang Island located in the middle part of Deukryang Bay showed patchy distributions with a very high concentration. And chl-$\alpha$ concentration was high during a year. Therefore, phytoplankton production in Deukryang Bay could be very high year-round.

• Ocean and Polar Research
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• v.32 no.3
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• pp.269-289
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• 2010

In Summer 2008, a multidisciplinary survey was conducted onboard R/V Haeyang 2000 to understand plankton response to the three distinct physico-chemical settings that developed in the Ulleung Basin of the East Sea. Baseline settings of hydrographic conditions included the presence of the thin (<20 m) Tsushima Surface Water (TSW) on top of the Tsushima Middle Water (TMW). It extends from the Korea Strait to $37^{\circ}N$ along the $130^{\circ}E$ and then turns offshore and encompasses the relatively saline (T>$26^{\circ}C$, S>33.7) Ulleung Warm Eddy surface water centered at $36.5^{\circ}N$ and $131^{\circ}E$. A relatively colder and saline water mass appeared off the southeastern coast of Korea. It was accompanied by higher nutrient and chlorophyll-a concentrations, suggesting a coastal upwelling. Most of the offshore surface waters support low phytoplankton biomass (0.3 mg chl-a $m^{-3}$). A much denser phytoplankton biomass (1-2.3 mg $m^{-3}$) accumulated at the subsurface layer between 20-50 m depth. The subsurface chlorophyll-a maximum (SCM) layer was closely related to the nutricline, suggesting an active growth of phytoplankton at depth. The SCM developed at shallow depth (20-30 m) near the coast and deepened offshore (50-60 m). A fucoxanthin/zeaxanthin ratio was high in coastal waters while it was low in offshore waters, which indicated that diatoms dominate coastal waters while cyanobacteria dominate offshore waters. The community structure and biomass of phytoplanktonare closely related to nitrogen availability. Zooplankton biomass was higher in the coastal region than in the offshore region while species richness showed an opposite trend. Zooplankton community structure retained a coastal/offshore contrast. These suggest that summer hydrography is a stable structure, lasting long enough to allow a hydrography-specific plankton community to evolve.

• Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences
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• v.26 no.3
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• pp.169-180
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• 2023

Oreochromis niloticus is the most ecologically and economically important fish in tropical and sub-tropical aquatic systems. Recently, due to sever anthropogenic stressors, hydrological variations and infestations of invasive alien species in Ethiopian water bodies, fish community structure and ecosystem of Lake Tana is changing alarmingly. So far, there is paucity of information on the morphometric relations and diet composition of O. niloticus in Lake Tana, gulf of Gorgora. A total of 309 fish samples were collected and their total length (TL), standard length (SL) and total weight (TW) were measured to determine morphometric relations; and gut contents were examined to identify most important food item in the diet of the fish. Results indicated that, the relation between TL and SL was significant (p < 0.001) and linear (SL = 0.942TL-2.41) while the relation between TL and TW was curvilinear (TW = 0.014 TL^2.8) indicating allometric growth. Among the total guts scrutinized, 53 (17.3%) of them were empty and the remaining 256 (82.7%) were non-empty. Phytoplankton constituted the largest bulk and occurred in 77% of the guts examined and volumetrically accounted 44.3%. Detritus and zooplankton had an intermediate importance by occurring 60.2% and 63.3% of all guts scrutinized and constituted about 25.6% and 15.5% of the total volume respectively. Contributions of macrophytes, insects, nematodes and unidentified food items were relatively low in their importance. Ontogenetic dietary shift was observed in the diet indicating an omnivorous feeding habit of the adult fish.

• Korean Journal of Environmental Biology
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• v.36 no.2
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• pp.156-164
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• 2018

In order to investigate the upwelling and island effects following the wind storm events in the East Sea (i.e., Uljin-Ulleungdo-Dokdo line) during spring, we assessed the vertical and horizontal profiles of abiotic and biotic factors, including phytoplankton communities. The assessment was based on the Geostationary Ocean Color Imager (GOCI) and field survey data. A strong south wind occurred on May 3, when the lowest sea level pressure (987.3 hPa) in 2016 was observed. Interestingly, after this event, huge blooms of phytoplankton were observed on May 12 along the East Korean Warm Current (EKWC), including the in the offshore waters of Ulleungdo and Dokdo. Although the diatoms dominated the EKWC area between the Uljin coastal waters and Ulleungdo, the population density of raphidophytes Heterosigma akashiwo was high in the offshore waters of Ulleungdo-Dokdo. Based on the vertical profiles of Chlorophyll-a (Chl. a), the sub-surface Chl. a maximum appeared at 20 m depths between Uljin and Ulluengdo, whereas relatively high Chl. a was distributed equally across the entire water column around the waters of Ulleungdo and Dokdo islands. This implies that the water mixing (i.e., upwelling) at the two islands, that occurred after the strong wind event, may have brought the rapid proliferation of autotrophic algae, with nutrient input, to the euphotic layer. Therefore, we have demonstrated that a strong south wind caused the upwelling event around the south-eastern Korean peninsula, which is one of the most important role in occurring the spring phytoplankton blooms along the EKWC. In addition, the phytoplankton blooms may have potentially influenced the oligotrophic waters with discrete time lags in the vicinity of Ulleungdo and Dokdo. This indicates that the phytoplankton community structure in the offshore waters of Ulleungdo-Dokdo is dependent upon the complicated water masses moving related to meandering of the EKWC.

• Korean Journal of Environmental Biology
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• v.17 no.3
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• pp.271-278
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• 1999

In order to clarify water quality, dynamics and structure of phytoplankton communities, and red tides, the present study was carried out monthly from July to September 1998 at 19 stations in Deukryang Bay. Water temperature varied from 24.$0^{\circ}C$ to 28.6$^{\circ}C$, and salinities ranged from 25.0$\textperthousand$ to 28.6$\textperthousand$. During red tides in July, chlorophyll-$\alpha$ contents were rather high in August, it showed that phytoplankton controlled primary production in this bay. Phytoplankton was composed of 89 diatoms, 19 dinoflagellates, and 3 silicoflagellates. Phytoplankton standing crops varied from a minimum of 1.3$\times$10$^4$cells/ι(Sept., St. 17) to a maximum of 3.8$\times$10$^{6}$ cells/ι (July, St. 10). Red tides occurred in July when the standing crops averaged 1.8$\times$10$^{6}$ cells/ι. Leading the causative organisms of red tide were Prorocentrun minimum in the upper bay, Chaetoceros curvisetus in the mouth and middle part of the bay, Ceratium furca and Thazassio- sira sp. around Nokdong Harbour. Concentration of nutrients such as nitrogen was high in the upper bay, during red tides, water temperatures varied from 23.8$^{\circ}C$ to 29.7$^{\circ}C$ and salinity were 23.l$\textperthousand$ to 27.0$\textperthousand$.

• Korean Journal of Ecology and Environment
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• v.42 no.1
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• pp.19-25
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• 2009

The effects of artificial floating island on the changes in phytoplankton and zooplankton community structure were investigated monthly from September 2006 to May 2007 in Shingu reservoir. The total cell number of phytoplankton under the artificial floating island was three times less than those of control (without artificial floating island). The dominant species of phytoplankton were Lyngbya sp. on September, Cryptomonas sp. from October to January, Aulacoseira granulata on February and Oscillatoria sp. from March to May at lake water. Cyanophyta was dominated from February to March at lake water but it was dominated from March at artificial floating island area. The total individual number, species number of zooplankton and species diversity of phytoplankton and zooplankton under the artificial floating island were higher than those of lake water.