• Korean Journal of Environmental Biology
• /
• v.40 no.4
• /
• pp.374-386
• /
• 2022

Phytoplankton communities, with emphasis on picoplankton and nanoplankton, were investigated in Gamak Bay, South Korea, where freshwater input and coastal water intrusion shape ecosystem functions. Shellfish farms and fish farms are located in the inner bay and outer bay, respectively, and tides translocate uneaten food and urine production from aquaculture farms toward the inner bay. Water masses were distinctly different based on a significantly different density between the surface and bottom layer and among three water masses, including the inner bay, outer bay, and Yeosu Harbor. Phytoplankton communities were quantified using flow cytometry and size-fractionated chlorophyll-a (chl-a) was measured. Salinity was a principal variable separating phytoplankton communities between the surface and bottom layer, whereas Si(OH)₄ controlled the communities in the inner bay, and NH₄⁺ and PO₄^3- governed the outer bay communities. While phycocyanin-containing (PC) cyanobacteria dominated in the outer bay, phycoerythrin-containing (PE) cyanobacteria dominance occurred with cryptophyte dominance, indicating that nutrients affected the distribution of pico- and nanoplankton and that cryptophytes potentially relied on a mixotrophic mode by feeding on PE cyanobacteria. Interestingly, picoeukaryotes and eukaryotes larger than 10 ㎛ were mostly responsible for the ecological niche in the western region of the bay. Given that chl-a levels have historically declined, our study highlights the potential importance of increased small phytoplankton in Gamak Bay. Particularly, we urge an examination of the ecological role of small phytoplankton in the food supply of cultivated marine organisms.

• The Sea:JOURNAL OF THE KOREAN SOCIETY OF OCEANOGRAPHY
• /
• v.13 no.1
• /
• pp.15-26
• /
• 2008

The NEMURO model is aimed to efficiently understand the interaction among factors of lower trophic level of a marine ecosystem, using data on solar radiation and sea water temperature. In this study, we analyzed the seasonal pattern of nutrients and planktons, and estimated productivity and biomass of planktons from 2002 to 2005. Nutrients($NO_3$, $NH_4$, and $Si(OH)_4$) which were used by phytoplankton showed a high concentration before the bloom of phytoplankton. Nutrients (DON, PON, and Opal) which were a byproduct of phytoplankton showed a high concentration in the same period as the bloom of phytoplankton. Both phytoplankton and zooplankton had two peaks in March and August. Estimated phytoplankton biomass from the NEMURO model showed a similar pattern with observed chlorophyll a concentrations. Biomasses of phytoplankton were bigger than those of zooplankton. Annual mean biomasses of small and large phytoplankton were estimated at 30.961 and $14.070\;{\mu}g\;l^{-1}$ respectively. Annual mean biomass of predatory zooplankton was greater than those of small and large zooplankton.

• Ocean Science Journal
• /
• v.40 no.3
• /
• pp.109-117
• /
• 2005

Daily changes in phytoplankton abundance and species composition were monitored from July to September 2003 (n=47) to understand which factors control the abundance at a station in Jangmok Bay. During the study, the phytoplankton community was mainly composed of small cell diatoms and dinoflagellates, and the dominant genera were Chaetoceros, Nitzschia, Skeletonema and Thalassionema. Phytoplankton abundance varied significantly from $6.40{\times}10^4$ to $1.22{\times}10^7$ cells/l. The initially high level of phytoplankton abundance was dominated by diatoms, but replacement by dinoflagellates started when the NIP ratio decreased to <5.0. On the basis of the N/P and Si/N ratios, the sampling periofd could be divided into two: an inorganic silicate limitation period (ISLP, $14^{th}$ $July-12^{th}$ of August) and an inorganic nitrogen limitation period (INLP, $13^{th}$ of August - the end of the study). Phosphate might not limit the growth of phytoplankton assemblages in the bay during the study period. This study suggests that phytoplankton abundance and species composition might be affected by the concentrations of inorganic nutrients (N and Si), and provides baseline information for further studies on plankton dynamics in Jangmok Bay.

• Korean Journal of Ecology and Environment
• /
• v.37 no.4 s.109
• /
• pp.455-461
• /
• 2004

Effects of the different strengths and intervals of the periodic outer water intrusions (kyuchos and bottom intrusions) on the dynamics of phytoplankton biomass in a small embayment were examined with a simple numerical model. Environmental conditions of Kitanada Bay in the Bungo Channel were applied to the model. As the interval of the intrusion became longer and the amplitude became smaller, phytoplankton biomass In the bay became higher. On the other hand, as the interval became shorter and the amplitude became larger, the growth rate of the phytoplankton became higher. It suggested that when the intrusion was weaker, water exchange of the bay decreased and the phytoplankton in the bay accumulated at a high density, When water exchange was improved by active intrusions, availability of light would become more efficient and the growth rate of the phytoplankton was enhanced.

• Korean Journal of Ecology and Environment
• /
• v.41 no.4
• /
• pp.530-540
• /
• 2008

The temporal and spatial variations of size-structured phytoplankton dynamics in Youngsan Lake were investigated to explore potential mechanims controlling the dynamics in the Youngsan Lake. Field data were collected monthly from February to October, 2003 at 6 stations along the axis of Youngsan Lake. In this study, phytoplankton (chlorophyll $\alpha$) were categorized into three size classes: micro-size ($>20{\mu}m$), nano-size ($2{\sim}20{\mu}m$) and pico-size ($<20{\mu}m$). Water temperature, light attenuation coefficients, PAR (photosynthetically active radiation) and suspended solids were measured to analyze relationship between physical-chemical properties and size structure of phytoplankton. Phytoplankton blooms developed during March, July and October in the upper region of the main stem whereas small-scaled spring bloom was observed in the lower region. The scales of phytoplankton blooms were higher in the upper regions than the lower region and blooms were predominated by micro-size class in upper region but predominated by nano-size class in lower region. Growth of size-structured phytoplankton appeared to be controlled by rather light availability than temperature-dependant metabolisms in the system. Phytoplankton growth may be also supported by ambient nutrients available in the water column from analyses of chlorophyll $\alpha$ vs. nutrient concentrations including nitrite+nitrate and orthophosphate. Growth of nano-sized phytoplankton alone appeared to be supported by orthophosphate as well as nitrite+nitrate indicating that response of phytoplankton to nutrient inputs may be size-dependent.

• The Korean Journal of Ecology
• /
• v.23 no.4
• /
• pp.299-307
• /
• 2000

To understand the mechanism of phytoplankton succession in the Nakdong River, the resource availability (silica) and grazing effect on the phytoplankton community were investigated in an enclosure experiment at Mulgum in March 1995. In all enclosures, Stephanodiscus hantzchii was dominant during the first week. Two weeks later, the diatom community in the A (river water only) and B (filtered river water) enclosures was shifted to colonial green algae (Actinastrum sp., Pediastrum spp. and Scenedesmus spp.) and nanoplankton (2~3 ${\mu}$m of diameter) due to the silica depletion. In the C (silica addition in river water, 3 mg 1$^{-1}$ week$^{-1}$) and D (silica addition in filtered water) enclosures, Fragilaria crotonensis and Synedra acus increased as the silica addition was continued. The percentage of small phytoplankton (size, 10~13 ${\mu}$m) in the filtered enclosures (B and D) was much higher than that of A and C enclosures. A laboratory bottle experiment conducted in the fall of 1994 also showed similar results. Therefore, it is concluded that silica and zooplankton are important regulators in phytoplankton succession during the diatom blooming season in the Nakdong River.

• Korean Journal of Environmental Biology
• /
• v.29 no.4
• /
• pp.312-320
• /
• 2011

In order to estimate a better methodological factor to understand phytoplankton ecology between abundance and bio-volume of phytoplankton, each 1,160 phytoplankton data, including abundance, classification and chlorophyll $a$ concentration were collected in Korean coastal waters of Incheon (Yellow sea), Tongyeong (South sea), and Ulsan (East sea). Based on these data, phytoplankton bio-volume can be calculated through a geometric model. The correlation coefficient between abundance and chlorophyll $a$ concentration was higher than the coefficient between biovolume and chlorophyll $a$ concentration, because a small size phytoplankton has relatively dense chlorophyll contents compared with the proportion of chlorophyll in a large size phytoplankton. Thus, the interpretation using abundance to understand phytoplankton ecology in Korean coastal waters may be more effective than that using bio-volume.

• Korean Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences
• /
• v.38 no.1
• /
• pp.55-64
• /
• 2005

Spatio-temporal variations of phytoplankton abundance and nutrient concentrations were investigated in the Namdaechon estuary, Yangyang, from April to December, 2003. A total of 51 phytoplankton species were identified with 32 diatom species in the study area. Phytoplankton abundance ranged from 14 cells/mL to 3,798 cells/mL. Small sized benthic and pennate-type diatoms like Cymbella spp., Fragilaria spp., Navicula spp., Synedra spp. were dominant at throughout the whole study area. Various planktonic species like Chlamydomonas sp., Peridinium spp., Euglena spp., Cryptomonas spp. etc. were abundant especially at the estuary of the Namdaechon, from May to August. Phytoplankton bloom (>3,000 \;cells/mL) occurred from the late May to mid June. After September when the sandbank of estuary was broken by the typhoon 'Maemi', planktonic species disappeared. These planktonic species were followed by oceanic diatoms, Skeletonema costatum and Chaetoceros spp.. Concentrations of dissolved inorganic nitrogen (DIN) and silicate were relatively high at the upstream in summer. In May, before phytoplankton bloom, high concentrations of phosphate $(>3.5\;{\mu}mol/L)$ were observed at all the study area. These results suggested that spatio-temporal variation of phytoplankton in the Namdaechon estuary was related to formation of sandbank at the mouth of the estuary, fluid speed affected by sandbank and nutrients supplied in spring. High correlation $(r^2=0.928)$ between chlorophyll a and biological oxygen demand (BOD) implies that BOD was related to phytoplankton abundance in the Namdaechon estuary.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Environmental Restoration Technology
• /
• v.5 no.1
• /
• pp.1-7
• /
• 2002

The effects of floating islands on the changes in phytoplankton community structure were investigated in a small artificial pond. The floating islands planted with various emergent macrophytes covered 35% of total water surface area of the pond. Total 17 genera and 25 species of phytoplankton were found in the pond, of which Dinophyceae was 1 genera and 1 species, Cyanophyceae 1 genera and 1 species, Bacillariophyceae 6 genera and 8 species, and Chlorophyceae 9 genera and 15 species. Dominant phytoplanktons under floating islands were changed from Aphanizomenon sp. as a Cyanophyceae to Golenkinia radiata, Kirchneriella contorta and Micractinium pusillum as a Chlorophyceae for 56 days after the construction of floating islands on July 24, 2001. The changes of dominant phytoplanktons of the control without floating islands were similar to those under floating islands in July and August, but Aphanizomenon sp. was rapidly increased in the control sites in September. About 99% of the cell number of Aphanizomenon sp. was disappeared for a month after construction of floating islands. Species diversity of phytoplankton under the floating islands of Iris pseudoacorus was higher than those of other macrophytes as well as the control without floating islands. The cell numbers of Cyanophyceae and Chlorophyceae were fewer under the floating islands of I. pseudoacorus than those of other macrophytes. Our results showed that the floating islands could be a useful eco-technique for the control of water bloom by Cyanophyceae and Chlorophyceae in a pond ecosystem.

• Ocean and Polar Research
• /
• v.27 no.2
• /
• pp.231-235
• /
• 2005

The European Iron Fertilization Experiment EIFEX studied the growth and decline of a phytoplankton bloom stimulated by fertilising $10km^2$ in the core of a mesoscale $(80{\times}120km)$ cyclonic eddy south of the Antarctic Polar Front with about 2 times 7 tonnes of iron sulphate. The phytoplankton accumulation induced by iron fertilization did not exceed $3{\mu}g\;chl\;a\;l^{-1}$ despite a draw down of $5{\mu}M$ of nitrate that should have resulted in at least double to triple the amount of phytoplankton biomass assuming regular Redfield-ratios for draw down after phytoplankton growth in the Southern Ocean. During EIFEX the fertilized core of the mesoscale eddy evolved to a hotspot for a variety of small and medium sized mesozooplankton copepods. In contrast to copepods, the biomass of salps (Salpa thompson)) that dominated zooplankton biomass before the onset of our experiment decreased to nearly extinction. Most of the species of the rnosozooplankton community showed extremely hiか feeding rates compared to literature values from Southern Ocean summer communities. At the end of the experiment, massive phytoplankton sedimentation reached the sea floor at about 3800m water depth.