Distribution and Species Composition of Phytoplankton in the Southern Waters of Korea and their Relation to the Character of Water Masses

한국남해의 식물플랑크톤의 분포와 수괴특성

Phytoplankton samples for this study were collected by Van Dorn Sampler at 28 oceanographic stations in the southern waters of Korea in February, April and August, 1988 to characterize the distribution and species composition of phytoplankton and their relation to the movement of water masses. During the study periods, phytoplankton standing crops in the southern waters were maximum in April and minimum in February. When the geographical distribution and abundance of the phytoplankton were considered, the highest standing crops were found near the front zone formed between Cheju Island and Tsushima Island. Therefore, their abundance depends ell the location of the front zone. On the other hand, there were relatively low standing crops in the open sea off the coastal area from the front zone in February and August. The cause of the unusal low standing crops found in August at the station 205/01, the central part of the coastal area of the southern waters where the largest standing crops occurred in February and April, seems to be due to the intrusion of Tsushima warm waters. This is because the waters at the station have high temperature and salinity, poor dissolved oxygen and nutrient salts, which are identical to the characteristics of proper Tsushima warm waters. It seems that these warm waters may affect the poor productivity in this area. Seventy-two species in thirty-three genera of the phytoplankton were indentified from the samples. Among them, 61 species in 27 genera belong to diatoms and 12 species in 7 genera to dinoflagellates. The largest number of phytoplankton species occurred in August while the largest number of the tells in April. Predominant species were Eucampia zodiacus in February, Skeletonema costatum and Chaetoceros curvisetus in April and Chaetoceros affinis in August. Eucampia zodiacus which was dominant in February and April seems to be a indicator of the southern coastal waters of Korea and mixed waters west of Cheju Island.

한국 남해에 있어서 식물플랑크촌의 현존양은 4월이 가장 많으며 그 지리적 분포상태는 주로 연주도와 대마도간의 수온전선형성해역에 가장 풍부하고 그 전선에서 연안측이 외양측보다 더욱 풍부한 경향이므로 전선형석 위치에 따라 그 농도가 달라지게 된다. 현존양이 2월과 4월에는 최고양으로 출현한 205선의 01점에 8월에는 반대로 최소양으로 출현한 이유는 이 해역의 환경요인이 다른 연도의 것보다 뛰어나게 고온, 고염, 빈산소 및 빈영양상태이므로 이들의 특성을 지닌 Tsushima 난류수괴가 연안까지 침투한 까닭인 것으로 사료된다. 출현종류는 33속 72종 중 규조류가 27속 61종이고 경모조류가 6속 11종이며 시기별 출현종류수는 출현량이 4월에 가장 많은데 비해 8월이 가장 많은 것으로 나타났다. 우점종의 조성은 2월은 Eucampia zodiacus, 4월은 Skeletonema costatum과 Chaetoceros curvisetus 및 8월은Chaetoceros affinis 등으로서 시기별로 대차가 있었다. Eucampia zodiacus는 2월과 4월에 있어서 남해연안수역과 제주도 서방의 혼합수역을 지표하는 지표종으로서의 가치가 있다고 본다.