Ecological Characteristics of Marine Algal Communities at the Discharge Canals of Three Nuclear Power Plants on the East Coast of Korea

동해안 3개 원전 배수로 해조군집의 생태적 특성

The species composition and biomass of marine algae at the discharge canals of three (Gori, Wolseong and Uljin) nuclear power plants on the east coast of Korea were investigated seasonally from February 1992 to October 2000. As a result, 103-107 species of marine algae were found at the discharge canals during the past nine years. In general, algal communities established at the discharge canals were less diverse than those at the intake canals and control sites. 43 species (6 blue-green, 9 green, 10 brown and 18 red algae) of marine algae occurred more than 1/6 frequency and thus can be categorized as warm tolerant species. Among these, two green (Urospora penicilliformis, Cladophora albida), four brown (Sphacelaria divaricata, S. rigidula, Sargassum coreanum, S. fulvellum) and four red algae (Stylonema alsidii, Bangia atropurpurea, Hypnea charoides, Chondria crassicaulis) are recorded as warm tolerant marine algae for the first time in Korea during this study. Enteromorpha compressa, Padina arborescens, Amphiroa zonata and Ahnfeltiopsis flabelliformis were common species found more than 50% frequency at the discharge canals of all three nuclear power plants investigated. Dominant species in biomass were Padina arborescens and Amphiroa zonata. Results showed that, as a whole, the red algae appeared as predominant algal group at the discharge canals of all three nuclear power plants on the east coast of Korea. However, the biomass proportion of dominant algae at the discharge canals of each nuclear power plant varied over the year during the past nine years.