• 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.

• 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.

• The Sea:JOURNAL OF THE KOREAN SOCIETY OF OCEANOGRAPHY
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• v.24 no.3
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• pp.400-421
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• 2019

This study was conducted to find out the seasonal distribution characteristics of meiobenthic communities to understand the benthic ecosystem of Gwangyang Bay, one of the representative bays in the southern coast of Korea. The faunal sampling was conducted eight times seasonally at 20 stations from 2010 to 2011. Among the meiobenthic fauna that appeared during the study period, the nematodes and harpacticoids were the most dominant. In the summer of 2011, the lowest density ($13ind.10m^{-2}$) was seen at station 10 on the inner part of the bay. In the winter of 2011, the highest density ($3,109ind.10m^{-2}$) was seen at station 4 on the inner part of the bay. Although the trend of seasonal changes in density was not clear, the meiobenthic community was seen to be affected more by the environmental factors in each season. Particularly, while the density of the harpacticoids, a dominant faunal group, showed negative correlations with the organic content and average particle size in the summer sediments (p<0.05, p<0.01), the density of the nematodes showed no significant correlation with the environmental factors except with the winter average particle size and the bottom layer's water temperature. The density change of meiobenthos showed irregular changes in Gwangyang Bay, instead of a general trend showing a low density in winter due to low water temperature but an increased density in spring and summer when the water temperature rises and a decreased one again in fall. Considering such a seasonal trend, it seems that the benthic ecosystem of Gwangyang Bay is affected more by artificial environmental factors than by natural environmental ones.

• 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.

• 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.

• 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.

• Journal of Wetlands Research
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• v.6 no.1
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• pp.43-55
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• 2004

Meiobenthic community structure was studied in intertidal mud flat and sand flat of Yeochari in Ganghwado in May and August, 1998. Sixteen groups of meiofauna were found at all study sites in the Yeochari tidal flats. Nematodes were the most dominant animal group among the meiofaunal groups as a whole. Sarcomastigophorans, harpacticoid copepods, nauplius larvae of crustaceans and ciliophorans which were also important components of the meiofaunal community. All of these five faunal groups comprised more than 90% of total meiofauna. The maximum total density of meiobenthos was $5.8{\times}10^6ind./m^2$ at the station of sand flat in August and the minimum density was $4.0{\times}10^6ind./m^2$ at same station in May. Biomass of meiobenthos was $1.5g/m^2$(May), $2.3g/m^2$(August) at mud flat and $1.7g/m^2$(May), $2.6g/m^2$(August) at sand flat. At the station of mud flat in May, the highest density was observed within 1cm in depth of upper sediment and steeply decreased increasing depth of sediment. At the sand flat station in August, the highest density was also observed within 1cm in depth of upper sediment and decreased with depth, while the concentration of the animals at the surface was not conspicuous as the mud flat. The value of N/C(nematodes/benthic harpacticoids) ratio was the highest at the station of sand flat in May and the lowest at the sand flat in August.

• Korean Journal of Environmental Biology
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• v.22 no.2
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• pp.308-320
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• 2004

The Community structure of meiobenthos was studied seasonally at 5 stations of Bangameori tidal flat and 3 stations of subtidal area in Daebudo near the Shiwha dike in the west coast of Korea, from May 2000 to February 2001. Mean grain size of intertidal stations ranged from $3.16\;\varphi\;to\;3.73\varphi$ (sand), subtidal stations were $5.81~6.67\;\varphi$ (mud). Nematodes were the most dominant group among the representative 19 meiofaunal groups at all stations in both tidal flat and sub-tidal area. The subdominant groups were benthic harpacticoid copepods and Sarcomastigophorans. The density of meiobenthos ranged from 145 inds. $10cm^{-2}$ to 2,057 inds. $10cm^{-2}$ (0~1 cm) in the sediment of intertidal stations, and from 391 to 3,787 inds. $10cm^{-2}$ (0~5 cm) in the subtidal stations. The lowest meiofaunal density was recorded in winter, whereas the highest density was shown in spring. Comparing with another previous work at the same area, data from this study does not statistically shown differences with results before discharge of shiwha lake water.

• Korean Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences
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• v.31 no.2
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• pp.217-225
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• 1998

This study was performed to compare the effects of a fish cage on the structure of meiobenthic communities at two locations during May, 1996. The number of meiofaunal taxa at the existing cage site and control site was 15 and 26, respectively. Nematoda was the most dominant group of meiobenthos. Nematoda and Sarcomastigophora comprised more than $90\%$ of total meiofauna at both sites. The total density of control site was 7,702 inds./$10\;cm^{2}$ which is 10 times more than that of fish cage site. The density was highest in the upper 1 cm and decreased with sediment depth. The nematodes/harpacticoid copepods ratio as an index of pollution monitoring for benthic ecosystem at fish cage site was two times higher than at control site. Kinorhyncha known to be sensitive to pollution stress was not found at fish cage site.

• The Sea:JOURNAL OF THE KOREAN SOCIETY OF OCEANOGRAPHY
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• v.27 no.2
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• pp.103-125
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• 2022

This study aims to identify the community characteristics of meiofauna inhabiting the Yellow Sea continental shelf. To this end an annual survey was conducted considering the seasons from 2018 to 2020 at 13 stations with a depth of 18~90 m of the Yellow Sea located at latitudes 35, 36 and 37 degrees north latitude. The survey was conducted in three seasons of spring, summer, and autumn at 5 stations in October 2018, 9 stations in April 2019, and 6 stations in August 2020 was used to collect 3 repetitions at each station. The habitat density of meiobenthos in the surveyed area was in the range of 45~1029 inds./10 cm², which was similar to the previous studies conducted in the Yellow Sea. The density of meiobenthos according to the seasons was 800±69 inds./10 cm² in autumn, the highest, and the lowest at 260±48 inds./10 cm² in summer. A total of 19 taxa appeared in meiobenthos, and the average value showed the number of nine taxa. Among the appearing taxa, the most dominant taxon was nematodes, accounting for 80.8% of the total density, followed by benthic copepods (8.8%) and benthic foraminifers (4.7%). As for the size distribution of medium benthic animals, the density of organisms corresponding to the size of 63~125 ㎛ was the highest, and 1~0.5 mm was the lowest. As for the vertical distribution in the sediments of medium benthic animals, the habitat density gradually decreased as the depth increased in the sediment surface layer. As a result of analysis of the N/C ratio, MPI, and ITD index using medium-sized benthic animals to identify the benthic environment, there were differences by season, but no values indicating pollution overall.