• Journal of Environmental Science International
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• v.29 no.11
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• pp.1125-1139
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• 2020

This study investigated the distributional pattern of meiobenthos associated with future deep-sea mining in the Korea Deep Ocean Study area present in the Clarion-Clipperton Fracture Zone (CCFZ) located in the southeastern part of the North Pacific Ocean. Standing stocks of meiobenthos were investigated in benthic impact experiment sites (BIS) and Korea Institute of Ocean Science & Technology long-term monitoring (KOMO) sites during the 2008-2014 annual field survey. A total of 14 taxa of meiobenthos were identified. Nematodes were the most abundant taxon (60-86%). Harpacticoid copepods (5-26%) and benthic foraminifera (1-12%) were also dominant at all sites. The total meiobenthic densities varied from 4 to 150 ind./10 cm2. The mean value of total meiobenthic abundance was higher at BIS than at KOMO sites, but there was no significant difference between the two sites. The mean values of the number of taxa and biomass at BIS and KOMO sites were similar. The mean abundance of nematodes that were the most dominant taxa was also higher at BIS than at KOMO sites. The standing stocks in our study sites were relatively lower than those previously reported at other CCFZ sites. These results seem to reflect a low organic concentration in the study area.

• 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.