• Korean Journal of Environmental Biology
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• v.29 no.2
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• pp.81-91
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• 2011

To understand the spatio-temporal fluctuations and ecological characteristics of heterotrophic dinoflagellate $Noctiluca$ $scintillans$, we investigated their population densities and environmental factors during four seasons at 20 stations of Gwangyang Bay and at 23 stations of Jinhae Bay in 2010. $N.$ $scintillans$ was seasonally abundant during spring and summer, with temperature ranging 15 to $27^{\circ}C$ in the both bays, whereas the density reduced in fall and winter. The populations of $N.$ $scintillans$ at each station in both bays showed a significantly positive relationship with water temperature, indicating that relatively high water temperature within its optimum temperature stimulates the growth of $N.$ $scintillans$ population. In particular, low water temperature (<$4^{\circ}C$) and salinity (<12 psu) led to disappear of $N.$ $scintillans$ population, although they were observed at all season in both bays. Spatio-temporal variations of Chl.$a$ concentration was not significantly correlated with $N.$ $scintillans$ population densities. However, the $Noctiluca$ abundances were also high during spring and summer season when relatively high Chl.$a$ concentration was observed in both bays. This result suggests that standing crops of phytoplankton may be one of important contributing factors to enhance the abundance of $N.$ $scintillans$.