• Korean Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences
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• v.24 no.4
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• pp.237-247
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• 1991

To characterize the community structure and spatial distribution of phytoplankton, observations on seawater temperature, salinity, nutrients, primary productivity and abundance and species composition of phytoplankton were made in the polar front region and its neighborhood off the east coast of Korea in summer 1990. Among the 96 taxa identified, Rhizosolenia setigera and Thalassionema nitzschioides were the most dominant species. The assemblage at the surface and 50 m depth was quite different in the northern inshore part of the study area but similar in the southern and offshore part. Principal component analysis by the species abundance showed that the phytoplankton consisted of the communities representing the surface of the northern inshore part with the neritic-warm dinoflagellates, the Northern Korean Cold Water with the cold water diatoms and the southern and offshore part, which seems to represent the Eastern Korean Warm Water, with the warm water diatoms. At the frontal region, diatoms were mixed with warm and cold water species. Primary productivity and phytoplankton standing crops were higher at the front than the neighboring waters. Nutrients were markedly high at the Northern Korean Cold Water. Horizontal advection of the Northern Korean Cold Water accompanied by nutrient supply seems to contribute to the high phytoplankton biomass at the front.

• Korean Journal of Ecology and Environment
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• v.40 no.2
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• pp.223-233
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• 2007

For this study, we analyzed spatial and temporal patterns of trophic state and water quality over the period of $2002{\sim}2005$, using the water chemistry dataset obtained from the Korea Rural community & Agriculture corporation. Most reservoirs, based on TN, showed eutrophic (about 88% of the total). About 20% of agricultural reservoirs, based on TP, showed eutrophic after the criteria of OECD (1982), while 71% and 3% were Hesotrophic and oligotrophic, respectively. Seasonal variations were evident due to the intense monsoon rain during July${\sim}$August; conductivity, COD, SS, nutrients, and chlorophyll-${\alpha}$ (CBL) increased in the postmonsoon compared to the premonsoon. TP values had positive functional relations with conductivity, COD, and CHL values. COD and SS peaked during the intense monsoon. Mean values of TP and CHL values were two times greater in the intense monsoon than the weak monsoon. The increased TP was probably due to inorganic suspended solids from point and non-point sources during the monsoon. Ratios of TN : TP had strong in- verse relations ($R^2$=0.843, p<0.001, n=34) with TP, but not with TN (p>0.05, n=34). Log10-transformed CHL increased with TP in most P-limited reservoirs $(Log_{10}TP=0.5{\times}Log_{10}CHL+0.086)$. Similarity analysis, based TN, TP, and CHL showed that three groups were separated at 90% similarity level; One group was reservoirs with high salinity nearby the seawater, and the other two groups were reservoirs with a low salinity of the inland, and intermediate salinity, respectively.

• The Sea:JOURNAL OF THE KOREAN SOCIETY OF OCEANOGRAPHY
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• v.18 no.4
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• pp.214-226
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• 2013

To understand the changing patterns in phytoplankton communities, we conducted 12 surveys along the Nakdong River, its estuary, and adjacent coastal areas between January 2011 and October 2012 (during the period of barrage construction and sediment dredging). Monthly precipitation ranged from 0 to 502 mm during the survey period, and salinity ranged between 0.1 psu and 0.3 psu in the Nakdong River, regardless of the depth, indicating no seawater influence, while salinity showed large seasonal fluctuations in the estuarine and coastal station, ranging from 0.1 psu to 34.8 psu. A total of 402 phytoplankton species were identified, 178 species from the river and 331 species from the estuary and coastal areas. Phytoplankton standing crop increased in 2012 compared to that in 2011, and was found to be highest in the river, followed by the estuary and coastal areas. Among the top 20 species in frequency of occurrence and dominance, Stephanodiscus spp., Aulacoseira granulata, and Aulacoseira granulata var. angustissima and Pseudo-nitzschia spp. were important species along the river-estuary-coastal areas. Diatoms were the major taxonomic group inhabiting the Nakdong river-estuary-coastal areas. A comparison of seasonal dominant phytoplankton species revealed a slight decrease over the years, from 13 species in 2011 to 10 species in 2012. However, no significant difference was found in the diversity of phytoplankton species between the two survey years, although lightly greater diversity was observed in the coastal areas than in the river and estuary. Cluster analysis with community composition data revealed that the community structure varied significantly in 2011 depending on the time of survey, while in 2012, it hardly showed any variation and was simpler. An increase in the phytoplankton standing crop, fewer dominant species, and simpler community structure in 2012 compared to those in 2011 are probably due to the rapid environmental changes along the Nakdong River. To investigate these ecological relationships, it is necessary to conduct further studies focusing on integrated analyses of biocenosis, including phytoplankton with respect to the changes in nutrient distribution, variation of freshwater discharge, and effect area of freshwater in the Nakdong estuary and adjacent coastal areas.