• Ocean and Polar Research
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• v.34 no.4
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• pp.365-384
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• 2012

Microalgae are photosynthetic microorganisms that are highly productive in the presence of basic renewable natural sources (light, $CO_2$, water and nutrients). They can synthesize lipids, carbohydrates and proteins in a small number of days. Subsequently, these carbon-captured products can be processed into both biofuels and valuable co-products. Additionally, microalgae would be an ideal feedstock for replacing land-based food crops with cellular products as high energy density transportation fuels. These microscopic organisms could contribute a significant amount of renewable energy on a global scale. In Korea, microalgae biofuel research was common in the early 1990s. The research activities were unfortunately stopped due to limited governmental funds and low petroleum prices. Interest in algal biofuels in Korea has been growing recently due to an increased concern over oil prices, energy security, greenhouse gas emissions, and the potential for other biofuel feedstock to compete for limited agricultural resources. The high productivity of microalgae suggests that much of the Korean transportation fuel requirements can be met by biofuels at a production cost competitive with the increasing cost of petroleum seen in early 2008. At this time, the development of microlalgal biomass production technology remains in its infancy. This study reviewed microalgae culture systems and biomass production, harvesting, oil extraction, conversion, and technoeconomical bottlenecks. Many technical and economic barriers to using microalgal biofuels need to be overcome before mass production of microalgal-derived fuel substitutes is possible. However, serious efforts to overcome these barriers could become a large-scale commercial reality. Overall, this study provides a brief overview of the past few decades of global microalgal research.

• The Sea:JOURNAL OF THE KOREAN SOCIETY OF OCEANOGRAPHY
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• v.6 no.2
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• pp.49-62
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• 2001

Hydrographic surveys were carried out seven times during May 31, 1998 and September 24, 1998 in order to study the physical environments of the coastal area between Narodo Is. and Sorido Is. in the southern sea of Korea (the South Sea) where the occurrence of Cochlodinium polykrikoides red tide is frequently observed in summer. Temperature and salinity of the water column from the surface to the depth of 30 m exhibit large seasonal variations. Mean temperature of the water column increased by 6 and mean salinity of the water column decreased by 2.71 psu during the observation period. Both the freshwater supplied from the adjacent land and the precipitation over the study area cannot account for the observed salinity variations. The influx of the low salinity water from the offshore area is considered to be the main cause for the observed salinity changes. Surface salinity in the study area shows different spatial distribution in the period of outbreaking, mid-stage and disappearance of the red tide. Especially, salinity was abruptly lowered at the stage of disappearance of red tide as compared to salinity of the previous observation period. Vertical structure of water properties also became vertically homogeneous at the disappearance stage, while it was highly stratified in the previous observation. Such changes can only be explained by the inflow of low salinity water from the offshore, which is considered as the most possible cause for the disappearance of the red tide in the study area. This study suggests that exchanges of water, and chemical and biological factors between coastal areas and of shore area in the South Sea need to be studied in association with the general circulation of the South Sea in order for the better understanding of the occurrence and disappearance of the red tide in the coastal area of the South Sea.

• Journal of Korean Society of Coastal and Ocean Engineers
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• v.20 no.5
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• pp.482-490
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• 2008

For a coastal or harbor structure design, one of the most important environmental factors is the appropriate extreme highest tide level condition. Especially, the information of extreme highest tide level distribution is essential for reliability design. In this paper, 23 set of extreme highest tide level data obtained from National Oceanographic Research Institute(NORI) were analyzed for extreme highest tide levels. The probability distributions considered in this research were Generalized Extreme Value(GEV), Gumbel, and Weibull distribution. For each of these distributions, three parameter estimation methods, i.e. the method of moments, maximum likelihood and probability weighted moments, were applied. Chi-square and Kolmogorov-Smirnov goodness-offit tests were performed, and the assumed distribution was accepted at the confidence level 95%. Gumbel distribution which best fits to the 22 tidal station was selected as the most probable parent distribution, and optimally estimated parameters and extreme highest tide level with various return periods were presented. The extreme values of Incheon, Cheju, Yeosu, Pusan, and Mukho, which estimated by Shim et al.(1992) are lower than that of this result.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Marine Environment & Safety
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• v.22 no.6
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• pp.738-749
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• 2016

To understand the characteristics of the spatio-temporal distribution of phytoplankton after barrage construction in the Nakdong River Estuary, this study investigated relevant environmental parameters and phytoplankton status based on bi-monthly samples collected from the Nakdong River Estuary itself from February 2013 to December 2015. Environmental parameters did not differ significantly across these years but did vary between zones and seasons. The results suggested that the upper zone was dominated by fresh-water diatoms, green algae, and blue-green algae, whereas the lower zone was mostly dominated by dinoflagellates. The presence of Stephanodiscus spp., Asterionellopsis formosa, and Microcystis spp. in the upper zone was related to the inflow of freshwater discharge by artificial control of dyke gates. The dominant phytoplankton species in this zone were dependent on temperature, wind speed, DIP, and DIN, while those in the lower zone were mostly dependent on nutrients and wind speed. In addition, at the lower zone, there were negative correlations between Prorocentrum donghaiense, DIN, and wind speed, with its abundance being higher during the summer than other seasons. Analysis of temporal variations did not indicate any significant differences in the upper zone but did reveal variations among seasons at the lower zone. Except in 2014, the lower zone could be divided into periods dominated by diatoms (October-April) and dinoflagellates (June-August). These results suggest that the characteristics of the phytoplankton community were influenced by changes in the inflow of freshwater species and nutrients given the difference in the range affected by freshwater discharge.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Marine Environment & Safety
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• v.26 no.2
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• pp.195-205
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• 2020

Oceanic conditions in walleye pollock habitat in the East Sea have shown decadal fluctuations between warm and cold periods in turn. Specifically, sea surface temperature (SST) has shown a dramatic increase between the late 1980s and the middle 2000s, and abrupt decreasing patterns after the late 2000s. Oceanic conditions in the Dong-han Bay (spawning ground) and middle eastern coastal waters (fishing ground), however, indicated different fluctuation trends in SST, increasing in the Dong-han Bay after the late 1980s, and decreasing after the late 2000s. These fluctuation patterns were especially clear in February and March. Sea surface temperature in the middle eastern coastal waters of Korea soared continuously after the late 1980s, but did not show a distinct decreasing pattern after the late 2000s compared with Dong han Bay, except for February SST values. These long term water temperature changes in both walleye pollock spawning and fishing ground are related to variation in walleye pollock landings. Especially, abrupt changes in spawning ground SST can be one of the factors influencing survival in the early ontogenesis of walleye pollock, including egg and yolk larval stages. During the 1980s, the area of suitable spawning temperature (2-5℃) was wider, and the length of Walleye pollock egg and larval stages greater compared with past and present oceanographic environments. However, such patterns did not correspond with the optimal spawning temperature range and greater length of development of walleye pollock during the late 1980s likely triggering a decline in pollock stock. In conclusion, it has been supposed that the dramatic decrease in walleye pollock landings in the East Sea since the late 1980s was caused by increasing water temperature leading to both early mortality and unsuitable spawning conditions.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Marine Environment & Safety
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• v.26 no.2
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• pp.186-194
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• 2020

In this study, spectral analysis was conducted to identify environmental factors af ecting short-term changes in water temperature in the East, West and South coasts of Korea. The data used in the spectrum analysis is the 2016 summer water temperature, air temperature, tide level and wind data provided by Korea Hydrographic & Oceanographic Agency. In power spectrum results, peaks of water temperature and tide level were observed at same periods in West Sea (Incheon, Pyeungteak, Gunsan and Mokpo) and South Sea (Wando, Goheung, Yeosu, Tongyeong and Masan) where mean tidal range was more than 100 cm. On the other hand, periodicity of water temperature did not appear in East Sea and Busan where the mean tidal range was small. Coherence analysis showed that water temperature was highly correlated with tide in West Sea and three stations(Wando, Goheung and Tongyeong) of South Sea. Especially, correlation between water temperature and tide level in Wando and Tongyeong presented 0.96 at semi-diurnal period. Water temperature in Yeosu seems to have influenced by tide and inflow of fresh water. In Masan, water temperature is influenced by south wind, tide and inflow of fresh water. In East Sea, influence of tide on water temperature is small due to current and small tidal range. As a result of comparing the time series graph, stations where the correlation between water temperature and tide is high show that relatively cold water was inputted at flood tide and flow out at ebb tide. short-term variation of water temperature was affected by tide, but long-term variation over a month was affected by air temperature.

• The Korean Journal of Malacology
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• v.18 no.1
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• pp.53-59
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• 2002

The distribution and density of the pen shell, Atrina (Servatrina) pectinata japonica, were investigated to estimate population ecological parameters and biomass. Samples were collected during cruises from April to June 1999 in the coastal waters of Chungchung-namdo, Korea. The oceanographic conditions such as depth, temperature, transparency and suspended solids were measured from sampling stations. Seawater depth ranged from 3.9 m to 75.9 m and the mean was 28.5 m (SE = 0.97). The mean density of the pen shell was higher in the depth of 18.0-30.8 m. The water temperature of the bottom ranged from 7.0-21.5$^{\circ}C$ and the mean was 14.$0^{\circ}C$. The transparency ranged from 1.2-13.5 m and the mean was 4.8 m. The suspended solids ranged from 6.0-93.5 mg/l and the mean was 48.0 mg/l. The sand proportion of the sediment was > 50%. The mean densities of the pen shell by sediment type were 7.3 individuals/40 m$^2$ (SE = 2.16) in the sand, 5.6 individuals/40 m$^2$ (SE = 1.48) in the muddy sand, 3.0 individuals/40 m$^2$(SE = 1.89) in the sandy mud, and none in the mud. The sandy bottom, accounting for 29.8% of the overall habitat area, had a maximum density of 7.3 individuals/40 m$^2$.

• The Sea:JOURNAL OF THE KOREAN SOCIETY OF OCEANOGRAPHY
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• v.2 no.1
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• pp.1-7
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• 1997

We have monitored nutrients, chlorophyll, suspended solids, and salinity in the Keum Estuary to understand the temporal fluctuation of oceanographic parameters and to illustrate any variation due to the gate operation of the Keum River Dike from June, 1995 to September, 1996, approximately for 500 days. Tidal range is used as the key factor to explain the fluctuations and atmospheric parameters such as air temperature, wind velocity and rainfall are also used supplementally. The fresh water discharge was selected as another major impact on the estuarine environment due to the gate operation of the Keum Dike. In addition, daily variation by tidal cycle was investigated twice in April and July, 1996. In diurnal variation, salinity was positively correlated with tidal elevation, whereas negatively correlated with nutrients. Relatively high suspended solid and chlorophyll contents were found in the period between high and low tide. In 500 days continuous observations, salinity was negatively correlated with the volume of fresh-water discharge, but positively correlated with nutrients. A major chlorophyll bloom occurred in spring. A similar pattern of variation was observed between suspended solid and the neap-spring tidal cycle. In comparison with the data of the Keurn Estuary before the gate operation of the Keum River dike, fresh-water discharge predominated other environmental factors during the rainy season. In addition, the velocity of tidal current and the concentration of suspended solid were decreased, while nutrients and chlorophyll contents were increased.

• The Korean Journal of Quaternary Research
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• v.22 no.1
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• pp.1-12
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• 2008

We investigated metal concentrations and oceanic environment changes that have occurred over the past several years by studying the hard coral Porites lutea, which inhabits tropical and subtropical areas. Soft X-radiographs clearly showed distinctive annual bands within 71 mm coral sample, which reflect changes in the oceanic environment over this period. There were large fluctuations in the major and minor element concentrations. Considering the physicochemical partition coefficient, some elements accumulated in the aragonite matrix in a mechanical manner, while others were affected by environmental factors. The concentrations of some heavy metals varied over a wide range, implying local environmental effects. The variation of Sr/Ca and Mg/Ca in coral skeleton clearly showed large-scale fluctuation over the specific intervals, implying environmental changes during this period. The concentrations of heavy metals also show high fluctuations, and roughly accord with Mg/Ca variation. In addition, Cu and Zn seem to show cyclicity-like peaks, coincide with Mg/Ca variation over the specific intervals. Such variation might be related to local pollution and oceanographic changes. More detailed investigation is necessary, including the pretreatment of coral skeleton sediment.

• Korean Journal of Ichthyology
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• v.18 no.1
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• pp.36-44
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• 2006

The distribution patterns of anchovy eggs and larvae and environmental characteristics such as oceanographic conditions and meteorological factors in the eastern part of Jeju Strait, Korea from June to October 2003 were investigated. During the sampling periods, the anchovy spawned on the coastal area mainly and approximately 85% of total egg abundance occurred in only two months, from July to August, suggesting that the main spawning season of anchovies is considered in summer from July and August in the study area. Relatively high proportions of the anchovy larvae larger than 20 mm TL observed in the eastern part area. These facts suggest that anchovy larvae gradually moved out to the eastern part of study area. Most wind speeds were markedly reduced to below 10 m/s with the exception of a few days and the precipitation was concentrated (37%) from July to August when the anchovy eggs and larvae occurred abundantly. Results of correlation analysis showed that the anchovy egg abundance correlated with the increasing chlorophyll a and copepod biomass. It is considered that the plankton biomass in the sea area would have significant effects on the anchovy spawning. In addition, salinity variations also had significant effects on the abundance of anchovy larvae, with increasing water temperature.