• The Sea:JOURNAL OF THE KOREAN SOCIETY OF OCEANOGRAPHY
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• v.5 no.4
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• pp.346-356
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• 2000

This study was carried out to investigate the distribution pattern of macrobenthos in the subtidal sandy bottoms of the east coast of Korea, and seasonal samplings were performed from April 1993 to February 1994. The species number of macrobenthos was in the range from 70 in winter to 109 in spring season. Polychaete worms were the most dominant faunal group in species richness and abundance, but mollusks showed the highest biomass. The mean density of macrobenthos fluctuated from 631 individuals/m$^2$ in autumn to 1,995 individuals/m$^2$ in summer. The major macrofauna in abundance were polychaetes, Spiophanes bombyx which occurred all seasons with top rank and Prionospio sp. and a mollusk, Alvenius ojianus, and crustaceans, Wecomedon sp. and Urothoidae spp. were also numerically dominant macrobenthic fauna. The macrobenthos in the study area were classified into two assemblages by water depth. However, they showed a different community structure near small rivers in autumn and winter seasons.

• The Sea:JOURNAL OF THE KOREAN SOCIETY OF OCEANOGRAPHY
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• v.19 no.4
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• pp.243-255
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• 2014

This study was investigated to estimate the relations between benthic environments and benthic polychaetous community from April 2012 to February 2013. Twenty four stations were selected sequentially with Seomjin River Estuary from the northern part of Gwangyang Bay. The study area could be divided into three characteristic zones based on salinity, water temperature, dissolved oxygen and pH such as Saline Water Zone (SWZ), Brackish Water Zone (BWZ), and Fresh Water Zone (FWZ). Salinity was above 30.0 psu in SWZ, drastically decreased toward inland in BWZ, and nearly zero psu in FWZ. SWZ showed its specific environmental characters like that water temperature fluctuated with little seasonal change and DO showed the lowest values among three zones, and pH maintained as consistent value without seasonal fluctuation. In FWZ, on the other hand, water temperature showed high seasonal fluctuation, DO showed the highest values among three zones, and pH fluctuated greatly. In sedimentary environment, mud, sand and sand/gravel were found as dominant sedimentary deposits in SWZ, BWZ and FWZ, respectively. Organic matter content and AVS in surface sediment were high in SWZ, while Chl-a content high in FWZ. This study area showed a marked environmental difference between FWZ and SWZ as follows: FWZ has coarse sediment and low salinity, low organic matter content, low AVS in FWZ but SWZ has fine sediment and high salinity, high organic matter content and AVS. Species number and mean density of benthic polychaete community was highest in Saline Water Zone (SWZ), drastically decreased in Brackish Water Zone (BWZ), and lowest in Fresh Water Zone (FWZ). Dominant polychates above 5.0% of individual numbers were 6 taxa. Lumbrineris longifolia, Prionospio cirrifera, Tharyx sp. occurred as main dominant species of all study periods, and Hediste sp., Praxillella affinis, Tylorrhynchus sp. dominantly occurred at some seasons. Inhabiting areas of dominant species were separated characteristically. Representative species in SWZ were Lumbrineris longifolia, Tharyx sp., Mediomastus sp.. Wide-appearing species between SWZ and BWZ were Prionospio cirrifera, Heteromastus filiformis, Aricidea sp.. Characteristic species in FWZ were Tylorrhynchus sp. and Hediste sp.. As the results of cluster analysis and nMDS based on the species composition of polychaetous community, unique station groups were established in SWZ and FWZ. Stations in BWZ were sub-divided into several groups with season. Pearson's correlation analysis and PCA between benthic environments and ecological characteristics of polychaetous community showed that salinity, sediment composition, organic content and dissolved oxygen played a role to determine the temporal and spatial distribution of the ecological characteristics as species number, mean density, abundance of main species, and ecological indices.

• Journal of Wetlands Research
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• v.18 no.1
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• pp.58-67
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• 2016

This study was performed to investigate the long-term changes in water quality and benthic ecology around the Nakdong River Estuary. The effect of the estuarine barrage on the ecosystem was also evaluated. The water quality was interpreted using the field survey (2013 and 2014) and monitoring data (MOE, 1989~2013) and the macrobenthic-fauna was investigated through analysis of the field survey data (2014) and literatures review (1985~2013). The long-term variation of water quality of Nakdong River generally showed increased nutrient concentration with decreased discharge, while abrupt influence of the barrage construction was not observed. However, the nutrient and organic matter concentration inside the barrage distinctly was higher than the concentration outside the barrage because the mixing of fresh and seawater was limited by the barrage. Especially, in the period of low discharge during winter, the Chlorophyll-a concentration clearly increased more in the downstream inside the barrage, showing the barrage effect. In other words, stagnant effect caused by barrage construction had an effect on the water quality degradation in dry seasons. As for the benthic ecology inside barrage after barrage construction, molluscans and brackish-water crustaceans disappeared. Outside the barrage, benthic ecosystem has deteriorated and the small-sized organic indicative species like Prionospio membranacea, Pseudopolydora kempi, Sinocorophium sinensis became dominant due to several construction such as Myeong-Gi Bridge, Airport construction, industrial complex after the Nakdong barrage construction.

• Korean Journal of Environmental Biology
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• v.23 no.3 s.59
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• pp.238-249
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• 2005

The present study was carried out to apprehend that the pollutants originating from Jinhae Industrial Complex affect benthic polychaetous community in the northern Jinhae bay. An investigation on the macrobenthic community in Jinhae bay was conducted in September, December of 2002 and March of 2003. The benthic fauna showed mean density of 2,151 ind. $m^{-2}$ in September of 2002, 2,427 ind. $m^{-2}$ in December of 2002 and 2,394 ind. $m^{-2}$ in March of 2003. Major faunal groups are polychaetes, crustaceans and mollusks, corresponding to $73.7\%,\;12.0\%\;and\;11.7\%,$ in total mean density during all of the sampling season, respectively. The most abundant species was Lumbrineris longifolia $(24.85\%),$ followed by Tharyx sp. $(21.70\%),$ Mesochaetopterus sp. $(6.20\%),$ Heteromastus filiformis $(5.39\%),$ Prionospio sp. $(5.18\%),$ Clycinde sp. $(4.29\%),$ etc. Tharyx sp. was the highest abundant species in September of 2002, and Lumbrineris longifolia was the dominant species in another sampling seasons. The density and the species number of polychaetes were high around Chori Is. and poor near Jinhae Industrial Complex area. Cluster analysis based on the species composition showed that Jinhae bay could be divided into three regions except in March of 2003. In December of 2002, there are very distinct regions by the cluster analysis. The density of benthic polychaetes in Jinhae bay was higher than that in the other coastal area of Korea, due to the predominance by some of opportunistic species, such as Lumbrineris longifolia, Tharyx sp. and Heteromastus filiformis, etc. It means that the study area were in the process of organic enrichment.

• Journal of Marine Life Science
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• v.5 no.2
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• pp.81-91
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• 2020

This study was conducted to find the faunal composition and distribution patterns of macrobenthos where the sand tidal flat around barrier island at Nakdong River estuary in May, 2016 and 2017. The number of species ranged from 31 to 39, and density was from 789 to 1,644 ind.m^-2 during the study period in the three tidal flats. The number of species and density were the highest in the tidal flat of Shinja-do and Jinwoo-do, respectively. The dominant species were Gammaridae unid. in amphipods of crustacea, Scoletoma heteropoda, Scoloplos armiger, Heteromastus filiformis, Prionospio japonica in polychaeta and Batillaria cumingii, Laternula marilina in mollusks from the three tidal flats. The proportion of carnivores such as crustacea and mollusks was higher in the upper part of the tidal flat, and polychaetes of deposit feeders, dominated in the middle and lower tidal flat. Overall, the intertidal macrobenthic communities in the study area showed a high proportion of carnivores. However, the sites where the mud content is high such as muddy sand sites, they showed a higher proportion of surface deposit feeders belonging to tube-builders which contribute to sediment stability. From this study, it seemed that the macrobenthic fauna of the sandy tidal flat at the Nakdong River estuary showed a similar fauna composition and zonal distribution patterns from those in other sandy tidal flats in Korea.

• The Sea:JOURNAL OF THE KOREAN SOCIETY OF OCEANOGRAPHY
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• v.12 no.3
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• pp.211-218
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• 2007

In this study, we investigated the spatial distribution of macrozoobenthos in the estuarine sandy flat, the Bongam tidal flat located in Masan Bay during March, 2004. A total 13 species were identified at 12 stations within the tidal flat. The mean density was $20,267\;ind./m^2$, and mean biomass was $228.1g/m^2$. Dominant species in the Bongam tidal flat were all polychaetes: Prionospio japonicus ($11,716\;ind./m^2$, 57.8%) and Polydora ligni ($3,929\;ind./m^2$, 19.4%) of spionoid polychaete, and Neanthes succinea ($3,425\;ind./m^2$, 16.9%) of nereid polychaete. The most dominant species, P. japonicus distributed evenly all stations in the tidal flat. But N. succinea showed high density at the upper area of the tidal flat. Species diversity index (H') was in the range of 0.6 to 1.2 which is relatively low due to the prominent of P. japonicus and few species richness at each station. The study area was divided into two station groups (group A and B) based on the cluster analysis and MDS ordination, and the spatial distribution of macrozoobenthos on the Bongam tidal flat seemed to be in the influence of exposure duration from tidal levels and specific geological topography.

• Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences
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• v.13 no.2
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• pp.157-166
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• 2010

We investigated the benthic polychaete assemblage in Gwangyang Bay and Yeosu Sound in February 1997. The sediment was an almost entirely muddy facies. The benthic macrofauna comprised 295 species occurring at a mean density of 875 $indiv./m^2$. Polychaetes were the major faunal component; there were 94 species at mean density 765 $indiv./m^2$. The highest abundance and species richness occurred in the Myodo south and north channels, in the mouth of Gwangyang Bay, and in the Noryang channel mouth. The most abundant polychaete was Tharyx sp. (47.9%), followed in rank order by Heteromastus filiformis (9.6%), Melinna cristata (9.3%), and Lumbrineris longifolia (7.3%). Cluster analysis divided the study area into four station groups based on station similarities in benthic polychaete assemblages: the Glycinde-Prionospio cluster in the western inner bay, the H. filiformis cluster in the middle inner bay, the Melinna-Lumbrineris cluster in the Myodo south-north channel, and the Tharyx cluster in the eastern main channel region. The sediment type of Gwangyang Bay has changed gradually from sandy to muddy. Dominant species have also changed from Chone teres and Lagis bocki to Tharyx sp., which is a potential organic pollution indicator.

• Ocean and Polar Research
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• v.30 no.4
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• pp.497-507
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• 2008

With the reduction of tidal currents by the closing of the Saemangeun 4th dyke, sedimentary environments on the Gunsan tidal flat, the nearest inner flat from the 4th dyke, has been severely changed, which might affect macrobenthic assemblages on the habitats. In order to investigate changes in macrobenthic community structure on Gunsan tidal flat, field surveys were seasonally conducted at seven stations from April 2002 to November, 2005. Sedimentary facies on the study area were shifted into muddominant facies. The fine sediment has been greatly deposited on the tidal flat with accumulation of organic materials after closing the water passage of 4th dyke section. These drastic variations in environments gave rise to change in macrobenthic community structure. Since the closure of the 4th dyke, the number of species of macrobenthos has gradually decreased. And the filter feeders and sand-favored species such as Urothoe convexa, Macrophthalmus dilatatus, Umbonium thomasi, and Mactra veneriformis have been replaced by the deposit feeders such as Macrophthalmus japonicus and Ilyoplax pingi. MDS ordination based on Bray-Curtis similarity from forth-root transformed species abundance data showed that the macrobenthic communities have passed through three succession stages from 2002 to 2005. During the third stage of 2005 opportunistic species such as Prionospio japonica, Heteromastus filiformis and Sinocorophium sinensis increased in population on the tidal flat.

• Ocean and Polar Research
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• v.39 no.1
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• pp.23-34
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• 2017

This study was carried out to investigate the spatial distributions of the macrobenthic communities in the Seomjin River estuary from May, 2015 to May, 2016. The number of species was 163, the mean density was $1,865ind.m^{-2}$, biomass was $204g{\cdot}wet\;m^{-2}$ during this study period. The highest number of species and density appeared among polychaetes whereas the most biomass was contributed by mollusks due to the presence of Corbicula japonica in every season. The study area was divided into 3 regions with similar benthic fauna responding to the gradient of the salinity. Praxillella praetermissa was the dominant species in regions of over 30 psu during all seasons. C. japonica and Hediste diadroma were dominant in the upper regions of the Seomjin River where the salinity was less than 10 psu. Heteromastus filiformis showed the broadest distributional range and dominated in all seasons except for the most upper stream at st. 7. From the result of the Bio-Env analysis, salinity was the most important environmental factor affecting the formation of macrobenthic communities in the study area, and salinity and TOC were the highest contributors to the macrobenthic communities. From the correlation analysis between major dominant species and environmental factors, C. japonica, Prionospio japonica and H. diadroma showed a negative correlation with salinity, while P. praetermissa and Scolectoma longifolia showed a positive correlation. H. filiformis was little affected by salinity but showed a positive correlation with TOC or silt content of sediment.

• Ocean and Polar Research
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• v.27 no.4
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• pp.381-395
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• 2005

The spatial distributions of macrobenthic communities in Masan Bay were investigated during summer and winter, 2004. A total of 104 species were sampled with mean density of $448ind./m^2$ and biomass of $77.1g/m^2$ in winter. In summer, a total of 107 species occurred with $485ind./m^2$ and a biomass of $94.5g/m^2$. The most dominant species in winter were Paraprionospio pinnata (24.2%) among polychaetous worms and Theora fragilis (14.1%) among molluscs, but they were replaced in summer by Prionospio chirrifera (20.4%) and Lumbrineris longifolia (14.5%). The difference in species composition and abundance of benthic communities between the two seasons was due to the hypoxia in the bottom layer of the inner bay during summer, which defaunated the macrofauna of the sediments. In the winter when DO concentration increased to normoxia, the pelagic larvae of benthic fauna settled in the soft sediments, but there was a spatial gradient in values of total biomass, density, and H' and benthic pollution index (BPI): higher values were found toward the mouth of the bay. The multivariate analyses like the cluster analysis and MDS ordination showed that Masan Bay could be divided into two or four stational groups in winter and summer whether the hypoxia occurred or not. Group I consisted of sites at the inner bay and central area and Group II, sites at the bay mouth. In summer the inner bay area could be further divided into the shallow impoverished area and the deeper abiotic one.