• Korean Journal of Environmental Biology
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• v.17 no.1
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• pp.1-9
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• 1999

Numerous observations revealed strong evidence of increased middle ultraviolet radiation or UV-B (280 ~ 320 nm) at the earth's surface resulting from stratospheric ozone depletion. UV is the waveband of electromagnetic radiation which is strongly absorbed by nucleic acids and proteins, thus causing damage to living systems. It has been recorded in the East Sea, Korea that solar UV-B impinging on the ocean surface penetrates seawater to significant depths. Recent researches showed that exposure to UV-B for as short as 2h at the ambient level (2.0 Wm$^{-2}$) decreased macroalgal growth and photosynthesis and destroyed photosynthetic pigments. These may suggest that UV-B could be an important environmental factor to determine algal survival and distribution. Some adaptive mechanisms to protect macroalgae from UV-damage have been found, which include photoreactivation and formation of UV-absorbing pigments. Post-illumination of visible light mitigated UV-induced damage in laminarian young sporophytes with blue the most effective waveband. The existence of UV-B absorbing pigments has been recognized in the green alga, Ulva pertusa and the red alga, Pachymeniopsis sp., which is likely to exert protective function for photosynthetic pigments inside the thalli from UV-damage. Further studies are however needed to confirm that these mechanisms are of general occurrence in seaweeds. Macroalgae together with phytoplankton are the primary producers to incorporate about 100 Gt of carbons per year, and provide half of the total biomass on the earth. UV-driven reduction in macroalgal biomass, if any, would therefore cause deleterious effects on marine ecosystem. The ultimate impacts of increasing UV-B flux due to ozone destruction are still unknown, but the impression from UV studies made so far seems to highlight the importance of setting up long-term monitoring system for us to be able to predict and detect the onset of large -scale deterioration in aquatic ecosystem.

• Korean Journal of Environment and Ecology
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• v.28 no.6
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• pp.613-626
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• 2014

Seaweeds were identified after qualitative sampling at 14 stations of Dokdo coasts from May to July 2013 and seaweeds and animals inhabiting 23 Eisenia bicyclis plants were examined to evaluate its ecological role. Biomass was calculated by using regression between stipe length and weight of E. bicyclis. A total of 128 species were identified, including 18 green, 35 brown, and 75 red algae. Coarsely branched form was dominant functional group occupying 47.66% and 91 species (71.09%) were in ESG I group, growing in stable environmental coast. Also, R/P, C/P, and (R+C)/P were 2.14, 0.51, and 2.66, respectively showing temperate and mixed flora. Biomass and density of E.bicyclis were $23.74kg\;m^{-2}$ and 64 fronds $m^{-2}$. Twelve seaweeds and 83 animal species (15 Annelida, 25 Mollusca, 34 Arthropoda, 3 Echinodermata, and 6 others) were observed from 23 holdfasts and Ericthonius pugnax was dominant taxon having 538 (43.11%) of 1,248 animal individuals. These results indicate that E.bicyclis is a keystone species showing very important ecological role. In conclusion, the number of seaweeds increased because of intensive research and dominance of coarsely branched form and ESG I group seaweeds, representing that environmental condition of Dokdo is still intact.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Marine Environment & Safety
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• v.23 no.4
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• pp.338-346
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• 2017

Natural seaweed beds and habitat environments were investigated using quantitative and qualitative methods from May to December 2015 at 3 sites in Gangneung, Uljin, and Busan along the eastern coast of Korea. In total, 9 green, 23 brown, and 64 red algal taxa were identified. The biomass of the seaweed at Gangneung was 173.2 to $613.8wet\;wt.g/m^2$ of Dictyota divaricata, 360.8 to $520.4wet\;wt.g/m^2$ of Symphyocladia linearis, and 25.9 to $470.8wet\;wt.g/m^2$ of Undaria pinnatifida. At Uljin, these numbers were 5.5 to $256.2wet\;wt.g/m^2$ of Plocamium telfarirae and 46.8 to $241.5wet\;wt.g/m^2$ of Agarum clathratum. The biomass of Sargassum coreanum and Ecklonia cava were 388.1 to $6,972.4wet\;wt.g/m^2$ and 194.9 to $958.5wet\;wt.g/m^2$, respectively, at Busan. S. coreanum and E. cava showed higher biomass compared to other seaweed at Busan. The biomass rate represented an average of 19.2 percent of the total population, ranging from 0.0 to 55.5 percent in Gangneung. In Uljin, the average was calculated as 63.8 percent, and this figure was 48.5 percent in Busan. The percentage of barren ground averaged 46.7 percent in Gangneung and 91.1 percent in Uljin. Uljin showed the highest percentage of barren ground compared to other regions. Sea urchin density appeared to be $6.0ind./m^2$ in Gangneung, $7.0ind./m^2$ in Uljin, and $2.0ind./m^2$ in Busan, with the lowest sea urchin density being that of Busan. In conclusion, the composition of species, appearance ratio, and abundance of vegetation found were similar to previous studies, but it is thought that continuous monitoring is needed due to concerns about physical and chemical pollution caused by global warming, climate change, and coastal development.

• Korean Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences
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• v.29 no.1
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• pp.97-106
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• 1996

Macroalgal community was analysed from December 1993 to October 1994 in Yonggwang vicinity, western coast of Korea. A total 51 species (12 green, 11 brown and 29 red algae) of marine algae were identified. Among four localities, the number of species observed was the highest as 34 species at Shimwon and the least as 31 species at Sunchanggum and Gamakdo. Seasonally, the number of species observed was the highest as 42 species in winter and the least as 18 species in summer. The species showing relatively high important value were Enteromorpha compressa, Sargassum thunbergii, Corallina pilulifera and Carpopeltis affinis, which were all common to four investigated localities. Seasonal and regional fluctuations of mean biomass was $66.0\~820.0\;g-wet\;wt/m^2$ at Hyanghado, $248.3\~886.3\;g-wet\;wt/m^2$ at Sunchanggum, $154.5\~510.2\;g-wet\;wt/m^2$ at Gamakdo and $85.0\~451.9\;g-wet\;wt/m^2$ at Shimwon, respectively. The flora investigated could be classified into six functional groups such as coarsely branched form $(41.2\%)$, sheet form $(25.5\%)$, filamentous form $(19.6\%)$, thick leathery $(7.8\%)$, crustous form $(3.9\%)$ and jointed calcarious form algae $(2.0\%)$. At the effluent area of the nuclear power plants, the algal composition of functional groups may affect species composition due to thermal pollution.