• Korean Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences
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• v.40 no.3
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• pp.133-140
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• 2007

In 2006, we studied herbivore consumption rate and preference for algal species using laboratory experiments. In the no-choice feeding experiment, three herbivores (two sea urchins, Stronglyocentrotus nudus and Stronglyocentrotus intermedius and an abalone, Haliotis discus hannai) showed significantly (P<0.05) distinct preferences for four algae (Laminaria japonica, Undaria pinnatifida, Costaria costata and Ecklonia stolonifera). The alga preferred by S. nudus was L. japonica followed by U. pinnatifida, C. costata and E. stolonifera with respective daily feeding rates of $5.7{\pm}:0.85\;g,\;4.4{\pm}0.89\;g,\;3.1{\pm}0.39\;g\;and\;2.1{\pm}0.32\;g(mean{\pm}SE)$. A similar trend was found for S. intermedius. Interestingly, the herbivore consumption rates for the algae differed with or without competition. The competition stimulated the feeding activity for S. nudus, but lowered the activity for S. intermedius. The multi-choice feeding experiment confirmed that L. japonica was significantly preferred by two herbivores: S. nudus and H. discus hannai (Duncan's multiple range test, ANOVA, p<0.05).

• Journal of Aquaculture
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• v.21 no.3
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• pp.139-145
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• 2008

Morphological classification of echinoid species has many difficulties because of their phenotypic variations. In the present study, we analyzed morphotypes and partial mitochondrial 12S rDNA sequences of four sea urchin species classified as Pseudocentrotus depressus, Anthocidaris crassispina, Hemicentrotus pulcherrimus and Strongylocentrotus nudus, and unidentified four species collected from the coasts of the East sea. Their genomic DNAs were extracted from gonads and mitochondrial 12S rDNA sequences were amplified by the polymerase chain reaction (PCR) method. The sequence identities among the known four sea urchin species were 87.4-95.6%. The sequence identities among the unidentified four species were 99.4-99.6% and showed the highest homology to S. intermedius(99.8%). Thus, our phylogenetic tree indicates that the unidentified four species belong to S. intermedius.

• Journal of Environmental Science International
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• v.14 no.12
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• pp.1129-1139
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• 2005

A series of experiments was conducted to identify the potential of five phytoplankton species as standard test species for marine ecotoxicological tests. The candidate phytoplankton species are Skeletonema costatum, Heterosigma akashiwo, Prorocentrum micans, Isochrysis galbana, and Tetraselmis suecica. Salinity tolerance and sensitivity on potassium dichromate as a reference material were identified. Toxicity of eleven ocean dumped sewage sludges and four red tide expellent extracts were estimated by the inhibition of population growth rates (PGR) of marine diatom S. costatum, While most species revealed relatively weak tolerance on salinity, T. suecica demonstrated the highest salinity tolerance ranged from $5\~35$ psu and the others $15\~35$ psu. H. akashiwo revealed the highest sensitivity as 72h $IC_{50}$=0.76mg/L and T. suecica the lowest as 72h $IC_{50}$=8.89mg/L on potassium dichromate. Sludge extracts from industrial waste, domestic sewage and livestock farm waste sludge showed high toxicity as 72h $IC_{50}$<$2\%$ and lowest toxicity from filtration bed sludge as 72h $IC_{50}$=$30.50\%$ NOEC (No Observed Effective Concentration) of sludge extract ranged from <$0.4\%$ to $1.6\%$ and this indicated high phytotoxicity of ocean dumped sewage sludge. The test sensitivity of phytoplankton PGR inhibition was much higher than those of marine rotifer Brachionus plicatilis mortality test and bioluminescent inhibition test by marine bacteria Vibrio fischeri, and comparable with the sea urchin (Strongylocentrotus intermedius) fertilization test. As a result the phytotoxicity test using phytoplankton PGR inhibition ($IC_{50}$) must be a useful tool for marine phyto-toxicological evaluation of ocean dumped materials.

• The Sea:JOURNAL OF THE KOREAN SOCIETY OF OCEANOGRAPHY
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• v.12 no.3
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• pp.125-132
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• 2007

We estimated the distribution of predator-prey interaction strengths for 12 species of herbivores (including amphipods, isopods, gastropods, and sea urchins) and made a regression model that may be applicable to other species. Laboratory experiments were used to determine per capita grazing rate (PCGR; g seaweeds/individual/day). Relationship between the biomass of individual grazers and fourth-root transformed PCGR was fitted to power curve ($y=0.2310x^{0.3290}$, r=0.8864). This finding supported that the grazing efficiency was not even as individual grazers increase in size (biomass). Therefore, the biomass-normalized PCGR was estimated and revealed that smaller size herbivores were more effective grazers. Grazing impact considering density of each taxon was calculated. The sea hare Aplysia kurodai had greatest grazing impact on the seaweed bed and the sea urchin Strongylocentrotus nudus and S. intermedius were ranked in descending order of the impact. The amount of seaweed grazed by the amphipod Elasmopus sp. (>4,000 $ind./m^2$) and Jassa falcata (>2,000 $ind./m^2$) were 3.435 and $1.697mg/m^2/day$ respectively. The combined grazing amount of herbivores was $5,045mg/m^2/day$ in the seaweed bed. Although sea hare and sea urchin had strong impacts on seaweeds, the effects of dense, smaller species could not be seen as negligible. Surprisingly, the calculated grazing potential of sea urchins with a mean density of 3 $ind./m^2$ exceeded the mean production of seaweed cultured in domestic coastal waters in Korea (ca., 5 ton/ha). Small crustaceans were also expected to consume up to 16% of the seaweed production if their densities were rising under weak predation conditions. Considering that the population density of herbivores are strongly controlled by fish, human interference like overfishing may have strong negative effects on persistence of seaweeds communities.