• The Sea:JOURNAL OF THE KOREAN SOCIETY OF OCEANOGRAPHY
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• v.20 no.1
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• pp.43-52
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• 2015

The growth and population dynamics of eelgrass (Zostera marina) due to changes in sediment composition were examined in the lower intertidal zone of the Seomjin Estuary, Korea. We surveyed environmental factors such as water temperature, underwater irradiance, main types and organic content of sediment, tidal exposure, and nutrient concentrations in the water column and sediment pore water, in relation to the shoot density, biomass, morphological characteristics, and growth of Z. marina inhabiting lower intertidal zones. The survey was conducted monthly from May to December of 2004 and 2009. The water temperature showed obvious seasonal trends in both study years. Underwater irradiance was significantly higher in 2009 than in 2004. Tidal exposure was not significantly different between 2004 and 2009. The sediment was muddy-sand in 2004 but became sandy and with a significantly lower organic content in 2009. Water column $NH_4{^+}$ concentrations were significantly higher in 2004 than in 2009. Sediment pore water $NO_3{^-}+NO_2{^-}$ concentrations were significantly higher in 2009 than in 2004. Other nutrient concentrations did not differ significantly between 2004 and 2009. Morphological characteristics, including eelgrass length and leaf width were significantly lower in 2009 than in 2004. Eelgrass shoot height, leaf length, and sheath length showed typical seasonal patterns, increasing in early summer and decreasing in autumn, in both years. Vegetative shoot density was not significantly different between 2004 and 2009, while the biomass of individual plant parts and the total biomass were significantly lower in 2009. Eelgrass leaf productivity did not differ between years, but leaf turnover time was significantly shorter in 2009 than in 2004. Eelgrass downsizing and decreased turnover time in 2009 compared to 2004 indicate more effective adaptations to the stress of long-term changes in sediment composition. Overall, results suggest that changes in sediment composition can be a limiting factor for seagrass growth in the intertidal zone.

• The Sea:JOURNAL OF THE KOREAN SOCIETY OF OCEANOGRAPHY
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• v.26 no.4
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• pp.343-355
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• 2021

Eelgrass, Zostera marina L., was widely distributed around Sinyangseopji Beach in Bangdu Bay, on the eastern coast of Jeju Island, until breakwater construction in the late 1990s resulted in its complete loss. Six experimental sites were identified for restoration of the Z. marina bed in Bangdu Bay. Using the staple method, 500 Z. marina shoots were transplanted at each site in January 2019 and 2020. The transplants, along with environmental parameters, were monitored for 10 months following transplantation. There were significant differences in underwater irradiance, water temperature, and salinity among the sites, but all were suitable for Z. marina growth. The Ulva species, an opportunistic alga, appeared in spring and accumulated during summer at all sites; however, there was no significant effect of Ulva species on the survival and growth of the eelgrass transplants. Most of the transplanted Z. marina survived, and after 3 months, the density increased by 112.5-300% due to vegetative propagation, with a rapid rate of increase observed during spring and early summer at all sites. For 1-2 months after transplanting, the Z. marina shoots showed signs of transplant shock, after which the shoot density increased at all sites, confirming that all transplants adapted well to the new environment. However, in both 2019 and 2020, during late summer to early fall, the sites experienced heavy damage from typoons (twice in 2019 and three times in 2020) that hit Bangdu Bay. The transplants at two sites located in the center of Bangdu Bay were completely destroyed, but those at three sites located to the west of the bay showed a 192-312% increase in density. Thus, we confirmed that the Bangdu Bay Z. marina bed can be restored, with the highest probability of success for Z. marina restoration on the western side of Bangdu Bay, which is protected from typhoons.

• Korean Journal of Ecology and Environment
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• v.56 no.3
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• pp.207-217
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• 2023

This study was conducted to investigate the current status of seagrass species in the Nakdong River estuary from May to June 2023. To survey the seagrass habitat area, the Nakdong River estuary was divided into seven zones. Aerial photography using drones was conducted to find seagrass areas, GPS tracking was carried out on foot in the intertidal zone and by boat and SCUBA diving in the subtidal zone. To analyze the seagrass status, we measured the morphological characteristics, shoot density, and biomass of representative seagrass species in each zone. Four seagrass species were found in this area: Zostera japonica, Z. marina, Ruppia maritima, and Phyllospadix japonicus. The distribution areas of each species was 338.2 ha, 92.9 ha, 0.9 ha, and 1.4 ha, respectively, with a total area of 432.5 ha. Z. japonica was widely distributed in most of the tidal flats and mudflats of the Nakdong River estuary, while Z. marina was restricted to Nulcha-do, Jinu-do, and Dadae-dong. R. maritima occurred within the habitat of Z. japonica in Eulsukdo and Myeongji mudflats, and P. japonicus inhabited rocky areas in Dadae-dong. The shoot density of each species was 4,575.8±338.3 shoots m^-2, 244.8±12.0 shoots m^-2, 11,302.1±290.0 shoots m^-2, and 2862.5±153.5 shoots m^-2, respectively. The biomass of each species was 239.7±18.5 gDW m^-2, 362.3±20.5 gDW m^-2, 33.3±1.2 gDW m^-2, and 1,290.0±37.0 gDW m^-2, respectively. The results of this study revealed that Z. japonica was dominant in the Nakdong River estuary. In particular, Z. japonica habitats of Eulsukdo, Daema-deung, and Myeongji mudflats were identified as the largest in Korea. The Nakdong River estuary is an important site of ecological, environmental, and economic value, and will require continuous investigation and management of the native seagrasses.

• Korean Journal of Ichthyology
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• v.9 no.2
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• pp.202-220
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• 1997

A total of 57 species of fish species was collected by a trawl from the eelgrass bed in Kwangyang Bay. The dominant species were Pholis nebulosa, Syngnathus schlegeli, Leiognathus nuchalis, Pseudoblennius cottoides, Sebastes inermis, Favonigobius gymnauchen, which accounted for 69.9% of the total numbers of fish collected. Fish collected in the study area were primarily small fish species or early juveniles of large fish species. Only about 10% of fishes which were collected in the eelgrass bed exceeded 15cm in standard length. Seasonal variations in both species composition and abundance were major characteristics in the study area. The peak abundance occurred in spring, while the number of species was the highest in fall. However, both the number of species and abundance of fishes showed the lowest values in winter. High species diversity indices were observed in fall. Temperature, eelgrass standing crop and abundance of food organisms influenced seasonal changes of the fish community in the study area. More abundant and more diverse fishes were collected during nighttime than daytime.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Marine Environment & Safety
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• v.19 no.1
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• pp.9-16
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• 2013

The growth and production of Aulichthys japonicus (6.70~15.32 cm TL) were investigated in an eelgrass bed of Dongdae Bay, Korea throughout 2006. A total 888 A. japonicus were collected with a small beam trawl. Growth in fish total length was expressed by the von Bertalanffy's growth equation as: $L_t=24.8257(1-e^{-0.5583(t+0.4816)})$. The densities, biomass, daily, annual production, and P/B ratio were $0.01{\pm}0.009/m^{-2}$, $0.17{\pm}0.16g/m^2$, $0.00006{\pm}0.00006g$ AFDW/$m^2$/day, 0.02g AFDW/$m^2$/yr, and 0.12, respectively. Monthly variation in production of A. japonicus was large; the peak occurred at July, September and November 2006 (0.000182, 0.000127 and 0.000123 g AFDW/$m^2$/day), where as the lowest value was 0.000003g AFDW/$m^2$/day at April and May 2006. Monthly change in production of A. japonicus was positive correlated with number of individuals, biomass and growth rate.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.21 no.4
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• pp.576-583
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• 2011

In the course of study for the development of functional food ingredients from seaweeds having useful biological activities, the in-vitro antioxidant and nitrite scavenging activities of the methanol extracts prepared from 35 different seaweeds (17 phaeophyta, 11 rhodophyta and 7 chlorophyta) were determined. At $500\;{\mu}g/ml$ concentration of the methanol extracts, Ecklonia cava, Ecklonia stolonifera, Eisenia bicyclis (Kjellman) Setchell, Ishige foliacea, I. okamurai, Sargassum confusum, S. fulvellum, S. yamade and Zostera marina showed 60% more DPPH and ABTS scavenging activity. The exceptions were found in I. okamurai and Z. marina, which showed 45% and 53% ABTS scavenging activity, respectively. The correlation coefficient between DPPH and ABTS scavenging activities was 0.855, suggesting that the 9 different seaweeds extracts could scavenge anion and cation radicals concurrently. In reducing power, only E.cava, E.stolonifera and E.bicyclis showed above 0.88 ($Abs_{700}$). In a while, in nitrite scavenging activity at $100\;{\mu}g/ml$ concentration of the methanol extracts, 19 different seaweeds extracts including I. foliacea, I. okamurai, S. confusum, S. fulvellum, and S. yamade showed 60% more activity. Calculation of $IC_{50}s$ of DPPH, ABTS and nitrite scavenging activities of 9 different seaweeds extracts further showed that I. foliacea and S. yamade, besides E.cava, E.stolonifera and E.bicyclis, have strong antioxidant and nitrite scavenging activity. These results suggest that the selected 9 different seaweeds could be developed as functional food ingredients and I. foliacea and S. yamade have potential as novel natural sources of antioxidant and nitrite scavenger.

• Korean Journal of Ichthyology
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• v.9 no.1
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• pp.61-70
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• 1997

The spawning season, growth and feeding habit of tubesnout, Aulichthys japonicus were examined from the samples collected by a small beam trawl in the Zostera marina belt at the coastal water off Hamduck, Cheju Island, from May 1993 to May 1994. Tubesnout was the dominant species of overall 58 species collected in the study area throughout the year. The larvae and juvenile of tubesnout in the frequency distributions of body length began to appear in the Z. marina belt in March, and adults disappeared after May in the following year. The gonad weight index (GWI) and the condition factor (K) were high from November 1993 to January 1994 for males, while females were high from February to May 1994. Although tubesnout is an oviparous fish, males have the urogenital papilla. These results suggest that they were fertilized between November and January, and then males seemed to be died or move into other places. Females were examined to spawn from February to May. The stomach contents of tubesnout were dominated by copepoda smaller than ca. 1mm, Paracalanus, Oithona, Acartia, Oncaea and Harpacticoidae, accounting for 97% of total food items. The feeding habit of tubesnout did not vary by size. The fishes fed on Calanus, Euchaeta and decapoda larvae larger than ca. 3mm in March and April during the spawning season.

• Korean Journal of Ichthyology
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• v.9 no.1
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• pp.48-60
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• 1997

The species composition and seasonal variations of fish community in the Zostera marina belt at the coastal water off Hamduck, northern part of Cheju Island, were analyzed based on day and night samples collected by a small beam trawl from May 1993 to May 1994. The dominant species among the 58 fish species in 35 family were tubesnout, Aulichthys japonicus, gobie, Pterogobius zonoleucus, filefish, Rudarius ercodes, pipefish, Syngnathus schlegeli and sea catfish, Plotosus lineatus. These species comprised 86.1% in the number of individuals and 62% in biomass. The number of individuals and biomass were high between October and December, and low between January and April. About 90% of fishes were noncommercial and small-sized fishes, less than 14cm in total length. The larvae and juvenile fishes were collected in the study area throughout the year. The recruitments of dominant species were related to the seasonal variations of Z. marina utilized as a shelter or feeding ground. A japonicus, P. zonoleucus, Zoarchias glaber and Hexagrammos agrammus recruited between January and June, and R. ercodes, S. schlegeli, P. lineatus and Petroscirtes breviceps between July and December.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Marine Environment & Safety
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• v.20 no.5
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• pp.461-467
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• 2014

The growth and production of Pseudoblennius cottoides (1.80~10.01 cm TL) were investigated in an eelgrass bed of Dongdae Bay, Korea throughout 2006. A total 702 P. cottoides were collected with a small beam trawl. Growth in fish total length was expressed as: $TL=0.0539d^{0.9105}$. The relationships between total length body weight was estimated as $W=0.0079TL^3.1103$. The densities, biomass, daily, annual production, and P/B ratio were $0.06{\pm}0.062/m^2$, $0.10{\pm}0.144g/m^2$, $0.0005{\pm}0.0006g\;AFDW/m^2/day$, $0.1833g\;AFDW/m^2/year$, and 1.813, respectively. Monthly production of P. cottoides were greatly peak in May, July and September (0.0029, 0.0031 and $0.0019g\;AFDW/m^2/day$) when the biomass was high, and the lowest value in December (0.00004g AFDW/m^2/day) when the biomass was low. Monthly change in production of P. cottoides was positively correlated with biomass and temperature.

• Journal of Marine Life Science
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• v.3 no.1
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• pp.31-37
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• 2018

We investigated natural habitat of seagrass and created replacement habitat to monitor for restoration of the habitat which is expected to be damaged at Cheonseong harbor in Busan. Depth of water for natural seagrass habitat at Cheonseong harbor was 1.2~3.1 m and the water temperature was 7.4℃, salt concentration was 29.1 psu and pH was 8.05 in January, 2013. The density of seagrass was 167.1±16.4 shoots m^-2, the total length was 48.5±18.1 cm, the height of sheath was 9.1±2.8 cm and the width of leaf was 4.8±1.1 cm, respectively. We transplanted in December 2014 and monitored the habitat during 9 months after transplanted. In the beginning, the density of seagrass was decreased to 8.5 shoots patch^-1 in January and was increased to 19.0 shoots patch^-1 in April. The total height were 73.3±2.9~121.3±6.1 cm, the length of sheath were 9.6±0.6-21.0±1.2 cm, the width of leaf were 5.7±0.1~6.8±0.2 mm. It showed that all values were increased steadily until July and was decreased rapidly in August. Flowering shoot, which was not observed in the beginning of transplanting, started to be spotted in March and was continued to be seen during the monitoring period. We were able to observe seedling of germinated seagrass in seeds in the replacement habitat next year.