• ALGAE
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• v.22 no.4
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• pp.297-304
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• 2007

This study is intended to clarify the effects of heated effluents on intertidal benthic marine algal community in Korea. The species composition and biomass of marine algae at the discharge canal of Gori nuclear power plant on the southeastern coast of Korea were investigated seasonally from February 2001 to October 2006. As a result, 54 species (7 blue-green, 12 green, 9 brown and 26 red algae) of marine algae were found at the discharge canal during the past six years. In general, the number of species observed was abundant during winter to spring and less in autumn. Enteromorpha compressa, E. intestinalis, E. prolifera and Caulacanthus ustulatus were common species found more than 80% frequency during the study period. Seasonal fluctuations of mean biomass were 1-440 g dry wt m–2 and dominant species in biomass were Enteromorpha spp. (contribution to a total biomass proportion 28%), Sargassum horneri (14%) and Amphiroa beauvoisii (14%). It is evident from the floristic composition and biomass data that unique micro-environment of the discharge canal support different communities from those on the intake or control area. Results from the large numbers of surveys before and during plant operation showed that, in the regions influenced by thermal effluents such as the discharge canal of power plants, the process of ecological succession has been proceeded. It is assumed that the uni-directional water flow and the time of overhaul largely affect the development and succession of benthic marine algal communities of the discharge canal.

• 한국방재학회:학술대회논문집
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• 2007.02a
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• pp.387-390
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• 2007

The mixing characteristics of heated water discharged from different types of effluents are simulated using a commercial software, Flow-3D model. In order to verify the model, the comparison of numerical results with the experimental data are conducted for each type of effluent, the submerged and surface overfall. It is observed that the numerical results show a reasonable agreement with the experimental data. Based on this study the application to the heated water discharge problem in the field can be expected as a further study and it can be the fundamental data when determining the type of effluent in a powerplant.

• ALGAE
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• v.19 no.3
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• pp.257-270
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• 2004

In order to clarify the structure and seasonal dynamics of warm tolerant benthic marine algal community in Korea, the species composition and biomass of marine algae at the discharge canal of Uljin nuclear power plant on the East Coast of Korea were investigated seasonally from February 1992 to October 2000. 107 species of marine algae were found at the discharge canal during the past nine years. In general, the number of species observed was abundant in spring or summer and less in autumn or winter. 27 species (4 blue-green, 5 green, 6 brown and 12 red algae) of marine algae occurred more than 1/ 6 frequency and thus can be categorized as warm tolerant species. Among these, one brown (Dictyota dichotoma) and four red algae (Gelidium amansii, Anphiroa ephedraea, Hydrolithon sargassi, Marginisporum crassissimum) are recorded as warm tolerant marine algae for the first time in Korea. Padina arborescens, Anphiroa zonata and Corallina pilulifera were common species found more than 75% frequency. Seasonal fluctuations of mean biomass were 0-1,330 g dry wt m^(-2) and dominant species in biomass were Corallina pilulifera (contribution to a total biomass proportion 34%), Anphiroa zonata (23%), Padina arborescens (18%) and Sargassum micracanthum (11%). The red algae appeared as predominant algal group at the discharge canal of Uljin nuclear power plant in the qualitative and quantitative aspects. The green algae such as Enterornorpha compressa appeared rather frequently at the discharge canal, but the biomass proportion was very low, in contrast to Kori nuclear power plant where there was definite green algal dominance. Differences in algal communities developed at the discharge canals of Uljin and Kori nuclear power plant on the East Coast of Korea, particularly biomass proportions of green algae, can probably be related to local environmental factors such as water velocity through the canal and natural seawater temperatures.

• ALGAE
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• v.21 no.4
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• pp.453-461
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• 2006

This study is intended to clarify the structure and seasonal dynamics of warm tolerant benthic marine algal community in Korea. The species composition and biomass of marine algae at the discharge canal of Wolseong nuclear power plant on the East Coast of Korea were investigated seasonally from February 2001 to October 2005. As a result, 43 species (6 blue-green, 8 green, 9 brown and 20 red algae) of marine algae were found at the discharge canal during the past five years. In general, the number of species observed was abundant during winter to summer and less in autumn. Lyngbya confervoides and Enteromorpha compressa always occurred at the discharge canal during the past five years, and Oscillatoria brevis, Padina arborescens and Caulacanthus ustulatus were common species found more than 80% frequency during the study period. Seasonal fluctuations of mean biomass were 2-659 g dry wt m–2 and dominant species in biomass were Caulacanthus ustulatus (contribution to a total biomass proportion 37%), Enteromorpha compressa (26%) and Padina arborescens (24%). Results showed that, in the floristic composition, the green algae occurred as common algal group at the discharge canal of Wolseong nuclear power plant. In the quantitative aspect, however, the red algae such as Caulacanthus ustulatus and Ahnfeltiopsis flabelliformis appeared as predominant group at the discharge canal, in contrast to Kori nuclear power plant where there was a definite green algal dominance. Differences in algal communities developed at the discharge canals of three nuclear power plants on the East Coast of Korea can probably be related to local environmental factors.

• ALGAE
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• v.23 no.2
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• pp.151-162
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• 2008

Marine algal flora and community structure were seasonally examined at three sites in the vicinity of the Wolseong nuclear power plant in Korea from February to November 2006. A total of 126 seaweeds including 25 green, 31 brown, 70 red algae, and 1 marine plant were identified. The greatest number of species occurred at Jeonchonri (101 species) followed by intake (88 species) and discharge (29 species) during the study period. Of 126 seaweeds, 76 annuals and 13 warm tolerance species were recorded. Dominant species based on important value (IV > 10) were Ulva pertusa and Enteromorpha linza at intake, U. pertusa and Padina arborescens at discharge, and Sargassum horneri and Corallina pilulifera at Jeonchonri shore. Annual average biomass exhibited a wide range of variations, from 40.67g m-2 in dry weight at discharge to 133.69g m-2 at Jeonchonri. Among six functional groups, dominant group was coarsely-branched form at intake and Jeonchonri, but it was different at discharge site as filamentous form. Seaweed community structures of discharge site were distinguishable in decreasing species richness, biomass, species diversity index (H’), richness index (R), and evenness index (J’). Also, the ratios of green algae, warm tolerance species, annual algae, filamentous form and dominance index (DI) remarkably increased. Such phenomenons of discharge site are usually found under environmentally stressful conditions such as high disturbance. Thus, I can conclude that the heated effluents of nuclear power plant act as environmental stress influencing seaweed community structures and it can be detected with various community indices.

• Korean Journal of Environmental Biology
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• v.17 no.4
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• pp.379-387
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• 1999

During the past several decades, electricity generating plant increased with remarkable rapidity in Korea. Recently the increase has been much more rapid as the rate of industrialization has accelerated. Construction of nuclear power plants in coastal areas inevitably caused the perturbation of critical coastal habitats and thus influenced marine algal species composition. Particularly, an increase in the building of nuclear power plants led the amounts of heat discharged to increase exponentially. As far as the effects of cooling water and thermal discharges are concerned, benthic marine algae are likely to be vulnerable to a discharge. Heated effluents from nuclear power plants, with the temperature rises of 7~12$^{\circ}C$ under normal operating and design conditions, are discharged through the discharge canal and into natural water bodies. It is clear that the characteristic marine algal community is developed in the area affected by the thermal discharges; i.e. low species richness and low species diversity. Nevertheless, it is worthwhile to note that elevated temperatures exert differential effects depending on the algal populations. Benthic marine algae grown at the discharge canal can be regarded as warm tolerant species. 35 species (4 blue-green, 9 green, 8 brown and 14 red algae) of marine algae occurred more than 20eye frequency at discharge canal of three nuclear power plants in the east coast during 1992 ~ 1998 and thus can be categorized as warm tolerant species in Korea. To minimize the ecological impacts of waste heat on benthic marine algae, it is recommended that, in the future, nuclear power plants will have to employ some form of closed-cycle cooling for the condensers.