Spatio-temporal Distributions of Phytoplankton Community in the Coastal Waters of Gogunsan Islands(CoWGIs), West Sea of Korea

Abstract

This study examined the spatio-temporal distributions of the phytoplankton community in the coastal waters of Gogunsan Islands (CoWGIs), West Sea of Korea, from January to September 2011. A total of 104 species of phytoplankton belonging to 56 genera were identified. This was low compared to the surrounding seas of the West Sea. In particular, diatoms and dinoflagellates comprised 60.5% and 34.6%, respectively, and it was most diverse in autumn. The standing crops fluctuated from 9.6 x 10 4 cells/L to 1.0x10 7 cells/L. This was high in winter and summer and low in spring and autumn. The seasonal dominant species were Skeletonema costatum-like species, Thalassiosira nordenskioeldii, Dactyliosolen fragillisimus, and Chaetoceros debilis in winter, Guinardia delicatula in spring, Eucampia zodiacus, Cylindrotheca closterium, Ch. debilis, and Ch. curvisetus in summer, and S. costatum-like species, Ch. debilis, Ch. curvisetus, G. delicatula, and Leptocylindrus danicus in autumn. The total number of autochthonous and tychopelagic species was 39 species. This showed a 1/3 (33.3%) decrease compared to the 1980's. The chlorophyll a concentration fluctuated from 3.82 ㎍/L in autumn to 13.36 ㎍/L in summer.The bio-oceanographic characteristics of the CoWGIs based on principle component analysis (PCA) showed that it was dominated by the Saemangeum water mass in the high temperature season and by the Geum River water mass in the low temperature season. In other words, there has been a conversion to a closed inner bay followed by the dramatic progress of eutrophication, even in the CoWGIs after completion of the Saemangeum embankment.