Effects of Thermal Effluents from Wolseong Nuclear Power Plant on Macroalgal Composition and Community Structure

doi:2008.23.2.151

Algae > Volume 23(2); 2008 > Article

Algae 2008;23(2): 151-162. doi: https://doi.org/10.4490/algae.2008.23.2.151

Han Gil Choi^*

Faculty of Biological Science and Research Institute for Basic Science, Wonkwang University, Iksan, Jeonbuk 570-749, Korea

*Corresponding Author

Email: hgchoi@wku.ac.kr

ABSTRACT

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.

Key words: algal flora, biomass, community, diversity, dominant species, functional form