Intertidal Benthic Marine Algae at Chumunjin on the East Coast of Korea: Flora, Distribution and Community Structure

Algae > Volume 12(2); 1997 > Article

Algae 1997;12(2): 117-130.

Young Hwan Kim, Ki Wan Nam, Chul Hyun Sohn

Department of Biology, Chungbuk National University. Department of Marine Biology, Pukyong National University, Department of Aquaculture, Pukyong National University

ABSTRACT

Studies have been made of the species composition and biomass of bentic marine algae at intertidal zone of Chumunjin (37° 54' N, 128° 50' E) on the east coast of Korea. Destructive method was employed to measure biomass as well as coverage over four seasons (1995 - 1996). Of 76 species identified, 10 were Chlorophyta, 22 were Phaeophyta and 44 were Rhodophyta. Biomass per unit area showed maximum in summer (197-794 g dry wt m super(-2), 497 g dry wt m super(-2) in average) and minimum in autumn (65 - 537 g dry wt m super(-2), 272 g dry wt m super(-2) in average). Dominant species in both biomass and cover were Sargassum thunbergii and Corallina pilulifera: the seasonal mean cover of the former ranged from 20 to 23% with the exception of spring (13%); in contrast, the latter exhibited 10-16% of the seasonal mean cover. Besides several algae occupied > 10% seasonal mean cover: Symphyocladia latiuscula (22%) and Sargassum miyabei (11%) in summer, Enteromorpha compressa (10%) in autumn, Prionitis cornea (11%) and Enteromorpha linza (10%) in winter, and Sargassum confusum (11%) in spring. Results of the UPGMA cluster analysis and detrended correspondence analysis ordination of cover data suggest that the vertical distribution of the algae can be divided into two zones. In general, green algae (Ulva pertusa, Enteromorpha compressa) and brown algae (Sargassum thunbergii, S. confusum, S.miyabei, Colpomenia sinuosa) appeared predominantly in the upper shore and, on the other hand, red algae (Corallina pilulifera, Symphyocladia latiuscula, Grateloupia sparsa) in the lower shore. Factors controlling the vertical distribution of marine algal species in this area have been discussed.

Key words: benthic marine algae, biomass, distribution, east coast of Korea, flora, intertidal community