감태 (Ecklonia cava)는 다년생 대형갈조류로써 활용성이 매우 높은 것으로 알려졌다. 이 연구는 감태의 대량 생산을 위한 실내 배양 조건 확립을 위해서 계절과 질소원 종류에 따른 감태 포자체의 생장과 생화학적 반응을 조사하였다. 제주도 서귀포 해역에 생육하는 감태를 계절별로 채집하여 계절별 수온조건 (봄 17°C, 여름 25°C, 가을 21°C 와 겨울 15°C)과 4가지 영양염 조건 [대조구 (control), 100 μM NH4 +를 넣은 실험구 (NH), 100 μM NO3 -를 추가한 실험구 (NO), 50 μM NH4 +와 50 μM NO3 -를 함께 넣은 실험구 (NHNO)]에서 배양하여 엽체의 생체량과 면적 변화에 따른 생장률, 질산환원효소 활성도와 광합성 색소 함량을 조사하였다. 감태의 생장은 뚜렷한 계절 변화를 나타냈고, 무게와 면적과의 상관성은 계절별로 차이를 보였다. 무게와 면적의 일일생장률은 겨울에 최고 값 (5.8±0.5와 6.6± 0.5% day-1)을 보였고, 여름에 최저값 (2.2±0.2와 3.0± 0.3% day-1)을 나타냈다. 엽체의 일일생장률은 NH와 NO 실험구에서 가장 높았으며 NHNO 실험구에서 중간 값 그리고 대조구에서 가장 낮은 값을 보였다. 감태의 질산환원 효소 활성도는 계절적으로 유의한 차이를 나타났으며, 대조구에서 가장 높고 (1.32±0.10 μmol NO2 - g-1 dry weight h-1), NH 실험구에서 가장 낮았다 (0.25±0.02 μmol NO2 - g-1 dry weight h-1). 엽체 내 광합성 색소의 함량은 대조구에서 가장 낮고 NHNO 실험구에서 가장 높았다. 본 연구 결과는 감태 배양을 위한 배양액을 제작 시, 단일 종류의 질소원으로 제작하는 것이 생장률을 향상시킨다는 것을 보여주었으며, 실내배양에 따른 최적 질소원 종류를 결정하는 데 중요한 기초자료를 제공할 것이다.

Seagrasses, sea flowering plants, comprise approximately 60 species globally and are often called ‘ecosystem engineers’ because they create their own habitats by modifying the surrounding environments, which provide coastal zones with a number of crucial ecosystem services. Zostera marina (the common name ‘eelgrass’) is one of the seagrass beds-forming species distributed widely in northern hemisphere including the Korean coast, which plays a pivotal role in ecosystem as a primary producer and a nursery habitat or refuge for other marine organisms. However, due to global climate change and anthropogenic activities such as reclamation and dredging, there has recently been a drastic decline in population sizes of Z. marina in Korea. In order to develop effective conservation and restoration management programs of Z. marina populations, it would be helpful to consider all biological aspects of this species such as genetic characteristics as well as ecological and physiological features. This study first provides information on genetic diversity and genetic structure of Jeju Island and Namhae populations of Z. marina, which will contribute to the establishment of appropriate conservation and restoration management plans for future persistence of this species. Using six microsatellite markers, we investigated the level of genetic diversity and genetic structure among 10 geographic populations of Z. marina inhabiting Jeju Island (Hamdeok, Tokki-seom, Sungsan, Woljeong, Ojo) and Namhae (Gamak bay, Jindong bay, Nampo, Anggang bay, Geoje) on the southern coast of Korea. The level of genetic diversity within Jeju populations (mean allelic richness [AR]: 1.57 ~ 3.09) was found to be significantly lower than Namhae populations (AR: 3.09 ~ 4.29) (Mann-Whitney U-test, P < 0.05). These findings suggest that effective population sizes (Ne) of Jeju populations are generally smaller than those of Namehae populations. Within Jeju Island, Hamdeok population had the smallest population size (coverage: 138 m2) and the lowest genetic diversity (AR: 1.57), while Ojo population had the largest population size (coverage: 275,736 m2) and the greatest level of genetic diversity (AR: 3.09). Hamdeok population showed evidence of genetic bottleneck. These results again suggest that Ne of Jeju populations is generally low (except Ojo population). Among Jeju populations, all pair-wise comparisons of FST values (i.e., degree of genetic differentiation) were highly significant (FST = 0.0612 ~ 0.7168, P < 0.001) despite Jeju populations that were geographically closely located, indicating that these local populations are genetically divergent, probably due to a lack of gene flow among the populations. The observed strong population structure was substantiated by evidence that five genetic clusters are most likely, based on population assignment test (STRUCTURE). The Mantel test showed a positive relationship between genetic distance (FST) and geographic distance (km) across all the populations sampled (R2 = 0.4118, P < 0.05), suggesting that our data follow Isolation By Distance (IBD) model. Woljeong population revealed the highest level of FST values compared to other populations within Jeju Island in IBD. STRUCTURE and factorial correspondence analysis (FCA) further showed that some Woljeong individuals included genotypes of Namhae populations. Population size of Woljeong (coverage: 310m2) was approximately 50 % smaller than that of Sungsan (coverage: 841m2); however, extent of its genetic diversity (AR: 2.39) was even higher than that of Sungsan population (AR: 1.77). We speculated that Woljeong population underwent a transplantation from Namhae populations with relatively higher level of genetic diversity. FST values within Namhae populations were relatively lower (compared to within Jeju Island) despite the populations that were geographically more distant. It means that level of gene flow is higher among Namhae populations than among Jeju populations. Z. marina is known to have different life histories by water depth. In subtidal zone (deep water depth) populations predominantly undertake sexual reproduction through seeds such as annual life history, whereas those of intertidal zone (shallow water depth) undertake both sexual and asexual reproductions through horizontal rhizomes i.e., perennial life history. STRUCTURE analysis showed no clear differences between shallow and deep populations at Namhae, but some FST values were statistically significantly different despite their low values. For Geoje population sampled in 2005, intertidal and subtidal populations were not significantly different (FST = 0.0045, P = 0.033), but these populations sampled in 2015 showed a significant difference (FST = 0.0328, P < 0.001). It means that genetic structure of Geoje has been changed over the 10 year period between shallow and deep populations. Overall, the Jeju and Namehae populations analyzed in the current study have relatively low levels of genetic diversity and distinct genetic compositions, which warns the message that this ecologically important species should be conserved separately in the local populations and with high priority. We propose that future conservation and restoration plans for seagrasses should consider genetic characteristics particularly because a close relationship between genetic diversity and ecological performance in marine species has been well documented.

본 연구는 거제한산만에 서식하는 대형저서동물의 군집구조와 건강도를 평가하는데 목적이 있다. 대형저서동물의 채집을 위한 현장조사는 2013년 5월(이하 춘계)과 8월(이하 하계)에 실시하였다. 거제한산만에서는 총 300종 7.6 m-2과 75,760개체(1,994개체 m-2)의 대형저서동물이 출현하였고, 다모류가 110종과 49,955개체(1,315개체 m-2)의 밀도를 나타내 가장 우점하는 생물이었다. 거제한산만의 주요 우점종은 다모류의 긴자락송곳갯지렁이(Lumbrineris longifolia, 299±164개체 m-2), Aphelochaeta monilaris(100±57개체 m-2), 이매패류의 종밋(Musculista senhousia, 91±96개체 m-2) 및 다모류의 꼬리대나무갯지렁이(Praxillella affinis, 80±696개체 m-2)등이었다. 출현 종과 개체수의 자료를 근거로 대형저서동물의 군집구조를 파악한 결과, 대형저서동물 군집은 크게 내만역(산달도 인근 양식어장) 정점군과 수로역(한산도에서 추봉도 해역) 정점군으로 대별되었다. 거제한산만의 건강도를 평가한 결과, 수로역의 정점군과 비교해 내만역에 위치한 산달도 인근 양식어장 정점군에서 환경질이 상대적으로 불량하였다. 또한 3개의 생물 평가지수(다양도 지수, M-AMBI 지수 및 환경보전도지수)는 AMBI 지수와 비교해 상대적으로 효율적인 지수임을 알 수 있었다.

In this study, we investigated the effect of geographical variations on Sargassum thunbergii morphology to make a taxonomic reconsideration about infraspecific taxa in this species. In order to examine the morphological characteristics of S. thunbergii, total 27 matured and morphologically intact thalli were collected from the east, west and south coast in spring 2011. Interestingly, it was observed that the species populations on the west coast were characterized by short, thin and coarse thallus, and soft texture. However, the populations on the east coast showed thicker thallus, larger leaf and vesicle, and tougher texture. Thallus height of S. thunbergii was found to be similar at both east and west coast. Further, the height of the thallus and lateral branch of the species populations residing south coast were highest whereas the size of leaf and vesicle are shortest, in comparison with east and west coast species. Although morphological characteristics of the north east coast populations corresponded to the original description of S. thunbergii f. latifolium, we could not find exact morphological features and diagnostic characters to distinguish form in S. thunbergii. These results indicated that it is not the optimal characteristics to identify infraspecific form in this species. In contrast, morphological variations may signify the adaptation of this species to local environmental factors. Thus, we recommend that intraspecific morphological variation of S. thunbergii should be carefully used to identify infraspecific taxa.