The present study was conducted from August to December 2016 in a cylindrical water tank with a diameter of 1 m, a height of 4 m and a capacity of 3,000 L. The field water and sediment from the Nakdong River were also sampled for the experimental culture (field water+sediment) and control culture (field water), respectively. In this study, we aimed to investigate phytoplankton succession pattern using the phytoplankton functional group in the enclosed culture system. A total of 50 species in 27 genera including Chlorophyceae (30 species), Bacillariophyceae (11 species), Cyanophyceae (7 species), and Cryptophyceae (2 species) were identified in the experimental and control culture systems. A total of 19 phytoplankton functional groups (PFGs) were identified, and these groups include B, C, D, F, G, H1, J, K, Lo, M, MP, N, P, S1, TB, W0, X1, X2 and Y. In particular, W0, J and M groups exhibited the marked succession in the experimental culture system with higher biovolumes compared to those of the control culture system, which may be related to the internal cycling of nutrients by sediment in the experimental culture system. The principal component analyses demonstrated that succession patterns in PFG were associated with the main environmental factors such as nutrients (N, P), water temperature and light intensity in two culture systems. In conclusion, the present study showed the potential applicability of the functional group for understanding the adaptation strategies and ecological traits of the phytoplankton succession in the water bodies of Korea.

남조류는 겨울철에 휴면포자의 형태로 퇴적층에서 존재하다가 적합한 환경조건이 되었을 때 다시 영양세포로 전환된다. 이렇게 전환된 영양세포는 성장에 적합한 환경이 되었을 때 대량증식 하게 되어 수체 내에서 우점한다. 이전까지의 국내 대부분의 연구는 수체 내 영양세포의 변동과 환경인자와의 관계 또는 영양세포에 대한 생리생태적 연구부분에 국한되었다. 하지만, 휴면포자에서 영양세포로 진행되는 부분에 대한 연구가 조류대량증식의 궁극적인 기작이 되므로 휴면포자에 대한 연구는 조류의 생활사를 이해하는 데에도 매우 중요하다. 또한 다른 조류들간의 변동 및 천이의 연구를 위해서도 필수적이다.