Daemadeung, located in the estuary of the Nakdong River, is formed by sand dunes and possesses well-developed intertidal flats. This study aimed to investigate the habitat of benthic microalgae, photosynthetic pigments, and photosynthetic efficiency in the intertidal flats of Daemadeung from January to December 2011. The inorganic nitrogen content in the sediment pore water was primarily composed of ammonium, while nitrate+nitrite was dominant in the upper layer water. The concentration of chlorophyll a and fucoxanthin in the sediment surface was significantly higher than the mean of all the sediment layer. The average Fv/Fm of benthic microalgae during the entire survey period was 0.52±0.03, with the highest value (0.61±0.08) observed in February. The rETRmax showed a seasonal trend, being high from spring to early autumn (April to October) and low from winter to early spring (January to March, November, December), with the highest value (153.05±2.30 μmol electrons m-2 s-1) in July and the lowest (38.49±5.17 μmol electrons m-2 s-1) in January. The average Fv/Fm of diurnal microalgae was 0.48±0.03, with the highest value (0.61±0.08) observed at noon. The rETRmax showed a highest peak at noon (54.24±11.35 μmol electrons m-2 s-1) and reached its lowest point at 16:00 (26.17±4.75 μmol electrons m-2 s-1). These findings suggest that the productivity of benthic microalgae varies significantly depending on the survey time and sediment depth. Therefore, to quantify the productivity of benthic microalgae using Diving-PAM, surveys should be conducted based on tidal conditions, and simultaneous pigment analysis of sediment layers should also be performed.

In order to reconstruct a benthic foodweb structure and assess the role of benthic microalgaes as a diet source for benthos, we analyzed the carbon and nitrogen stable isotopes of diverse benthos (bivalves, crustaceans, gastropods and fishes) and potential diets (particulate organic matter, sedimentary organic matter, benthic microalgae, seagrass, and macroalgaes) in the intertidal mudflat surrounding Yeongheung Island. The δ13C values of the diets indicated wide ranges (- 26.5‰ to - 8.4‰) while benthos showed a small range of δ13C values (-12.1‰ to - 17.8‰), although they were in the same range. Except for green algaes among the macroalgaes as well as sedimentary organic matter, δ15N values of the diet candidates (5.7±1.0‰) were lighter in comparison to those of the benthos (11.8±1.9‰). Based on the δ13C and δ15N data, the benthos were classified into 3 groups, indicating a different diet and trophic position. But benthic microalgae is the most important diet source for all three benthos groups based on their stable isotope ratios, suggesting benthic microalgae should be a main diet to the intertidal ecosystem. Hence this study highlights that the biomass of benthic microalgae as biological resource should be evaluated for the management of the intertidal ecosystem of Yeongheung Island.

한국 태안군 정산포와 황도 갯벌에서 저서미세조류의 종조성과 생물량의 계절적 변화가 바지락 생장과 연관성이 있는지를 파악하기 위하여 2012년 2월부터 11월까지 계절별로 조사되었다. 연구기간 동안 저서미세조류는 총 122종이 관찰되었으며, 정산포에서 85종(계절별 30-45종), 황도에서는 92종(32-57종)이었다. 연평균 엽록소 a 의 농도는 정산포에서 79.75 ㎎/㎡였고 황도에서 151.50 ㎎/㎡였다. 갯벌 퇴적물에서 서식하는 저서미세조류의 연평균 세포수는 정산포에서 13,255 cells/㎠이었고 황도에서 15,943 cells/㎠였다. 정산포에서 Cylindrotheca closterium, Gyrosigma sp.와 Navicula sp.가 우점하였고 황도에서는 Amphora sp.1., C. closterium, Detonula pumila, Navicula sp.와 Merismopedia sp.였다. 또한, 두 연구정점에서 최대의 세포수를 나타낸 종은 Paralia sulcata였다. 정산포 바지락의 소화기관에서는 계절별로 18-31종의 미세조류가 분류되었으며, 황도 바지락 소화기관에서는 19-25종의 미세조류가 동정되었고 P. sulcata는 모든 계절에 바지락 소화기관에서 확인되었다. 바지락의 연평균 비만도는 정산포에서 연평균 0.42로 황도의 0.57에 비해 0.15가 낮았다. 결과적으로 바지락의 먹이원인 저서미세조류의 풍도와 엽록소 a 의 농도는 바지락 생장과 밀접한 관련이 있음을 확인하였다.

The effects of substrate size on the growth of microphytobenthos Achnanthes sp., Amphora sp., Navicula sp. and Nitzschia sp. were examined using glass beads in order for phytoremediation in the benthic layer of coastal waters. The glass beads used in this study were 0.09～0.15 mm (G.B 1), 0.25～0.50 mm (G.B 2), 0.75～1.00 mm (G.B 3) and 1.25～1.65 mm (G.B 4). No addition of glass bead used as control. The specific growth rate and maximum cell density of four microphytobenthos species were increasing with decreasing size of glass beads. Moreover, the control experiment without added attachment substrates showed the lowest specific growth rate and maximum cell density. Therefore, the suitable attachment substrates for mass culture of microphytobenthos seems to be important in order for phytoremediation using microphytobenthos.

Effects of physico-chemical factors on the zonation and vertical distribution of benthic microalgal communities in the tidal flats of Youngkwang and Gangjin, Korea, were studied. Concentrations of nutrients were low throughout the study period. A 38 species of benthic microalgae was identified. Most of the algae were pennate diatoms with small size. Cell numbers at silty sediments were higher than sandy sediments, and showed high patchy distribution. Zonal distributions of benthic microalgae showed higher variation from silty sediment than sandy sediments. Benthic microalgae showed vertical migration within the upper few mm of sediment with periodicity closely related to tidal cycles. Maximum cells were observed from 0 mm depth both sandy and silty sediments. Cells of benthic microalgae in the 1 - 2 mm depth decreased after desiccation of sediments. The variation of cells was higher at sandy sediments than silty sediments. Cell numbers of benthic microalgae showed no positive relationships with pH and nutrinets except NH4-N.