본 연구에서는 쏙류의 고밀도 서식 때문에 2008년 이후 피해가 급격히 증가하고 있는 한국 서해안 갯벌의 패류양식장에서 착저 초기에 쏙과 가시이마쏙의 초기 성장, 서식 깊이, 상대성장 특성을 구명하여 물리적 제거 또는 포획에 관한 기초적 생태자료를 확보하고자 하였다. 5월 초순에 갯벌에 착저한 어린 쏙은 8월 이후에 두흉갑장이 10 mm 이상으로 성장하였고, 갯벌에 착저 후 1년 경과 시 두 흉갑장 (CL)과 전장 (TL)이 각각 14.21 mm, 42.28 mm까지 성장하였으며, 주 성장 시기는 4~10월이었다. 당년산 어린 쏙의 서식 깊이는 성장과 더불어 착저 후 약 6개월 경과 시까지 빠르게 증가하였다 (7월 5 cm, 9월 12.5 cm, 11월 28 cm). 어미 쏙 (평균 두흉갑장 28.50 mm)의 연중 서식 깊이는 10~93 cm이었다. 쏙의 두흉갑장 (CL)-전장 (TL), 두흉갑장-습전중량 (TWW) 간 상대성장을 분석한 결과, 두흉갑장 26~35 mm 크기에서는 쏙의 습중량이 천수만 입구의 주교 갯벌에 비해 천수만 내측의 사호리 갯벌에서 1.2~4 g 더 무거운 것으로 예측되었다. 본 연구에서 밝혀진 당년산 어린 쏙의 착저 후 초기 성장과 서식 깊이의 증가 특성으로 볼 때, 어린 쏙이 바지락 양식장 등에 정착하여 피해를 주는 것을 줄이기 위해서는 5~6월경에 쏙의 착저 여부를 주의해서 관찰해야 하며, 다량의 쏙 서식이 확인되면 갯벌 속에 30 cm 보다 얕게 굴을 파고 서식하는 8월부터 12월 사이에 어린 쏙을 제거하기 위한 다양한 노력을 기울일 필요가 있을 것으로 판단된다. 또한 보령지역 어미 쏙의 시기별 평균 서식 깊이 면에서 볼 때 1차 제거 적기는 쏙들이 표층에 가장 가까워지는 3월부터 5월 초순, 2차 적기는 10월 중순부터 12월 초순으로 판단된다. 쏙은 갯벌양식장에서 공간점유와 먹이 경쟁 등 인간의 경제활동에는 부정적인 영향을 주지만, engineering species로서 갯벌에 수많은 구멍을 깊게 뚫어줌으로써 다양한 생태계적 순기능도 수행하고 있으므로 친환경적이며 합리적인 대응 방안을 지속적으로 모색할 필요성이 있을 것으로 판단된다.

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.

In this study, carbon dioxide concentration and air temperature at different elevations were observed and analyzed in the upper atmosphere of mud flat and reed beds at low tide in Suncheon Bay. The carbon dioxide concentration and air temperature sensors were mounted on the drone, and the carbon dioxide concentration and air temperature by altitude (5 m, 10 m, 20 m, 40 m) at five points in the tidal flat and reed beds were observed in the morning and afternoon. The carbon dioxide concentrations in the upper atmosphere of the tidal flat ranged from 453.0 to 460.2 ppm in the morning and 441.6 to 449.7 ppm in the afternoon. The carbon dioxide concentrations in the upper atmosphere of the reed beds ranged from 448.9 to 452.4 ppm in the morning and 446.0 to 454.4 ppm in the afternoon. The carbon dioxide concentrations in the upper atmosphere of the tidal flat was higher in the morning than in the afternoon, and the carbon dioxide concentration decreased as the altitude increased. The carbon dioxide concentration in the upper atmosphere of the reed beds was similar in the morning and afternoon at all altitudes, and the carbon dioxide concentration decreased as the altitude increased. The correlation coefficient between carbon dioxide concentration and air temperature observed in the tidal flat in the morning was -0.54 ~ -0.77, and the correlation coefficient between carbon dioxide concentration and air temperature observed in the afternoon was 0.56 ~ 0.80. The correlation coefficient between carbon dioxide concentration and temperature observed in the morning in the reed field was low, below 0.3, and the correlation coefficient between carbon dioxide concentration and air temperature observed in the afternoon was 0.35 ~ 0.77. In the upper atmosphere of the tidal flats and reed beds, the linear function was suitable for the change of carbon dioxide concentration as a air temperature, and the coefficient of determination of the estimated linear function was higher in the afternoon than in the morning. Through this study, it was confirmed that the carbon dioxide concentration in the upper atmosphere of the tidal flat and the reed beds was different, and the increase rate of carbon dioxide concentration in the upper atmosphere of the tidal flat and the reed beds was higher in the afternoon than in the morning.

Plastics, such as fiber-reinforced plastics (FRP), from vessels, nets, ropes and buoys that are found in marine materials are refined by various factors in the ocean. These microplastics are present in the surface, middle, deep and sedimentary layers of the ocean depending on their physical and chemical properties. In this study, the distribution characteristics of microplastics in mud flats are investigated and their sources are estimated. The highest percentage of microplastics consisted of blue paint fragments, which seemed to be paint from a ship. In addition, many fibrous microplastics were found in the surface layer of the mud flats. These results suggest that low-density fibers are partially retained on the surface of mud flats during high and low tide. The differences in the amount and types of microplastics at the survey sites are considered to be influenced by the surrounding environment, such as fishing vessels and farms.

In this study, we analyze changes in soil heat flux and air temperature in August (summer) and January (winter) according to net radiation, at a mud flat in Hampyeong Bay. Net radiation was observed as -84.2~696.2 W/m2 in August and -79.4~352.5 W/m2 in January. Soil heat flux was observed as -80.7~139.5 Wm-2 in August and -49.09~137 W/m2 in January. Air temperature was observed as 24.2~32.9˚C in August and -1.5~11.1˚C in January. The rate of soil heat flux for net radiation (HG/RN) was 0.17 in August and 0.34 in January. Because the seasonal fluctuation in net radiation was bigger than the soil heat flux, net radiation in August was bigger than in January. We estimated a linear regression function to analyze variations in soil heat flux and air temperature by net radiation. The linear regression function and coefficient of determination for the soil heat flux by net radiation was y=0.19x-7.94, 0.51 in August, and y=0.39x-11.69, 0.81 in January. The time lag of the soil heat flux by net radiation was estimated to be within ten minutes in August 2012 and January 2013. The time lag of air temperature by net radiation was estimated at 160 minutes in August, and 190 minutes in January.