Ik Kyo Chung

Using marine macroalgae for carbon sequestration: a critical appraisal

There has been a good deal of interest in the potential of marine vegetation as a sink for anthropogenic C emissions (“Blue Carbon”). Marine primary producers contribute at least 50% of the world’s carbon fixation and may account for as much as 71% of all carbon storage. In this paper, we analyse the current rate of harvesting of both commercially grown and wild-grown macroalgae, as well as their capacity for photosynthetically driven CO2 assimilation and growth. We suggest that CO2 acquisition by marine macroalgae can represent a considerable sink for anthropogenic CO2 emissions and that harvesting and appropriate use of macroalgal primary production could play a significant role in C sequestration and amelioration of greenhouse gas emissions.

Application of seaweed cultivation to the bioremediation of nutrient-rich effluent

A seaweed biofilter/production system of being developed to reduce the environmental impact of marine fish farm effluent in coastal ecosystems as a part of an integrated aquaculture system. Several known seaweed taxa and their cultivars have been considered as candidate biofilter organisms based on their species-specific physiological properties such as nutrient uptake kinetics and their economic value. Porphyra is an excellent cadidate and shows efficient nutrient extraction properties. Rates of ammonium uptake were maintained at around 3 at 150 inorganic nitrogen at . Ulva is another possible biofilter candidate with an uptake rate of 1.9 under same conditions. A simple uptake/growth and harvest model was applied to estimate the efficiency of the biofilter/production system. The model was deterministic and used a compartment model structure based on difference equations. The efficiency of Porpyra filter was estimated over 17% of removal from the contimuous supply of 100 flow rate.

Effective molecular examination of eukaryotic plankton species diversity in environmental seawater using environmental PCR, PCR-RFLP, and sequencing

Phytoplankton are primary producers and can be important indicators of environmental change. To monitor the plankton species composition of environmental seawater samples, we developed a molecular method composed of colony polymerase chain reaction (PCR), polymerase chain reaction–restriction fragment length polymorphism (PCR-RFLP), and sequencing. A clone library of the ribosomal small subunit RNA gene (18S rDNA) in the nuclear genome was constructed by environmental PCR using a newly designed primer set and clones were directly amplified by colony PCR. To select unique putative clones, we choose a PCR-RFLP method that employed two restriction enzymes (MseI and Tsp509I). After the PCR-RFLP pattern was evaluated, selected clones were sequenced and analyzed. In this study, we revealed the hidden biodiversity in environmental seawater containing a wide range of taxonomic groups in the Alveolata (Ciliphora and Dinophyceae), Euglenozoa, Stramenopiles (Bacillariophyta), and Viridiplantae (Chlorophyta) without the need to conduct extensive colony isolation techniques. Moreover, we found species of fungi and Metazoa (Arthropoda, Annelida, and Mollusca). Therefore, this improved molecular method can be used to generate a robust database describing the species diversity of environmental samples and provide useful information regarding the dynamics of the eukaryotic plankton community structure.

Community Structure of Benthic Marine Algae at Daejin and Jukbyeon on the Mid-East Coast of Korea

The species composition and variation of benthic marine algae at Daejin and Jukbyeon on the mid-east coast of Korea were investigated seasonally from August 2006 to April 2007. As a result, the total of 85 species, including 8 chlorophytes, 26 phaeophytes, 50 rhodophytes and 1 sea grass were identified. 52 species were found at Daejin and 74 species at Jukbyeon. Dominant species in importance value were Corallina pilulifera, Chondrus ocellatus, melobesioidean algae, Sargassum horneri, Sargassum yezoense and Phyllospadix japonica at Daejin, and Corallina pilulifera, melobesioidean algae, Phyllospadix japonica, Acrosorium polyneurum, Sargassum siliquastrum and Hizikia fusiformis at Jukbyeon, respectively. The vertical distribution of algae were characterized by Corallina pilulifera, Hizikia fusiformis, Sargassum spp. (S. siliquastrum, S. yezoense) and Symphyocladia latiuscula at intertidal zone, Sargassum spp. (S. horneri, S. serratifolium, S. yezoense), melobesioidean algae, Phyllospadix japonica and Corallina pilulifera at 1 m depth, melobesioidean algae, Phyllospadix japonica and Sargassum spp. (S. horneri, S. yezoense) at 5 m depth and melobesioidean algae, Phyllospadix japonica and Sargassum spp. (S. horneri, S. micracanthum, S. yezoense) at 10 m depth.

Photosynthetic activity of benthic diatoms in response to different temperatures

The photosynthetic activities of benthic diatoms in response to temperature changes were assessed by measuring chlorophyll fluorescence kinetics. Small benthic diatom species with large surface area to volume (SA/V) ratios responded to increasing temperature differently from large diatoms, since larger ratios caused lower photosynthetic activity under high-temperature conditions. The small SA/V ratios of large cells may be advantageous in benthic environments under adverse conditions such as high temperature and/or strong light. A size-dependent differential response of benthic diatoms to changes in environmental factors such as temperature may result in an altered distribution of the different diatom communities.

Temporal Variations in Seaweed Biomass in Korean Coasts: Woejodo and Jusamdo, Jeonbuk

해조류는 이산화탄소(CO2)와 태양에너지를 이용하여 광 합성을 하는 해양생태계의 일차생산자로서 어류 또는 무척 추 동물을 포함하여 다양한 해양생물의 먹이와 산란장, 생육 장 및 은신처 등 생태학적으로 중요한 역할을 수행하여 먹이 사슬의 상위생물량을 조절하는 기반을 제공한다(Worm et al. 2000; 김과 최 2004; 이 등 2007; 김과 신 2007). 이외에도, 해조류는 부영양화 해역에서 영양염을 제거하는 생물정화자 로서의 기능(Hemminga et al. 1999)과 부착 동∙식물의 착 생기질로 사용되므로 해양생태계 생물다양성에 지대한 영향 을 준다(McCall et al. 1999). 또한, 해조류는 아가, 알긴산 및 캐러기난과 같은 해조산업의 원료와 식용 및 약용으로 사용 되고 있으며(Tseng 1981; Oh et al. 1990), 최근에는 유가 상 승과 온실가스의 주범인 화석연료를 대체할 바이오에탄올의 원료와 온실가스인 CO2를 제거하는 나무를 대체할 종이의 원료(예, 우뭇가사리)로도 관심을 받고 있다(Bastianoni et al. 2008). 따라서, 해조류의 생태적 기능, 환경정화 기능, 유용 종의 생물량, 바이오연료와 종이원료로서의 가능성 확인 및 해양 생태계의 안정성을 파악하기 위해서는 연안에 서식하 는 해조류의 생물량과 이들을 구성하는 주요종의 실태를 파 Algae Volume 23(4): 335-342, 2008

Temporal Variations of Seaweed Biomass in Korean Coasts: Daejin, Gangwondo

Seaweed biomass was estimated using a nondestructive sampling method in the rocky intertidal and subtidal zone in Daejin on the mid-east coast of Korea from August 2006 to April 2008. Seasonal sampling were done at the depth of 0, 1, 5, 10 m using 50 x 50 cm quadrat. A total of 95 species, including 11 chlorophytes, 26 phaeophytes, 57 rhodophytes and one sea grass were identified. Mean biomass was comprised of 1,292 g wet wt m and the biomass values varied seasonally from 904 g to 1,945 g. Dominant species in biomass were Sargassum spp. (S. horneri, S. yezoense), Corallina pilulifera, Phyllospadix japonica, Symphyocladia latiuscula, Hizikia fusiformis, Codium arabicum and Chondrus ocellatus at Daejin. The vertical distribution of algae were characterized by Corallina pilulifera, Symphyocladia latiuscula, Sargassum spp. (S. confusum, S. yezoense), Hizikia fusiformis and Grateloupia elliptica at intertidal zone, Sargassum spp. (S. fulvellum, S. horneri, S. yezoense), Phyllospadix japonica, Codium arabicum, Undaria pinnatifida and Corallina pilulifera at 1 m depth, Sargassum spp. (S. horneri, S. micracanthum, S. yezoense), Phyllospadix japonica, Grateloupia elliptica, Gelidium amansii and Codium arabicum at 5 m depth and Phyllospadix japonica, Codium arabicum, Sargassum spp. (S. horneri, S. micracanthum, S. yezoense) and Undaria pinnatifida at 10 m depth.

Temporal Variation of Seaweed Biomass in Korean Coasts: Yokjido, Gyeongnam Province

The seasonal variation of marine algal biomass and community were studied with nondestructive sampling and quadrat method during May 2006 to April 2008 in the intertidal and subtidal zone at Yokjido. As result, total 120 species, 13 Chlorophyta, 34 Phaeophyta, 71 Rhodophyta and 2 Spermatophyta were identified in this study. The major species which contributed significantly to the total biomass were Ulva pertusa, Undaria pinnatifida, Ecklonia stolonifera, Sargassum horneri, S. serratifolium, Gelidium amansii and Prionitis cornea. The mean biomass was 235.5 g wet wt m in intertidal, 1,038.9 g wet wt m in 1 m, 1,013.1 g wet wt m in 5 m, and 19.7 g wet wt m in 10 m depths of mean sea level. Seasonal biomass change in intertidal zone, the peak season was in spring, while the lowest was in autumn. The vertical distribution of marine vegetation was characterized by Ulva pertusa - Gelidium divaricatum - Gloiopeltis furcata - Sargassum thunbergii - Hizikia fusiformis at intertidal zone, and Caulerpa okamurae - Gelidium amansii - Chondrus ocellatus - Ecklonia stolonifera - Sargassum horneri - Gracilaria textorii at subtidal zone. These result indicates that the marine algal species and biomass of 1 m and 5 m depths in subtidal zone are greater than intertidal zone, and Ecklonia stolonifera and Sargassum spp. are the dominant species of Yokjido.

Species Composition and Biomass of Intertidal Seaweeds in Chuja Island

The marine benthic algal flora and biomass of Chuja Island, southern coast of Korea, was investigated. The collections of intertidal marine algae were made at two sites, Yecho of Hachujado and Hupo of Sangchujado, from October 2006 to July 2007. A total of 162 species, including 15 green, 47 brown and 100 red algae, were identified in this study. The occurrence of species according to season was abundant during spring to summer and less in autumn. The vertical distribution of intertidal zone in Chujado was characterized by Gloiopeltis spp., Myelophycus simplex, Ishige okamurae, Chondrus ocellatus, Grateloupia elliptica, Hizikia fusiformis and Sargassum spp. The average biomass of macroalgae was measured as 400 g wet wt m. The dominant species based on the biomass were Sargassum yezoense, S. coreanum and Hizikia fusiformis. ESG II (ecological state group) as an opportunistic species, including sheet form, filamentous form, and coarsely branched form, occurred 85.8% in the intertidal seaweeds. These results provide a baseline for future monitoring studies in the Chuja Island.

Development of a seaweed species-selection index for successful culture in a seaweed-based integrated aquaculture system

Integrated multi-trophic aquaculture (IMTA) has been proposed as a concept that combines the cultivation of fed aquaculture species (e.g., finfish/shrimp) with extractive aquaculture species (e.g., shellfish/seaweed). In seaweed-based integrated aquaculture, seaweeds have the capacity to reduce the environmental impact of nitrogen-rich effluents on coastal ecosystems. Thus, selection of optimal species for such aquaculture is of great importance. The present study aimed to develop a seaweed species-selection index for selecting suitable species in seaweed-based integrated aquaculture system. The index was synthesized using available literature-based information, reference data, and physiological seaweed experiments to identify and prioritize the desired species. Undaria pinnatifida, Porphyra yezoensis and Ulva compressa scored the highest according to a seaweed-based integrated aquaculture suitability index (SASI). Seaweed species with the highest scores were adjudged to fit the integrated aquaculture systems. Despite the application of this model limited by local aquaculture environment, it is considered to be a useful tool for selecting seaweed species in IMTA.