A comparison of marine invertebrate assemblages on the eastern coast of Korea and in the Dokdo

Abstract

Island ecology is an important subject to understand evolutionary biology and biogeography. A comparative study of marine invertebrate assemblages on the eastern coast of Korea and in the Dokdo were investigated in September 2015. We have selected five different stations in the Dokdo and three stations on the eastern coast of Korea to compare patterns of benthic invertebrate species assemblages over geographical scales. Total 817 individuals belonging to 55 taxa were collected in the Dokdo whereas 463 individuals belonging to 45 taxa were sampled on the east coast of Korea. The benthic invertebrate species assemblage compositions were signigicantly different between two regions. The most abundant and widely distributed species was sessile species in both region indicating as Amphibalanus amphitrite on the eastern coast of Korea and Chthamalus challengeri in the Dokdo. This indicate that the geographical environmental characteristics such as sea-water currents and sea-water temperature might determine the spatial variation of benthic invertebrate assemblages from both regions.elected five different stations in the Dokdo and three stations on the eastern coast of Korea to compare patterns of benthic invertebrate species assemblages over geographical scales. Total 817 individuals belonging to 55 taxa were collected in the Dokdo whereas 463 individuals belonging to 45 taxa were sampled on the east coast of Korea. The benthic invertebrate species assemblage compositions were signigicantly different between two regions. The most abundant and widely distributed species was sessile species in both region indicating as Amphibalanus amphitrite on the eastern coast of Korea and Chthamalus challengeri in the Dokdo. This indicate that the geographical environmental characteristics such as sea-water currents and sea-water temperature might determine the spatial variation of benthic invertebrate assemblages from both regions.