Diatom Species Occurring in Coastal Waters of Korea in the Winter Season: Towards a Biogeographic Perspective

Abstract

Diatoms from 114 sites from the coastal waters of Korea peninsula (focused on South Korea) were examined during the winter season to determine their biogeographic distribution. A total of 197 taxa (87.5% of total species) and mean abundance of 2.89 x 105 cells L-1 (95.1% of total abundance) were recorded for the entire study area. The number of species in the Yellow, South, and East Sea was 100, 110 and 143, respectively, and the corresponding mean abundance was 2.31 x 105 cells L-1, 5.56 x 105 cells L-1, and 0.33 x 105 cells L-1. In particular, diatoms in the East Sea presented the maximum taxa, but minimum abundance. The number of diatom species common to all sites was 28, at a mean proportion of over 1%. The predominant species for each sea were Paralia sulcata and Skeletonema dornii-marinoi complex in the Yellow Sea, Thalassiosira nordenskioldii, S. dornii-marinoi complex, and Eucampia zodiacus in the South Sea, and T. nordenskioldii and S. dornii-marinoi complex in the East Sea. Floristic associations were examined by cluster analyses and the results allowed for seven main groups of sites. The diatom community in the Yellow Sea showed up as one group, but in the South and East Sea, it was divided into two and four groups, respectively. The present results put forth the first estimates of the dynamics of diatoms numbers, diversity, and different phytoplankton species that occur in Korean coastal waters during the of 2.89 x 105 cells L-1 (95.1% of total abundance) were recorded for the entire study area. The number of species in the Yellow, South, and East Sea was 100, 110 and 143, respectively, and the corresponding mean abundance was 2.31 x 105 cells L-1, 5.56 x 105 cells L-1, and 0.33 x 105 cells L-1. In particular, diatoms in the East Sea presented the maximum taxa, but minimum abundance. The number of diatom species common to all sites was 28, at a mean proportion of over 1%. The predominant species for each sea were Paralia sulcata and Skeletonema dornii-marinoi complex in the Yellow Sea, Thalassiosira nordenskioldii, S. dornii-marinoi complex, and Eucampia zodiacus in the South Sea, and T. nordenskioldii and S. dornii-marinoi complex in the East Sea. Floristic associations were examined by cluster analyses and the results allowed for seven main groups of sites. The diatom community in the Yellow Sea showed up as one group, but in the South and East Sea, it was divided into two and four groups, respectively. The present results put forth the first estimates of the dynamics of diatoms numbers, diversity, and different phytoplankton species that occur in Korean coastal waters during th