Distribution Patterns of the Dominant Macrobenthos and the Benthic Environments on Subtidal Soft-bottom in Chonsu Bay, Korea

Abstract

Dominant species of macrobenthos were analyzed based on differentiation of three distinct methods: the density based method, the biomass based method and LeBris method, by considering the frequency of occurrence using quantitative data collected over 5 years (1993-1998) at 21 stations in Chonsu Bay. Sedimentary environments as well as species composition and diversity showed the spatial and temporal distribution patterns. The ranks of dominant species as determined by the density based method were more similar to the results by the LeBris method than to those from the biomass based method. Considering the temporal variation, LeBris method were more efficient than any other methods for the determination of dominant species in Chonsu Bay. Lumbrineris longifolia, Theora fragilis, and Moerella jedoensis were recognized by all three methods. A one-way analysis of variance indicated spatial distributions patterns among most of the dominant species. These species showed positive correlations to sedimentary parameters such as mean grain size. However, T. fragilis and Paraprinospio pinnata showed the temporal patterns in their distribution, and were also correlated to the benthic environment, organic content and dissolved oxygen. Some dominant species, e.g., T. fragilis, S. scutata, G. gurjanovae proved to be useful benthic indicators based on the environmental variations determinated by long-term benthic ecological monitoring in Chonsu Bay.