Environmental Studies in the Lower Part of the Han River -VII. Long Term Variations and Prospect of the Phytoplankton Community

doi:2004.19.4.321

Algae > Volume 19(4); 2004 > Article

Algae 2004;19(4): 321-327. doi: https://doi.org/10.4490/ALGAE.2004.19.4.321

Jin Hwan Lee^* and Seung Won Jung

Division of Natural Sciences, Sangmyung University, Seoul 110-743, Korea

ABSTRACT

The literature review on the dynamics of the phytoplankton communities in terms of species composition, standing crops, abundant species and dominant species in the lower part of the Han River from 1940s to 2000s was conducted for the prospective prediction of their succession patterns. Total of 326 taxa were identified and they belonged to 47 blue-green algae, 139 green algae, 12 euglenoids, 126 diatoms, 6 din flagellates and 2 silicoflagellates. Composition of phytoplankton communities were 83.6% diatoms, 10.5% blue-green algae and 5.3% green algae in the middle of 1960s, whereas those were 43.2% diatoms, 40.7% green algae and 13.6% blue-green algae in the 1990s. Before 1990s, Synedra ulna, Melosira varians, Cymbella tumida, Synedra acus, Cymbella ventricosa, Navicula cryptocephala, Nitzschia palea, Aulacoseira granulata, Gomphonema parvulum and Cymbella affinis were most frequent, while those after 1990 were Asterionella formosa, Asterionella gracillima, Aulacoseira granulate, Aulacoseira granulata var. angustissima, Chlorella vulgare, Fragilaria crotonensis and Synedra ulna. Phytoplankton blooms were frequent from winter to the late spring and rare in summer due to heavy rain and discharge. Seasonal variations of the dominant species were fairly obvious; Asterionella gracillima and Aulacoseira granulata in spring, Aulacoseira granulate and Aulacoseira granulate var. angustissima in summer and autumn, Asterionella gracillima and Stephan discus hantzschii in winter. Recently blue-green algae, Microcystis, Aphanocapsa, Dactylococcopsis have been more abundant than those of the previous reports. Based on the current situations, Stephan discus hantzschii f. tennis, Asterionella gracillima, Aulacoseira granulate and blue-green algae will be more abundant and blooms of those species will be more frequent.

Key words: blooms; dominant species; Han River; long-term; phytoplankton; prospect; variations