Monitoring of Algal Bloom at Seomjin River Estuary, Southern Coast of Korea

Abstract

This study was conducted at Seomjin River estuary to identify the causative species of algal bloom and their blooming cycles. Field surveys were conducted at 4 stations in every week from April to December of 1999. Thirty species were observed as the causative species of alga bloom. Skeletonema costatum, Thalassiosira sp., and microflagellate spp. (mixed red tide: Chroomonas sp. and two species of Prasinophycea) made algal blooms during the present study period. In addition, toxic algal species of diatom Pseudo-nitzschia multiseries and dinoflagellate Dinophysis acuminatawere observed. The algal blooms were caused by microflagellate spp. in June, Thalassiosira sp. in July and Skeletonema costatum in August. Generally, the algal blooms persisted for about 5 days in this area.