Temporal Variations in Seaweed Biomass and Coverage in Korean Coasts: Ongdo, Chungnam

Temporal variations of seaweed biomass and coverage were seasonally examined at Ongdo in the Yellow Sea, Korea from August 2006 to April 2008. Average seaweed biomass was 245.79 g/m2 in wet weight and coverage was 16.49% with seasonal variations from 13.97% in spring to 18.55% in autumn. Seaweeds were distributed across the shore gradient from the high intertidal to 10m depth in the subtidal zone. Biomass was always higher in the subtidal zone (310.24 g/m2) than in the intertidal zone (181.35 g/m2). Of total seaweed biomass, 76.52% (first year) and 80.32% (second year) occurred from the low intertidal zone, down to depth of 1 to 5m. Gelidium amansii had the highest importance value and biomass, and subdominant species were Chondrus ocellatus and Chondria crassicaulis. Coarsely-branched seaweeds comprised the highest proportion of biomass (214.84 g/m2, or 87.41% of the total biomss). Seasonal variations in algal biomass were largely explained by fluctuations in the biomass of coarsely-branched and thick-leathery forms. In conclusion, seaweed biomass of Ongdo shore was very low because of perennial G. amansii showing low biomass as compared to kelp or Sargassum spp. However, these results indicate Ongdo is good place to grow seaweeds because coarsely-branched form seaweeds including G. amansii are dominant at unpolluted and clean environment.