Journal of Environmental Biology

Macrobenthic community at type and age-different artificial reefs located
along the Korean coast of the East Sea

Wan Ki Kim¹, Yong Soo Son¹, Ji Hyun Lee¹, Jeung Pyo Hong¹, Young Seop Kim¹, Jeong Woo Lee² and Qtae Jo^*2

¹Fisheries Resources Management and Enhancement Team, East Sea Fisheries Research Institute, Gangwon - 210-861, Korea
²Aquaculture Research Team, National Fisheries Research and Development Institute, Busan - 619-902, Korea

(Received: February 02, 2007; Revised received: December 14, 2007; Accepted: December 15, 2007)

Abstract: Two types of artificial reefs, one for simple (S-AR), another for complex artificial reef (C-AR), were installed on a Korean coast of the East Sea (Sea of Japan) where a barren ground was progressive. Compared with macrobenthic organisms at NHB (natural hard bottom) control, AR (artificial reef) enhanced seaweed composition, reducing echinoderm composition, mostly sea urchins, the causative animal of the barren ground. Composition of the two mutually exclusive communities was AR type-specific, the C-AR exerting better function over S-AR by enhancing higher seaweed composition. However, this ecosystem-sound composition at C-AR was maintained only within 10 years. Another negative aspect of the AR was an unexpectedly higher composition of tunicates that can be a sign of nutrient-rich environment in the Korean waters. Overall, C-AR was more agreeable when simply based on its function excluding construction cost.

Key words: Artificial reef, Type and age of reefs, Epibenthic macroorganisms, Barren ground, Korean coast

PDF of full length paper is available with author (qtjo@nfrdi.re.kr)

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