Abstract

Ecological characteristics of phytoplankton communities were investigated biweekly at 6 stations from Feb. 2001 to Feb. 2002 at the lower part of the Han River. During the study, a total of 267 taxa which were composed of 114 green algae, 104 diatoms, 22 blue-green algae, 13 chrysophytes and 2 dinoflagellates were observed. The standing crops of phytoplankton communities were ranged from 1.30 ${\times}10^6$ cells ${\cdot}l^{-1}$ to 37.47 ${\times}10^6$ cells ${\cdot}l^{-1}$. The dominant species were 11 taxa including Pediastrum duplex, Scenedesmus quadricauda in green algae, Osillatoria limosa, Microcystis aeruginosa, Merisomorpedia sp., Phormidium sp. in blue-green algae, and Asterionella gracillima, Aulacoseira granulata, Fragilaria crotonensis, Stephanodiscus hantzschii f. tenuis, Synedra acus in diatoms. Asterionella gracillima and Stephanodiscus hantzschii f. tenuis were abundant at every station from winter to spring. Stephanodiscus hantzschii f. tenuis occupied the highest dominant ratio and standing crop. From summer to autumn, dominant species were Aulacoseira granulata at all stations and blue-green algae such as Osillatoria limosa, Microcystis aeruginosa, Merisomorpedia sp. at some stations. These 4 species were mostly present at the lower stations 4, 5, 6 and very few at the upper stations 1, 2, 3.

Keywords

• blooms;
• dominant species;
• Han River;
• phytoplankton communitis;
• standing crops