Seasonal Variations in Species Composition and Biomass of Epiphytic Algal Community in an Eelgrass ( Zostera marina) Bed

A total of 3 epiphytic macroalgae were collected from eelgrass bed in Jindong Bay, and Scytosiphon lomentaria and Colpomenia sp. in Phaephyta, Gracilaria sp. in Rhodophyta occurred during study periods. For epiphytic microalgae (diatoms), Cocconeis scutellum and Cocconeis placentula were common species. Seasonal variations of epiphytic algal biomass were marked: the higher epiphytic macroalgae was 3.3 g DW/㎡ in November 2003, whereas epiphytic diatoms were 43,153 cells/㎡ in June 2003. Diversity and number of epiphytic macroalgae species were the lowest in the study area, compared with those of in other areas such as Kwangyang Bay, Dongdae Bay, and Aenggang Bay. These results were therefore likely due to the severe physical characteristics of the intertidal mudflat, eelgrass biological characteristics, and the deterioration of water quality.