This paper reports that the heavy metal accumulation in marine seaweeds. Algal samples collected from Korean coast were analyzed to determine the concentrations of Cu, Cd, Cr, Zn and Pb. In general, heavy metals were found to be concentrated in many kinds of Korean seaweeds. The concentration levels of accumulated heavy metals in the marine seaweeds was in the following order: Zn > Cu > Cr > Pb > Cd. The concentrations of the heavy metals in the seawater were the highest in Iyajin harbor. Sargassum horneri, a brown alga accumulated high concentrations of Cu (80.66 µg•g -1 dw) and Cr (31.54 µg•g -1 dw). The high concentrations of heavy metals were accumulated in the brown algae.

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The community structure of benthic marine algae was investigated at Taean Thermal Power Plant and other places around Taean Peninsula, the west coast of Korea. Total of 100 species including 3 Cyanophyta, 14 Chlorophyta, 18 Phaeophyta, and 65 Rhodophyta were identified. The number of species was highest with 78 species at the Power Plant intake, followed by 61 at the discharge, 56 at Bunjeondo, and 50 at Maoe. It was noteworthy that a subtropical species Caulerpa okamurae was collected at the intake in autumn and it was the first observation in the west coast of Korea. The pattern of vertical algal distribution showed Gloiopeltis furcata occurred in the upper intertidal zone, Sargassum thunbergii and Corallina spp. in the middle and lower zone and Enteromorpha spp. in the lower middle zone. These were all dominant species except for Enteromopha spp., which was subdominant species. Other subdominant species were Chondrus ocellatus and Neorhodomela aculeata. The average diversity indices were between 0.70 and 1.20 at each area based on their dry weight. The similarity index was 0.79 between the algal flora of this study and that of 1987, indicating that the condition of the benthic environment remained unchanged since then. This area maintained its environmental quality, so the algal community remained same with similar structure. This study area seemed a suitable place for long term monitoring of the benthic environment where industrial facilities such as a power plant might affect the benthic algal community.

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Algal flora and community structure of benthic marine algae in the subtidal zone, Yeongil Bay area were studied. The number of algal species in the quadrats were identified totally 78: 2 Cyanophyta, 10 Chlorophyta, 19 Phaeophyta, and 47 Rhodophyta. The dominant species based on biomass were Sargassum hornerii, Undaria pinnatifida, and Sargassum thunbergii. Vertical distribution was clear by the representative algae such as, Undaria pinnatifida, Sargassum thunbergii, Sargassum horneri, Corallina spp. in the upper subtidal zone, Undaria pinnatifida, Sargassum horneri, Caulerpa okamurae in the middle zone, and Dictyopteris divaricata in the lower zone.