Characteristics of algal blooms in the southern coastal waters of Korea

We have investigated the characteristics of algal blooms in relation to the marine environment since their first known occurrence in the southern coastal waters of Korea. The algal blooms occurred most frequently in Masan and Jinahe bays, suggesting that they were related to the development of anoxic water masses. Skeletonema costatum, Heterosigma akashiwo and Prorocentrum sp. commonly occurred as the dominant organisms causing the blooms in all regions, although the conditions of their appearance differed from place to place. Algal blooms in all regions were more likely to occur when precipitation ten days prior to the bloom was greater than the long-term mean values. However, the factors that relate to the development of the algal blooms in Gamak Bay differed depending upon the causative species while they were largely identical in Jinhae Bay, regardless of the species.