Comparison of Diatoms on Trading Ships at Busan New Port and Microalgal Biodiversity in Adjacent Coastal Habitat

Taehee Kim; Jaeyeong Park; Jang-Seu Ki

doi:10.4217/OPR.2026012

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2026 Vol.48 Preview Page

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Comparison of Diatoms on Trading Ships at Busan New Port and Microalgal Biodiversity in Adjacent Coastal Habitat 부산 신항 무역선 부착 규조류 및 인근 연안 서식지의 미세조류 생물다양성 비교

29 April 2026. pp. 1-11

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Abstract

Ship fouling by marine organisms has emerged as a significant ecological issue, as ships function as vectors for the global transport of non-indigenous species. Microalgae play a key role in the initial colonization of ship hulls and provide an important food source for subsequent fouling organisms. They are transported worldwide by ships and can be introduced to domestic coastal waters. In the present study, we investigated three trading ships that entered Busan New Port in summer and four nearby domestic port facilities to determine the possibility of transmission by microalgae transported on the surface of ships. We found that 13 species of microalgae attached to the hull were identified in five genera. The predominant diatoms were Halamphora and Navicula, and the Halamphora was commonly found in the hulls of the surveyed ships. On the other hand, the microalgae in the surrounding ports consisted of 35 species of attached algae and 56 species of planktonic phytoplankton, for a total of 91 species, and were relatively diverse, including diatoms, dinoflagellates, and flagellates. PCA analysis showed that the biota of the attached microalgae on the hull and the dominant attached microalgae in the surrounding port facilities were completely different. These results suggest that the hull-attached algae have different biota from the surrounding environment and have attachment substrate or habitat specificity. Since most of the hull-attached microalgae are diatoms, monitoring of the spread of alien organisms through ships should be conducted focusing on attached diatom communities.

Keywords

Korea

Diatoms

hull fouling

Fe-SEM

morphology

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Information

Publisher :Korea Institute of Ocean Science and Technology
Publisher(Ko) :한국해양과학기술원
Journal Title :Ocean and Polar Research
Journal Title(Ko) :Ocean and Polar Research
Volume : 48
Pages :1-11
Received Date : 2025-12-15
Revised Date : 2026-01-30
Accepted Date : 2026-03-12
Published Date : 2026-04-29
DOI :https://doi.org/10.4217/OPR.2026012

Ocean and Polar Research ISSN:2234-7313(Online) Ocean and Polar Research

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