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Article

Seasonal and Interannual Variability of Mesozooplankton Community in the Coastal Waters of Dokdo

독도 연안역 중형동물플랑크톤 군집의 계절과 경년 변이특성

Minju Kim1
,
Sun-Hee Lee1
,
Jung-Hoon Kang23*
김 민주1
,
이 선희1
,
강 정훈23*
1Ecological Risk Research Department, Korea Institute of Ocean Science and Technology, Geoje 53201, Korea
2South Sea Research Institute, Korea Institute of Ocean Science and Technology, Geoje 53201, Korea
3Department of Ocean Science, University of Science and Technology, Daejeon 34113, Korea
1한국해양과학기술원 생태위해성연구부 (53201) 경상남도 거제시 장목1길 41
2한국해양과학기술원 남해연구소 (53201) 경상남도 거제시 장목1길 41
3과학기술연합대학원대학교 한국해양과학기술원 스쿨 해양과학 (34113) 대전광역시 유성구 가정로 217
*Corresponding Author
23 March 2026. pp. 1-14
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Abstract

Seasonal and interannual variability of mesozooplankton is closely linked to local hydro-climate conditions, which may be modulated by large-scale climate variability such as the Pacific Decadal Oscillation (PDO). The present study examines the seasonal and interannual dynamics of mesozooplankton in the coastal waters of Dokdo, East Sea, over a three-year period (2018–2020) and across the seasons. We examined species composition, abundance, and diversity in relation to hydroclimatic variables, including PDO, temperature, salinity, and chlorophyll-a concentration (hereafter chl-a). Results showed clear seasonal patterns, with copepods dominating during winter and spring, specifically Paracalanus spp. and Oithona spp. being particularly numerically abundant, summer communities had increased proportions of dinoflagellates Pyrocystis pseudonoctiluca and ctenophores. Fall samples exhibited higher taxonomic diversity with notable presence of gelatinous taxa, including appendicularians. The notable interannual differences in community composition and total abundance were observed, particularly after December 2019, when PDO shifted from a positive to a negative phase. During this period, increases in surface temperature and chl-a concentration coincided with elevated mesozooplankton abundance. Canonical correspondence analysis demonstrated that the observed community patterns were coherently structured along gradients of surface temperature, chl-a, and PDO, supporting the interpretation that seasonal and interannual variability was consistently aligned with concurrent environmental conditions. This study presents field-based evidence of how mesozooplankton communities in the coastal waters of Dokdo vary seasonally and interannually in relation to hydrographic conditions, contributing to a broader understanding of climate variability and its impact on ecosystem changes in this region.

Keywords
mesozooplankton
Dokdo
pacific decadal oscillation
seasonal variability
East Sea
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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 :1-14
  • Received Date : 2025-12-24
  • Revised Date : 2026-01-27
  • Accepted Date : 2026-02-09
  • Published Date : 2026-03-23
  • DOI :https://doi.org/10.4217/OPR.2026006
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