Our study focuses on methodological comparison of plankton community composition in relation to ecological monitoring and assessment with data sampling. Recently, along with the advancement of monitoring techniques, metabarcoding has been widely used in the context of environmental DNA (eDNA). We examine the applicability of eDNA metabarcoding for effective monitoring and assessment of community composition, compared with conventional observation using microscopic identification in a coastal ecosystem, Gwangynag Bay in South Korea. Our analysis is based primarily on two surveys at a total of 15 study sites in early and late summer (June and September) of the year 2018. The results of our study demonstrate the similarity and dissimilarity of biological communities in composition, richness and diversity between eDNA metabarcoding and conventional microscopic identification. It is found that, overall, eDNA metabarcoding appears to provide a wider variety of species composition, while conventional microscopic identification depicts more distinct plankton communities in sites. Finally, we suggest that eDNA metabarcoding is a practically useful method and can be potentially considered as a valuable alternative for biological monitoring and diversity assessments.

In this study, the relationship between hydrological characteristics and phytoplankton biomass (chlorophyll a concentration) was explored using long-term hydrological and limnological data (1994–2007) in a flow-regulated river system (the lower Nakdong River, South Korea). This river has four multi-purpose dams and an estuarine barrage, and river flow is extensively controlled. Dynamics of chlorophyll a concentration responded well to changes in hydrology, such as rainfall, dam discharge and river flow. The hydrological characteristics strongly affected the decrease of chlorophyll a concentration in summer to winter but not in spring (p<0.05; n=42). An application of Self-Organizing Map (SOM) model to the database returned three clusters, and strong seasonality in water quality as well as hydrological characteristics was identified. Long-term rainfall data exhibited no statistical tendencies of increase or decrease, with respect to total annual rainfall. In comparison, summer rainfall increased while that of winter (December to the following February) decreased. Summer rainfall affected total dam discharges in all seasons in a positive manner (p<0.05; n=14), corresponding to winter water quality of the lower Nakdong River likely to be dependent largely upon changes in summer rainfall. Therefore, the development of an effective management strategy for summer rainfall and dam discharge control is strongly required.