Abstract

This study was conducted to investigate the effect of shellfish farming on benthic community structure. The characteristics of benthic environment and macrobenthic community were studied at 13 oyster farms in three bays (Gamak, Goseong and Jaran Bay). Sediment samples were collected at the center and edge of each farm and control stations, considering the distance from the facilities. Acid Volatile Sulfide (AVS), Total Organic Carbon (TOC), number of species and macrofaunal density were slightly higher in center stations and decreased with distance from the farms, indicating that shellfish farming had a possibility of making some changes in benthic ecosystem at least directly under the facilities. The dominant species were polychaete Lumbrineris longifolia and Aphelochaeta monilaris, bivalve Theora fragilis and amphipod Sinocorophium sinensis in most of the stations. Especially, Capitella capitata appeared more prominently in some center stations. However, for benthic health index, there were no great differences among stations, which implied that impact of shellfish farming was not so significant as to deteriorate ecological quality of benthic ecosystem.