Effects of hypoxia on benthic eggs of calanoid copepods in the Southern Sea of Korea

Global warming is affecting the composition, structure, and function of marine ecosystems. The increase in hypoxic regions due to stratification a major environmental problem worldwide. Off southern coast Korea, hypoxia occurs frequently summer, area water affected gradually expanding. In this study, we investigated effects on eggs copepods order Calanoida. Data distribution abundance benthic sediments were collected from 17 stations, using piston core sampler (64 mm internal diameter, 50 cm length), August 1 7, 2012. Significant variations calanoid occurrence abnormalities egg development found between stations. ranged 0.004 2.389 × 10 6 eggs·m −2 , with higher abundances identified than normoxic areas. proportion abnormal 0 92.7%. particular, there significantly more normal areas where occurred ( p < 0.01). These results show that can have lethal effect further affect population community dynamics.