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Distribution and Characteristics of Swimming Crab Larvae, Portunus trituberculatus, Miers, 1876: An Integrated Perspective of the Linkage of Climate, Environment, Physiology, and Development in the Yellow Sea, South Korea

서해 꽃게 유생의 분포와 특성: 기후·환경·생리·발달의 연계 관점에서

SUN HEE LEE1
,
HYEON KIM23
,
YANG-JAE IM4
,
HYEMIN KIM23
,
MINJU KIM5
,
JEONG WON KANG6
,
JUNG-HOON KANG78*
이 선희1
,
김 현23
,
임 양재4
,
김 혜민23
,
김 민주5
,
강 정원6
,
강 정훈78*
1Post Doctoral Scientist, Ecological Risk Research Department, Korea Institute of Ocean Science and Technology, Geoje 53201, Korea
2UST Student, Ecological Risk Research Department, Korea Institute of Ocean Science & Technology, Geoje 53201, Korea
3Integrated M.S.-Ph.D Student, Department of Ocean Science, University of Science and Technology, Daejeon 34113, Korea
4Research Professor, Ocean & Fishery Science Institute, Kongju National University, Yesan-gun, Chungcheongnam-do 32439, Korea
5Full-time Research Specialist, Ecological Risk Research Department, Korea Institute of Ocean Science and Technology, Geoje 53201, Korea
6Principal Research Scientist, Sea Power Reinforcement·Security Research Department, Korea Institute of Ocean Science and Technology, Busan 49111, Korea
7UST Professor, Department of Ocean Science, University of Science and Technology, Daejeon 34113, Korea
8Principal Research Scientist, South Sea Research Institute, Korea Institute of Ocean Science and Technology, Geoje 53201, Korea
1한국해양과학기술원 생태위해성연구부 연수연구원
2한국해양과학기술원 생태위해성연구부 UST 학생연구원
3과학기술연합대학원대학교 한국해양과학기술원 스쿨 해양과학전공 대학원생
4국립공주대학교 해양수산과학연구소 연구교수
5한국해양과학기술원 생태위해성연구부 전임기술원
6한국해양과학기술원 해양력 강화·방위연구부 책임연구원
7과학기술연합대학원대학교 한국해양과학기술원 스쿨 해양과학전공 교수
8한국해양과학기술원 남해연구소 책임연구원
*Corresponding Author
31 August 2026. pp. 90-103
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Abstract

This study presents an integrated interpretation of the larval development of the swimming crab (Portunus trituberculatus Miers, 1876) by linking field observations of crab larvae [zoeae (Zoea I–IV) and megalopa]. With climate-driven environmental change, understanding the relationships between larval distribution and environmental conditions provides a scientific basis for elucidating early-life survival and recruitment processes. Previous studies have mainly reported seasonal variation in larval stage composition, while the relationships between environmental factors and larval distribution have yet to be fully understood. We propose that larval occurrence and developmental stage composition may reflect by varied physiological responses to environmental conditions, particularly related to increase temperature. We mainly concern that seawater warming during the spawning and larval occurrence period may influence larval development and physiology, leading to changes in stage composition, size structure and ontogenetic patterns. This perspective provides a scientific basis for understanding recruitment processes of the swimming crab and contribute to future studies on population dynamics, ecosystem responses to climate-induced change, and further ecological-based fisheries management in the Yellow Sea, South Korea.

Keywords
Phenology
Portunus trituberculatus
Thermal stress
Larval development
Recruitment variability

본 연구에서는 서해(Yellow Sea)에서 채집된 꽃게(Portunus trituberculatus, Miers, 1876)유생[조에아 유생(Zoea I–IV)과 메갈로파(Megalopa)]의 현장 자료를 토대로 발달 과정과 수온을 연계한 환경 변화 간의 연관성을 예비적으로 평가하였다. 꽃게 유생의 분포 특성과 환경요인 간의 관계 규명은 초기 생활사의 생존과 가입 과정을 이해하고 개체군 변동 연구에 과학적 기반을 마련하여, 장기적인 생태계 모니터링과 수산자원 관리에 필요한 자료로 활용될 수 있다. 기존 연구에서는 환경요인과 꽃게 유생의 분포 특성 간의 관계보다, 주로 발달 단계별 조성이 시기별로 크게 달랐음이 반복 보고되었다. 이에 본 연구에서는 꽃게 유생의 출현 양상과 발달 단계 조성이 환경 변화에 따른 생리적 반응에 의해 달라질 수 있음을 제시하고, 기후 환경 변화와 생리·발달을 연결하는 관점에서 꽃게 유생의 발달 과정을 재해석하였다. 특히, 수온 상승이 유생의 발달 속도와 단계별 조성 및 생존 과정에 영향을 미칠 가능성을 논의하였다. 본 연구는 서해에서 기후변화에 따른 해양환경에서 꽃게 초기 생활사의 생태적 특성을 이해하고, 향후 개체군 변동 이해와 자원관리를 위한 연구에 기초 자료로 활용될 수 있다.

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Information
  • Publisher :The Korean Society of Oceanography
  • Publisher(Ko) :한국해양학회
  • Journal Title :The Sea Journal of the Korean Society of Oceanography
  • Journal Title(Ko) :한국해양학회지 바다
  • Volume : 31
  • No :2
  • Pages :90-103
  • Received Date : 2026-07-09
  • Revised Date : 2026-07-15
  • Accepted Date : 2026-08-27
  • DOI :https://doi.org/10.7850/jkso.2026.31.2.090
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