Spatial and temporal changes in algal population in Yongdam reservoir and ecological factors that induced the changes in the size and composition of algal population were investigated by monthly sampling at ten locations in the reservoir. Nutritional state of the reservoir was identified to be phosphorus-limited with nitrogen to phosphorus (N : P) ratio much greater than 17 in most samples. Algal population was dominated by three taxonomic groups, diatoms, chlorophytes and cyanobacteria. Although explosive algal growth was not observed in the summer, algal population showed transition with time of the dominant algal type from diatoms in the winter to cyanobacteria in the summer. Chlorophyta was not the dominant group in the reservoir although they maintained relatively stable number of cells in the reservoir and showed increase in population from March to May. The application of statistical methods revealed that the factors inducing changes in cell number of each group were water temperature for diatoms and cyanobacteria and phosphorus concentration for chlorophyte. Fluctuation of cyanobacterial population was mainly observed near the inlet of tributaries while diatoms showed higher variation inside the reservoir.

Keywords: Algae;Diatoms;Chlorophyta;Cyanobacteria;Artificial reservoir;