Young Jae Choi1,, Seung Wook Jung1,, Se Jeong Park1,, Hyung June Kim2, Chang Geun Choi1,
1,Department of Ecological Engineering, Pukyong National University, 45, Yongso-ro, Nam-gu, Busan 48513, Korea
2Department of Taxonomy and Systematics, National Marine Biodiversity Institute of Korea, Seocheon 33662, Korea
Silvetia siliquosa, a marine algae that grows in the intertidal zone, has traditionally been used as food in the southwest coast in Korea, and has recently been used as a health food and as a treatment for adult diseases such as anti-diabetes, hypertension, and antioxidant. However, the habitat has been gradually disappearing in recent years, and the growing area is being lost, and it has been shown that it is hardly found in the coastal areas adjacent to the land. As a result of reviewing 92 references published from 1913 to 2021 in Korea, 179 habitats were reported, of which habitats were investigated except for habitat loss, missing coordinates, or erroneous areas. In addition, the habitat was extensively surveyed through the surrounding area, and the distribution and current status of the habitat were analyzed. For the investigation, a quadrat (50×50 cm) was installed and distribution characteristics (coverage and frequency) and morphological characteristics (length, width, biomass, maturity) were analyzed. As a result of investigating the distribution and habitat status of 40 S. siliquosa habitats identified through literature and surveys, S. siliquosa habitat was confirmed in a total of 2 habitats, and all other habitats were analyzed to have disappeared. The biggest reason for the decrease in S. siliquosa growth is habitat loss due to anthropogenic disturbance or changes in the marine environment. It is necessary to review the potential for habitat conservation and restoration of S. siliquosa, a marine algae with high conservation value, and prepare various countermeasures and action plans.