The researchers studied the benthic environment and community structure of small organisms in tidal flats in Chung-nam, Korea after an oil spill. They found that the number of species decreased from 2008 to 2010, with different dominant species in each year. By analyzing the similarities between species, they identified two groups in 2008 and five in 2010. They also discovered that sediment type, MZ (Phi), and organic content are important factors affecting the benthic organisms in the area.