1. The mosaic of habitats of the Seine estuary: Insights from food-web modelling and network analysis
- Author
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Samuele Tecchio, Aurélie Chaalali, Jérémy Lobry, Jean-Claude Dauvin, Nathalie Niquil, Marie Cachera, Géraldine Lassalle, Nicolas Bacq, Armonie Tous Rius, Jocelyne Morin, Maria Ching Villanueva, Biologie des Organismes et Ecosystèmes Aquatiques (BOREA), Université de Caen Normandie (UNICAEN), Normandie Université (NU)-Normandie Université (NU)-Muséum national d'Histoire naturelle (MNHN)-Institut de Recherche pour le Développement (IRD)-Sorbonne Université (SU)-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS)-Université des Antilles (UA), Morphodynamique Continentale et Côtière (M2C), Normandie Université (NU)-Normandie Université (NU)-Institut national des sciences de l'Univers (INSU - CNRS)-Université de Rouen Normandie (UNIROUEN), Normandie Université (NU)-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS), Écologie et Modèles pour l'Halieutique (IFREMER EMH), Institut Français de Recherche pour l'Exploitation de la Mer - Atlantique (IFREMER Atlantique), Institut Français de Recherche pour l'Exploitation de la Mer (IFREMER)-Institut Français de Recherche pour l'Exploitation de la Mer (IFREMER), UMR 5805 Environnements et Paléoenvironnements Océaniques et Continentaux (EPOC), Observatoire aquitain des sciences de l'univers (OASU), Université Sciences et Technologies - Bordeaux 1-Institut national des sciences de l'Univers (INSU - CNRS)-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS)-Université Sciences et Technologies - Bordeaux 1-Institut national des sciences de l'Univers (INSU - CNRS)-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS)-École pratique des hautes études (EPHE), Université Paris sciences et lettres (PSL)-Université Paris sciences et lettres (PSL)-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS), Institut Français de Recherche pour l'Exploitation de la Mer - Brest (IFREMER Centre de Bretagne), Institut Français de Recherche pour l'Exploitation de la Mer (IFREMER), Groupement d’Intérêt Public Seine-Aval (GIP-Seine-Aval), Université de Bordeaux (UB), Environnements et Paléoenvironnements OCéaniques (EPOC), Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS), and Normandie Université (NU)
- Subjects
0106 biological sciences ,010504 meteorology & atmospheric sciences ,[SDE.MCG]Environmental Sciences/Global Changes ,Ecological network analysis ,Trophic network ,01 natural sciences ,EcoSim ,Ecosystem ,14. Life underwater ,0105 earth and related environmental sciences ,Trophic level ,geography ,Biomass (ecology) ,geography.geographical_feature_category ,Primary producers ,Ecology ,010604 marine biology & hydrobiology ,Ecological Modeling ,Estuary ,Marine habitats ,Food web ,15. Life on land ,[SDE.ES]Environmental Sciences/Environmental and Society ,13. Climate action ,Ecopath with Ecosim ,Ecosystem health indicators ,[SDE]Environmental Sciences ,Environmental science ,[SDE.BE]Environmental Sciences/Biodiversity and Ecology - Abstract
International audience; Ecological network analysis was applied in the Seine estuary ecosystem, northern France, integrating ecological data from the years 1996 to 2002. The Ecopath with Ecosim (EwE) approach was used to model the trophic flows in 6 spatial compartments leading to 6 distinct EwE models: the navigation channel and the two channel flanks in the estuary proper, and 3 marine habitats in the eastern Seine Bay. Each model included 12 consumer groups, 2 primary producers, and one detritus group. Ecological network analysis was performed, including a set of indices, keystoneness, and trophic spectrum analysis to describe the contribution of the 6 habitats to the Seine estuary ecosystem functioning. Results showed that the two habitats with a functioning most related to a stressed state were the northern and central navigation channels, where building works and constant maritime traffic are considered major anthropogenic stressors. The strong top-down control highlighted in the other 4 habitats was not present in the central channel, showing instead (i) a change in keystone roles in the ecosystem towards sediment-based, lower trophic levels, and (ii) a higher system omnivory. The southern channel evidenced the highest system activity (total system throughput), the higher trophic specialisation (low system omnivory), and the lowest indication of stress (low cycling and relative redundancy). Marine habitats showed higher fish biomass proportions and higher transfer efficiencies per trophic levels than the estuarine habitats, with a transition area between the two that presented intermediate ecosystem structure. The modelling of separate habitats permitted disclosing each one's response to the different pressures, based on their a priori knowledge. Network indices, although non-monotonously, responded to these differences and seem a promising operational tool to define the ecological status of transitional water ecosystems.
- Published
- 2015
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