Conference and workshops Ecopath 30 years – Modelling ecosystem dynamics: beyond boundaries with EwE, 4-14 November 2014, Barcelona, Spain.-- 2 pages, 1 figure, 1 tableWe developed a food-web model to characterize the structure and functioning of the marine continental shelf and slope area of the NW Mediterranean Sea, from Toulon to Cape La Nao (Figure 1), in the early 2000. Previously, various models were developed in the area using Ecopath approach (Bănaru et al., 2013; Coll et al., 2006) but the new model included a larger area considering important hydrodynamic events in the region that enhance the connectivity between both regions. From a fisheries point of view, there are also some shared-stocks in the larger area, such as hake and anchovy. The model covers 45547 km2 and includes depths from 0 to 1000 mPeer Reviewe

Bellido, José M.

Coll, Marta

Corrales, X.

Fernández, Ángel M.

Palomera, Isabel

Tecchio, Samuele

Corrales, Xavier

Digital.CSIC

Ecosystem structure and fishing impacts in the NW Mediterranean Sea using a food-web model within a comparative approach

Xavier Corrales

Marta Coll

Samuele Tecchio

José María Bellido

Ángel Mario Fernández

Isabel Palomera

Crossref

Journal of Marine Systems

Ecosystem structure and fishing impacts in the northwestern Mediterranean Sea using a food web model within a comparative approach

International audienceWe developed an ecological model to characterize the structure and functioning of the marine continental shelf and slope area of the northwestern Mediterranean Sea, from Toulon to Cape La Nao (NWM model), in the early 2000s. The model included previously modeled areas in the NW Mediterranean (the Gulf of Lions and the Southern Catalan Sea) and expanded their ranges, covering 45,547 km2, with depths from 0 to 1000 m. The study area was chosen to specifically account for the connectivity between the areas and shared fish stocks and fleets. Input data were based on local scientific surveys and fishing statistics, published data on stomach content analyses, and the application of empirical equations to estimate consumption and production rates. The model was composed of 54 functional groups, from primary producers to top predators, and Spanish and French fishing fleets were considered. Results were analyzed using ecological indicators and compared with outputs from ecosystem models developed in the Mediterranean Sea and the Gulf of Cadiz prior to this study. Results showed that the main trophic flows were associated with detritus, phytoplankton, zooplankton and benthic invertebrates. Several high trophic level organisms (such as dolphins, benthopelagic cephalopods, large demersal fishes from the continental shelf, and other large pelagic fishes), and the herbivorous salema fish, were identified as keystone groups within the ecosystem. Results confirmed that fishing impact was high and widespread throughout the food web. The comparative approach highlighted that, despite productivity differences, the ecosystems shared common features in structure and functioning traits such as the important role of detritus, the dominance of the pelagic fraction in terms of flows and the importance of benthic-pelagic coupling

Bellido, José María

Fernández, Ángel Mario

Hal-Diderot

17 pages, 7 figures, 6 tables, supplementary material http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.jmarsys.2015.03.006We developed an ecological model to characterize the structure and functioning of the marine continental shelf and slope area of the northwestern Mediterranean Sea, from Toulon to Cape La Nao (NWM model), in the early 2000s. The model included previously modeled areas in the NW Mediterranean (the Gulf of Lions and the Southern Catalan Sea) and expanded their ranges, covering 45,547 km2, with depths from 0 to 1000 m. The study area was chosen to specifically account for the connectivity between the areas and shared fish stocks and fleets.

Input data were based on local scientific surveys and fishing statistics, published data on stomach content analyses, and the application of empirical equations to estimate consumption and production rates. The model was composed of 54 functional groups, from primary producers to top predators, and Spanish and French fishing fleets were considered. Results were analyzed using ecological indicators and compared with outputs from ecosystem models developed in the Mediterranean Sea and the Gulf of Cadiz prior to this study.

Results showed that the main trophic flows were associated with detritus, phytoplankton, zooplankton and benthic invertebrates. Several high trophic level organisms (such as dolphins, benthopelagic cephalopods, large demersal fishes from the continental shelf, and other large pelagic fishes), and the herbivorous salema fish, were identified as keystone groups within the ecosystem. Results confirmed that fishing impact was high and widespread throughout the food web. The comparative approach highlighted that, despite productivity differences, the ecosystems shared common features in structure and functioning traits such as the important role of detritus, the dominance of the pelagic fraction in terms of flows and the importance of benthic–pelagic couplingXavier Corraleswas partially supported by an IOLR scholarship.Marta Collwas partially supported by the EC Marie Curie CIG grant to BIOWEB and the Spanish Research Program Ramon y Cajal. This is a contribution to ECOTRANS Spanish PN project and to DESSIM Israeli projectPeer reviewe

Archive Ouverte en Sciences de l'Information et de la Communication

HAL - Normandie Université

HAL Descartes

Ecosystem structure and fishing impacts in the NW Mediterranean Sea using a food-web model within a comparative approach

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Crossref

Hal-Diderot

Digital.CSIC

Archive Ouverte en Sciences de l'Information et de la Communication

HAL - Normandie Université

HAL Descartes