Abstract
MEPS Marine Ecology Progress Series Contact the journal Facebook Twitter RSS Mailing List Subscribe to our mailing list via Mailchimp HomeLatest VolumeAbout the JournalEditorsTheme Sections MEPS 533:47-65 (2015) - DOI: https://doi.org/10.3354/meps11387 Modelling the Mediterranean marine ecosystem as a whole: addressing the challenge of complexity Chiara Piroddi1,2,*, Marta Coll2,3,4, Jeroen Steenbeek4, Diego Macias Moy1, Villy Christensen4,5 1European Commission, Joint Research Centre, Institute for Environment and Sustainability, Via Fermi 2749, 21027 Ispra, Italy 2Institute of Marine Science (ICM-CSIC), Barcelona, Spain 3Institut de Recherche pour le Développement, UMR MARBEC (MARine Biodiverity Exploitation & Conservation), Avenue Jean Monnet, BP 171, 34203 Sète Cedex, France 4Ecopath International Initiative Research Association, Barcelona, Spain 5Institute for the Oceans and Fisheries, University of British Columbia, 2202 Main Mall, Vancouver BC V6T 1Z4, Canada *Corresponding author: cpiroddi@hotmail.com ABSTRACT: An ecosystem modelling approach was used to understand and assess the Mediterranean marine ecosystem structure and function as a whole. In particular, 2 food web models for the 1950s and 2000s were built to investigate: (1) the main structural and functional characteristics of the Mediterranean food web during these 2 time periods; (2) the key species/functional groups and interactions; (3) the role of fisheries and their impact; and (4) the ecosystem properties of the Mediterranean Sea in comparison with other European regional seas. Our results show that small pelagic fishes, mainly European pilchards and anchovies, prevailed in terms of biomasses and catches during both periods. Large pelagic fishes, sharks and medium pelagic fishes played a key role in the 1950s ecosystem, and have been replaced in more recent years by benthopelagic and benthic cephalopods. Fisheries showed large effects on most living groups of the ecosystem in both time periods. When comparing the Mediterranean results to those of other European regional seas modelling initiatives, the Mediterranean stood alone in relation to the type of flows (e.g. Mediterranean Sea, flow to detritus: 42%; other EU seas, consumption: 43-48%) driving the system and the cycling indices. This suggested higher levels of community stress induced by intensive fishing activities in the Mediterranean basin. This study constitutes the first attempt to build an historical and current food web model for the whole Mediterranean Sea. KEY WORDS: Ecopath model · Food web · Ecosystem modelling · Network analysis · Fishing impact · Mediterranean Sea Full text in pdf format Supplementary material PreviousNextCite this article as: Piroddi C, Coll M, Steenbeek J, Macias Moy D, Christensen V (2015) Modelling the Mediterranean marine ecosystem as a whole: addressing the challenge of complexity. Mar Ecol Prog Ser 533:47-65. https://doi.org/10.3354/meps11387 Export citation RSS - Facebook - Tweet - linkedIn Cited by Published in MEPS Vol. 533. Online publication date: August 06, 2015 Print ISSN: 0171-8630; Online ISSN: 1616-1599 Copyright © 2015 Inter-Research.
Highlights
Marine ecosystem models have been progressively employed worldwide to investigate the structure and functioning of marine systems and the effects of anthropogenic pressures such as fishing, climate change and pollution on marine ecosystems (Christensen & Walters 2004, Shin et al 2004, Fulton 2010)
The 1950s model showed a lower pedigree index, scoring in the lower range (0.164− 0.676) when compared to the 150 balanced EwE models previously assessed globally by Morissette (2007). This is because the 1950s model was constructed using mainly data obtained from other modelling approaches
Results presented here show how the Mediterranean Sea is mainly dominated, in terms of biomass, by lower trophic levels (TLs) organisms, ‘benthos’, ‘zooplankton’ and ‘phytoplankton’. These groups dominate most of the system flows and, as observed at smaller scales in other Mediterranean food web models (Coll et al 2006, 2007, Tsagarakis et al 2010, Moutopoulos et al 2013, Torres et al 2013), constantly appear as important key species
Summary
Marine ecosystem models have been progressively employed worldwide to investigate the structure and functioning of marine systems and the effects of anthropogenic pressures such as fishing, climate change and pollution on marine ecosystems (Christensen & Walters 2004, Shin et al 2004, Fulton 2010). EwE models have been widely used to describe the structure and functioning of marine ecosystems, evaluate the effects of anthropogenic activities and environmental changes and explore fishing management policy options (Coll et al 2009a, Piroddi et al 2011, Heymans et al 2012). Twenty-one countries in Europe, Asia and Africa surround and share this enclosed sea Their different cultural, social and economic characteristics pose significant challenges to sustainable management of Mediterranean marine resources.
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