A trophic model for the Danshuei River Estuary, a hypoxic estuary in northern Taiwan

The estuary of the Danshuei River, a hypoxic subtropical estuary, receives a high rate of untreated sewage effluent. The Ecopath with Ecosim software system was used to construct a mass-balanced trophic model for the estuary, and network analysis was used to characterize the structure and matter flow in the food web. The estuary model was comprised of 16 compartments, and the trophic levels varied from 1.0 for primary producers and detritus to 3.0 for carnivorous and piscivorous fishes. The large organic nutrient loading from the upper reaches has resulted in detritivory being more important than herbivory in the food web. The food-chain length of the estuary was relatively short when compared with other tropical/subtropical coastal systems. The shortness of food-chain length in the estuary could be attributed to the low biomass of the top predators. Consequently, the trophic efficiencies declined sharply for higher trophic levels due to low fractions of flows to the top predators and then high fractions to detritus. The low biomass of the top predators in the estuary was likely subject to over-exploitation and/or hypoxic water. Summation of individual rate measurements for primary production and respiration yielded an estimate of −1791 g WW m⁻² year⁻¹, or −95 g C m⁻² year⁻¹, suggesting a heterotrophic ecosystem, which implies that more organic matter was consumed than was produced in the estuary.     

基于Ecopath模型的舟山海域褐菖鲉(Sebastiscus marmoratus)生态容量评估

根据2021年渔业资源调查数据构建了含有23个功能组的舟山海域生态系统Ecopath模型,分析了当前舟山海域生态系统总体特征并估算了褐菖鲉在舟山海域的生态容量。结果表明:舟山海域生态系统营养级范围为1.000 (浮游植物和有机碎屑)～4.277 ( 鳐类),石首鱼科、虾类和 鳐类为舟山海域生态系统中的关键种。碎屑食物链和牧食食物链是舟山海域生态系统主要的食物链。碎屑和浮游植物对食物网的贡献率分别为61.32%和38.69%。始于浮游植物和碎屑的营养传递效率分别是9.34%和10.50%,系统总营养传递效率是9.82%。总初级生产量/总呼吸量为2.26,系统连接指数为0.372,系统杂食性指数为0.222。生态系统总体特征反映了舟山海域生态系统的成熟状态较低,生态系统处于不稳定阶段,容易受到外界环境变化的影响。根据模型估算,当褐菖鲉生物量增加至8.6倍时,褐菖鲉达到生态容量0.007 95 t/km²,此时生态系统仍保持平衡,且生态系统总体特征基本稳定。因此,褐菖鲉在舟山海域尚有较大增殖潜力。     

基于Ecopath模型的海州湾及邻近海域生态系统结构研究

基于2018年海州湾及邻近海域的渔业资源底拖网调查数据,运用Ecopath with Ecosim 6.5(EwE)软件构建由26个功能群组成的海州湾及邻近海域生态系统Ecopath模型,对现阶段该生态系统的营养结构、营养相互关系和系统总特征等进行分析,旨在为实施基于生态系统的渔业管理提供理论依据。结果表明:海州湾及邻近海域生态系统各功能群的营养级范围为1.00～4.19,其中鱼类营养级范围较广,为3.22～4.19;浮游动物和其他软体动物受初级生产者和捕食者的双重作用,处于重要的营养位置;生态系统总体特征分析显示,该生态系统的总初级生产量与总呼吸量的比值为7.096,总初级生产量与总生物量的比值为56.866,系统的连接指数和系统杂食指数分别为0.429和0.204,说明该生态系统目前处于不成熟、不稳定的状态,容易受外界扰动的影响。本文通过对海州湾及邻近海域生态系统模型进行研究,解析了该海域营养结构和系统发育状况,将为海州湾渔业资源的可持续利用和科学管理提供理论依据。     

Construction and analysis of a coral reef trophic network for Qilianyu Islands,Xisha Islands

Qilianyu Islands coral reefs (QICR), located in the northeastern part of the South China Sea, has been affected by human activities and natural disturbance. To characterize the trophic structure, ecosystem properties and keystone species of this region, a food-web model for the QICR is developed using methods involving a mass-balance approach with Ecopath with Ecosim software. Trophic levels range from 1.00 for detritus and primary producers to 3.80 for chondrichthyes. The mean trophic transfer efficiency for the entire ecosystem is 13.15%, with 55% of total energy flow originating from primary producers. A mixed trophic impact analysis indicates that coral strongly impacts most components of this ecosystem. A comparison of our QICR model with that for other coral reef ecosystems suggests that the QICR ecosystem is immature and/or is degraded.     

应用物质平衡模型模拟一个半封闭海湾的营养结构和能流特征

The marine ecosystem of the Jiaozhou Bay has degraded significantly in fisheries productivity and its ecological roles as spawning and nursery ground for many species of commercial importance has been declining in recent years. A mass-balanced trophic model was developed using Ecopath with Ecosim to evaluate the trophic structure of the Jiaozhou Bay for improving ecosystem management. The model were parameterized based on the fisheries survey data in the Jiaozhou Bay in 2011, including 23 species groups and one detritus group according to their ecological roles. The trophic levels of these ecological groups ranged from 1(primary producers and detritus) to4.3(large demersal fishes). The estimated total system throughput was 12 917.10 t/(km~2·a), with 74.59% and25.41% contribution of the total energy flows from phytoplankton and detritus, respectively. Network analyses showed that the overall transfer efficiency of the ecosystem was 14.4%, and the mean transfer efficiency was 14.5%for grazing food chain and 13.9% for detritus food chain. The system omnivory index(SOI), Finn's cycled index(FCI) and connectance index(CI) were relatively low in this area while the total primary production/total respiration(TPP/TR) was high, indicating an immature and unstable status of the Jiaozhou Bay ecosystem. Mixed trophic impact analysis revealed that the cultured shellfish had substantial negative impacts on most functional groups. This study contributed to ecosystem-level evaluation and management planning of the Jiaozhou Bay ecosystem.     

Trophic interactions, ecosystem structure and function in the southern Yellow Sea

The southern Yellow Sea is an important fishing ground, providing abundant fishery resources. However, overfishing and climate change have caused a decline in the resource and damaged the ecosystem. We developed an ecosystem model to analyze the trophic interactions and ecosystem structure and function to guide sustainable development of the ecosystem. A trophic mass-balance model of the southern Yellow Sea during 2000–2001 was constructed using Ecopath with Ecosim software. We defined 22 important functional groups and studied their diet composition. The trophic levels of fish, shrimp, crabs, and cephalopods were between 2.78 and 4.39, and the mean trophic level of the fisheries was 3.24. The trophic flows within the food web occurred primarily in the lower trophic levels. The mean trophic transfer efficiency was 8.1%, of which 7.1% was from primary producers and 9.3% was from detritus within the ecosystem. The transfer efficiency between trophic levels II to III to IV to V to >V was 5.0%, 5.7%, 18.5%, and 19.7%–20.4%, respectively. Of the total flow, phytoplankton contributed 61% and detritus contributed 39%. Fishing is defined as a top predator within the ecosystem, and has a negative impact on most commercial species. Moreover, the ecosystem had a high gross efficiency of the fishery and a high value of primary production required to sustain the fishery. Together, our data suggest there is high fishing pressure in the southern Yellow Sea. Based on analysis of Odum’s ecological parameters, this ecosystem was at an immature stage. Our results provide some insights into the structure and development of this ecosystem.     

基于Ecopath模型的孟加拉国孟加拉湾海域营养结构和能量流动分析

依据现有研究提供的信息,在孟加拉国孟加拉湾（BoB）新划定的超过90 000 km²的海域基于Ecopath方法利用2016年7月至2017年6月的数据构建了该生态系统的营养通道模型。对食物网中营养级从1（主要生产者和碎屑）到3.45（鲨鱼）的各功能群之间的营养相互作用进行评估,所研究的共19个功能群被认为代表了其中所有的营养级。大多数消费者的生态营养转换效率（EE）超过0.80;表明这是一个被高度利用的生态系统,并且从低营养级到高营养级有较高的能量转换效率。此外,整个生态系统的净效率（0.0018）和能量转换效率（11.12%）标志着当前这一"正在发展中的生态系统"已趋向成熟。生态系统的冗余度（64.6）和聚合度（35.4）也表明了这一生态系统的稳定性。因此,本研究认为这一海域具有显著的后备力量面对压力情况并有能力快速恢复到初始状态。     

热带典型珊瑚岛礁海洋牧场花刺参底播增殖容量及其生态效应预测

为改善热带珊瑚岛礁型海洋牧场的珊瑚礁生境,实现生物资源的养护和渔业资源的产出功能,在对海参等高值经济种开展底播增殖前,科学评估其生态容量是防止引发海洋牧场生态风险的重要保证。运用生态系统模型法评估了三亚蜈支洲岛热带珊瑚岛礁海洋牧场花刺参(Stichopus monotuberculatus)的底播增殖容量。根据2020~2021年蜈支洲岛海洋牧场近岛区渔业资源调查与环境因子数据,运用Ecopath with Ecosim 6.6软件构建了该海域的生态系统营养通道模型。研究表明:生态系统各功能组营养级范围介于1~3.52,系统的食物网结构以牧食食物链为主,总能流中有43%的能量来源于碎屑功能组,其在系统总能流中有重要地位。系统的总平均能量传递效率为9.353%,略低于林德曼能量传递效率(10%)。总初级生产量/总呼吸量为3.726,总初级生产量/总生物量为28.834,系统连接指数为0.256,杂食性指数为0.120,系统Finn''s循环指数和平均路径长度分别为2.485%和2.379,表明近岛区生态系统食物网结构较为简单,且系统稳定性和成熟度偏低,易受外界干扰。根据模型评估的花刺参增殖生态容量为110.21 t/km²,是现存量的206 倍,有较大增殖空间,并且达到生态容量后碎屑组的能量再循环利用效率将显著增加,营养级结构能得到进一步优化,系统稳定性及成熟度将有所提高。基于研究结果,可适当采捕与花刺参生态位相近的生物,同时增殖放流其他处于不同营养层次的经济种,从而减少种间竞争,有效利用系统冗余能量,进而扩大花刺参的生态容量,实现海洋牧场的健康可持续发展。     

Interactions between a natural food web,shellfish farming and exotic species: The case of the Bay of Mont Saint Michel (France)

To ensure sustainable uses of the coastal zone, an integrated ecosystemic approach and ecosystem models are required to frame ecological processes and evaluate environmental impacts. Here, a mass-balance trophic (Ecopath) model of the Mont Saint Michel Bay (MSMB) was developed, to analyze the bay's functioning as an ecosystem. This bay, intensively exploited by fishing and for shellfish farming, is also suffering from the proliferation of the gastropod Crepidula fornicata, an exotic species.