2019 |
Barneche, D. R., et al. "Body size, reef area and temperature predict global reef-fish species richness across spatial scales." Glob. Ecol. Biogeogr.. 28.3 (2019): 315–327.
Résumé: Aim To investigate biotic and abiotic correlates of reef-fish species richness across multiple spatial scales. Location Tropical reefs around the globe, including 485 sites in 109 sub-provinces spread across 14 biogeographic provinces. Time period Present. Major taxa studied 2,523 species of reef fish. Methods We compiled a database encompassing 13,050 visual transects. We used hierarchical linear Bayesian models to investigate whether fish body size, reef area, isolation, temperature, and anthropogenic impacts correlate with reef-fish species richness at each spatial scale (i.e., sites, sub-provinces, provinces). Richness was estimated using coverage-based rarefaction. We also tested whether species packing (i.e., transect-level species richness/m(2)) is correlated with province-level richness. Results Body size had the strongest effect on species richness across all three spatial scales. Reef area and temperature were both positively correlated with richness at all spatial scales. At the site scale only, richness decreased with reef isolation. Species richness was not correlated with proxies of human impacts. Species packing was correlated with species richness at the province level following a sub-linear power function. Province-level differences in species richness were also mirrored by patterns of body size distribution at the site scale. Species-rich provinces exhibited heterogeneous assemblages of small-bodied species with small range sizes, whereas species-poor provinces encompassed homogeneous assemblages composed by larger species with greater dispersal capacity. Main conclusions Our findings suggest that body size distribution, reef area and temperature are major predictors of species richness and accumulation across scales, consistent with recent theories linking home range to species-area relationships as well as metabolic effects on speciation rates. Based on our results, we hypothesize that in less diverse areas, species are larger and likely more dispersive, leading to larger range sizes and less turnover between sites. Our results indicate that changes in province-level (i.e., regional) richness should leave a tractable fingerprint in local assemblages, and that detailed studies on local-scale assemblage composition may be informative of responses occurring at larger scales.
|
|
Donati, G. F. A., et al. "A process-based model supports an association between dispersal and the prevalence of species traits in tropical reef fish assemblages." Ecography (2019).
Résumé: Habitat dynamics interacting with species dispersal abilities could generate gradients in species diversity and prevalence of species traits when the latter are associated with species dispersal potential. Using a process-based model of diversification constrained by a dispersal parameter, we simulated the interplay between reef habitat dynamics during the past 140 million years and dispersal, shaping lineage diversification history and assemblage composition globally. The emerging patterns from the simulations were compared to current prevalence of species traits related to dispersal for 6315 tropical reef fish species. We found a significant spatial congruence between the prevalence of simulated low dispersal values and areas with a large proportion of species characterized by small adult body size, narrow home range mobility behaviour, pelagic larval duration shorter than 21 days and diurnal activity. Species characterized by such traits were found predominantly in the Indo-Australian Archipelago and the Caribbean Sea. Furthermore, the frequency distribution of the dispersal parameter was found to match empirical distributions for body size, PLD and home range mobility behaviour. Also, the dispersal parameter in the simulations was associated to diversification rates and resulted in trait frequency matching empirical distributions. Overall, our findings suggest that past habitat dynamics, in conjunction with dispersal processes, influenced diversification in tropical reef fishes, which may explain the present-day geography of species traits.
|
|
M'Rabet, C., et al. "Consequences of a contaminant mixture of bisphenol A (BPA) and di-(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate (DEHP), two plastic-derived chemicals, on the diversity of coastal phytoplankton." Mar. Pollut. Bull.. 138 (2019): 385–396.
Résumé: To assess the impact of two plastic derived chemicals: bisphenol A (BPA) and the di-2-ethylhexyl phthalate (DEHP), on phytoplankton biomass and community structure, microcosm incubations were performed during spring and summer, with offshore and lagoon waters of a south-western Mediterranean ecosystem. Phytoplankton were exposed to an artificial mixture of BPA and DEHP and to marine water previously enriched with plastic-derivative compounds, originated from in situ water incubations of plastic debris for 30 days. After 96 h of incubation, changes were observed in phytoplankton biomass in the contaminated microcosms, with a net decrease (up to 50% of the control) in the concentration of Chlorophyll a in offshore waters. Concomitantly, plastic-derivative contamination provoked structural changes, especially for offshore waters. This suggests a relative tolerance of the lagoon communities to BPA and DEHP contamination, related to the dominance of Chaetoceros spp., which could potentially be used as a bioindicator in bioassessment studies.
|
|
Manna, L. R., et al. "High intraspecific variability in morphology and diet in tropical stream fish communities." Ecol. Freshw. Fish. 28.1 (2019): 41–52.
Résumé: Functional diversity of fish communities has been measured according to (a) interspecific variability, assuming that intraspecific variability is negligible, or (b) morphological differences, as good descriptors of complex functions, such as diet. These two assumptions have been scarcely tested on the individual level, especially in species-rich tropical ecosystems. Here, we adapted intraspecific specialisation (ISpe) and intraspecific originality indices (IOri) to assess complementary components of intraspecific variability. Next, we applied these indices to evaluate the intra- and interspecific variability of morphological and diet traits in two contrasting Brazilian stream-dwelling fish assemblages (rainforest and savannah). We also compared correlations between morphology and diet at the individual and species level to test whether accounting for intraspecific variability increases the predictability of diet due to morphological differences. Significant contributions of intraspecific variability to differences between fish were revealed for morphology and diet. Intraspecific variability in the diet was higher than that in morphology in both assemblages. The ISpe was positively correlated to IOri in the diet of both ecosystems. The morphological-dietary relationships were significant but weak at both individual and species levels. Our findings highlight the importance of measuring individual variability and accounting for complementary components of the intraspecific variability (ISpe and IOri). Importantly, we showed that the variability in morphology does not predict diet variability at both intra- and interspecific levels. Thus, high intraspecific variability in morphology and diet challenges the use of functional traits measured at the species level to describe the functional diversity of different fish assemblages.
|
|
Matich, P., et al. "Inter-individual differences in ontogenetic trophic shifts among three marine predators." Oecologia. 189.3 (2019): 621–636.
Résumé: Ontogenetic niche shifts are widespread. However, individual differences in size at birth, morphology, sex, and personalities can cause variability in behavior. As such, inherent inter-individual differences within populations may lead to context-dependent changes in behavior with animal body size, which is of concern for understanding population dynamics and optimizing ecological monitoring. Using stable carbon and nitrogen isotope values from concurrently sampled tissues, we quantified the direction and magnitude of intraspecific variation in trophic shifts among three shark species, and how these changed with body size: spurdogs (Squalus spp.) in deep-sea habitats off La Reunion, bull sharks (Carcharhinus leucas) in estuarine habitats of the Florida Everglades, and blacktip reef sharks (Carcharhinus melanopterus) in coral reef ecosystems of Moorea, French Polynesia. Intraspecific variation in trophic shifts was limited among spurdogs, and decreased with body size, while bull sharks exhibited greater individual differences in trophic shifts, but also decreased in variability through ontogeny. In contrast, blacktip reef sharks exhibited increased intraspecific variation in trophic interactions with body size. Variability in trophic interactions and ontogenetic shifts are known to be associated with changes in energetic requirements, but can vary with ecological context. Our results suggest that environmental stability may affect variability within populations, and ecosystems with greater spatial and/or temporal variability in environmental conditions, and those with more diverse food webs may facilitate greater individual differences in trophic interactions, and thus ontogenetic trophic shifts. In light of concerns over environmental disturbance, elucidating the contexts that promote or dampen phenotypic variability is invaluable for predicting population- and community-level responses to environmental changes.
|
|
Orgeret, F., et al. "Body condition influences ontogeny of foraging behavior in juvenile southern elephant seals." Ecol. Evol.. 9.1 (2019): 223–236.
Résumé: Ontogeny of diving and foraging behavior in marine top predators is poorly understood despite its importance in population recruitment. This lack of knowledge is partly due to the difficulties of monitoring juveniles in the wild, which is linked to high mortality early in life. Pinnipeds are good models for studying the development of foraging behaviors because juveniles are large enough to robustly carry tracking devices for many months. Moreover, parental assistance is absent after a juvenile departs for its first foraging trip, minimizing confounding effects of parental input on the development of foraging skills. In this study, we tracked 20 newly weaned juvenile southern elephant seals from Kerguelen Islands for up to 338 days during their first trip at sea following weaning. We used a new generation of satellite relay tags, which allow for the transmission of dive, accelerometer, and location data. We also monitored, at the same time, nine adult females from the colony during their post-breeding trips, in order to compare diving and foraging behaviors. Juveniles showed a gradual improvement through time in their foraging skills. Like adults females, they remarkably adjusted their swimming effort according to temporal changes in buoyancy (i.e., a proxy of their body condition). They also did not appear to exceed their aerobic physiological diving limits, although dives were constrained by their smaller size compared to adults. Changes in buoyancy appeared to also influence their decision to either keep foraging or return to land, alongside the duration of their haul outs and choice of foraging habitat (oceanic vs. plateau). Further studies are thus needed to better understand how patterns in juveniles survival, and therefore elephant seal populations, might be affected by their changes in foraging skills and changes in their environmental conditions.
|
|
Samia, D. S. M., et al. "A meta-analysis of fish behavioural reaction to underwater human presence." Fish and Fisheries. 20.5 (2019): 817–829.
Résumé: In an increasingly anthropic world, humans have profound impacts on the distribution and behaviour of marine fishes. The increased human presence has modified fishes’ antipredator behavioural responses, and consequently flight decisions, as a function of their changed perceptions of risk. Understanding how fish react to human presence can help identify the most vulnerable functional groups/species and estimate impacts caused by human disturbance. Shoal and body size are known to influence fish flight initiation distance (FID; the distance between the predator and prey when the prey begins to escape); however, few studies attempt to test the moderators of these relationships. Here, we present a comprehensive meta-analysis evaluating FID of fish in response to human presence. Specifically, we investigated six candidate moderators that could influence the relationship between FID with shoal and body size. Our results showed that individual fish size was strongly and positively correlated with FID and the most important moderator that explained the variance in individual body size-FID relationship was shoaling behaviour. However, and somehow surprisingly, we detected no significant relationship between shoal size and FID. We discuss how these results can inform the development of fish conservation strategies and ultimately assist in the management of marine protected areas.
|
|
Toledo, P., et al. "Partial migration and early size of southern hake Merluccius australis: a journey between estuarine and oceanic habitats off Northwest Patagonia." ICES J. Mar. Sci.. 76.4 (2019): 1094–1106.
Résumé: Partial migration is a key adaptive strategy, increasingly observed across multiple taxa. To investigate partial migration and life-cycle diversity of Merluccius australis in northwestern Patagonia, we analysed isotopic (delta C-13, delta O-18) and elemental (B-11, Na-23, Mg-24, Mn-55, Sr-86, Ba-138) compositions of otoliths from juveniles, sub-adults, and adults to identify nursery origins, habitats used, and migratory behaviours of multiple cohorts (1990-2005). Influence of early size upon migration was assessed by comparing back-calculated sizes at demersal recruitment between resident and migratory adults. Although partial migration occurred at both estuarine and oceanic nursery habitats, migratory behaviour was more frequent in fish of estuarine origin (59%) than in fish of oceanic origin (17%). Adults of estuarine origin dominated both estuarine (92%) and oceanic (77%) sampling areas. Although we found no significant differences in size at demersal recruitment between oceanic-resident and oceanic-migratory fish, a strong relationship between size at demersal recruitment and migratory behaviour appeared in fish of estuarine origin, whose probability of migration increased from 5% to 95% as demersal recruitment size increased from 18.8 to 23.6cm. Further research on M. australis life cycle is required to incorporate sub-population processes into the stock assessment and management models being used for this overexploited species.
|
|
Zhao, T., S. Villeger, and J. Cucherousset. "Accounting for intraspecific diversity when examining relationships between non-native species and functional diversity." Oecologia. 189.1 (2019): 171–183.
Résumé: Quantifying changes in functional diversity, the facet of biodiversity accounting for the biological features of organisms, has been advocated as one of the most integrative ways to unravel how communities are affected by human-induced perturbations. The present study assessed how functional diversity patterns varied among communities that differed in the degree to which non-native species dominated the community in temperate lake fish communities and whether accounting for intraspecific functional variability could provide a better understanding of the variation of functional diversity across communities. Four functional diversity indices were computed for 18 temperate lake fish communities along a gradient of non-native fish dominance using morphological functional traits assessed for each life-stage within each species. First, we showed that intraspecific variability in functional traits was high and comparable to interspecific variability. Second, we found that non-native fish were functionally distinct from native fish. Finally, we demonstrated that there was a significant relationship between functional diversity and the degree to which non-native fish currently dominated the community and that this association could be better detected when accounting for intraspecific functional variability. These findings highlighted the importance of incorporating intraspecific variability to better quantify the variation of functional diversity patterns in communities facing human-induced perturbations.
|
|
2018 |
Coelho, R., et al. "Distribution patterns and population structure of the blue shark (Prionace glauca) in the Atlantic and Indian Oceans." Fish. Fish.. 19.1 (2018): 90–106.
Résumé: The blue shark (Prionace glauca) is the most frequently captured shark in pelagic oceanic fisheries, especially pelagic longlines targeting swordfish and/or tunas. As part of cooperative scientific efforts for fisheries and biological data collection, information from fishery observers, scientific projects and surveys, and from recreational fisheries from several nations in the Atlantic and Indian Oceans was compiled. Data sets included information on location, size and sex, in a total of 478,220 blue shark records collected between 1966 and 2014. Sizes ranged from 36 to 394cm fork length. Considerable variability was observed in the size distribution by region and season in both oceans. Larger blue sharks tend to occur in equatorial and tropical regions, and smaller specimens in higher latitudes in temperate waters. Differences in sex ratios were also detected spatially and seasonally. Nursery areas in the Atlantic seem to occur in the temperate south-east off South Africa and Namibia, in the south-west off southern Brazil and Uruguay, and in the north-east off the Iberian Peninsula and the Azores. Parturition may occur in the tropical north-east off West Africa. In the Indian Ocean, nursery areas also seem to occur in temperate waters, especially in the south-west Indian Ocean off South Africa, and in the south-east off south-western Australia. The distributional patterns presented in this study provide a better understanding of how blue sharks segregate by size and sex, spatially and temporally, and improve the scientific advice to help adopt more informed and efficient management and conservation measures for this cosmopolitan species.
|
|
Lefevre, S., D. J. McKenzie, and G. E. Nilsson. "In modelling effects of global warming, invalid assumptions lead to unrealistic projections." Glob. Change Biol.. 24.2 (2018): 553–556.
|
|
Leruste, A., et al. "Complementarity of the multidimensional functional and the taxonomic approaches to study phytoplankton communities in three Mediterranean coastal lagoons of different trophic status." Hydrobiologia. 815.1 (2018): 207–227.
Résumé: We used the individual-based multidimensional functional diversity and the taxonomic approaches in a complementary way to describe phytoplankton communities in three coastal lagoons with different eutrophication status in the South of France. We sampled communities during three seasons, i.e., in autumn, spring, and summer. Using classical taxonomy, 107 taxa/morphotypes were identified in the nine communities. The individual-based functional approach allowed grouping these individuals into 20 functional entities according to their values for 5 traits related to trophic adaptations (cell size, mobility, trophic regime, coloniality, and pelagic/benthic life). Some species (e.g., Prorocentrum micans) emerged in multiple functional entities, showing the importance to consider intraspecific variability. The functional description of phytoplankton communities better reflected the hydrological functioning and the different eutrophication status of the lagoons than the taxonomic approach. Specific functional adaptations were identified in the nine communities. For example, phytoplankton organisms with heterotrophic and potentially mixotrophic abilities occurred when the availability of inorganic nutrient decreased, or when organic matter and small preys were potentially the main nutrient resources. The limitation has also favored small cells highly competitive for nutrients. Using functional indices together with taxonomic description has also helped revealing important aspects of community assembly, such as competitive exclusion in summer.
|
|
Reygondeau, G., et al. "Global biogeochemical provinces of the mesopelagic zone." J. Biogeogr.. 45.2 (2018): 500–514.
Résumé: Aim: Following the biogeographical approach implemented by Longhurst for the epipelagic layer, we propose here to identify a biogeochemical 3-D partition for the mesopelagic layer. The resulting partition characterizes the main deep environmental biotopes and their vertical boundaries on a global scale, which can be used as a geographical and ecological framework for conservation biology, ecosystem-based management and for the design of oceanographic investigations. Location: The global ocean. Methods: Based on the most comprehensive environmental climatology available to date, which is both spatially and vertically resolved (seven environmental parameters), we applied a combination of clustering algorithms (c-means, k-means, partition around medoids and agglomerative with Ward's linkage) associated with a nonparametric environmental model to identify the vertical and spatial delineation of the mesopelagic layer. Results: First, we show via numerical interpretation that the vertical division of the pelagic zone varies and, hence, is not constant throughout the global ocean. Indeed, a latitudinal gradient is found between the epipelagic-mesopelagic and mesopelagic-bathypelagic vertical limits. Second, the mesopelagic layer is shown here to be composed of 13 distinguishable Biogeochemical Provinces. Each province shows a distinct range of environmental conditions and characteristic 3-D distributions. Main conclusions: The historical definition of the mesopelagic zone is here revisited to define a 3-D geographical framework and characterize all the deep environmental biotopes of the deep global ocean. According to the numerical interpretation of mesopelagic boundaries, we reveal that the vertical division of the zone is not constant over the global ocean (200-1,000 m) but varies between ocean basin and with latitude. We also provide evidence of biogeochemical division of the mesopelagic zone that is spatially structured in a similar way than the epipelagic in the shallow waters but varies in the deep owing to a change of the environmental driving factors.
|
|
2017 |
Chevrinais, M., C. Jacquet, and R. Cloutier. "Early establishment of vertebrate trophic interactions: Food web structure in Middle to Late Devonian fish assemblages with exceptional fossilization." Bull. Geosci.. 92.4 (2017): 491–510.
Résumé: In past and present ecosystems, trophic interactions determine material and energy transfers among species, regulating population dynamics and community stability. Food web studies in past ecosystems are helpful to assess the persistence of ecosystem structure throughout geological times and to explore the existence of general principles of food web assembly. We determined and compared the trophic structure of two Devonian fish assemblages [(1) the Escuminac assemblage (ca. 380 Ma), Miguasha, eastern Canada and (2) the Lode assemblage (ca. 390 Ma), Straupe, Latvia] with a closer look at the Escuminac assemblage. Both localities are representative of Middle to Late Devonian aquatic vertebrate assemblages in terms of taxonomic richness (ca. 20 species), phylogenetic diversity (all major groups of lower vertebrates) and palaeoenvironment (palaeoestuaries). Fossil food web structures were assessed using different kinds of direct (i.e. digestive contents and bite marks in fossils) and indirect (e.g. ecomoiphological measurements, stratigraphic species co-occurrences) indicators. First, the relationships between predator and prey body size established for the Escuminac fishes are comparable to those of recent aquatic ecosystems, highlighting a consistency of aquatic food web structure across geological time. Second, non-metric dimensional scaling on ecomorphological variables and cluster analysis showed a common pattern of functional groups for both fish assemblages; top predators, predators, primary and secondary consumers were identified. We conclude that Devonian communities were organized in multiple trophic levels and that size-based feeding interactions were established early in vertebrate history.
|
|
Henriques, S., et al. "Biogeographical region and environmental conditions drive functional traits of estuarine fish assemblages worldwide." Fish Fish. 18.4 (2017): 752–771.
Résumé: Assessing trait–environment relationships is crucial for predicting effects of natural and human-induced environmental change on biota. We compiled a global database of fish assemblages in estuaries, functional traits of fishes and ecosystem features of estuaries. And we quantified the relative importance of ecosystem features as drivers of patterns of fish functional traits among estuaries worldwide (i.e. drivers of the proportions of fish traits). In addition to biogeographical context, two main environmental gradients regulate traits patterns: firstly temperature, and secondly estuary size and hydrological connectivity of the estuary with the marine ecosystem. Overall, estuaries in colder regions, with larger areas and with higher hydrological connectivity with the marine ecosystem, have higher proportions of marine fish (versus freshwater), macrocarnivores and planktivores (versus omnivores, herbivores and detritivores) and larger fish, with greater maximum depth of distribution and longer lifespan. The observed trait patterns and trait–environment relationships are likely generated by multiple causal processes linked to physiological constraints due to temperature and salinity, size-dependent biotic interactions, as well as habitat availability and connectivity. Biogeographical context and environmental conditions drive species richness and composition, and present results show that they also drive assemblage traits. The observed trait patterns and trait–environment relationships suggest that assemblage composition is determined by the functional role of species within ecosystems. Conservation strategies should be coordinated globally and ensure protection of an array of estuaries that differ in ecosystem features, even if some of those estuaries do not support high species richness.
|
|
Jacquet, C., et al. "Extensions of Island Biogeography Theory predict the scaling of functional trait composition with habitat area and isolation." Ecol. Lett.. 20.2 (2017): 135–146.
Résumé: The Theory of Island Biogeography (TIB) predicts how area and isolation influence species richness equilibrium on insular habitats. However, the TIB remains silent about functional trait composition and provides no information on the scaling of functional diversity with area, an observation that is now documented in many systems. To fill this gap, we develop a probabilistic approach to predict the distribution of a trait as a function of habitat area and isolation, extending the TIB beyond the traditional species-area relationship. We compare model predictions to the body-size distribution of piscivorous and herbivorous fishes found on tropical reefs worldwide. We find that small and isolated reefs have a higher proportion of large-sized species than large and connected reefs. We also find that knowledge of species body-size and trophic position improves the predictions of fish occupancy on tropical reefs, supporting both the allometric and trophic theory of island biogeography. The integration of functional ecology to island biogeography is broadly applicable to any functional traits and provides a general probabilistic approach to study the scaling of trait distribution with habitat area and isolation.
|
|
Lefevre, S., D. J. Mckenzie, and G. E. Nilsson. "Models projecting the fate of fish populations under climate change need to be based on valid physiological mechanisms." Glob. Change Biol.. 23.9 (2017): 3449–3459.
Résumé: Some recent modelling papers projecting smaller fish sizes and catches in a warmer future are based on erroneous assumptions regarding (i) the scaling of gills with body mass and (ii) the energetic cost of 'maintenance'. Assumption (i) posits that insurmountable geometric constraints prevent respiratory surface areas from growing as fast as body volume. It is argued that these constraints explain allometric scaling of energy metabolism, whereby larger fishes have relatively lower mass-specific metabolic rates. Assumption (ii) concludes that when fishes reach a certain size, basal oxygen demands will not be met, because of assumption (i). We here demonstrate unequivocally, by applying accepted physiological principles with reference to the existing literature, that these assumptions are not valid. Gills are folded surfaces, where the scaling of surface area to volume is not constrained by spherical geometry. The gill surface area can, in fact, increase linearly in proportion to gill volume and body mass. We cite the large body of evidence demonstrating that respiratory surface areas in fishes reflect metabolic needs, not vice versa, which explains the large interspecific variation in scaling of gill surface areas. Finally, we point out that future studies basing their predictions on models should incorporate factors for scaling of metabolic rate and for temperature effects on metabolism, which agree with measured values, and should account for interspecific variation in scaling and temperature effects. It is possible that some fishes will become smaller in the future, but to make reliable predictions the underlying mechanisms need to be identified and sought elsewhere than in geometric constraints on gill surface area. Furthermore, to ensure that useful information is conveyed to the public and policymakers about the possible effects of climate change, it is necessary to improve communication and congruity between fish physiologists and fisheries scientists.
|
|
Massol, F., et al. "Island Biogeography of Food Webs." Eds. D. A. Bohan, A. J. Dumbrell, and F. Massol. Networks of Invasion: A Synthesis of Concepts, 56. San Diego: Elsevier Academic Press Inc, 2017. 183–262.
Résumé: To understand why and how species invade ecosystems, ecologists have made heavy use of observations of species colonization on islands. The theory of island biogeography, developed in the 1960s by R.H. MacArthur and E.O. Wilson, has had a tremendous impact on how ecologists understand the link between species diversity and characteristics of the habitat such as isolation and size. Recent developments have described how the inclusion of information on trophic interactions can further inform our understanding of island biogeography dynamics. Here, we extend the trophic theory of island biogeography to assess whether certain food web properties on the mainland affect colonization/extinction dynamics of species on islands. Our results highlight that both food web connectance and size on the mainland increase species diversity on islands. We also highlight that more heavily tailed degree distributions in the mainland food web correlate with less frequent but potentially more important extinction cascades on islands. The average shortest path to a basal species on islands follows a hump-shaped curve as a function of realized species richness, with food chains slightly longer than on the mainland at intermediate species richness. More modular mainland webs are also less persistent on islands. We discuss our results in the context of global changes and from the viewpoint of community assembly rules, aiming at pinpointing further theoretical developments needed to make the trophic theory of island biogeography even more useful for fundamental and applied ecology.
|
|
Mellon-Duval, C., et al. "Trophic ecology of the European hake in the Gulf of Lions, northwestern Mediterranean Sea." Sci. Mar.. 81.1 (2017): 7–18.
Résumé: The European hake, Merluccius merluccius, is an important resource for Mediterranean fisheries. This study focuses on juvenile and adult hake feeding ecology in the Gulf of Lions, using information from scientific surveys carried out during two seasons and three years (2004- 2006). Stomach content and stable isotope (delta N-15, delta C-13) analyses were performed, and the main factors explaining variations in delta N-15 were investigated using GLMs. In the Gulf of Lions, hake mostly fed on crustaceans and fish and a dominant piscivorous regime was reached at 15 cm total length. Pelagic fish (sardine, anchovy and small blue whiting) were the main source of prey (40%- 80%) and cannibalism was low (< 5%). The results confirmed that hake is an opportunistic feeder and also showed that the size and diversity of prey vary among hake size classes, probably as a result of the different spatial distribution and/or foraging migrations. The present study finally postulates that the unbalanced sex ratio (80% female against 20% male) observed at the adult stage could be related to the combination of growth pattern differences, diet and exploitation rate on the continental shelf, where the males spend a longer period of time.
|
|
Pirog, A., et al. "First evidence of multiple paternity in the bull shark (Carcharhinus leucas)." Mar. Freshw. Res.. 68.1 (2017): 195–201.
Résumé: The present study assessed the occurrence of multiple paternity in four litters of bull shark Carcharhinus leucas (n = 5, 8, 9 and 11 embryos) sampled at Reunion Island in the Western Indian Ocean. Using 21 microsatellite loci, we revealed that two litters were generated from two sires each, demonstrating for the first time multiple paternity for this species. We also reported a high paternal skew (10 : 1 in Litter 1 and 7 : 1 in Litter 3), which may be because of post-copulatory or post-zygotic selection processes. These results contribute to a better understanding of the reproductive behaviour of the bull shark, which remains poorly documented. The present study must be expanded to assess the frequency of multiple paternity in this species, and to test for genetic or cryptic benefits (convenience polyandry), which is important for long-term conservation and management plans.
|
|
2016 |
Amelineau, F., et al. "Microplastic pollution in the Greenland Sea: Background levels and selective contamination of planktivorous diving seabirds." Environ. Pollut.. 219 (2016): 1131–1139.
Résumé: Microplastics have been reported everywhere around the globe. With very limited human activities, the Arctic is distant from major sources of microplastics. However, microplastic ingestions have been found in several Arctic marine predators, confirming their presence in this region. Nonetheless, existing information for this area remains scarce, thus there is an urgent need to quantify the contamination of Arctic marine waters. In this context, we studied microplastic abundance and composition within the zooplankton community off East Greenland. For the same area, we concurrently evaluated microplastic contamination of little auks (Alle alle), an Arctic seabird feeding on zooplankton while diving between 0 and 50 m. The study took place off East Greenland in July 2005 and 2014, under strongly contrasted sea-ice conditions. Among all samples, 97.2% of the debris found were filaments. Despite the remoteness of our study area, microplastic abundances were comparable to those of other oceans, with 0.99 +/- 0.62 m(-3) in the presence of sea-ice (2005), and 2.38 +/- 1.11 m(-3) in the nearby absence of sea-ice (2014). Microplastic rise between 2005 and 2014 might be linked to an increase in plastic production worldwide or to lower sea -ice extents in 2014, as sea-ice can represent a sink for microplastic particles, which are subsequently released to the water column upon melting. Crucially, all birds had eaten plastic filaments, and they collected high levels of microplastics compared to background levels with 9.99 and 8.99 pieces per chick meal in 2005 and 2014, respectively. Importantly, we also demonstrated that little auks took more often light colored microplastics, rather than darker ones, strongly suggesting an active contamination with birds mistaking microplastics for their natural prey. Overall, our study stresses the great vulnerability of Arctic marine species to microplastic pollution in a warming Arctic, where sea-ice melting is expected to release vast volumes of trapped debris. (C) 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
|
|
Brosset, P., et al. "Linking small pelagic dietary shifts with ecosystem changes in the Gulf of Lions." Mar. Ecol.-Prog. Ser.. 554 (2016): 157–171.
Résumé: Since 2008, a severe decrease in size and body condition together with a demographic truncation has been observed in the sardine (secondarily in anchovy) population of the Gulf of Lions (NW Mediterranean Sea). In parallel, sprat biomass, which was negligible before, has increased tenfold. All of these changes have strongly affected the regional fisheries. Using trophic and isotopic data from contrasting periods of low versus high growth and condition, we investigated potential changes in diet and interspecific feeding interactions through time. Evidence of resource partitioning was found between sprat and both anchovy and sardine in 2004 and 2005. Since 2010, the isotopic niches of the 3 species have tended to overlap, suggesting higher risk of competition for food resources. Moreover, the wider trophic niche of sprat indicates higher variability in individual diets. Anchovy and sardine diet varied through time, with a high proportion of large copepods or cladocerans in periods of high growth and condition (1994 and 2007, respectively) versus a dominance of small copepods in the present (2011-2012). Furthermore, an important reduction in prey diversity was also identified in the diet of both anchovy and sardine during the most recent period. Our results support the hypothesis that changes in small pelagic fish growth, size and body condition and ultimately biomass could be due to bottom-up control characterized by changes in food availability and increasing potential trophic competition.
|
|
Brosset, P., et al. "Body reserves mediate trade-offs between life-history traits: new insights from small pelagic fish reproduction." R. Soc. Open Sci.. 3.10 (2016): 160202.
Résumé: Limited resources in the environment prevent individuals from simultaneouslymaximizing all life-history traits, resulting in trade-offs. In particular, the cost of reproduction is well known to negatively affect energy investment in growth and maintenance. Here, we investigated these trade-offs during contrasting periods of high versus low fish size and body condition (before/after 2008) in the Gulf of Lions. Female reproductive allocation and performance in anchovy (Engraulis encrasicolus) and sardine (Sardina pilchardus) were examined based onmorphometric historical data from the 1970s and from 2003 to 2015. Additionally, potential maternal effects on egg quantity and quality were examined in 2014/2015. After 2008, the gonadosomatic index increased for sardine and remained steady for anchovy, while a strong decline in mean length at first maturity indicated earlier maturation for both species. Regarding maternal effects, for both species egg quantity was positively linked to fish size but not to fish lipid reserves, while the egg quality was positively related to lipid reserves. Atresia prevalence and intensity were rather low regardless of fish condition and size. Finally, estimations of total annual numbers of eggs spawned indicated a sharp decrease for sardine since 2008 but a slight increase for anchovy during the last 5 years. This study revealed a biased allocation towards reproduction in small pelagic fish when confronted with a really low body condition. This highlights that fish can maintain high reproductive investment potentially at the cost of other traits which might explain the present disappearance of old and large individuals in the Gulf of Lions.
|
|
Dalongeville, A., et al. "Ecological traits shape genetic diversity patterns across the Mediterranean Sea: a quantitative review on fishes." J. Biogeogr.. 43.4 (2016): 845–857.
Résumé: AimWe set out to identify the determinants of the variation in genetic diversity among fish species and test whether multi-species genetic diversity is randomly distributed in space. LocationMediterranean Sea. MethodsWe collected genetic diversity data from 39 published studies on Mediterranean fishes (31 species) along with the spatial coordinates of the sampling sites. We focused on microsatellite heterozygosity (151 data points) and mitochondrial haplotype diversity (201 data points). We used linear regressions to link genetic diversity and 11 ecological traits. We also tested for spatial autocorrelation and trends in the residuals. ResultsAmong-species variation in microsatellite heterozygosity was explained by three ecological traits: vertical distribution, migration type and body length. Variation in mitochondrial haplotype diversity was also explained by vertical distribution and migration type, and by reproductive strategy (semelparity). However, vertical distribution and migration type showed opposite effects on microsatellites and mitochondrial diversity. After accounting for the effects of ecological traits, no spatial pattern was detected, except for one of the species considered. Main conclusionsEcological factors explain an important proportion of the among-species genetic diversity. These results suggest that life history strategies of the species influence the variation of microsatellite diversity indirectly through their effect on effective population size, while the spatial variations of genetic diversity seem to be too complex to be identified in our analysis. We found very different effects of traits on mitochondrial and nuclear DNA diversity, which can be explained by the specificities of mitochondrial DNA (absence of recombination, maternal inheritance and non-neutrality).
|
|
Gounand, I., et al. "Size evolution in microorganisms masks trade-offs predicted by the growth rate hypothesis." Proc. R. Soc. B-Biol. Sci.. 283.1845 (2016): 20162272.
Résumé: Adaptation to local resource availability depends on responses in growth rate and nutrient acquisition. The growth rate hypothesis (GRH) suggests that growing fast should impair competitive abilities for phosphorus and nitrogen due to high demand for biosynthesis. However, in microorganisms, size influences both growth and uptake rates, which may mask trade-offs and instead generate a positive relationship between these traits (size hypothesis, SH). Here, we evolved a gradient of maximum growth rate (mu(max)) from a single bacterium ancestor to test the relationship among mu(max), competitive ability for nutrients and cell size, while controlling for evolutionary history. We found a strong positive correlation between mu(max) and competitive ability for phosphorus, associated with a trade-off between mu(max) and cell size: strains selected for high mu(max) were smaller and better competitors for phosphorus. Our results strongly support the SH, while the trade-offs expected under GRH were not apparent. Beyond plasticity, unicellular populations can respond rapidly to selection pressure through joint evolution of their size and maximum growth rate. Our study stresses that physiological links between these traits tightly shape the evolution of competitive strategies.
|
|
Guiet, J., J. - C. Poggiale, and O. Maury. "Modelling the community size-spectrum: recent developments and new directions." Ecological Modelling. 337 (2016): 4–14.
Résumé: The regularity of the community size-spectrum, i.e., the fact that the total ecosystem biomass contained in logarithmically equal body size intervals remains constant, is a striking characteristic of marine ecosystems. Community size-spectrum models exploit this feature to represent marine ecosystems with two measures: the slope and the intercept (height) of the community spectrum. Size-spectrum models have gain popularity over time to model the properties of fish communities, whether to investigate the impact of fishing, or embedded into end-to-end models to investigate the impact of climate. We review the main features and state of the art developments in the domain of continuous size-spectrum models. The community spectrum emerges from a balance between size-selective predation, growth and biomass dissipation. Further to these basic components, reproduction and various causes of mortality have been introduced in recent studies to increase the model's realism or simply close the mass budget of the spectrum. These different processes affect the stability of the spectrum and affect the predictions of the size-spectrum models. A few models have also introduced a representation of life-history traits in the community size-spectrum. This allows accounting for the diversity of energy pathways in food webs and for the fact that metabolism is both size- and species-specific. The community-level metabolism therefore depends on the species composition of the community. The size-spectrum's regularity at the community level can serve as a conceptual basis for building theories of marine ecosystems’ functioning. It is also used as indicator of anthropogenic and natural disturbances. The mechanistic nature of size-spectrum models as well as their simple and aggregated representation of complex systems makes them good candidates as a strategic management tool. For instance, for testing the impact of different fishing management actions or for projecting marine ecosystem's states under various climate change scenarios.
|
|
Jacquet, C., et al. "No complexity-stability relationship in empirical ecosystems." Nat. Commun.. 7 (2016): 12573.
Résumé: Understanding the mechanisms responsible for stability and persistence of ecosystems is one of the greatest challenges in ecology. Robert May showed that, contrary to intuition, complex randomly built ecosystems are less likely to be stable than simpler ones. Few attempts have been tried to test May's prediction empirically, and we still ignore what is the actual complexity-stability relationship in natural ecosystems. Here we perform a stability analysis of 116 quantitative food webs sampled worldwide. We find that classic descriptors of complexity (species richness, connectance and interaction strength) are not associated with stability in empirical food webs. Further analysis reveals that a correlation between the effects of predators on prey and those of prey on predators, combined with a high frequency of weak interactions, stabilize food web dynamics relative to the random expectation. We conclude that empirical food webs have several non-random properties contributing to the absence of a complexity-stability relationship.
|
|
Le Mézo, P., et al. "Natural variability of marine ecosystems inferred from a coupled climate to ecosystem simulation." Journal of Marine Systems. 153 (2016): 55–66.
Résumé: This modeling study analyzes the simulated natural variability of pelagic ecosystems in the North Atlantic and North Pacific. Our model system includes a global Earth System Model (IPSL-CM5A-LR), the biogeochemical model PISCES and the ecosystem model APECOSM that simulates upper trophic level organisms using a size-based approach and three interactive pelagic communities (epipelagic, migratory and mesopelagic). Analyzing an idealized (e.g., no anthropogenic forcing) 300-yr long pre-industrial simulation, we find that low and high frequency variability is dominant for the large and small organisms, respectively. Our model shows that the size-range exhibiting the largest variability at a given frequency, defined as the resonant range, also depends on the community. At a given frequency, the resonant range of the epipelagic community includes larger organisms than that of the migratory community and similarly, the latter includes larger organisms than the resonant range of the mesopelagic community. This study shows that the simulated temporal variability of marine pelagic organisms' abundance is not only influenced by natural climate fluctuations but also by the structure of the pelagic community. As a consequence, the size- and community-dependent response of marine ecosystems to climate variability could impact the sustainability of fisheries in a warming world.
|
|
Monsarrat, S., et al. "A spatially explicit estimate of the prewhaling abundance of the endangered North Atlantic right whale." Conserv. Biol.. 30.4 (2016): 783–791.
Résumé: The North Atlantic right whale (NARW) (Eubalaena glacialis) is one of the world's most threatened whales. It came close to extinction after nearly a millennium of exploitation and currently persists as a population of only approximately 500 individuals. Setting appropriate conservation targets for this species requires an understanding of its historical population size, as a baseline for measuring levels of depletion and progress toward recovery. This is made difficult by the scarcity of records over this species' long whaling history. We sought to estimate the preexploitation population size of the North Atlantic right whale and understand how this species was distributed across its range. We used a spatially explicit data set on historical catches of North Pacific right whales (NPRWs) (Eubalaena japonica) to model the relationship between right whale relative density and the environment during the summer feeding season. Assuming the 2 right whale species select similar environments, we projected this model to the North Atlantic to predict how the relative abundance of NARWs varied across their range. We calibrated these relative abundances with estimates of the NPRW total prewhaling population size to obtain high and low estimates for the overall NARW population size prior to exploitation. The model predicted 9,075-21,328 right whales in the North Atlantic. The current NARW population is thus <6% of the historical North Atlantic carrying capacity and has enormous potential for recovery. According to the model, in June-September NARWs concentrated in 2 main feeding areas: east of the Grand Banks of Newfoundland and in the Norwegian Sea. These 2 areas may become important in the future as feeding grounds and may already be used more regularly by this endangered species than is thought. Una Estimacion Espacialmente Explicita de la Abundancia Previa a la Caza de la Ballena Franca del Atlantico Norte en Peligro de Extincion La ballena franca del Atlantico Norte (BFAN) (Eubalaena glacialis) es una de las ballenas mas amenazadas del mundo. Su extincion estuvo proxima despues de casi un milenio de explotacion y actualmente persiste una poblacion de aproximadamente 500 individuos. El establecimiento de objetivos de conservacion apropiados para esta especie requiere del entendimiento del tamano historico de la poblacion como la linea base para la medida de los niveles de disminucion y el progreso hacia la recuperacion. Esto se dificulta por la escasez de registros sobre la larga historia de la caza de esta especie. Buscamos estimar el tamano poblacional previo a la explotacion de la ballena franca del Atlantico Norte y entender como se distribuia esta especie a lo largo de su extension. Usamos un conjunto de datos espacialmente explicitos sobre las capturas historicas de las ballenas francas del Pacifico Norte (BFPN) (Eubalaena japonica) para modelar la relacion entre la densidad relativa de ballenas francas y el ambiente durante la temporada de verano de alimentacion. Cuando asumimos que las dos especies de ballenas francas seleccionan ambientes similares, pudimos proyectar este modelo hacia el Atlantico Norte y asi poder predecir como la abundancia relativa de las BFAN vario a lo largo de su extension. Calibramos estas abundancias relativas con los estimados del tamano poblacional total previo a la caza de las BFPN y asi obtener estimados altos y bajos para el tamano poblacional general de las BFAN previo a la explotacion. El modelo predijo la existencia de 9, 075 – 21, 328 ballenas francas en el Atlantico Norte. La poblacion actual de BFAN es entonces <6 % a la capacidad de carga historica del Atlantico Norte, por lo que tiene un potencial enorme para la recuperacion. De acuerdo al modelo, entre junio y septiembre, las BFAN se concentraron en dos areas de alimentacion principales: al este de los Grandes Bancos de Terranova y en el Mar de Noruega. Estas dos areas pueden volverse importantes en el futuro como sitios de alimentacion y puede que ya sean usadas por esta especie de manera mas regular de lo que se cree. Resumen
|
|
Trottet, A., et al. "Heterotrophic Bacteria Show Weak Competition for Nitrogen in Mediterranean Coastal Waters (Thau Lagoon) in Autumn." Microb Ecol. 71.2 (2016): 304–314.
Résumé: The importance of heterotrophic bacteria relative to phytoplankton in the uptake of ammonium and nitrate was studied in Mediterranean coastal waters (Thau Lagoon) during autumn, when the Mediterranean Sea received the greatest allochthonous nutrient loads. Specific inhibitors and size-fractionation methods were used in combination with isotopic 15N tracers. NO3 − and NH4 + uptake was dominated by phytoplankton (60 % on average) during the study period, which included a flood event. Despite lower biomass specific NH4 + and NO3 uptake rates, free-living heterotrophic bacteria contributed significantly (>30 %) to total microbial NH4 + and NO3 − uptake rates in low chlorophyll waters. Under these conditions, heterotrophic bacteria may be responsible for more than 50 % of primary production, using very little freshly produced phytoplankton exudates. In low chlorophyll coastal waters as reported during the present 3-month study, the heterotrophic bacteria seemed to depend to a greater extent on allochthonous N and C substrates than on autochthonous substrates derived from phytoplankton.
|
|
Viblanc, V. A., et al. "Kin effects on energy allocation in group-living ground squirrels." J. Anim. Ecol.. 85.5 (2016): 1361–1369.
Résumé: 1. The social environment has potent effects on individual phenotype and fitness in group-living species. 2. We asked whether the presence of kin might act on energy allocation, a central aspect of life-history variation. 3. Using a 22-year data set on reproductive and somatic allocations in Columbian ground squirrels (Urocitellus columbianus), we tested the effects of co-breeding and non-breeding kin on the fitness and energy allocation balance between reproduction and personal body condition of individual females. 4. Greater numbers of co-breeding kin had a positive effect on the number of offspring weaned, through the mechanism of altering energy allocation patterns. On average, females with higher numbers of co-breeding kin did not increase energy income but biased energy allocation towards reproduction. 5. Co-breeding female kin ground squirrels maintain close nest burrows, likely providing a social buffer against territorial invasions from non-kin ground squirrels. Lower aggressiveness, lower risks of infanticide from female kin and greater protection of territorial boundaries may allow individual females to derive net fitness benefits via their energy allocation strategies. 6. We demonstrated the importance of kin effects on a fundamental life-history trade-off.
|
|
2015 |
Caro, A., et al. "Contrasted responses of Ruditapes decussatus (filter and deposit feeding) and Loripes lacteus (symbiotic) exposed to polymetallic contamination (Port-Camargue, France)." Science of The Total Environment. 505 (2015): 526–534.
Résumé: Abstract
The use of symbiotic bivalve species to assess the effect of anthropogenic metal pollution was rarely investigated whereas data on filter feeding bivalves are common. The aim of this study was the exposure of two bivalve species, Ruditapes decussatus and Loripes lacteus to polymetallic pollution gradient, originating from harbor activities (Port-Camargue, south of France). Both bivalves differ by their trophic status, filter and deposit feeder for Ruditapes and symbiotic for Loripes that underlies potential differences in metal sensibility. The bivalves were immerged in July (for Ruditapes during 2 and 8 days) and in August 2012 (for Loripes during 2, 6 and 8 days) in the water column of the harbor, at 3 stations according to pollution gradient. Metal concentrations (Cu, Mn, Zn) in the water column were quantified as dissolved metals (measured by ICP-MS) and as labile metals (measured by ICP-MS using DGT technique). For each exposure time, accumulation of metals in the soft tissue of bivalves (“bioaccumulation”) was measured for both species. In addition, specific parameters, according to the trophic status of each bivalve, were investigated: filtering activity (specific clearance rate, SCR) for Ruditapes, and relative cell size (SSC) and genomic content (FL1) of bacterial symbionts hosted in the gills of Loripes. The SCR of Ruditapes drops from 100% (control) to 34.7% after 2 days of exposure in the less contaminated site (station 8). On the other hand, the relative cell size (SSC) and genomic content (FL1), measured by flow cytometry were not impacted by the pollution gradient. Bioaccumulation was compared for both species, showing a greater capability of Cu accumulation for Loripes without lethal effect. Mn, Fe and Zn were generally not accumulated by any of the species according to the pollution gradient. The trophic status of each species may greatly influence their respective responses to polymetallic pollution.
|
|
Lefort, S., et al. "Spatial and body-size dependent response of marine pelagic communities to projected global climate change." Global Change Biology. 21.1 (2015): 154–164.
Résumé: Temperature, oxygen, and food availability directly affect marine life. Climate models project a global warming of the ocean's surface (similar to+3 degrees C), a de-oxygenation of the ocean's interior (similar to-3%) and a decrease in total marine net primary production (similar to-8%) under the business as usual' climate change scenario (RCP8.5). We estimated the effects of these changes on biological communities using a coupled biogeochemical (PISCES) – ecosystems (APECOSM) model forced by the physical outputs of the last generation of the IPSL-CM Earth System Model. The APECOSM model is a size-structured bio-energetic model that simulates the 3D dynamical distributions of three interactive pelagic communities (epipelagic, mesopelagic, and migratory) under the effects of multiple environmental factors. The PISCES-APECOSM model ran from 1850 to 2100 under historical forcing followed by RCP8.5. Our RCP8.5 simulation highlights significant changes in the spatial distribution, biomass, and maximum body-size of the simulated pelagic communities. Biomass and maximum body-size increase at high latitude over the course of the century, reflecting the capacity of marine organisms to respond to new suitable environment. At low- and midlatitude, biomass and maximum body-size strongly decrease. In those regions, large organisms cannot maintain their high metabolic needs because of limited and declining food availability. This resource reduction enhances the competition and modifies the biomass distribution among and within the three communities: the proportion of small organisms increases in the three communities and the migrant community that initially comprised a higher proportion of small organisms is favored. The greater resilience of small body-size organisms resides in their capacity to fulfill their metabolic needs under reduced energy supply and is further favored by the release of predation pressure due to the decline of large organisms. These results suggest that small body-size organisms might be more resilient to climate change than large ones.
|
|
Letessier, T. B., et al. "Low-cost small action cameras in stereo generates accurate underwater measurements of fish." Journal of Experimental Marine Biology and Ecology. 466 (2015): 120–126.
Résumé: Abstract
Small action cameras have received interest for use in underwater videography because of their low-cost, standardised housing, widespread availability and small size. Here, we assess the capacity of GoPro action cameras to provide accurate stereo-measurements of fish in comparison to the Sony handheld cameras that have traditionally been used for this purpose. Standardised stereo-GoPro and Sony systems were employed to capture measurements of known-length targets in a pool to explore the influence of the type of camera, distance to camera rig, angle to the optical axis and target speed on measurement accuracy. The capacity to estimate fish length in situ was also compared by measuring the same fish on a coral reef with two baited remote underwater video systems, each fitted with both a GoPro and a Sony camera system. Pool trials indicated that the GoPros were generally less accurate than the Sonys. Accuracy decreased with increased angles and distance for both systems but remained reasonably low (< 7.5%) at 5 m distance and 25° angle for GoPros. Speed of target movement did not result in any consistent decrease in accuracy. In situ measurements revealed a strong correlation (R2 = 0.94) between Sony and GoPro length measurements of the same individual fish, with a slope not different from 1 and an intercept not different from 0, suggesting that GoPro measurement errors do not result in a consistent bias at the level of individual fish. Moreover, the investigation of kernel density functions of the length distribution of the entire fish assemblage indicated that difference in measurement accuracy becomes negligible for purposes of comparing population size structure. We suggest a measurement protocol for the use of GoPro stereo-camera systems that improves accuracy, where distance to target is limited to 5 m and angle to optical axis is restricted to 25°. For distances up to 7 m, angles should be restricted to 15°. This protocol supports the use of small action cameras such as the GoPro system, providing reductions in cost and increases in effective sampling efforts, compared with traditional rigs based on relatively expensive handheld cameras.
|
|
Sirot, C., et al. "Linking temporal changes in the demographic structure and individual growth to the decline in the population of a tropical fish." Estuarine, Coastal and Shelf Science. 165 (2015): 166–175.
Résumé: The exceptional biodiversity and productivity of tropical coastal lagoons can only be preserved by identifying the causes for the decline in the populations living in these vulnerable ecosystems. The Terminos lagoon in Mexico provided an opportunity for studying this issue as some of its fish populations, in particular the Silver Perch (Bairdiella chrysoura), have declined significantly since the 1980s. Fish sampling campaigns carried out over the whole lagoon area in 1979–81 and again in 2006–2011 revealed the mechanisms which may have been responsible for this decline. Based on biometrical data for 295 juveniles and adults from the two periods and on somatic growth derived from 173 otoliths, a study of the temporal changes in the demographic structure and life history traits (individual growth and body condition) made it possible to distinguish the causes of the decline in the B. chrysoura population. Growth models for the lagoon in 1980–1981 and 2006–2011 showed no significant change in the growth parameters of the population over the last 30 years with a logistic model giving an accurate estimate (R2 = 0.66) of the size-at-age for both periods. The decline in the B. chrysoura population could not be explained by an overall decrease in individual size and condition in the lagoon, the average standard length (SL) and Fulton index (FI) having increased slightly since 1980–1981 (4.6 mm and 0.02 for juveniles and 5.42 mm and 0.07 for adults). However, the size structure of the population in the lagoon has changed, with a significant shift in the size distribution of juveniles with a marked reduction in the proportion of juveniles ≤ 60 mm in the captures (90.9% fewer than in 1980–1981). As the otolith growth rate of fish during the first 4 months also decreased significantly between the two sampling periods (−15%), it is suggested that the main reason for the decline in the abundance and biomass of B. chrysoura within this system may be that its habitats are less suitable for fish growth and survival in the initial months after settlement. Environmental conditions in the lagoon appear to allow compensatory growth of the individuals that survive this early demographic bottleneck. The key for the conservation of B. chrysoura probably lies in the identification and restoration of the habitats required by its larvae and juveniles.
|
|
van Gils, J. A., et al. "Moving on with foraging theory: incorporating movement decisions into the functional response of a gregarious shorebird." Journal of Animal Ecology. 84 (2015): 554–564.
Résumé: 1. Models relating intake rate to food abundance and competitor density (generalized functional response models) can predict forager distributions and movements between patches, but we lack understanding of how distributions and small-scale movements by the foragers themselves affect intake rates. Using a state-of-the-art approach based on continuous-time Markov chain dynamics, we add realism to classic functional response models by acknowledging that the chances to encounter food and competitors are influenced by movement decisions, and, vice versa, that movement decisions are influenced by these encounters. We used a multi-state modelling framework to construct a stochastic functional response model in which foragers alternate between three behavioural states: searching, handling and moving. Using behavioural observations on a molluscivore migrant shorebird (red knot, Calidris canutus canutus), at its main wintering area (Banc d'Arguin, Mauritania), we estimated transition rates between foraging states as a function of conspecific densities and densities of the two main bivalve prey. Intake rate decreased with conspecific density. This interference effect was not due to decreased searching efficiency, but resulted from time lost to avoidance movements. Red knots showed a strong functional response to one prey (Dosinia isocardia), but a weak response to the other prey (Loripes lucinalis). This corroborates predictions from a recently developed optimal diet model that accounts for the mildly toxic effects due to consuming Loripes. Using model averaging across the most plausible multi-state models, the fully parameterized functional response model was then used to predict intake rate for an independent data set on habitat choice by red knot. Comparison of the sites selected by red knots with random sampling sites showed that the birds fed at sites with higher than average Loripes and Dosinia densities, that is sites for which we predicted higher than average intake rates. We discuss the limitations of Holling's classic functional response model which ignores movement and the limitations of contemporary movement ecological theory that ignores consumer-resource interactions. With the rapid advancement of technologies to track movements of individual foragers at fine spatial scales, the time is ripe to integrate descriptive tracking studies with stochastic movement-based functional response models.
|
|
2014 |
Albouy, C., et al. "From projected species distribution to food-web structure under climate change." Global Change Biology. 20.3 (2014): 730–741.
|
|
Elisabeth, N. H., et al. "Comparative modifications in bacterial gill-endosymbiotic populations of the two bivalves Codakia orbiculata and Lucina pensylvanica during bacterial loss and reacquisition." FEMS microbiology ecology. 89.3 (2014).
Résumé: Until now, the culture of sulphur-oxidizing bacterial symbionts associated with marine invertebrates remains impossible. Therefore, few studies focused on symbiont's physiology under stress conditions. In this study, we carried out a comparative experiment based on two different species of lucinid bivalves (Codakia orbiculata and Lucina pensylvanica) under comparable stress factors. The bivalves were starved for 6months in sulphide-free filtered seawater. For C.orbiculata only, starved individuals were then put back to the field, in natural sediment. We used in situ hybridization, flow cytometry and X-ray fluorescence to characterize the symbiont population hosted in the gills of both species. In L.pensylvanica, no decrease in symbiont abundance was observed throughout the starvation experiment, whereas elemental sulphur slowly decreased to zero after 3months of starvation. Conversely, in C.orbiculata, symbiont abundance within bacteriocytes decreased rapidly and sulphur from symbionts disappeared during the first weeks of the experiment. The modifications of the cellular characteristics (SSC – relative cell size and FL1 – genomic content) of the symbiotic populations along starvation were not comparable between species. Return to the sediment of starved C.orbiculata individuals led to a rapid (2-4weeks) recovery of symbiotic cellular characteristics, comparable with unstressed symbionts. These results suggest that endosymbiotic population regulation is host-species-dependent in lucinids. 2014 Federation of European Microbiological Societies. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd. All rights reserved.
|
|
Mari, X., et al. "Effects of soot deposition on particle dynamics and microbial processes in marine surface waters." Global Biogeochemical Cycles. 28.7 (2014): 662–678.
Résumé: Large amounts of soot are continuously deposited on the global ocean. Even though significant concentrations of soot particles are found in marine waters, the effects of these aerosols on ocean ecosystems are currently unknown. Using a combination of in situ and experimental data, and results from an atmospheric transport model, we show that the deposition of soot particles from an oil-fired power plant impacted biogeochemical properties and the functioning of the pelagic ecosystem in tropical oligotrophic oceanic waters off New Caledonia. Deposition was followed by a major increase in the volume concentration of suspended particles, a change in the particle size spectra that resulted from a stimulation of aggregation processes, a 5% decrease in the concentration of dissolved organic carbon (DOC), a decreases of 33 and 23% in viral and free bacterial abundances, respectively, and a factor similar to 2 increase in the activity of particle-attached bacteria suggesting that soot introduced in the system favored bacterial growth. These patterns were confirmed by experiments with natural seawater conducted with both soot aerosols collected in the study area and standard diesel soot. The data suggest a strong impact of soot deposition on ocean surface particles, DOC, and microbial processes, at least near emission hot spots.
|
|
Patino, J., et al. "Differences in species-area relationships among the major lineages of land plants: a macroecological perspective." Global Ecology and Biogeography. 23.11 (2014): 1275–1283.
Résumé: AimAlthough the increase in species richness with increasing area is considered one of the few laws in ecology, the role of environmental and taxon-specific features in shaping species-area relationships (SARs) remains controversial. Using 421 land-plant floras covering continents, continental islands and oceanic islands, we investigate whether variations in SAR parameters can be interpreted in terms of differences among lineages in speciation mode and dispersal capacities (TAXON), or of geological history and geographical isolation between continents and islands (GEO). LocationGlobal. MethodsLinear mixed-effects models describing variation in SARs, depending on the factors GEO and TAXON and controlling for differences between realms (REALM) and biomes (BIOME). ResultsThe best random-effect structure included both random slopes and random intercepts for GEO, TAXON, REALM and BIOME. This accounted for 77% of the total variation in species richness, substantially more than the 27% statistically explained by the model with fixed effects only (i.e. the simple SAR). The slopes of the SARs were higher for oceanic islands than for continental islands and continents, and higher in spermatophytes than in pteridophytes and bryophytes. The intercepts largely exhibited the reverse trend. TAXON was included in best-fit models restricted to oceanic and continental islands, but not continents. Analysing each plant lineage separately, the intercept of GEO was only included in the random structure of spermatophytes. Main conclusionsSAR parameters varied considerably depending on geological history and taxon-specific traits. Such differences in SARs among land plants challenge the neutral theory that the accumulation of species richness on islands is controlled exclusively by extrinsic factors. Taxon-specific differences in SARs were, however, confounded by interactions with geological history and geographical isolation. This highlights the importance of applying integrative frameworks that take both environmental context and taxonomic idiosyncrasies into account in SAR analyses.
|
|
Walker, T. R., et al. "Influence of suspended mussel lines on sediment erosion and resuspension in Lagune de la Grande Entree, Iles-de-la-Madeleine, Quebec, Canada." Aquaculture. 433 (2014): 450–457.
Résumé: Downward fluxes of organically rich biodeposits under suspended mussel lines can cause benthic impacts such as changes in benthic community structure or microbial mat production. Quantifying sediment erosion in these coastal ecosystems is important for understanding how fluxes of organic matter and mussel biodeposits contribute to benthic pelagic coupling. Critical shear velocity (u(crit)*(t)), erosion rates and particle size distributions of resuspended sediment were measured at four stations distributed along a transect perpendicular to a mussel farm in Lagune de la Grande Entree, Iles-de-la-Madeleine (Quebec, Canada). Stations were selected underneath the outer-most mussel line (0 m) and at distances of 15,30 m and at a reference station (500 m) further along the transect. Shear velocity was measured using a calibrated portable Particle Erosion Simulator, also referred to as the BEAST (Benthic Environmental Assessment Sediment Tool). Undisturbed sediment cores obtained by divers were exposed to shear stress to compare differences between stations. Erosion sequences indicated no significant differences in u(crit)* between stations, but there were significant differences in erosion rates beneath mussel lines compared to other stations. Erosion rates were the highest in cores from beneath mussel lines, but paradoxically had the lowest u(crit)* Mean erosion rates at u*crit varied between 25 and 47 g m(-2) min(-1) and critical erosion thresholds varied between 1.58 and 1.73 cm s(-1), which compare with intensive mussel culture sites elsewhere in eastern Canada. Significant differences existed in biotic and abiotic properties of sediments which could explain variation in maximum erosion rates within and between stations. Particle sizes measured by videography of resuspended sediment at different shear velocities ranged from 02 to 3.0 mm. Quantifying sediment erosion from intact marine sediments helps to improve our mechanistic understanding of these processes, and the BEAST further contributes to predictive capability in benthic pelagic coupling modeling. (C) 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.
|
|
2013 |
Bender, M. G., et al. "Biogeographic, historical and environmental influences on the taxonomic and functional structure of Atlantic reef fish assemblages." Global Ecology and Biogeography. 22.11 (2013): 1173–1182.
Résumé: Aim To disentangle how historic, biogeographic and environmental factors have shaped the composition of different reef fish assemblages, we analysed assemblage structure from a taxonomic (proportions of species from different families) and functional perspective (diet and body size). Location Atlantic Ocean. Methods The distributions of 1629 fish species were compiled for 31 locations across the Atlantic Ocean (39°66′ N, 27°50′ S). These locations provide a richness gradient ranging from 54 species in St Paul's Rocks to 474 in Cuba. We used cluster analyses to assess how historical and biogeographic factors have shaped the taxonomic and functional structure (i.e. the distribution of species within families, diet and body size groups) of assemblages. We then employed a constrained analysis of principal coordinates (CAP) to test the relative influence of the distance from the biodiversity centre in the Atlantic, sea surface temperature, isolation, coral species richness and area, and coastal length on the observed patterns of assemblage structure. Results The taxonomic and functional structure of reef fish assemblages across the Atlantic exhibits a biogeographic fingerprint, with a marked discrimination between species-rich biogenic reefs (concentrated primarily in the Caribbean and composed of small species feeding on invertebrates) and poorer peripheral regions dominated by larger species with more diverse diets. The first CAP axis explains 87% of body size distribution in assemblages, showing that the effects of sea surface temperature and coral richness and those of isolation are antagonistic and can be embedded into a single dimension. Environmental factors, such as temperature and habitat complexity, explain the disproportionate number of small species in the Caribbean, whereas in the remaining regions the predominance of large-bodied fish increases with isolation due to high dispersal ability. Main conclusions We found that historical events, which have shaped the biogeography of reef fishes, and environmental characteristics (coral reefs versus periphery) have both played a role in structuring the taxonomic and functional components of Atlantic fish assemblages.
|
|
Brehmer, P., et al. "Does coastal lagoon habitat quality affect fish growth rate and their recruitment? Insights from fishing and acoustic surveys." Estuar. Coast. Shelf Sci.. 126 (2013): 1–6.
Résumé: Ensuring the sustainability of fish resources necessitates understanding their interaction with coastal habitats, which is becoming ever more challenging in the context of ever increasing anthropogenic pressures. The ability of coastal lagoons, exposed to major sources of disturbance, to provide resources and suitable habitats for growth and survival of juvenile fish is especially important. We analysed three lagoons with different ecological statuses and habitat quality on the basis of their eutrophication and ecotoxicity (Trix test) levels. Fish abundances were sampled using fishing and horizontal beaming acoustic surveys with the same protocols in the same year. The relative abundance of Anguilla anguilla, Dicentrarchus labrax or the Mugilidae group was not an indicator of habitat quality, whereas Atherina boyeri and Sparus aurata appeared to be more sensitive to habitat quality. Fish abundance was higher in the two lagoons with high eutrophication and ecotoxicity levels than in the less impacted lagoon, while fish sizes were significantly higher in the two most severely impacted lagoons. This leads us to suggest low habitat quality may increase fish growth rate (by the mean of a cascading effect), but may reduce lagoon juvenile abundance by increasing larval mortality. Such a hypothesis needs to be further validated using greater investigations which take into account more influences on fish growth and recruitment in such variable environments under complex multi-stressor conditions. (C) 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
|
|
Gravel, D., et al. "Inferring food web structure from predator-prey body size relationships." Methods in Ecology and Evolution. 4.11 (2013): 1083–1090.
Résumé: 1. Current global changes make it important to be able to predict which interactions will occur in the emerging ecosystems. Most of the current methods to infer the existence of interactions between two species require a good knowledge of their behaviour or a direct observation of interactions. In this paper, we overcome these limitations by developing a method, inspired from the niche model of food web structure, using the statistical relationship between predator and prey body size to infer the matrix of potential interactions among a pool of species. 2. The novelty of our approach is to infer, for any species of a given species pool, the three species-specific parameters of the niche model. The method applies to both local and metaweb scales. It allows one to evaluate the feeding interactions of a new species entering the community. 3. We find that this method gives robust predictions of the structure of food webs and that its efficiency is increased when the strength of the body-size relationship between predators and preys increases. 4. We finally illustrate the potential of the method to infer the metaweb structure of pelagic fishes of the Mediterranean sea under different global change scenarios.
|
|
Le Pape, O., and S. Bonhommeau. "The food limitation hypothesis for juvenile marine fish." Fish and Fisheries (2013).
Résumé: Coastal zones are productive areas that serve as nursery grounds for a large number of marine species. However, the processes involved in survival success during the juvenile phase are not well-known. Some authors suggest that the availability of prey is important to support the production of pre-recruit fish whose fitness is enhanced through optimal feeding conditions. Accordingly, recruitment is limited by the carrying capacity of the nursery habitat. In contrast, other authors state that the carrying capacity of the nursery grounds is not fully exploited, suggesting that there is no effect of food limitation. This study combines an overview of the literature, focused on flatfish that are especially dependent on coastal and estuarine nursery grounds, an extension to other marine fishes and a modelling approach on growth and survival of juvenile fish to explore the controversy of food limitation in their nursery grounds. We demonstrate that the relative lack of growth limitation observed for young marine fishes at the individual scale is related to an observational bias: fish have been affected by size-selective mortality linked to food limitation, but only surviving individuals are observed. As the population is skewed towards the faster-growing juveniles, the growth of survivors remains close to optimal, even when food resources are limited. Food limitation is of major influence in determining the carrying capacity of the nursery habitat. To sustain marine fish populations and related fisheries, management action is needed to protect coastal and estuarine areas and maintain or restore nursery productivity.
|
|
Maury, O., and J. - C. Poggiale. "From individuals to populations to communities: A dynamic energy budget model of marine ecosystem size-spectrum including life history diversity." Journal of Theoretical Biology. 324 (2013): 52–71.
|
|
Ndiaye, W., et al. "Changes in population structure of the white grouper Epinephelus aeneus as a result of long-term overexploitation in Senegalese waters." African Journal of Marine Science. 35.4 (2013): 465–472.
Résumé: In Senegal, a significant decrease in catches indicates that many demersal fish stocks are being overexploited. The white grouper Epinephelus aeneus, locally known as the 'thiof', is exploited by both small-scale and industrial fisheries. A 28-year database of E. aeneus catches along the Senegalese coast provided by the Centre for Oceanographic Research of Dakar-Thiaroye, and size at maturity measured in Dakar (Senegal) from monthly samples in 2010, were used to analyse changes in population structure in the area over the past 37 years. Catches from the northern fishing areas were lower than those from the southern fishing areas, and decreased steadily during the period (Kolmogorov-Smirnov test, D = 0.243, p = 0.0002). The individual mean weight of catches decreased from 1974 to 2010 (linear regression, r(2) = 0.40, n = 37) and only 60% of the individuals were mature. The calculated sizes at maturity were 49 cm total length (TL) for females and 55 cm for males, and the optimal length of capture for a sustainable fishery was 96 cm, but only 0.03% of E. aeneus caught reached this length. Most of the catch consisted of juveniles; the larger reproductive individuals had disappeared. The number of individuals caught decreased significantly between 1974 and 2010 (1974-1983, r(2) = 0.98, n = 74 674; 1984-1993, r(2) = 0.95, n = 96 696; 1994-2003, r(2) = 0.93, n = 12 619; 2004-2010, r(2) = 0.91, n = 12 887), whereas the length range remained the same (10-110 cm TL). Biological indicators clearly showed that E. aeneus stocks in Senegal are overexploited and the species is now endangered. Immediate active management of fishing pressure is needed, therefore, to maintain E. aeneus populations in the area. Our results suggest a minimum size of <50 cm should be introduced and that fishing effort should be reduced.
|
|
2012 |
Ben Othman, H., et al. "Toxicity of benz(a)anthracene and fluoranthene to marine phytoplankton in culture: Does cell size really matter?" J. Hazard. Mater.. 243 (2012): 204–211.
Résumé: The toxicity of benz(a)anthracene and fluoranthene (polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, PAHs) was evaluated on seven species of marine algae in culture belonging to pico-, nano-, and microphytoplankton, exposed to increasing concentrations of up to 2 mg L-1. The short-term (24 h) toxicity was assessed using chlorophyll a fluorescence transients, linked to photosynthetic parameters. The maximum quantum yield Fv/Fm was lower at the highest concentrations tested and the toxicity thresholds were species-dependent. For acute effects, fluoranthene was more toxic than benz(a)anthracene, with LOECs of 50.6 and 186 mu g L-1, respectively. After 72 h exposure, there was a dose-dependent decrease in cell density, fluoranthene being more toxic than benz(a)anthracene. The population endpoint at 72 h was affected to a greater extent than the photosynthetic endpoint at 24 h. EC50 was evaluated using the Hill model, and species sensitivity was negatively correlated to cell biovolume. The largest species tested, the dinoflagellate Alexandrium catenella, was almost insensitive to either PAH. The population endpoint EC50s for fluoranthene varied from 54 mu g L-1 for the picophytoplankton Picochlorum sp. to 418 mu g L-1 for the larger diatom Chaetoceros muelleri. The size/sensitivity relationship is proposed as a useful model when there is a lack of ecotoxicological data on hazardous chemicals, especially in marine microorganisms. (C) 2012 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.
|
|
2011 |
Ayon, P., et al. "Long-term changes in zooplankton size distribution in the Peruvian Humboldt Current System : conditions favouring sardine or anchovy." Marine Ecology. Progress Series. 422 (2011): 211–222.
Résumé: Changes in the size distribution of zooplankton in the Humboldt Current System have been hypothesized to underlie observed changes in sardine and anchovy populations, the dominant pelagic fish species. To examine this hypothesis, the size distribution of over 15 000 zooplankton data samples collected since the 1960s was qualitatively determined. Dominance of each size group of zooplankton (small, medium and large) and of euphausiids was modelled using generalized additive models as a function of year, latitude, time of day, distance from the 200 m isobath (a surrogate for on-shelf versus off-shelf), sea surface temperature and salinity. The temporal (yr) pattern for euphausiid dominance was highly cross-correlated (i.e. was in phase) with the time series for estimated biomass of anchovy, and small zooplankton dominance with that for estimated sardine biomass. This supports the focal hypothesis based on feeding-energetic experiments, which showed energetic advantages to sardine filter feeding on smaller zooplankton and to anchovy bite feeding on larger copepods and euphausiids. Although euphausiids predominate offshore from the shelf break, anchovy biomass is generally highest on the shelf, suggesting a possible mismatch between anchovy feeding and euphausiid dominance. However, evidence concerning the offshore expansion of the anchovy range in cooler conditions, where both anchovy and euphausiids predominate, somewhat alleviates this apparent contradiction. A strong diel component to euphausiids and large zooplankton indicated diel migration for these zooplankton groups. That anchovy will preferentially eat euphausiids when they are more available (i.e. during the night and offshore) is supported by anchovy diet data.
|
|
2009 |
Tew-Kai, E., et al. "Top marine predators track Lagrangian coherent structures." Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U. S. A.. 106 (2009): 8245–8250.
Résumé: Meso- and submesoscales (fronts, eddies, filaments) in surface ocean flow have a crucial influence on marine ecosystems. Their dynamics partly control the foraging behavior and the displacement of marine top predators (tuna, birds, turtles, and cetaceans). In this work we focus on the role of submesoscale structures in the Mozambique Channel in the distribution of a marine predator, the Great Frigatebird. Using a newly developed dynamic concept, the finite-size Lyapunov exponent (FSLE), we identified Lagrangian coherent structures (LCSs) present in the surface flow in the channel over a 2-month observation period (August and September 2003). By comparing seabird satellite positions with LCS locations, we demonstrate that frigatebirds track precisely these structures in the Mozambique Channel, providing the first evidence that a top predator is able to track these FSLE ridges to locate food patches. After comparing bird positions during long and short trips and different parts of these trips, we propose several hypotheses to understand how frigatebirds can follow these LCSs. The birds might use visual and/or olfactory cues and/or atmospheric current changes over the structures to move along these biologic corridors. The birds being often associated with tuna schools around foraging areas, a thorough comprehension of their foraging behavior and movement during the breeding season is crucial not only to seabird ecology but also to an appropriate ecosystemic approach to fisheries in the channel.
|
|