Comparative study of isotopic trends in two coastal ecosystems of North Biscay: a multitrophic spatial gradient approach

Mortillaro Jean-Michel, Schaal Gauthier, Grall Jacques, Nerot Caroline, Brind'Amour Anik, Marchais V., Perdriau M., Le Bris Hervé. 2014. Comparative study of isotopic trends in two coastal ecosystems of North Biscay: a multitrophic spatial gradient approach. Estuarine, Coastal and Shelf Science, 136 : 149-156.

Quartile : Q2, Sujet : MARINE & FRESHWATER BIOLOGY / Quartile : Q2, Sujet : OCEANOGRAPHY

Résumé : In coastal estuarine embayments, retention of water masses due to coastal topography may result in an increased contribution of continental organic matter in food webs. However, in megatidal embayments, the effect of topography can be counterbalanced by the process of tidal mixing. Large amounts of continental organic matter are exported each year by rivers to the oceans. The fate of terrestrial organic matter in food webs of coastal areas and on neighboring coastal benthic communities was therefore evaluated, at multi-trophic levels, from primary producers to primary consumers and predators. Two coastal areas of the French Atlantic coast, differing in the contributions from their watershed, tidal range and aperture degree, were compared using carbon and nitrogen stable isotopes (δ13C and δ15N) during two contrasted periods. The Bay of Vilaine receives large inputs of freshwater from the Vilaine River, displaying 15N enriched and 13C depleted benthic communities, emphasizing the important role played by allochtonous inputs and anthropogenic impact on terrestrial organic matter in the food web. In contrast, the Bay of Brest which is largely affected by tidal mixing, showed a lack of agreement between isotopic gradients displayed by suspended particulate organic matter (SPOM) and suspension-feeders. Discrepancy between SPOM and suspension-feeders is not surprising due to differences in isotopes integration times. We suggest further that such a discrepancy may result from water replenishment due to coastal inputs, nutrient depletion by phytoplankton production, as well as efficient selection of highly nutritive phytoplanktonic particles by primary consumers.

Classification Agris : M40 - Écologie aquatique
P33 - Chimie et physique du sol

Champ stratégique Cirad : Axe 6 (2014-2018) - Sociétés, natures et territoires

Auteurs et affiliations

• Mortillaro Jean-Michel, CNRS (FRA) ORCID: 0000-0003-1911-9338
• Schaal Gauthier, CNRS (FRA)
• Grall Jacques, Institut Universitaire Européen de la Mer (FRA)
• Nerot Caroline, CNRS (FRA)
• Brind'Amour Anik, IFREMER (FRA)
• Marchais V., CNRS (FRA)
• Perdriau M., Agrocampus Ouest (FRA)
• Le Bris Hervé, Agrocampus Ouest (FRA)

Source : Cirad-Agritrop (https://agritrop.cirad.fr/578020/)

Métriques

[ Page générée et mise en cache le 2023-11-07 ]