Spatialized ecological network analysis for ecosystem-based management: effects of climate change, marine renewable energy and fishing on ecosystem functioning in the Bay of Seine

Quentin Nogues, Emma Araignous, Pierre Bourdaud, Ghassen Halouani, Aurore Raoux, Éric Foucher, François Le Loc'h, Frédérique Loew-Turbout, Frida Ben Rais Lasram, Jean-Claude Dauvin, Nathalie Niquil, Spatialized ecological network analysis for ecosystem-based management: effects of climate change, marine renewable energy, and fishing on ecosystem functioning in the Bay of Seine, ICES Journal of Marine Science, Vol. 79, Issue 4, May 2022, pp. 1098–1112. https://doi.org/10.1093/icesjms/fsac026

Integrative and spatialized tools for studying the effects of a wide variety of ecosystem drivers are needed to implement ecosystem-based management and marine spatial planning. We developed a tool for analyzing the direct and indirect effects of anthropic activities on the structure and functioning of coastal and marine ecosystems. Using innovative modeling techniques, we ran a spatially explicit model (Ecospace) to carry out an ecological network analysis of the effects of climate change, of an offshore wind farm and of multiple fishing scenarios on the Bay of Seine (eastern part of the English Channel) ecosystem. Ecological network analysis describes the spatial effects of multiple environmental drivers on the functioning of the extended Bay of Seine ecosystem. Climate change effect on species distribution had strong structuring effects on the ecosystem. Two fishing scenarios linked to Brexit (increased and decreased fishing) were tested; they had limited effects on ecosystem functioning compared to the effects of climate change on species distribution. Ecological network analysis distinguished vulnerable areas that might require special attention in terms of ecological management. Ecological network analysis indices could be used to link both local and global ecosystem changes, for a more cross-scale approach to ecosystem management.

BOREA Contact:  Nathalie Niquil, nathalie.niquil@unicaen.fr