Title | Shells of the bivalve Astarte moerchi give new evidence of a strong pelagic-benthic coupling shift occurring since the late 1970s in the North Water polynya |
Publication Type | Journal Article |
Year of Publication | 2020 |
Authors | Olivier, F, Gaillard, B, Thebault, J, Meziane, T, Tremblay, R, Dumont, D, Bélanger, S, Gosselin, M, Jolivet, A, Chauvaud, L, Martel, AL, Rysgaard, S, Olivier, A-H, Pettré, J, Mars, J, Gerber, S, Archambault, P |
Journal | Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society A: Mathematical, Physical and Engineering Sciences |
Volume | 378 |
Issue | 2181 |
Pagination | 20190353 |
Date Published | Feb-10-2020 |
ISSN | 1364-503X |
Abstract | Climate changes in the Arctic may weaken the currently tight pelagic-benthic coupling. In response to decreasing sea ice cover, arctic marine systems are expected to shift from a ‘sea-ice algae–benthos' to a ‘phytoplankton-zooplankton’ dominance. We used mollusc shells as bioarchives and fatty acid trophic markers to estimate the effects of the reduction of sea ice cover on the food exported to the seafloor. Bathyal bivalve Astarte moerchi living at 600 m depth in northern Baffin Bay reveals a clear shift in growth variations and Ba/Ca ratios since the late 1970s, which we relate to a change in food availability. Tissue fatty acid compositions show that this species feeds mainly on microalgae exported from the euphotic zone to the seabed. We, therefore, suggest that changes in pelagic-benthic coupling are likely due either to local changes in sea ice dynamics, mediated through bottom-up regulation exerted by sea ice on phytoplankton production, or to a mismatch between phytoplankton bloom and zooplankton grazing due to phenological change. Both possibilities allow a more regular and increased transfer of food to the seabed. |
URL | https://royalsocietypublishing.org/doi/10.1098/rsta.2019.0353 |
DOI | 10.1098/rsta.2019.0353 |
Short Title | Phil. Trans. R. Soc. A. |
Shells of the bivalve <i>Astarte moerchi</i> give new evidence of a strong pelagic-benthic coupling shift occurring since the late 1970s in the North Water polynya
Catégorie HCERES
ACL - Peer-reviewed articles
Publication coopération et recherche SUD
Non