Numerical modeling of bottom trawling-induced sediment transport and accumulation in La Fonera submarine canyon, northwestern Mediterranean Sea

Type Article
Date 2017-04
Language English
Author(s) Payo-Payo Marta1, 2, Silva Jacinto Ricardo1, Lastras G.3, Rabineau MarinaORCID2, Puig P.4, Martin J.5, Canals M.3, Sultan NabilORCID1
Affiliation(s) 1 : IFREMER, Geosci Marines EDROME, Ctr Brest, BP70,CS10070, F-29280 Plouzane, France.
2 : Univ Brest, IUEM, UMR CNRS 6538, Domaines Ocean, Pl Nicolas Copernic, F-29280 Plouzane, France.
3 : Univ Barcelona, Dept Dinam Terra & Oceans, CRG Marine Geosci, E-08028 Barcelona, Spain.
4 : CSIC, Inst Marine Sci, E-08003 Barcelona, Spain.
5 : CADIC CONICET, Ctr Austral Invest Cient, Bernardo Houssay 200,V9410CAB Ushuaia, Tierra Del Fuego, Argentina.
Source Marine Geology (0025-3227) (Elsevier Science Bv), 2017-04 , Vol. 386 , P. 107-125
DOI 10.1016/j.margeo.2017.02.015
WOS© Times Cited 13
Keyword(s) Bottom trawling, Inverse model, Modeling, Sediment transport, Submarine canyon, Turbidity currents
Abstract Bottom trawling leads to recurrent sediment resuspension events over fishing grounds. Recent studies have shown how bottom trawling can drive seascape reshaping at large spatial scales and enhance sediment transport in submarine canyons, which subsequently impacts deep-sea ecosystems. Present knowledge on the transfer and accumulation of sediment flows triggered by bottom trawling is based on localized and infrequent measurements whilst a more complete picture of the process is needed. The present work focuses on the modeling of sediment transport and accumulation resulting from trawling activities in La Fonera submarine canyon, northwestern Mediterranean Sea, thus contributing to an improved assessment of trawling impacts. Based on mooring data within a canyon gully, we use an inverse model to retrieve the unknown time series of resuspension due to trawling over the fishing grounds. This resuspension is later used as forcing for the direct problem: we simulate trawling-induced flows through the canyon and provide a 3D visualization of potential trawling impacts on sediment dynamics, including the identification of the propagation patterns of sediments resuspended by trawling. Flows coming from shallower fishing grounds are funneled through canyon flank gullies towards the canyon axis, with part of the resuspended sediment reaching the continental rise out of the canyon across the open continental slope. Trawling-induced sediment flows promote sediment accumulation beyond the canyon mouth. Given the wide geographical distribution of bottom trawling, our results have far-reaching implications that go much beyond La Fonera submarine canyon. Our study represents a starting point for the assessment of the sedimentary impact of bottom trawling in deep continental margins.
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Payo-Payo Marta, Silva Jacinto Ricardo, Lastras G., Rabineau Marina, Puig P., Martin J., Canals M., Sultan Nabil (2017). Numerical modeling of bottom trawling-induced sediment transport and accumulation in La Fonera submarine canyon, northwestern Mediterranean Sea. Marine Geology, 386, 107-125. Publisher's official version : https://doi.org/10.1016/j.margeo.2017.02.015 , Open Access version : https://archimer.ifremer.fr/doc/00374/48549/