Type |
Proceedings paper |
Date |
2019-01 |
Language |
English |
Other localization |
http://www.rac-spa.org/sites/default/files/symposium/proceedings_mscc_2019_final.pdf |
Author(s) |
Belloni Bruno1, Sartoretto Stephane2, Cresson Pierre2, Bouchoucha Marc2, Guillou Gael1, Lebreton Benoit1, Ruitton Sandrine1, Harmelin-Vivien Mireille1 |
Meeting |
3ème symposium méditerranen sur la conservation du coralligène et autres bioconcrétions. Antalya, Turkey, 17 January 2019 |
Source |
UNEP/MAP – SPA/RAC, 2019. Proceedings of the 3rd Mediterranean Symposium on the conservation of Coralligenous & other Calcareous Bio-Concretions (Antalya, Turkey, 15-16 January 2019). LANGAR H., OUERGHI A., edits, SPA/RAC publi., ISBN 978-9938-9574-5-7, Tunis, pp.30-35 |
Keyword(s) |
food webs, coralligenous ecosystem, stable isotopes, carbon, nitrogen |
Abstract |
The coralligenous ecosystem is one of the biodiversity hotspots in the Mediterranean Sea. This study aims at determining (i) the organic matter (OM) sources at the base of the food web in a coralligenous ecosystem near Marseille (Cap Caveau, Frioul Island) and (ii) the global functional structure of its community. For that purpose, C and N stable isotope analyses were performed on 78 compartments or species collected in this habitat between 30 and 40 m depth.
Results suggested that the pelagic particulate organic matter (POM), mainly composed of phytoplankton, was the main OM source fuelling coralligenous food webs, followed by sedimented organic matter (SOM) and some macrophytes. At least three level of consumers were identified from plankton-feeding invertebrates to piscivorous teleosts. Coralligenous food webs seemed to be characterized by a high abundance and trophic diversity of plankton and filter feeders. Among them numerous sessile invertebrates, such as cnidarians, bryozoans and ascidians, were poorly directly consumed, but played an important role in POM transfer. Further studies on spatial and temporal variations of coralligenous communities would be necessary for providing a general trophic functioning model of this highly diversified ecosystem. |
Full Text |
File |
Pages |
Size |
Access |
Publisher's official version |
6 |
5 MB |
Open access |
|