Marine Ecosystems

In a perspective of sustainable management, the balance between ecological dynamics, social and economic are now at the heart of ecological modeling and environmental strategies screenwriting. Diversity and marine ecosystems function illustrates biodiversity, habitat diversity, structures and food webs in various oceans of the world and systems: pelagic and benthic ecosystems, coral reefs and seagrass beds, oasis of hydrothermal vents ridges or areas rich upwelling. Appropriate observation methods, long-term monitoring and modeling reveal the complexity of systems, trophic interactions and spatiotemporal dynamics. The ecosystem approach is a prerequisite to assess the state of these systems, their living resources and ecological services involved in local and global environmental changes.

Auteur

Doctor of Science in marine sedimentology and geochemistry, André Monaco is also emeritus research director at the CNRS. He received the first prize of scientific culture of MEN in 1999.

Research Director, Patrick Prouzet took care of the ecosystem approach to the scientific management of Ifremer. In the field of fisheries, he made amphihalin expertise on fish management internationally.

Contenu
Foreword ix
André MARIOTTI and Jean-Charles POMEROL Chapter 1. Marine Biosphere, Carbonate Systems and the Carbon Cycle 1
Luc BEAUFORT

1.1. Introduction 1

1.2. Marine organisms and carbon 3

1.3. Variability in the production of organic matter 4

1.4. From the biosphere to the atmosphere to climate 7

1.5. Carbonate production 9

1.5.1. Importance of biological carbonate production in the evolution of the planet 10

1.5.2. Carbonate compensation depth 12

1.5.3. Carbonates and climate 15

1.6. The coupling of carbonaceous and organic productions 16

1.7. Modification of equilibria and consequences on marine life 17

1.8. Conclusion 20

1.9. Bibliography 21

Chapter 2. Biodiversity of Phytoplankton: Responses to Environmental Changes in Coastal Zones 25
Tania HERNÁNDEZ-FARIÑAS and Cédric BACHER

2.1. Introduction 25

2.2. Phytoplankton ecology 26

2.2.1. General characteristics 26

2.2.2. Lifecycle 28

2.2.3. Spatial distribution32

2.2.4. Temporal variability and successions 33

2.2.5. Adaptive strategies 35

2.2.6. Functional diversity 40

2.2.7. Ecological niche 42

2.3. Phytoplankton responses to anthropogenic pressures 44

2.3.1. Main sources of anthropogenic variability 45

2.3.2. Responses with regard to biomass, abundance and species composition 48

2.3.3. Changes in spatial distribution 54

2.3.4. Changes in phenology and amplitude of blooms 56

2.3.5. Size spectrum 59

2.4. Observation systems for the identification of phytoplankton 60

2.4.1. Detecting changes in time series 60

2.4.2. Taxonomic aggregation levels 63

2.5. Conclusion 65

2.6. Bibliography 66

Chapter 3. Marine Seagrasses (Magnoliophyta) in the Intertropical Zone 81
Christian HILY

3.1. From plant to habitat 81

3.1.1. Taxonomy and morphology of marine magnoliophyta 81

3.1.2. Biogeography 85

3.1.3. The seagrass habitat 86

3.2. Role of seagrass beds in the coastal environment 87

3.3. Functioning of seagrass beds 89

3.3.1. Production and metabolism 89

3.3.2. Trophic network 90

3.4. Challenges in the conservation of seagrass beds 92

3.4.1. Rare and endangered species 92

3.4.2. Specific role of seagrasses: ichthyofauna of coastal environments 93

3.4.3. Services provided by seagrass beds to humans 95

3.5. Pressures on and threats to seagrasses 95

3.5.1. Cyclones 96

3.5.2. Emersion 96

3.5.3. Global climate change 96

3.5.4. Fishing 97

3.5.5. Boating and water sports 98

3.5.6. The extraction of sandy or coral materials 98

3.5.7. Amenities 98

3.5.8. Terrigenous effluents 98

3.5.9. Harvesting 99

3.6. Restoration of seagrass beds 100

3.7. The functional role of seagrasses in the lagoon ecosystem 101

3.8. Conclusion 103

3.9. Bibliography 104

Chapter 4. Biocomplexity of Coral Ecosystems: Diversity in All its States 107
Michel KULBICKI, Mehdi ADJEROUD, Laure CARASSOU, Pascale CHABANET, Valeriano PARRAVICINI, Dominique PONTON, Fanny HOULBREQUE and Laurent VIGLIOLA

4.1. Introduction 107

4.2. Diversity in the coral world 111

4.2.1. Overview. 112

4.2.2. Diversity of the main constituents of coral reefs 119

4.3. Links between diversities 138

4.3.1. From local to regional 138

4.3.2. From species to function 143

4.4. Conclusion 154

4.5. Bibliography 155 Chapter 5. Man and Diversity in the Coral Environment 165
*Michel KULBICKI, Mehdi ADJEROUD, Laure CARASSOU, Pascale CHABANET, Valeriano PARRAVICINI, Dominique PONTON, Fanny HOULBREQUE and Laurent VIGL...