Content uploaded by Nicholas V C Polunin
Author content
All content in this area was uploaded by Nicholas V C Polunin
Content may be subject to copyright.
A preview of the PDF is not available
Impacts of Trawling Disturbance on the Trophic Structure of Benthic Invertebrate Communities
Abstract and Figures
Bottom trawling causes chronic and widespread disturbance to the seabed in shallow shelf seas and could lead to changes in the trophic structure and function of benthic communities, with important implications for the processing of primary production and the wider functioning of the marine ecosystem. We studied the effects of bottom trawling on the trophic structure of infaunal and epifaunal benthic communities in 2 regions (Silver Pit and Hills) of the central North Sea. Within each region, we quantified long-term (over 5 yr) differences in trawling disturbance at a series of sites (using sightings data from fishery protection flights), and related this to differences in the biomass and trophic structure of the benthic community. There were 27- and 10-fold differences in levels of beam trawl disturbance among the Silver Pit and Hills sites respectively, and we estimated that the frequency with which the entire area of the sites was trawled ranged from 0.2 to 6.5 times yr(-1) in the Silver Pit and 0.2 to 2.3 times yr(-1) in the Hills. The impacts of fishing were most pronounced in the Silver Pit region, where the range of trawling disturbance was greater. Infaunal and epifaunal biomass decreased significantly with trawling disturbance. Within the infauna, there were highly significant decreases in the biomass of bivalves and spatangoids (burrowing sea-urchins) but no significant change in polychaetes. Relationships between trophic level (estimated using nitrogen stable isotope composition, delta N-15) and body mass (as log(2) size classes) were rarely significant, implying that the larger individuals in this community did not consistently prey on the smaller ones. For epifauna, the relationships were significant, but the slopes or intercepts of the fitted linear regressions were not significantly related to trawling disturbance. Moreover, mean delta N-15 Of the sampled infaunal and epifaunal communities were remarkably consistent across sites and not significantly related to trawling disturbance. Our results suggest that chronic trawling disturbance led to dramatic reductions in the biomass of infauna and epifauna, but these reductions were not reflected in changes to the mean trophic level of the community, or the relationships between the trophic levels of different sizes of epifauna. The trophic structure of intensively trawled benthic invertebrate communities may be a robust feature of this marine ecosystem, thus ensuring the efficient processing of production within those animals that have sufficiently high intrinsic rates of population increase to withstand the levels of mortality imposed by trawling.
Figures - uploaded by Nicholas V C Polunin
Author content
All figure content in this area was uploaded by Nicholas V C Polunin
Content may be subject to copyright.
... Overexploitation of marine resources, especially by means of bottom trawling, can change or degrade habitats and have negative impacts on marine ecosystems [1][2][3]. Bottom trawling, in fact, may lead to long-term changes in benthic communities and affect the trophic condition of benthic ecosystems [4][5][6][7]. In addition to the effects directly linked to the removal of organisms, a secondary cause can be, for example, the resuspension of sediment, which can have a suffocating effect on non-target benthic fauna and flora [8][9][10]. ...
... These conditions influence the nutrient cycle, with consequences on local biodiversity and on the trophic status of benthic communities [42]. Furthermore, alterations in species assemblages and possible consequences on trophic and ecosystem balances could probably be due to the synergistic action of fishing pressure and climate change [7,[43][44][45][46][47]. This area is the main nursery for the European hake, Merluccius merluccius (Linnaeus, 1758), in the Adriatic, and the presence of muddy bottoms and other exogenous factors make it the habitat of a population of small-but-dense Norway lobster, N. norvegicus, individuals [49][50][51]. ...
Marine resources exploitation through bottom trawling affects marine ecosystems; thus, management should consider the presence of sensitive species as ecosystem health indicators. Epibenthic organisms such as sea pens are widely used to assess benthic conditions, as their populations are declining where trawling is intense. The Pomo/Jabuka Pits fishing ground in the Adriatic Sea, subject to various management measures over the years, is a nursery for European hake and hosts a small, but dense, population of Norway lobster and a remarkable abundance of pink shrimp. The sea pen Funiculina quadrangularis shares its habitat (sandy-muddy bottoms) with these crustaceans. Through UnderWater TeleVision surveys conducted from 2012 to 2019, F. quadrangularis abundance and distribution were quantified in relation to changes in the spatiotemporal distribution of fishing efforts. The average density (n/m2) of colonies was calculated for three periods: BEFORE implementation of measures (before 1 July 2015), during an INTERMEDIATE period in which limitations changed (2 July 2015 to 31 August 2017), and AFTER the implementation of a Fishery Restricted Area (from 1 September 2017). F. quadrangularis revealed an increase in density where fisheries were closed, even after a short period. This showed how management measures can positively influence epibenthic communities and that sea pens can be indicators of impact and/or recovery of habitats.
... Body size is correlated with many life-history traits and influences a wide range of biological and ecological functions (Bourassa and Morin, 1995;LaBarbera, 1989;Macdonald et al., 2012;Saiz-Salinas and Ramos, 1999;Warwick and Clarke, 1984). This biometric parameter can be more responsible for the trophic structure than taxonomic identity itself (Jennings et al., 2001). Biomass and biovolume affect the activity and function in the ecosystem (Brown et al., 2004). ...
In West African tropical estuaries, such as the Saloum Delta (Senegal), mangroves provide specific socio-economic functions including various natural food resources for local human populations. Mangrove-habitat loss is therefore of great concern, in terms of conservation and management, and highlights the need to study West African mangrove under human-induced pressures. Based on data from 2007 to 2008, this study aimed to establish a conditions report for two of the main Southern West Senegal mangroves areas: the Sine Saloum and the Petite Côte. We assessed the influence of environmental variables and human-induced pressures (i.e. shellfish harvesting and heavy metals (potentially toxic elements, PTEs)) on infaunal community structure and functions through trait-based approaches.
Reflecting for example changing seasons and hypersaline events, the Saloum environmental variables and their temporal dynamics greatly impacted infaunal communities in the subtidal zone. In the intertidal area, closer to anthropogenic disturbances, pressures related to human activities took precedence over environmental variables in explaining infaunal community structure. Shellfish harvesting resulted in a significant decrease (p < 0.05) in total macrofaunal abundance (933.79 ± 626.34 ind m−2 in unexploited stations compared to 140.92 ± 71.99 ind m−2 in exploited stations; mean ± SE) in addition to a decline in biomass and taxonomic richness. Intertidal species composition was affected by both shellfish harvesting and PTEs. PTEs were also associated with a significant decrease in functional diversity and particularly with a change in macrofaunal living habits. The combination of an RLQ and fourth-corner analysis highlighted a significant association between feeding modes and sediment grain size in both tidal areas.
This study provides a needed deeper understanding of the unintended effects of human activities on infaunal communities and their functioning, in a highly valuable system for humans. Pinpointed factors driving infaunal community structure and functions provide important insights for future research, as well as reference points for the implementation of management measures.
... About 94% of the catch from danish seine was the small size grouper, which had a size lower than the length at maturity, while longline captured 62% of small-size fish, indicating the unsustainable fishing practice for E. areolatus which impeded the reproduction of population to replenish the stock. Some studies have been reported the following impacts of danish seine: destruction of sea bed habitat, decrease in biodiversity and reduction in fish size (Jennings et al., 2001;Johnson et al., 2015). Lin et al. (2019) noted that E. areolatus is highly vulnerable to habitat degradation. ...
... In comparison to communities in locations that are not exploited in this manner or are fished at low levels of effort, benthic communities in extensively fished areas using towed gears typically have lower biomass and productivity [59]. It has been established that intensive trawling typically causes major changes in the composition of the infauna, as well as losses in the infauna and epifauna's biomass [60]. ...
The North-Western Black Sea shelf is extremely vulnerable to disturbances of its habitats and ecosystems. In the past 10 years, this area has become targeted by beam trawl fisheries for the invasive gastropod Rapana venosa (Valenciennes, 1846), with a potentially destructive impact on the area's soft bottoms. Not many studies have been performed in the region, and most investigations have focused on gear selectivity and by-catch rates. In this context, our novel research aimed, on the one hand, to assess and quantify the actual impact of beam trawling and, on the other hand, to propose effective spatial/temporal management measures for a sustainable zonation of the North-Western Black Sea shelf (marine zone of the Danube Delta Biosphere Reserve). The methodology used integrated beam trawl catch dynamics information, VMS data, geophysical investigations, and macrozoobenthos sampling. Our findings show that beam trawling activities can cause changes in the benthic habitat structure (lower number of taxa, lower values of ecological indicators, and an overall non-GES status). Further in-depth investigations are needed to underpin the ecosystem-based management of this marine protected area (MPA), aiming to allow the recovery of the affected benthic habitats, by alternating defined areas undergoing fishing with biological recovery polygons.
... In this area, trawling has been a driver of ecosystem change (Coll et al., 2009;Fortibuoni et al., 2010;Lotze et al., 2011). Demersal trawling, in particular, is known to cause mechanical damage to the seabed (Jones, 1992) as well as chemical alterations (Ferguson et al., 2020), reducing the biomass and biological diversity of benthic ecosystems (Dayton et al., 1995;Hall-Spencer et al., 1999;Jennings et al., 2001;Chuenpagdee et al., 2003;Puig et al., 2012;Oberle et al., 2016). Today's northern Adriatic ecosystem is trophically simpler and less resilient compared to a few decades ago (Sguotti et al., 2022): the relative composition of species has changed, several marine communities have suffered sharp declines (Eigaard et al., 2017;Amoroso et al., 2018;Russo et al., 2019), and some long-lived vulnerable species have virtually disappeared. ...
The Adriatic Sea is one of the areas most exposed to trawling, worldwide. We used four years (2018–2021) and 19,887 km of survey data to investigate factors influencing daylight dolphin distribution in its north-western sector, where common bottlenose dolphins *Tursiops truncatus* routinely follow fishing trawlers. We validated Automatic Identification System information on the position, type and activity of three types of trawlers based on observations from boats, and incorporated this information in a GAM-GEE modelling framework, together with physiographic, biological and anthropogenic variables. Along with bottom depth, trawlers (particularly otter and midwater trawlers) appeared to be important drivers of dolphin distribution, with dolphins foraging and scavenging behind trawlers during 39.3% of total observation time in trawling days. The spatial dimension of dolphin adaptations to intensive trawling, including distribution shifts between days with and without trawling, sheds light on the magnitude of ecological change driven by the trawl fishery.
... However, the effects of fishing on meiofauna assemblages in shelf seas (e.g. Schratzberger and Jennings 2002) are much more subtle than those on larger macrofauna, certainly in the central North Sea (Bergman and van Santbrink 2000;Jennings et al. 2001;Piet et al. 2001). Given the high rates of recruitment and growth in meiofauna, they would, therefore, be expected to contribute a disproportionally high proportion of benthic biomass, production, and metabolism in heavily fished areas. ...
Great divergences arise when comparing the ecology of meiofauna in freshwater and marine ecosystems. Emphasizing the main differences between freshwater meiofauna and their marine counterparts, we will go on a stepwise journey through three major frontiers in freshwater research, which in turn are hierarchically interrelated: biodiversity, community organization (e.g. food webs structure), and ecosystem processes (e.g. metabolism and organic carbon breakdown). The starting point of this chapter is one of the utmost frontiers, both in marine and freshwater research: meiofaunal diversity. Especially in freshwater ecosystems diversity becomes evident since, here, habitats extend as highly disconnected biotopes, each characterized by an often fundamentally different biocenosis. From the biodiversity level, we move up the theoretical hierarchy to assess the role of meiofauna as an integral part of benthic food webs. Recent research underlines the role of freshwater meiofauna as highly connected nodes and shows their pivotal role in the transfer of energy and carbon along food chains. Distributed over all trophic levels, this structure contrasts with the prevailing conception of meiofauna in food webs, where meiofauna often are considered rather marginal units. Finally, we apply allometric principles from the metabolic theory of ecology in order to assess the role of freshwater meiofauna in the functioning of the benthic systems. With a novel modelling framework we develop an analytical perspective, showing that secondary production of micro- and meiobenthic communities can predict microbial decomposition rates within the benthic interface. Our results demonstrate that productive micro- and meiobenthos act as catalysers in the system of organic carbon breakdown and recycling. These findings underline the relevance of freshwater meiofauna within the biogeochemical carbon cycle. The mechanistic forces behind the processes involved require future experimental research.
The current study is focused on a comprehensive stock assessment of Gudusia chapra to assess the stock status along with feeding habits, essential minerals content and risk to human health from exposure to heavy metals. A total of 723 specimens from the Bukvora Baor, Bangladesh were used to estimate the total body length (TL) and body weight (W) which ranged from 5.5 to 14.5 cm and 1.62–26.45 g, respectively. The estimated asymptotic length (L∞) of this species (15.38) was in comparison with average length at 10 cm from 723 specimens along with the rate of 0.70 yr−1 for approaching to asymptotic length. The obtained growth performance index (φ) 2.2 indicates that this species is not economically feasible to bring under aquaculture. At an average annual water surface temperature of 28 °C, natural mortality, 1.71yr−1 indicating good ecological suitability of Bukvora oxbow lake (Baor). The estimated current exploitation ratio (0.24) reflected under-exploitation status with total instantaneous mortality (2.25 years−1) and fishing mortality (0.55 years−1). The recruitment pattern of this species was observed across the year, with main peak occurring during the period of April to May. The estimated total steady state biomass (3.91 metric ton) and MSY (4.40 metric ton) based on length-structured virtual population analysis (VPA) length-structured virtual population analysis (VPA) through FiSAT II schedule indicating the sustainable production of this species. The obtained values of proximate compositions (% of protein, fat, Moisture, ash) showed no significant variations during different seasons throughout the year. The monthly measurements of GaSI showed significant alterations (p
Humans have used, and had effects on, marine ecosystems throughout history. As the human population and its economic activities increase, these effects intensify. Yet, our awareness and understanding of the long‐term, pervasive effects of anthropogenic disturbances on the seafloor, and the resident meiofauna, is far from complete. This chapter summarises research on the responses of marine meiofauna to the most widespread anthropogenic disturbances, including bottom-fishing, pollution, introduction of invasive species, and climate change. Anthropogenic disturbance and natural environmental dynamics interact to cause changes in the response of meiofauna species, either in the short-term, through effects on growth and development, or in the long-term, through genetic selection. Species-specific sensitivity to disturbance can propagate to community-level responses, mediated by shifts in interspecific interactions. Meiofauna responses to anthropogenic disturbance are commonly nonlinear and depend on the environmental context in which the disturbance occurs, on the scales at which meiofauna responses are observed, and on the extent to which the disturbance creates novel environments that differ from those to which the resident meiofauna are adapted. Although responses of meiofauna assemblages to anthropogenic disturbance are complex, in general severe disturbance leads to dominance by opportunistic species. The widespread replacement of habitat-specific ecological specialists by broadly-adapted ecological generalists and opportunists often results in biotic and functional homogenisation of once disparate biotas. Their small size, their life history characteristics, and their phylogenetically and functionally diverse species pool, all suggest that meiofauna are resilient, and there is little evidence for the local extinction of meiofauna from anthropogenically disturbed seafloor habitats. It therefore seems likely that meiofauna have the ability to adapt, and thrive, in response to most environmental changes. New horizons for future meiofauna research pertain to the extent to which the resistance or resilience of meiofauna to anthropogenic disturbance buffers ecosystem functioning against further change.
In Kiel Bay (Western Baltic), benthos samples were taken at 20 m water depth using rectangular botanical dredges fixed to the otter boards of an 80 ft Sonderborg standard trawl to document possible effects of trawl fishery on the benthic fauna. Thin-shelled bivalves like Syndosmya (Abra) alba, Mya spp. and Macoma calcarea, as well as the starfish Asterias rubens were damaged by otter-boards to a high extent. Thick-shelled bivalves such as Astarte borealis and Corbula gibba, however, seem to be more resistant to mechanical stress of bottom-trawl fishery. Musculus niger, an epibenthic species, is probably only resuspended and dislocated. The rate of damage to Arctica islandica, Macoma baltica and Macoma calcarea is related to their body size. Large specimens are more affected than smaller specimens due to the unfavourable relationship between shell surface and shell thickness. The size distribution of Arctica islandica in heavily trawled areas of Kiel Bay shows reductions in the upper size class in these areas.
The diets of gurnards Aspitrigla cuculus and Eutrigla gurnardus, lesser-spotted dogfish Scyliorhinus canicula and whiting Merlangius merlangus were examined to determine whether they migrated into recently trawled areas to feed on animals that may be damaged or dislodged by the action of a 4 m beam trawl. Gurnards and whiting increased their intake of prey after an area had been fished. In particular, they increased the proportion of the amphipod Ampelisca spinipes in their diets. Beam trawling damaged the purple burrowing heart urchin Spatanguspurpureus, scallop Aequipecten operculans, Ensisspp. and Laevocardium sp., exposing internal tissues which were then eaten by whit- ing. Some mobile invertebrate scavengers, such as Pandalusspp., only occurred in diets after the area had been fished, suggesting that these animals were also scavenging over the trawl tracks. Observa- tions of the seabed using a side-scan sonar revealed a greater concentration of fish marks around the trawl tracks than in adjacent unfished areas. Our results indicate that fish rapidly migrate into beam trawled areas to feed on benthic animals whlch have been either damaged or disturbed by fishing or on scavenging invertebrates. In areas where certain benthic communities occur, beam trawling inten- sity may be such that it creates a significant food resource for opportunistic fish species. This is a possi- ble mechanism whereby long-term community structure could be altered by fishing activity.
Stable nitrogen isotope ratios (δ15N) are commonly used to represent the trophic structure of aquatic systems, yet the ability of δ15N to indicate the trophic position of aquatic consumers remains untested using traditional dietary methods. Interpreting the δ15N of aquatic consumers relative to large, long-lived primary consumers such as unionid mussels provides a continuous measure of an organismís trophic position that adjusts for among-system variation in baseline δ15N. We used this method to estimate the trophic position of eight littoral fish species from 36 lakes in Ontario and Quebec. We validated these δ15N measures of trophic position by compiling literature dietary data from 342 populations of these same fish species and calculated a continuous measure of trophic position for each population. Mean dietary trophic position estimates corresponded closely to 15N estimates, with mean trophic position ranging from 3.3 for pumpkinseed (Lepomis gobbosus) to 4.4 for walleye (Stizostedion vitreum). Both methods indicated approximately one trophic level of variation among populations of a species. This study confirms the ability of baseline-adjusted δ15N to represent the trophic position of aquatic consumers. Résumé : Les rapports díun isotope stable de líazote (δ15N) sont couramment utilisØs pour reprØsenter la structure trophique des systmes aquatiques; pourtant, la capacitØ du δ15N díindiquer la position trophique des consommateurs aquatiques nía pas encore ØtØ testØe employant des mØthodes alimentaires traditionnels. LíinterprØtation de δ15N des consommateurs aquatiques
The effects of trawling disturbance on a benthic community were investigated with a manipulative field experiment in a fine muddy habitat that has been closed to fishing for over 25 yr. We examined the effects of extensive and repeated experimental trawl disturbance over an 18 mo period on benthic community structure and also followed the subsequent patterns of recovery over a further 18 mo. During the period of trawl disturbance the number of species and individuals increased and measures of diversity (Shannon's exponential H' and Simpson's reciprocal D) and evenness decreased in the trawled area relative to the reference site. The cirratulid polychaetes Chaetozone setosa and Caulleriella zetlandica were found to be most resistant to disturbance, whilst the bivalve Nucula nitidosa and polychaetes Scolopolos armiger and Nephtys cirrosa were identified as sensitive species. Multivariate analysis and abundance biomass comparison plots confirmed that community changes occurred following disturbance, with some differences between treatment and reference sites still apparent after 18 mo of recovery. Physical effects, examined with Side-scan and RoxAnn, were identifiable immediately after disturbance, but were almost indistinguishable after 18 mo of recovery. Such long recovery times suggest that even fishing during a restricted period of the year may be sufficient to maintain communities occupying fine muddy sediment habitats in an altered state.
This study addresses ongoing concerns over the effects of mobile fishing gear on benthic communities. Using side-scan sonar, bottom photographs and fishing records, we identified a set of disturbed and undisturbed sites on the gravel pavement area of northern Georges Bank in the northwest Atlantic. Replicate samples of the megafauna were collected with a 1 m Naturalists' dredge on 2 cruises in 1994. Compared with the disturbed sites, the undisturbed sites had higher numbers of organisms, biomass, species richness and species diversity; evenness was higher at the disturbed sites. Undisturbed sites were characterized by an abundance of busby epifaunal taxa (bryozoans, hydroids, worm tubes) that provide a complex habitat for shrimps, polychaetes, brittle stars, mussels and small fish. Disturbed sites were dominated by larger, hard-shelled molluscs, and scavenging crabs and echinoderms. Many of the megafaunal species in our samples have also been identified in stomach contents of demersal fish on Georges Bank; the abundances of at least some of these species were reduced at the disturbed sites.
Study of natural variation in 15N can provide information on biogeochemical, physical, physiological and biochemical investigations. Following considerations of measurement, isotope effects and fractionation, comments are made on 15N in the atmospheric, terrestrial, freshwater, estuarine and marine compartments; sources; and food chain dynamics. -P.J.Jarvis
Annual length increments of female North Sea plaice were back-calculated from distances between rings in otoliths. Growth of the smaller size classes (<25 cm) increased from the mid-1950s and decreased in the 1980s. Length increments of intermediate size classes varied more or less randomly, and those of the larger size classes (>35 cm) increased from 1970. Growth changes of the smaller size classes were significantly correlated with indices of plaice density, eutrophication, and seabed disturbance by beam trawling. Moreover, they could be related to spatial and temporal patterns in variations in eutrophication and beam trawling. No correlation was observed with temperature. The analysis led to a consistent interpretation suggesting that eutrophication and beam trawling have both affected the growth rate of plaice. The contributions of these factors differed in space. Effects of eutrophication dominated in the shallow coastal waters, whereas beam trawling dominated in the waters further offshore.