Comparative study of the characteristics of the energy flow and food web structure in the Laizhou Bay ecosystem based on the Ecopath and LIM-MCMC models

IF 2.8 2区生物学 Q1 MARINE & FRESHWATER BIOLOGY

Frontiers in Marine Science Pub Date : 2025-04-17 DOI:10.3389/fmars.2025.1572355

Cui Wenhui, Xu Bingqing, Dong Xiuqiang, Yang Jisong, Li Min, Zhang Depu, Li Shengfu, Lv Zhenbo, Li Fan, Ren Zhonghua

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Abstract

This study compared the characteristics of energy flow and food web structure in the Laizhou Bay ecosystem using the Ecopath model and linear inverse models enhanced by Monte Carlo methods coupled with a Markov Chain (LIM-MCMC), respectively, based on survey data collected in May, August, and November 2022. The ecosystem was divided into 22 functional groups with trophic levels ranging from 1.00 to 3.48 and a large proportion of predator groups. The Ecopath model estimated an overall energy transfer efficiency of 5.34%, with the detrital food chain exhibiting significantly higher energy transfer efficiency (6.73%) than the grazing food chain (5.31%). Energy flow paths in the LIM-MCMC model were classified into four primary routes, predominantly driven by respiration and the inflow of detritus at lower trophic levels, which accounted for 79.9% of the total energy flow in group a. The Ecopath model provided a connectance index of 0.30, a system omnivory index of 0.33, Finn’s mean path length of 2.46, and Finn’s cycle index of 8.18%, whereas the LIM-MCMC model produced an average path length of 2.78. Both models indicated a shorter food chain and low complexity of the food web. Total system throughput (TST) was estimated at 10,086.1 (Ecopath) and 10,968.0 t·km-2a-1(LIM-MCMC), with total respiration and total flows into detritus accounting for 41.2% and 51.1% of TST, respectively. The total primary production to total respiration ratios were 1.40 (Ecopath) and 0.86 (LIM-MCMC). Despite consistent ecosystem parameters across both models—total consumption (4,407.7 t·km-2a-1), total primary production (3,606.4 t·km-2a-1), and total biomas (151.0 t·km-2a-1)—the Ecopath model suggested a relatively mature ecosystem, whereas the LIM-MCMC model indicated that this ecosystem was in an unstable developmental stage with low energy utilisation efficiency of primary productivity

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基于Ecopath和limm - mcmc模型的莱州湾生态系统能量流和食物网结构特征比较研究

以2022年5月、8月和11月的调查数据为基础，分别采用Ecopath模型和基于马尔可夫链蒙特卡罗增强的线性逆模型（limm - mcmc）对莱州湾生态系统的能量流和食物网结构特征进行了比较。生态系统划分为22个功能类群，营养等级在1.00 ~ 3.48之间，以捕食类群为主。Ecopath模型估算的总能量传递效率为5.34%，其中碎屑食物链的能量传递效率（6.73%）显著高于放牧食物链（5.31%）。在模型中，能量流路径分为4条主要路径，主要由呼吸和低营养级碎屑流入驱动，占a组总能量流的79.9%。Ecopath模型的连接指数为0.30，系统综合指数为0.33，Finn的平均路径长度为2.46，Finn的循环指数为8.18%，而LIM-MCMC模型的平均路径长度为2.78。这两种模型都表明食物链较短，食物网的复杂性较低。总系统吞吐量（TST）估计为10,086.1 （Ecopath）和10,968.0 t·km-2 -1(LIM-MCMC)，总呼吸和总进入碎屑的流量分别占TST的41.2%和51.1%。总初级生产量与总呼吸的比值分别为1.40 （Ecopath）和0.86 （LIM-MCMC）。尽管两种模型的生态系统参数一致，即总消费量（4,407.7 t·km-2a-1）、总初级生产量（3,606.4 t·km-2a-1）和总生物量（151.0 t·km-2a-1），但Ecopath模型表明该生态系统相对成熟，而LIM-MCMC模型表明该生态系统处于不稳定的发展阶段，初级生产力的能量利用效率较低

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来源期刊

Frontiers in Marine Science Agricultural and Biological Sciences-Aquatic Science

CiteScore

5.10

自引率

16.20%

发文量

2443

审稿时长

14 weeks

期刊介绍： Frontiers in Marine Science publishes rigorously peer-reviewed research that advances our understanding of all aspects of the environment, biology, ecosystem functioning and human interactions with the oceans. Field Chief Editor Carlos M. Duarte at King Abdullah University of Science and Technology Thuwal is supported by an outstanding Editorial Board of international researchers. This multidisciplinary open-access journal is at the forefront of disseminating and communicating scientific knowledge and impactful discoveries to researchers, academics, policy makers and the public worldwide. With the human population predicted to reach 9 billion people by 2050, it is clear that traditional land resources will not suffice to meet the demand for food or energy, required to support high-quality livelihoods. As a result, the oceans are emerging as a source of untapped assets, with new innovative industries, such as aquaculture, marine biotechnology, marine energy and deep-sea mining growing rapidly under a new era characterized by rapid growth of a blue, ocean-based economy. The sustainability of the blue economy is closely dependent on our knowledge about how to mitigate the impacts of the multiple pressures on the ocean ecosystem associated with the increased scale and diversification of industry operations in the ocean and global human pressures on the environment. Therefore, Frontiers in Marine Science particularly welcomes the communication of research outcomes addressing ocean-based solutions for the emerging challenges, including improved forecasting and observational capacities, understanding biodiversity and ecosystem problems, locally and globally, effective management strategies to maintain ocean health, and an improved capacity to sustainably derive resources from the oceans.