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Stock A, Murray CC, Gregr EJ, Steenbeek J, Woodburn E, Micheli F, Christensen V, Chan KMA. Exploring multiple stressor effects with Ecopath, Ecosim, and Ecospace: Research designs, modeling techniques, and future directions. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2023; 869:161719. [PMID: 36693571 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2023.161719] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/26/2022] [Revised: 01/04/2023] [Accepted: 01/15/2023] [Indexed: 06/17/2023]
Abstract
Understanding the cumulative effects of multiple stressors is a research priority in environmental science. Ecological models are a key component of tackling this challenge because they can simulate interactions between the components of an ecosystem. Here, we ask, how has the popular modeling platform Ecopath with Ecosim (EwE) been used to model human impacts related to climate change, land and sea use, pollution, and invasive species? We conducted a literature review encompassing 166 studies covering stressors other than fishing mostly in aquatic ecosystems. The most modeled stressors were physical climate change (60 studies), species introductions (22), habitat loss (21), and eutrophication (20), using a range of modeling techniques. Despite this comprehensive coverage, we identified four gaps that must be filled to harness the potential of EwE for studying multiple stressor effects. First, only 12% of studies investigated three or more stressors, with most studies focusing on single stressors. Furthermore, many studies modeled only one of many pathways through which each stressor is known to affect ecosystems. Second, various methods have been applied to define environmental response functions representing the effects of single stressors on species groups. These functions can have a large effect on the simulated ecological changes, but best practices for deriving them are yet to emerge. Third, human dimensions of environmental change - except for fisheries - were rarely considered. Fourth, only 3% of studies used statistical research designs that allow attribution of simulated ecosystem changes to stressors' direct effects and interactions, such as factorial (computational) experiments. None made full use of the statistical possibilities that arise when simulations can be repeated many times with controlled changes to the inputs. We argue that all four gaps are feasibly filled by integrating ecological modeling with advances in other subfields of environmental science and in computational statistics.
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Affiliation(s)
- A Stock
- Institute for Resources, Environment and Sustainability, University of British Columbia, AERL Building, 429-2202 Main Mall, Vancouver V6T 1Z4, BC, Canada.
| | - C C Murray
- Fisheries and Oceans Canada, Institute of Ocean Sciences, 9860 West Saanich Road, Sidney, BC V8L 5T5, Canada
| | - E J Gregr
- Institute for Resources, Environment and Sustainability, University of British Columbia, AERL Building, 429-2202 Main Mall, Vancouver V6T 1Z4, BC, Canada; SciTech Environmental Consulting, Vancouver, BC, Canada
| | - J Steenbeek
- Ecopath International Initiative (EII) Research Association, Barcelona, Spain
| | - E Woodburn
- Institute for Resources, Environment and Sustainability, University of British Columbia, AERL Building, 429-2202 Main Mall, Vancouver V6T 1Z4, BC, Canada
| | - F Micheli
- Hopkins Marine Station, Oceans Department, Stanford University, Pacific Grove, CA 93950, USA; Stanford Center for Ocean Solutions, Pacific Grove, CA 93950, USA
| | - V Christensen
- Ecopath International Initiative (EII) Research Association, Barcelona, Spain; Institute for the Oceans and Fisheries, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada
| | - K M A Chan
- Institute for Resources, Environment and Sustainability, University of British Columbia, AERL Building, 429-2202 Main Mall, Vancouver V6T 1Z4, BC, Canada; Institute for the Oceans and Fisheries, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada
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Heinichen M, McManus MC, Lucey SM, Aydin K, Humphries A, Innes-Gold A, Collie J. Incorporating temperature-dependent fish bioenergetics into a Narragansett Bay food web model. Ecol Modell 2022. [DOI: 10.1016/j.ecolmodel.2022.109911] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/03/2022]
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Wang W, Zuo P, Wang J. Coupling isotopic analysis and Ecopath model to detect the ecosystem features based on functional groups of the southwestern Yellow Sea, China. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE AND POLLUTION RESEARCH INTERNATIONAL 2022; 29:7936-7951. [PMID: 34480702 DOI: 10.1007/s11356-021-16032-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/30/2020] [Accepted: 08/14/2021] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
The paper evaluates the species richness, material transfer, energy flow, and system function of the southwestern Yellow Sea Ecosystem (SYSE) indicating intensive human intervention affecting this large marine ecosystem. Twenty functional groups were chosen to represent the basic components of the SYSE for Ecopath modeling based on offshore surveys, annual bird observations, and the China Fisheries Statistical Yearbooks. Forty-nine species based on 15 functional groups of Ecopath model were assessed by stable isotopic analysis (SIA) to verify ecosystem features, energy flow, and trophic structure of the SYSE derived from Ecopath model. Results showed there was a clear correlation of the estimated trophic structure calculated from SIA and the Ecopath model with R2=0.7184. The SYSE Ecopath model was still at an immature and unstable stage according to outputs of the modeling parameters. This paper provides a verification method of detecting the ecosystem features and maturity, stability, and resilience of marine ecosystems by comparing outputs from Ecopath models with SIA.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wei Wang
- The School of Geographic and Oceanographic Sciences, Nanjing University, Nanjing, 210023, China
- Key Laboratory for Coast and Island Development of Ministry of Education, Nanjing University, Nanjing, 210023, China
| | - Ping Zuo
- The School of Geographic and Oceanographic Sciences, Nanjing University, Nanjing, 210023, China.
- Key Laboratory for Coast and Island Development of Ministry of Education, Nanjing University, Nanjing, 210023, China.
| | - Junjie Wang
- The School of Geographic and Oceanographic Sciences, Nanjing University, Nanjing, 210023, China
- Key Laboratory for Coast and Island Development of Ministry of Education, Nanjing University, Nanjing, 210023, China
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Giralt Paradell O, Methion S, Rogan E, Díaz López B. Modelling ecosystem dynamics to assess the effect of coastal fisheries on cetacean species. JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT 2021; 285:112175. [PMID: 33607562 DOI: 10.1016/j.jenvman.2021.112175] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/11/2020] [Revised: 01/26/2021] [Accepted: 02/08/2021] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
The expansion of fisheries and its increased efficiency are causing severe detrimental impacts on marine species and ecosystems, that can be categorised into operational and ecological effects. While impacts directly caused by fishing activities have been extensively documented, it is difficult to set an empirical link between fisheries and changes in predator biomass and abundance. Therefore, exploring the functioning of ecosystems as a whole, the interactions between the different species within them and the impact of human activities, is key to understanding the ecological effects of fisheries on top predators and ecosystems, and to develop effective conservation measures, while ensuring a more sustainable exploitation of fishing resources. For instance, mass balance models, such as Ecopath with Ecosim, have proven to be a useful tool to develop more holistic fisheries management and conservation strategies. In this study, Ecopath with Ecosim was used to investigate the temporal dynamics of the Rías Baixas shelf ecosystem (North-West Spain) between 2005 and 2017. Additionally, nine 30-year forward projecting simulations covering the period 2018-2047 were developed to examine the effects of differing fisheries management strategies on common dolphins (Delphinus delphis), bottlenose dolphins (Tursiops truncatus) and harbour porpoises (Phocoena phocoena). Results from these models suggest that when intense fishing increases it poses a major threat to the conservation of these top predators in the area, by reducing the variety of their available prey and potentially enhancing competition amongst them. The study highlights the applicability of Ecopath with Ecosim to develop cetacean conservation measures and despite its small spatial scale, it provides a general framework that can be used to assess cetacean conservation in larger and impacted areas.
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Affiliation(s)
- Oriol Giralt Paradell
- The Bottlenose Dolphin Research Institute - BDRI. Av Beiramar 192, 36980, O Grove, Pontevedra, Spain; School of Biological, Earth and Environmental Sciences, University College Cork. Address: Distillery Fields, North Mall, Cork, T23 N73K, Ireland.
| | - Séverine Methion
- The Bottlenose Dolphin Research Institute - BDRI. Av Beiramar 192, 36980, O Grove, Pontevedra, Spain.
| | - Emer Rogan
- School of Biological, Earth and Environmental Sciences, University College Cork. Address: Distillery Fields, North Mall, Cork, T23 N73K, Ireland.
| | - Bruno Díaz López
- The Bottlenose Dolphin Research Institute - BDRI. Av Beiramar 192, 36980, O Grove, Pontevedra, Spain.
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Kluger LC, Gorris P, Kochalski S, Mueller MS, Romagnoni G. Studying human–nature relationships through a network lens: A systematic review. PEOPLE AND NATURE 2020. [DOI: 10.1002/pan3.10136] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/08/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Lotta C. Kluger
- Leibniz Centre for Tropical Marine Research (ZMT) Bremen Germany
- University of Bremenartec Sustainability Research Center Bremen Germany
| | - Philipp Gorris
- Institute of Environmental Systems Research (IUSF) Osnabrueck University Osnabrueck Germany
| | - Sophia Kochalski
- Department of Biology and Ecology of Fishes Leibniz‐Institute of Freshwater Ecology and Inland Fisheries (IGB) Berlin Germany
| | - Miriam S. Mueller
- Posgrado en Ciencias del Mar y Limnología Universidad Nacional Autónoma de MéxicoUnidad Académica Mazatlán Mazatlan Mexico
- German Federal Agency for Nature Conservation Isle of Vilm Putbus Germany
| | - Giovanni Romagnoni
- Department of Biosciences Centre for Ecological and Evolutionary Synthesis (CEES) University of Oslo Oslo Norway
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Guo C, Chen Y, Li W, Xie S, Lek S, Li Z. Food web structure and ecosystem properties of the largest impounded lake along the eastern route of China's South-to-North Water Diversion Project. ECOL INFORM 2018. [DOI: 10.1016/j.ecoinf.2017.12.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/18/2022]
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Walters WJ, Christensen V. Ecotracer: analyzing concentration of contaminants and radioisotopes in an aquatic spatial-dynamic food web model. JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RADIOACTIVITY 2018; 181:118-127. [PMID: 29145014 DOI: 10.1016/j.jenvrad.2017.11.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/18/2016] [Revised: 10/16/2017] [Accepted: 11/06/2017] [Indexed: 05/11/2023]
Abstract
Ecotracer is a tool in the Ecopath with Ecosim (EwE) software package used to simulate and analyze the transport of contaminants such as methylmercury or radiocesium through aquatic food webs. Ecotracer solves the contaminant dynamic equations simultaneously with the biomass dynamic equations in Ecosim/Ecospace. In this paper, we give a detailed description of the Ecotracer module and analyze the performance on two problems of differing complexity. Ecotracer was modified from previous versions to more accurately model contaminant excretion, and new numerical integration algorithms were implemented to increase accuracy and robustness. To test the mathematical robustness of the computational algorithm, Ecotracer was tested on a simple problem for which we know an analytical solution. These results demonstrated the effectiveness of the program numerics. A much more complex model, the release of the cesium radionuclide 137Cs from the Fukushima Dai-ichi nuclear accident, was also modeled and analyzed. A comparison of the Ecotracer results to sampled 137Cs measurements in the coastal ocean area around Fukushima show the promise of the tool but also highlight some important limitations.
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Affiliation(s)
- William J Walters
- Institute for the Oceans and Fisheries, University of British Columbia, 2202 Main Mall, Vancouver, BC, V6T 1Z4, Canada.
| | - Villy Christensen
- Institute for the Oceans and Fisheries, University of British Columbia, 2202 Main Mall, Vancouver, BC, V6T 1Z4, Canada.
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