Marine Biodiversity and Ecosystem Functioning
EU Network of Excellence

 
Main Menu

· Home
· Contacts
· Data Systems
· Documents
· FAQ
· Links
· MarBEF Open Archive
· Network Description
· Outreach
· Photo Gallery
· Quality Assurance
· Register of Resources
· Research Projects
· Rules and Guidelines
· Training
· Wiki
· Worldconference

 

Register of Resources (RoR)

 People  |  Datasets  |  Literature  |  Institutes  |  Projects 

[ report an error in this record ]basket (1): add | show Print this page

one publication added to basket [61302]
The European coastal zone: characterization and first assessment of ecosystem metabolism
Gazeau, F.; Smith, S.V.; Gentili, B.; Frankignoulle, M.; Gattuso, J.P. (2004). The European coastal zone: characterization and first assessment of ecosystem metabolism. Est., Coast. and Shelf Sci. 60(4): 673-694. dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.ecss.2004.03.007
In: Estuarine, Coastal and Shelf Science. Academic Press: London; New York. ISSN 0272-7714; e-ISSN 1096-0015
Peer reviewed article  

Available in  Authors 

Keywords
    Aquatic communities > Benthos > Phytobenthos
    Biological production > Primary production
    Coastal zone
    Earth sciences > Geology > Geomorphology
    Environmental factors > Anthropogenic factors
    Euphotic zone
    Eutrophication
    Flora > Aquatic organisms > Aquatic plants
    Organic matter
    Respiration
    Topographic features > Submarine features > Continental shelves
    A, Atlantic [Marine Regions]; ANE, Baltic [Marine Regions]; ANE, Europe [Marine Regions]; ANE, North Sea [Marine Regions]; Mediterranean [Marine Regions]; MED, Black Sea [Marine Regions]
    Marine/Coastal
Author keywords
    ecosystems; global; metabolism; shelf; estuaries; primary production; respiration; Europe

Authors  Top 
  • Gazeau, F.
  • Smith, S.V.
  • Gentili, B.
  • Frankignoulle, M.
  • Gattuso, J.P., more

Abstract
    The geomorphic, oceanographic, terrestrial and anthropogenic attributes of the European coastal zone are described and published data on ecosystem function (primary production and respiration) are reviewed. Four regions are considered: the Baltic Sea, Mediterranean Sea, Black Sea and the European Atlantic coast including the North Sea. The metabolic database (194 papers) suffers from a non-homogeneous geographical coverage with no usable data for the Black Sea which was therefore excluded from this part of our study. Pelagic gross primary production in European open shelves is, by far, the most documented parameter with an estimated mean of 41 mmol C m-2 d-1, the lowest value is reported in the Mediterranean Sea (21 mmol C m-2 d-1) and the highest one in the Atlantic/North Sea area (51 mmol C m-2 d-1). Microphytobenthic primary production, mostly measured in shallow areas, is extrapolated to the entire 0–200 m depth range. Its contribution to total primary production is low in all regions (mean: 1.5 mmol C m-2 d-1). Although macrophyte beds are very productive, a regional production estimate is not provided in this study because their geographical distribution along the European coastline remains unknown. Measurements of pelagic community respiration are clearly too sparse, especially below the euphotic zone, to yield an accurate picture of the fate of organic matter produced in the water column. With a mean value of 17 mmol C m-2 d-1, benthic community respiration consumes approximately 40% of the pelagic organic matter production. Estuaries generally exhibit high metabolic rates and a large range of variation in all parameters, except microphytobenthic primary production. Finally, the problem of eutrophication in Europe is discussed and the metabolic data obtained in the framework of the Land–Ocean Interactions in the Coastal Zone (LOICZ) project are compared with available direct measurements of net ecosystem production.

All data in the Integrated Marine Information System (IMIS) is subject to the VLIZ privacy policy Top | Authors 


If any information here appears to be incorrect, please contact us
Back to Register of Resources
 
Quick links

MarBEF WIKI

Erasmus Mundus Master of Science in Marine Biodiversity and Conservation (EMBC)
Outreach

Science
Responsive Mode Programme (RMP) - Marie Nordstrom, copyright Aspden Rebecca

WoRMS
part of WoRMS logo

ERMS 2.0
Epinephelus marginatus Picture: JG Harmelin

EurOBIS

Geographic System

Datasets

 


Web site hosted and maintained by Flanders Marine Institute (VLIZ) - Contact data-at-marbef.org