[Structure and function of Lidao artificial reef ecosystem in Rongcheng of Shandong Province, East China: an evaluation based on Ecopath model].
Based on the annual investigation data of biological resources in Lidao artificial reef zone in 2009, an Ecopath model of the Lidao artificial reef ecosystem was constructed to analyze the energy flow pattern and the system attributes of the ecosystem. The model was consisted of 19 functional groups, basically covering the main processes of the energy flow in the Lidao artificial reef ecosystem. The functional groups were divided according to the relationships of the corresponding positions between appeared fishes and artificial reefs, and the planktonic heterotrophic bacteria were included into the model as a functional group. The fishes appeared in the investigation zone were divided into seven functional groups, and the trophic levels of the functional groups varied from 1.00 to 3.72. The type I fishes had the highest trophic level. The total system throughput was estimated to be 10786.68 t x km(-2) x a(-1), 27% of which flowed to detritus, and 17% flowed out the ecosystem in the forms of fishing and sediment. The total net primary productivity of the system was 4131.97 t x km(-2) x a(-1) and the total energy transfer efficiency was 10.5%. The proportion of the total flow originated from detritus was 39%, and that from primary producers was 61%, indicating that the energy flow was dominated by food web rather than detritus. The ratio of total primary productivity to total respiration of the system was 1.84, the connectivity index was 0.20, and the Finn's cycling index and the mean path length of the energy flow were 4.5% and 2.62, respectively. This study showed that the Lidao artificial reef ecosystem had a relatively low maturity and stability, was at a developing stage, and had weak resistance against outside interference. The ecological environment and the output of fisheries in the artificial reef zone would have inter-annual fluctuations, and thus, the eco-environment restoration of the artificial reef ecosystem could only be realized by the sustainable maintaining of the ecosystem.
College of Fisheries, Ocean University of China, Qingdao 266003, Shandong, China. wuzhongxin2007@126.com
Zhong-Xin
ZX
Wu
Xiu-Mei
XM
Zhang
Lei
L
Zhang
Fei
F
Tong
Hong-Jun
HJ
Liu
D000818:Animals; D017756:Aquaculture; D002681:China; D003247:Conservation of Natural Resources; D057894:Coral Reefs; D017753:Ecosystem; D005398:Fisheries; D005399:Fishes / Q000254:growth & development; D008962:Models, Theoretical; D009792:Oceans and Seas