This paper presents a first framework for OSPAR Regional Sea Convention food web indicators based on ENA. These are presented here focusing on their applicability and what is needed for implementation, illustrating their potential use by case studies.

This paper presents an open source framework for modeling current and future ecological niches of marine species

This study investigated the effects of a spatial closure during the exploitation phase of an offshore wind farm in the extended Bay of Seine (English Channel, France) using Ecospace, a spatially and temporally explicit module of Ecopath with Ecosim.

The consequences of climate change for marine organisms are now well-known, and include metabolism and behavior modification, distribution area shifts and changes in the community. In the Bay of Biscay, the potential environmental niches of subtropical non-indigenous species (NIS) are projected to expand as a response to sea temperature rise by the mid-century under the RCP8.5 climate change scenario. In this context, this study aims to project the combined effects of changes in indigenous species distribution and metabolism and NIS arrivals on the functioning of the Bay of Biscay trophic network. To do this, we created six different Ecopath food web models: a “current situation” trophic model (2007–2016) and five “future” trophic models. The latter five models included various NIS biomass combinations to reflect different potential scenarios of NIS arrivals. For each model, eight Ecological Network Analysis (ENA) indices were calculated, describing the properties of the food web resulting from the sum of interactions between organisms. Our results illustrate that rising temperature increases the quantity of energy passing through the system due to increased productivity. A decrease in the biomass of some trophic groups due to the reduction of their potential environmental niches also leads to changes in the structure of the trophic network. The arrival of NIS is projected to change the fate of organic matter within the ecosystem, with higher cycling, relative ascendency, and a chain-like food web. It could also cause new trophic interactions that could lead to competition and thus modify the food-web structure, with lower omnivory and higher detritivory. The combined impacts (increasing temperatures and NIS arrivals) could lower the resilience and resistance of the system.

This report presents the statistical study of the effects of the implementation of the Courseulles sur mer wind farm on the emergent properties of the ecosystem

This document identifies gaps in knowledge and emphasizes the need for long-term monitoring of marine mammals in order to better understand the impacts of wind turbines on them

Spatial study and sensitivity of network indices to wind farm closure and climate disruption using an Ecospace model

This report studies the effect of the cumulative effects of climate change and the reef effect induced by the implementation of the Courseulles sur mer wind farm on the emergent properties of the ecosystem, as well as the sensitivity of the ENA to a cumulative impact.

In response to the issues identified by the sector and the questions raised by citizens concerning the environmental integration of marine renewable energies in France, the COME3T approach aims to provide elements of expertise, synthesis and recommendations based on a national network of experts. 6 experts contributed to this bulletin on dangerous waves and their characteristics: tsunamis, rogue waves and impact waves. The study of worst-case scenarios corresponding to the most unfavourable conditions possible allowed the experts involved to establish that no environmental issues were identified in response to the question: can fixed-foundation offshore wind farms generate dangerous waves?

This document briefly presents the methodology used to build the Ecosim and Ecospace models representing the extended Seine Bay ecosystem as well as the main results.