Éditeur(s) : Université de Paris 7
Résumé : The Seine estuary and its adjacent region Pays de Caux are two significant sources of mercury for coastal marine environments. It is carried through fluvial means for the Seine bay and through karstic fresh water emergences for Pays de Caux's coastal area. Mercury cycle in the Seine estuary and bay is affected by additional anthropical activities. The estuary's maximal turbidity area acts like a trap and a chemical reactor for fluvial mercury. Within this area, we can confirm: (i) the non conservative behaviour of dissolved mercury; (ii) mercury enrichment of particles when comparing the Seine's and marine environment and we suggest mercury particle redistribution from the organic fraction to the oxyhydroxydes fraction. A large fraction of mercury is exported in this state towards coastal areas. Mercury reduction in surface coastal waters and its atmospherical recycling are major phenomena. Photoreduction and biological reduction play quantitative roles equivalent to total mercury recycling via the atmosphere corresponding approximately to 30 % of fluvial exchanges. We are demonstrating that reactive forms of mercury are supporting photoreduction. Mercury behaviour within Pays de Caux's karst depends of the hydrogeological context of the system (time and flow speed, turbidity, flow); regardless of the speciation and/or partition in underground waters, the total amount of mercury in intertidal areas is quantitatively the same as in the Seine estuary. Mercury brought through intertidal emergences (karstic exudations) is not « filtered » by a maximal turbidity area and is more widely bio-available for mussels than in the Seine estuary. Even being free from growth factor influences through simple models, mussels found in Pays de Caux still show one of the highest mercury contamination on the French coast; for the first time this places the emphasis on how much mercury is brought from underground waters to the coastal environment. Surface complexation modelisation tests are able to reproduce the major part of mercury partition in the Seine estuary and bay if a very low mercury exchangeable fraction and minimum complexation parameters are taken into account; thermodynamic calculations also suggest that a strong or highly concentrated « dissolved » ligand must be present in the water in order to compete with chlorocomplex formations and explain our measures.
L'estuaire de la Seine et la région adjacente du Pays de Caux sont deux sources significatives en mercure pour le milieu marin côtier. Les apports sont d'une part fluviatiles en ce qui concerne la Baie de Seine et karstiques via des émergences d'eau douce pour la zone côtière du Pays de Caux. Le cycle du mercure en estuaire et baie de Seine est perturbé par les apports liés aux activités anthropiques. La zone de turbidité maximum de l'estuaire joue le rôle de piège et de réacteur chimique pour le mercure fluviatile. Au sein de cette zone, nous mettons en évidence : (i) un comportement non-conservatif du mercure dissous; (ii) un enrichissement en mercure des particules par rapport à celles de la Seine et du milieu marin et suggérons une redistribution du mercure particulaire de la fraction organique vers la fraction oxyhydroxydes. C'est sous cette forme qu'une fraction importante du mercure est exportée vers la zone côtière. La réduction du mercure dans les eaux côtières de surface et son recyclage atmosphérique sont des phénomènes majeurs. En effet, la photoréduction et la réduction biologique jouent des rôles quantitativement équivalents avec un recyclage total du mercure via l'atmosphère correspondant à environ 30% des apports fluviatiles. Nous montrons que les formes réactives du mercure constituent le substrat de la photoréduction. Le comportement du mercure au sein du karst du Pays de Caux dépend du contexte hydrogéologiques du système (temps et vitesse de circulation, turbidité, débit) ; quelle que soit la spéciation et/ou la partition dans les eaux souterraines, l'apport en mercure total à la zone intertidale est quantitativement du même ordre de grandeur que les apports de la Seine. Le mercure apporté par les émergences intertidales (exutoires karstiques) n'est pas « filtré » par une zone de turbidité maximale et se trouve plus largement biodisponible pour les moules qu'en estuaire de Seine. En s'affranchissant, par des modèles simples, de l'influences des facteurs de croissance, les moules du Pays de Caux affichent toujours une contamination par le mercure parmi les plus élevées du littoral français; ceci met pour la première fois l'emphase sur l'importance de l'apport en mercure par des eaux souterraines dans un environnement côtier. Les essais de modélisation de complexation de surface reproduisent la majeure partie de la partition du mercure dans l'estuaire et la baie de Seine si l'on tient compte d'une fraction échangeable en mercure très faible et de paramètres de complexation minimums ; les calculs thermodynamiques suggèrent aussi qu'un ligand « dissous » fort ou présent à de fortes concentrations doit être présent dans l'eau afin d'entrer en compétition avec la formation de chlorocomplexes et expliquer nos mesures.

Droits : info:eu-repo/semantics/openAccess
http://archimer.ifremer.fr/doc/2001/these-1842.pdf
http://archimer.ifremer.fr/doc/00000/1842/

Éditeur(s) : HAL CCSD Wiley
Résumé : Decomposing litter provides critical nutrients for plants, particularly in nutrient-poor ecosystems such as tropical forests. We hypothesised that decomposing litter improves the performance of a variety of tropical tree seedlings, and that this litter effect varies depending on the species of litter present in litter mixtures. We addressed these hypotheses with a large pot experiment manipulating a range of different litter mixtures of contrasting quality and using seedlings of four tree species from the Amazonian forest of French Guiana. In contrast to our initial hypothesis, decomposing litter had either neutral or negative impacts on seedling growth, despite strongly different growth rates, biomass allocation patterns and leaf and root traits among tree species. Tree species varied in their responses to litter additions, which were further modified by species identity of the added litter. Our data show litter species-specific effects on growth, biomass allocation and leaf and root traits of tropical tree seedlings. These results suggest that a net nutrient release from decomposing litter does not necessarily improve tree seedling growth, even under nutrient-limiting conditions. In conclusion, litter layer composition may affect seedling establishment and recruitment success beyond litter-derived plant nutrient availability, which may contribute to tree species composition and dynamics in the studied tropical forest.
ISSN: 1435-8603

hal-01032421
https://hal.archives-ouvertes.fr/hal-01032421
DOI : 10.1111/j.1438-8677.2011.00534.x

Éditeur(s) : Gauthier-Villars
Résumé : Several models for the evolution of complex life histories have assumed a carrying capacity for both larval and postlarval stages. In addition, the densities of larvae in laboratory experiments are often so high that there is competition for food. Published values for maximal clearance rates and estimated abundances of larvae suggest that these assumptions and experimental conditions are unrealistic for most marine larvae. For most ciliated larvae, maximum clearance rates are at most a few mi of water daily, and their estimated larval concentrations are at most one to several larvae per liter. Therefore these larvae appear to be too scarce for their grazing to affect their food supply. Larvae of most species are also scarce relative to co-occurring planktonic animals that feed on particles in the same size range. Larvae of many species are scarce relative to co-occurring larvae with a similar feeding apparatus. These observations suggest that larvae of most species have a negligible effect on their food supply. Exceptions could occur when a single species of larva dominates the zooplankton; such circumstances appear to be rare, although extreme aggregations of larvae dominated by a single species could be missed by pump or net samples. Analogous but more conjectural arguments can be made for density-dependent attraction of predators to larval prey. These inferences apply to single species, not to meroplanktonic larvae as a whole: in some coastal waters, larvae of benthic invertebrates comprise a large portion of the multicellular planktonic animals. Also, a species' larval growth may be food-limited in many waters, even when the abundance of food is independent of the abundance of its larvae.
Oceanologica Acta (0399-1784) (Gauthier-Villars), 1996 , Vol. 19 , N. 3-4 , P. 399-407

Droits : info:eu-repo/semantics/openAccess
http://archimer.ifremer.fr/doc/00094/20495/18164.pdf
http://archimer.ifremer.fr/doc/00094/20495/

Résumé : 1 - Study's goals review The management of Norway Lobster and Hake fisheries can be considered as the most important issue in the Gascogne gulf. Calculation methods used to evaluate prediction variations under various efforts and mesh constraints all pinpoint to the crucial role narrow mesh fishing plays in Hakes' Northern stock status. The involvement of Gascogne gulf Norway Lobster fisheries regarding Hakes over exploitation seems over dimensioned when comparing the size of both of these stocks. Hake stocks spread from Northern Great Britain to Northern Spain, while Norway Lobster stocks are located in the Gascogne gulf's mud flats. The biological solution is well known and consists in globally increasing mesh nets to 80mm which would bring up Hakes yield to its most. It would be unreal to pretend all parties involved in Hake stocks will come to use them. For now, it is mostly an economical issue since many vessels continue on with an exploitation scheme dating from the 60's and fish on coastal mud flats which are the most exploited zones and where their catch is detrimental to juvenile class Hakes and Norway Lobsters. Considering our limited time, this study will cover bio- economical modelisation preparation. You will therefore find a description of fisheries and an exploitation assessment based on 1986's available data. 2 - Accomplished work 2. 1 Fishery description Presenting the problems and preparing ulterior analyses was first and foremost. Norway Lobster vessels supposedly, according to evaluation models used, test immature Hakes in such a manner that all stock exploitation is jeopardized. Norway Lobster distribution is closely linked to the nature of the ocean floor since it can only build its habitat on fine sediment. Hakes' habitat is not as restrictive and is linked to food supply, especially euphausiid shrimps, so they can be found on sandy and sandy-sedimental floors. Norway Lobsters are sought by a fleet of 400 to 450 ships which characteristics widely vary according to their home port. On the northern part, fisheries are close to exploitation ports where Norway Lobsters and miscellaneous catch yield is sufficient to support an older fleet. On the southern part, the structure is diversified and flexibility usually rules, more modern vessels can easily switch their target on a seasonal or daily basis. Globally, Hakes' northern stocks are slightly on the rise. This rise is probably due to global mesh size increase, even if slight and a decrease on fishing effort where immature species are caught. Norway Lobster stocks unloading is stable or slightly lower and yields, as far as northern fishery are concerned, vary and oscillate between ±15 to ±20 % at about an average of 100 kg/day. Biological parameters used in the evaluations for each species are those used in CIEM and CEE work cells. Among those parameters, those describing growth are the greatest. For Hakes, an intermediary growth equation between males and females has been used. For Norway Lobsters, both sexes are treated separately. Simulations were carried out according to 3 types of data: Norway Lobster vessels fishing effort variations. Norway Lobster vessels mesh increase. Norway Lobster vessels fishing effort decrease or mesh increasing go along in the same direction for Hake and Norway Lobster stock production (chart A and B). Lastly, a brief study on results evaluation significance was done to modify: - the size of Hake rejects by Norway Lobster vessels. The range of sizes stays the same but the amount in each class varies according to the same percentage. - Norway Lobsters growth parameters, both values used (L» = 76 mm and k = 0.11 for males, L°° = 56 mm and k = 0.14 for females) representing the "high" hypothesis. In the first case, a 20% error rate for rejects evaluation with 60 mm mesh would only bring a 3% modification rate on global stock production. Those first results are contradicting usual evaluation conclusions and it will be necessary to recalculate by modifying the size class step. In the second case, to decrease L» and increase growth speed, in time production variations remain within usual inter annual fluctuations. In all figure cases, calculations confirming greater yield for in time production through hypothetical mesh size increase to 60 mm, are definitely well founded.
1 - Rappel des buts de l'étude La gestion des pêcheries de merlu et de langoustine peut être considérée comme le problème le plus important du Golfe de Gascogne. Les méthodes de calcul employées pour évaluer les variations de la production sous diverses contraintes d'effort et de maillage mettent toutes l'accent sur le rôle capital des pêcheries à petits maillages sur l'état du stock nord de merlu. Le niveau de responsabilité des pêcheries de langoustine du Golfe de Gascogne dans la surexploitation du merlu semble démesuré eu égard aux dimensions respectives des deux stocks. Le stock de merlu s'étend du Nord des Iles Britanniques au Nord de l'Espagne alors que le stock de langoustine est localisé aux vasièrés du Golfe de Gascogne. La solution biologique du problème est connue et tient à une augmentation généralisée des maillages à 80 mm qui amènerait le rendement du stock de merlu à son maximum. Il serait illusoire de prétendre que tous les acteurs opérant sur le stock de merlu arriveront jamais à l'utiliser. Pour le moment, le problème se pose essentiellement en termes économiques car beaucoup de navires poursuivent un schéma d'exploitation hérité des années 1960 et pèchent sur des vasièrés côtières qui sont les zones les plus exploitées et où ils effectuent leurs captures au détriment des jeunes classes d'âge de merlu et de langoustine. En raison des délais impartis, cette étude constitue la préparation à une modélisation bioéconomique. On y trouvera donc une description des pêcheries et un bilan de l'exploitation sur les données disponibles en 1986. 2 - Travaux effectués 2 . 1 Description de la pêcherie Il s'agissait avant tout de poser les problèmes et de préparer les analyses ultérieures. Les langoustiniers sont présumés, d'après les modèles d'évaluation employés, effectuer sur les immatures de merlu des prélèvements tels qu'ils mettent en danger toute l'exploitation du stock. La distribution de la langoustine est très liée à la nature du fond car elle ne peut construire son terrier que sur des fonds de vase fine. Celle du merlu est beaucoup plus large et inféodée à la recherche de nourriture, crevettes euphausiacées en particulier, on le trouve donc sur les fonds sableux à sablo-vaseux. La langoustine est recherchée par une flottille de 400 à 450 bateaux dont les caractéristiques sont très variables suivant leur appartenance géographique. Au nord, la pêcherie est proche des ports exploitants et les rendements en langoustine et en prise accessoire sont suffisants pour faire vivre une flottille ancienne. Vers le sud, la structure est très diversifiée et la flexibilité est généralement la règle et les navires de construction récente peuvent changer de cible aisément de façon saisonnière ou au cours de la même journée de pêche. Globalement, les débarquements de merlu du stock nord sont en légère hausse. Ce redressement est dû probablement aux augmentations de maillage, même légères, généralisées et à une baisse de l'effort sur les pêcheries où s'effectuent des captures d'immatures. Les débarquements de langoustine sont stables ou en légère baisse et les rendements, au moins sur la pêcherie du nord, varient avec des oscillations de ±15 à ±20 % autour d'une moyenne de 100 kg/jour. Les paramètres biologiques utilisés pour chaque espèce dans les évaluations sont ceux en usage dans les groupes de travail du CIEM et de la CEE. Parmi ces paramètres, ceux décrivant la croissance sont les plus importants. Pour le merlu une équation de croissance intermédiaire entre mâles et femelles a été utilisée. Pour la langoustine les deux sexes sont traitées séparément. Les simulations ont porté sur trois types de données : Variations de l'effort des langoustiniers Augmentation du maillage des langoustiniers La diminution de l'effort des langoustiniers ou L'augmentation de maillage agisse très exactement dans le même sens sur la production des stocks de merlu et de langoustine. Enfin une étude succincte de la sensibilité des résultats des évaluations a été effectuée pour des modifications : - de la composition en taille des rejets de merlu par les langoustiniers. L'étendue des tailles reste la même mais le nombre dans chaque classe varie selon le même pourcentage. des paramètres de croissance de la langoustine, le couple de valeurs utilisées (L» = 76 mm et k = 0.11 pour les mâles, L°° = 56 mm et k = 0.14 pour les femelles) constituant l'hypothèse "haute" Dans le premier cas, une erreur de 20 % sur l'évaluation des rejets pour un cnaillage de 60 mm n'apporterait qu'une modification de 3 % dans la production globale du stock. Ces premiers résultats sont en contradiction avec les conclusions habituelles des évaluations et il sera nécessaire de reprendre les calculs en modifiant le pas des classes de taille. Dans le deuxième cas, pour une diminution de L» et une augmentation de la vitesse de croissance, les variations de la production à terme restent à l'intérieur des fluctuations interannuelles habituelles. Dans tous les cas de figure, les calculs confirmant l'augmentation de la production à terme dans l'hypothèse d'une augmentation de maillage à 60 mm sont d'une robustesse à toute épreuve.

Droits : 1987 Ifremer
http://archimer.ifremer.fr/doc/1987/rapport-1763.pdf
http://archimer.ifremer.fr/doc/00000/1763/

Éditeur(s) : Université de la Réunion
Résumé : The green turtle (Chelonia mydas) is an emblematic species of marine life. However, nowadays it is subject to many threats (poaching, by-catch). Even if there is deep growing measures for its protection, the green turtle still is an endangered species and it is listed in Appendix I of Washington Convention (CITES). In order to elaborate efficient conservation and management plans, perfect knowledge of green turtle biology, but also of its population structure and their characteristics, are needed. In this thesis, we have assessed genetic structure of green turtle populations in the South-Western Indian Ocean by using genetic tools. In all, 1551 tissue samples have been collected from our study zone and from our control site French Polynesia (37 samples). All kinds if individuals were sampled (except males in reproductive phase) from 15 sampling sites including nesting, foraging, and immature development site. We used both control region of mitochondrial DNA and 6 microsatellite loci to better infer maternal and paternal lineages. We identified 29 haplotypes in the South-Western Indian Ocean. They are distributed in 3 independent and highly divergent clades, including one composed with haplotypes from Atlantic Ocean. For 7 of these haplotypes, it was the first time they were detected in the study zone. Fifteen haplotypes were previously undescribed, distributed in all the 3 clades. These new haplotypes seem to be specific to the South-Western Indian Ocean, which is then an original zone. Besides, we found a high allelic richness. These results show the South-western Indian Ocean is rich and very diversified. This region plays an important role in the global diversity of the species. The South-Western Indian Ocean is one of the two contact zones presently known between the two metapopulations of green turtles (Atlantic-Mediterranean and Indo-Pacific). This contact induces a genetic cline based on CM8 (Atlantic) and C3 (Indo-Pacific) haplotype frequencies. Analysis of the microsatellite differentiation between individuals provides evidence of genetic exchanges between the two metapopulations in the region. The South-Western Indian Ocean participates to green turtle global genetic mixing. Studying the influence of several intrinsic and extrinsic factors on population structuring provides useful information for management plan elaboration. We found no significant difference between genetic structures of foraging females and males, contrary to immature turtles which seem to be organised in 'regional pools'. This organisation could be due to both immature natal homing and influence of oceanic currents. High mitochondrial differentiation of nesting females and low global microsatellite differentiation of our samples indicate male-mediated gene flow among populations of the study zone. The genetic composition of a sampling site presents no significant variation along the year, even if we could notice some trends. Nevertheless, it can be significantly different from a year to an other one. This may result from alternation of distinct populations on the same site. We noticed different evolution in 10 or 20 years of the genetic composition depending on the sampling site. Geographic distance seems not to have significant influence on population structuring concerning microsatellite markers. Nesting females of Saziley Beach (Mayotte Island, Comoros Archipelago) present genetic divergence from females nesting in the two other sampled beaches of this island. The observed population structure shows no contradiction with the organisation of oceanic currents in the South-Western Indian Ocean. Comparing the results from the two genetic markers used, we identified 8 genetic differentiated clusters of turtles in the study zone and at least 6 distinct populations. These clusters constitute 8 potential management units (MUs) which could serve as basis in the elaboration of conservation and management plans.
La tortue verte (Chelonia mydas) constitue l'un des espèces emblématiques de la vie marine, pourtant de nombreuses menaces pèsent de nos jours encore sur sa survie (braconnage, captures accidentelles). Ainsi, malgré l'essor de mesures de protection menées à travers pour sa sauvegarde, la tortue verte constitue une espèce 'en danger d'extinction' et figure dans l'Annexe I de la Convention de Washington (CITES). Afin d'élaborer des plans de gestion et de conservation qui soient efficaces, il est important d'avoir une parfaite connaissance de la biologie de la tortue verte, mais aussi de la structure de ses populations et de leurs caractéristiques. C'est dans ce cadre que s'inscrit la présente étude. L'objectif de cette étude était d'acquérir des connaissances sur la structure des populations de tortues vertes dans le sud-ouest de l'océan Indien grâce à l'utilisation de l'outil génétique. Au total, 1551 échantillons de tissu ont été collectés dans la zone d'étude et dans notre site témoin la Polynésie française (37 échantillons). Toutes les catégories d'individus ont été échantillonnées (excepté les mâles en phase de reproduction) et les 15 sites d'échantillonnage comprennent à la fois des sites de ponte, d'alimentation et de développement pour les immatures. Deux types de marqueurs ont été utilisés : la région contrôle de l'ADN mitochondrial et 6 loci microsatellites, afin d'appréhender au mieux l'apport des lignées maternelles et paternelles. Nous avons pu mettre en évidence la présence dans le sud-ouest de l'océan Indien de 29 haplotypes distincts, appartenant à trois clades fortement divergents dont l'un constitué d'haplotypes originaires de l'océan Atlantique. Parmi ces haplotypes, 7 ont été détectés pour la première fois dans la zone d'étude, et 15 autres n'ont jamais été précédemment décrits chez cette espèce. Ils sont présents dans chacun des 3 clades d'haplotypes. Ces nouveaux haplotypes semblent spécifiques à la région, et en font une zone originale. On observe par ailleurs une grande richesse allélique dans les effectifs analysés. Ces résultats montrent que le sud-ouest de l'océan Indien est une zone riche et très diversifiée. Cette région joue un rôle important dans la diversité génétique globale de l'espèce. Le sud-ouest de l'océan Indien constitue l'une des deux seules zones connues à l'heure actuelle de contact entre les deux métapopulations de tortues vertes (Atlantique-Méditerranée et Indo-Pacifique). Ce contact a entraîné la formation d'un cline génétique portant principalement sur les fréquences relatives des haplotypes CM8 (Atlantique) et C3 (Indo-Pacifique). Les résultats obtenus lors de l'analyse microsatellite de la différenciation entre les individus originaires des deux métapopulations montrent que le sud-ouest de l'océan Indien constitue une zone d'échanges génétiques entre les deux métapopulations, participant au brasage génétique de l'espèce. L'étude de facteurs, intrinsèques et extrinsèques, pouvant influencer la structuration des populations apportent de nombreuses informations qui pourraient s'avérer utiles lors de l'élaboration de plans de gestion. La structure des femelles et des mâles en alimentation ne diffère pas, contrairement à celle des immatures qui semble s'organiser en 'pools régionaux' qui seraient le fruit de l'interaction d'un comportement de philopatrie et d'une influence des courants océaniques. La forte différenciation mitochondriale des femelles en ponte et la très faible différenciation microsatellite observée à l'échelle de la région, indiquent l'existence de flux de gènes via les mâles. La composition génétique d'un site ne varie pas de manière significative au cours de l'année. Par contre, elle peut varier d'une année à l'autre, signifiant l'alternance dans certains sites de ponte de plusieurs populations distinctes. L'évolution de la composition génétique d'un groupe, au cours de 10 ou 20 ans, diffère selon le site considéré. La distance ne semble pas influencer de manière significative la structuration des populations au niveau microsatellite. Les femelles en ponte sur la plage de Saziley (Mayotte) diffèrent génétiquement de celles pondant sur les deux autres plages de l'île. La structure observée des populations est en accord avec l'organisation des courants océanique dans la région. La confrontation des résultats obtenus à partir des deux marqueurs génétiques utilisés, permet la détermination de 8 ensembles génétiquement différenciés dans la zone d'étude et l'identification d'au moins 6 populations distinctes. Ces ensembles constituent autant d'unités de gestion (MUs) potentielles qui pourront servir de base à l'élaboration de plans de gestion et de conservation.

Droits : info:eu-repo/semantics/openAccess
http://archimer.ifremer.fr/doc/2007/these-3532.pdf
http://archimer.ifremer.fr/doc/00000/3532/

Éditeur(s) : HAL CCSD Wiley
Résumé : 1. Considerable debate surrounds the extent to which tropical forests can be managed for resource extraction while conserving biodiversity and ecosystem properties, which depend on functional composition. Here we evaluate the compatibility of these aims by examining the effects of logging on taxonomic and functional diversity and composition in a tropical forest. 2. Twenty years after selective logging, we inventoried 4140 stems regenerating in logging gaps and adjacent undisturbed areas, and we integrated a database of 13 functional traits describing leaf and wood economics of tropical trees. 3. We found no differences in taxonomic and functional richness among habitats, but logging gaps had significantly higher taxonomic and functional evenness. 4. Logging also effected striking, long-term changes in both species and functional composition. In particular, the xylem density of recruits in logging gaps was 6% less than in unlogged forests, leaves were 11% less tough and had 613% greater mineral nutrient concentrations. 5. Synthesis and applications. Our results suggest that managers of tropical forests should limit overall surface area converted to logging gaps by creating fewer, larger gaps during selective logging, to reduce impacts on the taxonomic and functional composition of the regenerating stand.
ISSN: 0021-8901

hal-01032420
https://hal.archives-ouvertes.fr/hal-01032420
DOI : 10.1111/j.1365-2664.2012.02164.x

Éditeur(s) : HAL CCSD Elsevier
Résumé : While around 20% of the Amazonian forest has been cleared for pastures and agriculture, one fourth of the remaining forest is dedicated to wood production [1] . Most of these production forests have been or will be selectively harvested for commercial timber, but recent studies show that even soon after logging, harvested stands retain much of their tree-biomass carbon and biodiversity [2,3] . Comparing species richness of various animal taxa among logged and unlogged forests across the tropics, Burivalova et al. [4] found that despite some variability among taxa, biodiversity loss was generally explained by logging intensity (the number of trees extracted). Here, we use a network of 79 permanent sample plots (376 ha total) located at 10 sites across the Amazon Basin [5] to assess the main drivers of time-to-recovery of post-logging tree carbon ( Table S1 ). Recovery time is of direct relevance to policies governing management practices (i.e., allowable volumes cut and cutting cycle lengths), and indirectly to forest-based climate change mitigation interventions.
ISSN: 0960-9822

hal-01536542
https://hal.archives-ouvertes.fr/hal-01536542
DOI : 10.1016/j.cub.2015.07.034
PRODINRA : 343217
PUBMED : 26394096

Éditeur(s) : HAL CCSD Oxford University Press (OUP)
Résumé :  
The maintenance in the long run of a positive carbon balance under very low irradiance is a prerequisite for survival of tree seedlings below the canopy or in small gaps in a tropical rainforest. To provide a quantitative basis for this assumption, experiments were carried out to determine whether construction cost (CC) and payback time for leaves and support structures, as well as leaf life span (i) differ among species and (ii) display an irradiance-elicited plasticity. Experiments were also conducted to determine whether leaf life span correlates to CC and payback time and is close to the optimal longevity derived from an optimization model. Saplings from 13 tropical tree species were grown under three levels of irradiance. Specific-CC was computed, as well as CC scaled to leaf area at the metamer level. Photosynthesis was recorded over the leaf life span. Payback time was derived from CC and a simple photosynthesis model. Specific-CC displayed only little interspecific variability and irradiance-elicited plasticity, in contrast to CC scaled to leaf area. Leaf life span ranged from 4 months to >26 months among species, and was longest in seedlings grown under lowest irradiance. It was always much longer than payback time, even under the lowest irradiance. Leaves were shed when their photosynthesis had reached very low values, in contrast to what was predicted by an optimality model. The species ranking for the different traits was stable across irradiance treatments. The two pioneer species always displayed the smallest CC, leaf life span, and payback time. All species displayed a similar large irradiance-elicited plasticity.
ISSN: 0022-0957

hal-01032198
https://hal.archives-ouvertes.fr/hal-01032198
DOI : 10.1093/jxb/err092

Éditeur(s) : HAL CCSD Botanical Society of America
Résumé :  
To investigate the existence of coordinated sets of seedling traits adapted to contrasting establishment conditions, we examined evolutionary convergence in seedling traits for 299 French Guianan woody plant species and the stress response in a shadehouse of species representing seed size gradients within five major cotyledon morphology types. The French Guianan woody plant community has larger seeds than other tropical forest communities and the largest proportion of hypogeal cotyledon type (59.2%) reported for tropical forests. Yet the community includes many species with intermediate size seeds that produce seedlings with different cotyledonal morphologies. A split-plot factorial design with two light levels (0.8% and 16.1% PAR) and four damage treatments (control, seed damage, leaf damage, stem damage) was used in the shadehouse experiment. Although larger-seeded species had higher survival and slower growth, these patterns were better explained by cotyledon type than by seed mass. Even larger-seeded species with foliar cotyledons grew faster than species with reserve-type cotyledons, and survival after stem grazing was five times higher in seedlings with hypogeal cotyledons than with epigeal cotyledons. Thus, to predict seedling performance using seed size, seedling morphology must also be considered.
ISSN: 0002-9122

hal-01032177
https://hal.archives-ouvertes.fr/hal-01032177
DOI : 10.3732/ajb.94.6.901

Éditeur(s) : HAL CCSD Springer Verlag/EDP Sciences
Résumé : International audience
Context and aim : This study aimed to examine the effect of the tension wood G‐layer on the viscoelastic properties of wood. Methods : Tension wood and opposite wood samples were obtained from six French Guianese tropical rainforest species (Sextonia rubra, Ocotea guyanensis, Inga alba, Tachigali melinoni, Iyranthera sagotiana and Virola michelii); the tension wood of the former three of these species had a Glayer, whilst the tension wood from the latter three had no Glayer. Tensile dynamic mechanical analysis (DMA) was performed on green never dried wood samples in the longitudinal direction with samples submerged in a water bath at a temperature (30°C) and frequency (1 Hz) representative of the conditions experienced by wood within a living tree. Then, DMA was repeated with samples conditioned to an air-dried state. Finally, samples were oven-dried to measure longitudinal shrinkage. Results : Tension wood did not always have a higher longitudinal storage (elastic) modulus than opposite wood from the same tree regardless of the presence or absence of a G‐layer. For the species containing a G‐layer, tension wood had a higher damping coefficient and experienced a greater longitudinal shrinkage upon drying than opposite wood from the same species. No difference was found in damping coefficients between tension wood and opposite wood for the species that had no G‐layer. Conclusion : It is proposed that the different molecular composition of the G-layer matrix has an influence on the viscoelasticity of wood, even if a biomechanical gain is not yet clear. This study shows that rheological properties and longitudinal shrinkage can be used to detect the presence of a G‐layer in tension wood.
ISSN: 1286-4560

hal-00677460
https://hal.archives-ouvertes.fr/hal-00677460
https://hal.archives-ouvertes.fr/hal-00677460/document
https://hal.archives-ouvertes.fr/hal-00677460/file/Clair2.pdf
DOI : 10.1007/s13595-011-0164-1

Éditeur(s) : HAL CCSD Nature Publishing Group
Résumé : International audience
Evolution involves interplay between natural selection and developmental constraints(1-3). This is seen, for example, when digits are lost from the limbs during evolution(1,3,4). Extant archosaurs (crocodiles and birds) show several instances of digit loss(3,5,6) under different selective regimes, and show limbs with one, two, three, four or the ancestral number of five digits. The `lost' digits sometimes persist for millions of years as developmental vestiges(7-10). Here we examine digit loss in the Nile crocodile and five birds, using markers of three successive stages of digit development. In two independent lineages under different selection, wing digit I and all its markers disappear. In contrast, hindlimb digit V persists in all species sampled, both as cartilage, and as Sox9-expressing precartilage domains, 250 million years after the adult digit disappeared. There is therefore a mismatch between evolution of the embryonic and adult phenotypes. All limbs, regardless of digit number, showed similar expression of sonic hedgehog (Shh). Even in the one-fingered emu wing, expression of posterior genes Hoxd11 and Hoxd12 was conserved, whereas expression of anterior genes Gli3 and Alx4 was not. We suggest that the persistence of digit V in the embryo may reflect constraints, particularly the conserved posterior gene networks associated with the zone of polarizing activity (ZPA(11)). The more rapid and complete disappearance of digit I may reflect its ZPA-independent specification, and hence, weaker developmental constraints. Interacting with these constraints are selection pressures for limb functions such as flying and perching. This model may help to explain the diverse patterns of digit loss in tetrapods. Our study may also help to understand how selection on adults leads to changes in development.
ISSN: 0028-0836

hal-01545485
https://hal.archives-ouvertes.fr/hal-01545485
DOI : 10.1038/nature12336

Éditeur(s) : HAL CCSD Elsevier Masson
Résumé : International audience
The maintenance in the long run of a positive carbon balance under very low irradiance is a prerequisite for survival of tree seedlings below the canopy or in small gaps in a tropical rainforest. To provide a quantitative basis for this assumption, experiments were carried out to determine whether construction cost (CC) and payback time for leaves and support structures, as well as leaf life span (i) differ among species and (ii) display an irradiance-elicited plasticity. Experiments were also conducted to determine whether leaf life span correlates to CC and payback time and is close to the optimal longevity derived from an optimization model. Saplings from 13 tropical tree species were grown under three levels of irradiance. Specific-CC was computed, as well as CC scaled to leaf area at the metamer level. Photosynthesis was recorded over the leaf life span. Payback time was derived from CC and a simple photosynthesis model. Specific-CC displayed only little interspecific variability and irradiance-elicited plasticity, in contrast to CC scaled to leaf area. Leaf life span ranged from 4 months to >26 months among species, and was longest in seedlings grown under lowest irradiance. It was always much longer than payback time, even under the lowest irradiance. Leaves were shed when their photosynthesis had reached very low values, in contrast to what was predicted by an optimality model. The species ranking for the different traits was stable across irradiance treatments. The two pioneer species always displayed the smallest CC, leaf life span, and payback time. All species displayed a similar large irradiance-elicited plasticity.
ISSN: 1631-0691

hal-01095975
https://hal-agroparistech.archives-ouvertes.fr/hal-01095975
DOI : 10.1016/j.crvi.2011.01.007

Éditeur(s) : Université des Antilles Études caribéennes
Résumé : En Amérique centrale, l’élevage des abeilles sans dard est une pratique vieille d’au moins deux millénaires, qui a connu son apogée à la fin de l’ère maya. Les Méliponinés, sous-famille à laquelle appartiennent ces abeilles, rassemblent près de 500 espèces distribuées pour l’essentiel en zone intertropicale. La plupart d’entre elles nichent dans des cavités d’arbres secs ou sous terre, et affectionnent les forêts ombrophiles où elles assurent un rôle actif dans la pollinisation des plantes sauvages. Sur l’île de Cuba, une seule espèce de méliponinés (Melipona beecheii) est présente, elle a probablement été introduite durant l’époque précolombienne à partir de souches génétiques originaires de la péninsule du Yucatán. Dans les campagnes autour de La Havane, les abeilles mélipones continuent d’être un vecteur de socialisation, car leur domestication correspond souvent à une tradition familiale et parce que les bénéficiaires des produits de la ruche sont des familiers du méliponiculteur. En forêt, en revanche, le miel donne davantage lieu à des pratiques de cueillette. Depuis une vingtaine d’années, la prise de conscience du rôle de l’abeille dans le fonctionnement des écosystèmes et la valeur des services qu’elles seraient susceptibles de rendre à l’agriculture sont à l’origine d’une évolution rapide des représentations sociales associées à l’insecte. Cette évolution contribue à diversifier les profils des éleveurs, à détacher les pratiques du poids des traditions d’élevage ou de cueillette, et à concevoir la méliponiculture comme une activité de loisir voire à envisager son intégration dans une logique marchande.
In central America, stingless beekeeping is a practice older than two thousand years which reached its peak at the end of the Maya era. The melipona sub-family which these bees belong to gather more than 500 species mainly in the intertropical area. Most of them nest in cavities, in dead wood or underground, and have a liking for ombrophile forests where they provide the pollinisation of wild plantes in Cuba. There is only are single species (Melipona beecheii) probably introduced during the pre-colombian era, from genetic strains deriving from the Yucatan peninsula. In the countryside surrounding Havana, the melipona bees are still a vector of socialization, knowing their domestication often results from a familial tradition and is profitable to the beekeeper’s relatives. On the other hand, in the forest, honey is the fruit of gathering. For twenty years now people have been aware of the essential function of bees in the ecosystem and of the valuable services they are able to provide agriculture. This awareness has launched a quick evolution in the social representation of the insect. Thanks to this evolution the beekeepers’ profiles are becoming more diverse, traditions in beekeeping or gathering, weigh less heavily on practices, and the meliponiculture can be regarded as a space-time activity or even a trade one.
Cuba

Droits : info:eu-repo/semantics/openAccess
urn:doi:10.4000/etudescaribeennes.6967
http://journals.openedition.org/etudescaribeennes/6967

Éditeur(s) : Springer
Résumé : The great fecundity and very high larval mortality of most marine invertebrates and fish make possible substantial variance in the number of offspring contributed by adults to subsequent generations. The reproductive success of such organisms may thus resemble a sweepstakes lottery, in which a minority of progenitors succeeds in replacing an entire population, while the majority fails to procreate. One specific prediction of this hypothesis, that genetic diversity of newly settled cohorts should be less than that of the adult population, is tested in the present study. Microsatellite DNA markers were examined in naturally spawned juvenile European flat oysters Ostrea edulis (L.), collected over a 12-day period in 1993 from the western Mediterranean Sea, near Sete, France (43 degrees 32'N, 3 degrees 56'E) and grown out for a period of up to 10 months. Variation in these juveniles was compared to that in a pooled sample of adults collected in 1994 from two locations (Thau Lagoon and Port St. Louis) that had statistically homogeneous allelic frequencies. Though nearly twice as large as the pooled adult sample, the juvenile sample had only 60% of the adult allelic diversity. Analyses of linkage disequilibrium and kinship, as well as estimation of the effective number of parents, suggested that 10-20 adults produced this juvenile cohort. This observation supports the hypothesis of sweepstakes reproductive success and suggests that partial inbreeding may occur even in species with large populations and dispersing planktonic larvae.
Marine Biology (0025-3162) (Springer), 2007-03 , Vol. 150 , N. 6 , P. 1173-1182

Droits : 2007 Springer
http://archimer.ifremer.fr/doc/2007/publication-2616.pdf
DOI:10.1007/s00227-006-0441-y
http://archimer.ifremer.fr/doc/00000/2616/

Éditeur(s) : Office Int Epizooties
Résumé : The tremendous development of penaeid shrimp culture across the world over the past twenty years has led to international trade in eggs, larvae and spawners of the best shrimp species for aquaculture. Trade has involved, in particular, the following species: - Penaeus japonicus from Japan to Europe, the Pacific Islands and South America - P. monodon from South-East Asia to almost all tropical countries - P. vannamei and P. stylirostris from countries along the Pacific coast of South and Central America to the United States of America, the islands of the South Pacific, countries along the Atlantic coast of the Americas and certain countries in Africa. In the 1980s, research conducted by American and French teams enabled the breeding of stocks of spawners in captivity. This resulted in the establishment of lines of captive broodstock outside natural areas of distribution, and the development of new breeding farms in previously unproductive regions. Trade related to movements of these species is facilitated by the absence of legislation in most countries; even when such legislation does exist, it is not always applied These practices have led to the rapid development of world shrimp production, but have also contributed to the dissemination of pathogens. In recent years, the occurrence of serious epizootics - occasioning heavy losses world-wide - has led to a more cautious approach involving trade of post-larvae obtained from captive broodstock in which thorough control measures have been implemented for known diseases. Trade in wild shrimp will probably be abandoned progressively, to avoid the risk of introducing new pathogens. The main challenges for research in the near future are the development of diagnostic tools, to enable continuous control of captive broodstock, and the selection of strains which are resistant to the principal pathogens affecting these species.
Revue Scientifique Et Technique-office International Des Epizooties (0253-1933) (Office Int Epizooties), 1996-06 , Vol. 15 , N. 2 , P. 499-515

Droits : info:eu-repo/semantics/openAccess
http://archimer.ifremer.fr/doc/00091/20231/17883.pdf
http://archimer.ifremer.fr/doc/00091/20231/

Éditeur(s) : HAL CCSD Cambridge University Press (CUP)
Résumé : We tested the response of seedlings of Dicorynia guianensis, a major timber tree species of French Guiana, to mycorrhizal symbiosis and water limitation in a semi-controlled experiment under natural light conditions. Under well-watered conditions, mycorrhizal colonization resulted in an increase of net photosynthesis, growth and phosphorus uptake. When submitted to water stress, no growth reduction of mycorrhizal seedlings was observed. Mycorrhizal seedlings were more sensitive to drought than non-mycorrhizal ones in terms of carbon assimilation, but not with regard to stomatal closure. In contrast to previous studies on temperate tree seedlings, this result precludes a mycorrhizal effect on the hydraulic properties of this species. Furthermore, our results suggest that below a specific threshold of soil moisture, carbon assimilation of D. guianensis seedlings was decreased by the mycorrhizal symbiosis. This is probably related to the competition between the plant and its host fungus for carbon allocation under low light intensity, even though it did not seem to have a significant effect on mortality in our experiment.
ISSN: 0266-4674

hal-01031901
https://hal.archives-ouvertes.fr/hal-01031901
DOI : 10.1017/S0266467405002348

Éditeur(s) : Public Library Science
Résumé : Background: Reconstructing the history of divergence and gene flow between closely-related organisms has long been a difficult task of evolutionary genetics. Recently, new approaches based on the coalescence theory have been developed to test the existence of gene flow during the process of divergence. The deep sea is a motivating place to apply these new approaches. Differentiation by adaptation can be driven by the heterogeneity of the hydrothermal environment while populations should not have been strongly perturbed by climatic oscillations, the main cause of geographic isolation at the surface. Methodology/Principal Finding: Samples of DNA sequences were obtained for seven nuclear loci and a mitochondrial locus in order to conduct a multi-locus analysis of divergence and gene flow between two closely related and hybridizing species of hydrothermal vent mussels, Bathymodiolus azoricus and B. puteoserpentis. The analysis revealed that (i) the two species have started to diverge approximately 0.760 million years ago, (ii) the B. azoricus population size was 2 to 5 time greater than the B. puteoserpentis and the ancestral population and (iii) gene flow between the two species occurred over the complete species range and was mainly asymmetric, at least for the chromosomal regions studied. Conclusions/Significance: A long history of gene flow has been detected between the two Bathymodiolus species. However, it proved very difficult to conclusively distinguish secondary introgression from ongoing parapatric differentiation. As powerful as coalescence approaches could be, we are left by the fact that natural populations often deviates from standard assumptions of the underlying model. A more direct observation of the history of recombination at one of the seven loci studied suggests an initial period of allopatric differentiation during which recombination was blocked between lineages. Even in the deep sea, geographic isolation may well be a crucial promoter of speciation.
Plos One (1932-6203) (Public Library Science), 2009-08 , Vol. 4 , N. 8 , P. 1-15

Droits : 2009 Faure et al. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and source are credited.
http://archimer.ifremer.fr/doc/00129/24012/21972.pdf
DOI:10.1371/journal.pone.0006485
http://archimer.ifremer.fr/doc/00129/24012/

Éditeur(s) : HAL CCSD Elsevier Masson
Résumé : International audience
Adult lymphatic filariae (Wuchereria bancrofti, Brugia malayi) can cause blocking of lymphatics producing obliterating endolymphitis lesions. The subsequent extravasation of lymph (or chyle when the obstruction is canal) is at the origin of the formation of lymphedema or elephantiasis, in which the main histological finding is great hypertrophy of collagen elements. This theory involving filaria only is not the full picture, and bacterial infection, mainly by streptococci, is an important factor. The association of filaria with microbes is particularly dangerous because the presence of the latter, or its toxins, causes death of local microfilariae and even adult worms, which are known to be more harmful dead than alive. The progression of the disease, especially in cases with lymphedema, which mainly affects the limbs and the genital organs, depends on three factors: the species of filaria, the degree of transmission, and the receptivity of the patient to the parasite. Large differences are found according to the region involved, and in the same endemic zone, according to the individuals affected. However, they almost always occur progressively in areas where there have been recurrent attacks of acute lymphangitis.
ISSN: 0398-0499

hal-00715440
https://hal.univ-antilles.fr/hal-00715440
PUBMED : 7007545

Éditeur(s) : HAL CCSD Wiley
Résumé :  
1. Relationships between tropical rain forest biomass and environmental factors have been determined at regional scales, e.g. the Amazon Basin, but the reasons for the high variability in forest biomass at local scales are poorly understood. Interactions between topography, soil properties, tree growth and mortality rates, and treefalls are a likely reason for this variability. 2. We used repeated measurements of permanent plots in lowland rain forest in French Guiana to evaluate these relationships. The plots sampled topographic gradients from hilltops to slopes to bottomlands, with accompanying variation in soil waterlogging along these gradients. Biomass was calculated for >175 tree species in the plots, along with biomass productivity and recruitment rates. Mortality was determined as standing dead and treefalls. 3. Treefall rates were twice as high in bottomlands as on hilltops, and tree recruitment rates, radial growth rates and the abundance of light-demanding tree species were also higher. 4. In the bottomlands, the mean wood density was 10% lower than on hilltops, the basal area 29% lower and the height:diameter ratio of trees was lower, collectively resulting in a total woody biomass that was 43% lower in bottomlands than on hilltops. 5. Biomass productivity was 9% lower in bottomlands than on hilltops, even though soil Olsen P concentrations were higher in bottomlands. 6. Synthesis. Along a topographic gradient from hilltops to bottomlands there were higher rates of treefall, which decreased the stand basal area and favoured lower allocation to height growth and recruitment of light-demanding species with low wood density. The resultant large variation in tree biomass along the gradient shows the importance of determining site characteristics and including these characteristics when scaling up biomass estimates from stand to local or regional scales.
ISSN: 0022-0477

hal-01032100
https://hal.archives-ouvertes.fr/hal-01032100

Éditeur(s) : HAL CCSD Public Library of Science
Résumé : International audience
Forest successional processes following disturbance take decades to play out, even in tropical forests. Nonetheless, records of vegetation change in this ecosystem are scarce, increasing the importance of the chronosequence approach to study forest recovery. However, this approach requires accurate dating of secondary forests, which until now was a difficult and/or expensive task. Cecropia is a widespread and abundant pioneer tree genus of the Neotropics. Here we propose and validate a rapid and straightforward method to estimate the age of secondary forest patches based on morphological observations of Cecropia trees. We found that Cecropia-inferred ages were highly correlated with known ages of the forest. We also demonstrate that Cecropia can be used to accurately date disturbances and propose twenty-one species distributed all over the geographical range of the genus as potential secondary forest chronometer species. Our method is limited in applicability by the maximal longevity of Cecropia individuals. Although the oldest chronosequence used in this study was 20 years old, we argue that at least for the first four decades after disturbance, the method described in this study provides very accurate estimations of secondary forest ages. The age of pioneer trees provides not only information needed to calculate the recovery of carbon stocks that would help to improve forest management, but also provides information needed to characterize the initial floristic composition and the rates of species remigration into secondary forest. Our contribution shows how successional studies can be reliably and inexpensively extended without the need to obtain forest ages based on expensive or potentially inaccurate data across the Neotropics.
ISSN: 1932-6203

halsde-00757518
https://hal.archives-ouvertes.fr/halsde-00757518
DOI : 10.1371/journal.pone.0042643
PUBMED : 22916144