Résumé : Ifremer launched and coordinated the development of a strategy for the REBENT network (REseau BENThique) in 2000 to monitor the aftermath of the "Erika" oil spill in December 1999. Its aim is to provide consistent baseline knowledge about coastal benthic habitats and constitute a monitoring tool to detect changes at various scales over time and space. Sector-based seabed habitat mapping in shallow water (< 50 m deep), is currently being conducted throughout Brittany's coastal waters through a combination of geoacoustic marine systems and ground-truthing using biological grab sampling and seabed observations. Sedimentological and biological results on Glenan area emphasize a great diversity of subtidal habitats and marine species recognized. Sidescan imagery accentuates the complexity of the communities structure in a marine environment distinguished by strong and regulary roughness of the sea. Maerl biocenose is present at the nord-east of the archipelago. Progressively it gives way to mud sediment colonized by Amphiura filiformis and Haploops in the deeper channel. To the west and the south, substratum types are more coarse, occasionally mobiles, composed of essentially sand community with Nephtys and gravelly sand community with Branchiostoma lanceolatum.
Le Rebent (Réseau benthique), initié en 2000 à la suite de la catastrophe de l'Erika, a pour objectif de suivre les habitats benthiques côtiers et de détecter les changements à différentes échelles de temps et d'espace. L'approche sectorielle dans les petits fonds (< 50 m) des côtes bretonnes combine, des moyens de prospection acoustique, afin de délimiter les principaux types de substrats, avec des prélèvements et des observations biologiques pour caractériser les peuplements macrobenthiques. Les résultats des analyses sédimentologiques et faunistiques montrent autour de l'archipel des Glénan, une grande diversité d'habitats et d'espèces reconnues. L'imagerie acoustique fait ressortir la complexité de leur structuration dans un environnement marin soumis à de fortes et régulières périodes d'agitation. La biocénose de maërl occupe le nord-est de l'archipel. Elle laisse place progressivement aux sédiments envasés à Amphiura filiformis et aux vases à Haploops dans le fond du chenal. A l'ouest et au sud, les subtrats sont plus grossiers, essentiellement sableux à Nephtys et sablo-graveleux à Branchiostoma lanceolatum, épisodiquement mobiles.

Droits : info:eu-repo/semantics/openAccess
http://archimer.ifremer.fr/doc/2006/rapport-2301.pdf
http://archimer.ifremer.fr/doc/2006/sup-2301.pdf
http://archimer.ifremer.fr/doc/00000/2301/

Éditeur(s) : HAL CCSD Paris : Muséum national d'histoire naturelle
Résumé : International audience
Coral reefs are one of the most diverse ecosystems on Earth and sustain millions of people worldwide.However, coral reefs are temporally dynamic and fragile systems subject to ever increasing disturbancesof anthoropogenic and natural origins. Understanding the patterns and trajectories of changes through time isurgently needed to estimate the resilience of coral reefs. To ascertain these patterns, we depend on the availabilityof long-term datasets, which are seldom available. In this study, we present the data set which allowed us to analysethe long-term trends of coral and fish assemblages for the island of Moorea (French Polynesia) from 1983to 2014, a dataset spanning 32 years, comprising two Acanthaster planci outbreaks (1987 and 2006) and severalhurricanes (1982, 1983, 1991 and 2010), on three permanent monitoring sites (quadrats of 50 × 2 m2) located onboth fringing and barrier reefs as well as on the outer slope. Coral cover oscillated significantly over time, particularlyon the outer slope where it suffered greatly from the effects of A. planci outbreaks and hurricanes. Totalfish and commercial fish abundances varied significantly across the three habitats. Prior to 2000, both total fishand herbivorous fish abundances increased on the barrier reef while after this time, numbers began to drop significantlyalong the outer slope. Species richness for total, commercialized and herbivorous fish increased over thesampling period for all three habitats. There were varied responses amongst species to disturbances on the outerslope over the sampling period: while some tended to disappear for a while before reappearing, others showed apeak in abundance in the middle of the sampling period, and still others increased or decreased continuously orwere stable over time. Our results support the view that coral reefs are highly dynamic systems and that differentfunctional groups show different temporal trajectories. While disturbance is probably the major driver for coralcover dynamics, its impact is less obvious for fish, possibly due to their mobility and population dynamics whichmay mask the effect of disturbance.
Les récifs coralliens sont des systèmes dynamiques et diversifiés régulièrement soumis à des perturbationsnaturelles et anthropiques, sources d’hétérogénéité spatiale et temporelle dans la structure et la dynamique deces communautés d’organismes que sont, entre autres, les poissons et les coraux. Récemment, il a été démontréque les activités humaines pouvaient modifier les régimes naturels de perturbations des récifs coralliens en transformantles événements ponctuels en perturbations persistantes ou en stress chronique, soit en introduisant denouveaux types de perturbations, soit en ajoutant ou altérant certaines perturbations naturelles nécessaires au bonmaintien de la dynamique inhérente aux récifs. Dans cette étude, nous présentons la base de données qui nouspermettra d’analyser les tendances à long-terme des assemblages de poissons et de coraux de l’île de Moorea(Polynésie française) entre 1983 et 2014 sur une période de 32 ans, comprenant deux proliférations d’Acanthasterplanci (1987 et 2006) et plusieurs cyclones (1982, 1983, 1991 et 2010), sur trois sites de suivi permanents(quadrats de 50 × 2 m2) sur les récifs barrière et frangeant ainsi que sur la pente externe. La couverture corallienneprésente de fortes oscillations, en particulier sur la pente externe où elle a répondu fortement à la proliférationd’A. planci et des cyclones. Les abondances des poissons totaux et des poissons commercialisés montrent destendances contrastées sur les trois habitats, avec, plus particulièrement, une augmentation sur le récif barrière etune diminution sur la pente externe après 2000. Ces tendances se retrouvent chez les poissons herbivores dansces deux habitats. La richesse spécifique des poissons totaux, commerciaux et herbivores, augmente de façoncontinue au cours de la période d’étude dans les trois habitats. Des groupes particuliers d’espèces répondentdifféremment aux perturbations de la pente externe au cours du suivi : alors que certaines espèces ont tendanceà disparaître pendant quelques années avant de réapparaître, d’autres présentent un pic en terme d’abondanceen milieu de suivi ; d’autres espèces ont des abondances qui augmentent ou diminuent de façon continue, etd’autres encore montrent des abondances stables. Ceci indique que les récifs coralliens sont des systèmes trèsdynamiques dans lesquels les perturbations naturelles peuvent affecter les espèces de façon différente. Alors quele régime de perturbations naturelles semble être important pour la dynamique de la couverture corallienne danscertains habitats, cela se retrouve beaucoup moins pour les poissons. Cette atténuation des fluctuations spatialeset temporelles peut être due aux aptitudes de dispersion de nombreuses espèces de poissons, capables de chercherun autre habitat favorable en cas de perturbation de l’habitat corallien d’origine.
ISSN: 0399-0974

hal-01282378
https://hal-univ-perp.archives-ouvertes.fr/hal-01282378

Éditeur(s) : HAL CCSD Springer Verlag
Résumé : Growth defense tradeoff theory predicts that plants in low-resource habitats invest more energy in defense mechanisms against natural enemies than growth, whereas plants in high-resource habitats can afford higher leaf loss rates. A less-studied defense against herbivores involves the synchrony of leaf production, which can be an effective defense strategy if leaf biomass production exceeds the capacity of consumption by insects. The aim of this study was to determine whether leaf synchrony varied across habitats with different available resources and whether insects were able to track young leaf production among tree habitat specialists in a tropical forest of French Guiana. We predicted that high-resource habitats would exhibit more synchrony in leaf production due to the low cost and investment to replace leaf tissue. We also expected closer patterns of leaf synchrony and herbivory within related species, assuming that they shared herbivores. We simultaneously monitored leaf production and herbivory rates of five pairs of tree species, each composed of a specialist of terra firme or white-sand forests within the same lineage. Our prediction was not supported by the strong interaction of habitat and lineage for leaf synchrony within individuals of the same species; although habitat specialists differed in leaf synchrony within four of five lineages, the direction of the effect was variable. All species showed short time lags for the correlation between leaf production and herbivory, suggesting that insects are tightly tracking leaf production, especially for the most synchronous species. Leaf synchrony may provide an important escape defense against herbivores, and its expression appears to be constrained by both evolutionary history and environmental factors.
ISSN: 1385-0237

hal-01204221
https://hal.archives-ouvertes.fr/hal-01204221
DOI : 10.1007/s11258-013-0290-y
PRODINRA : 288500

Éditeur(s) : Pergamon-elsevier Science Ltd
Résumé : The EUNIS (European Union Nature Information System) habitat classification system aims to provide a common European reference set of habitat types within a hierarchical classification, and to cover all terrestrial, freshwater and marine habitats of Europe. The classification facilitates reporting of habitat data in a comparable manner, for use in nature conservation (e.g. inventories, monitoring and assessments), habitat mapping and environmental management. For the marine environment the importance of a univocal habitat classification system is confirmed by the fact that many European initiatives, aimed at marine mapping, assessment and reporting, are increasingly using EUNIS habitat categories and respective codes. For this reason substantial efforts have been made to include information on marine benthic habitats from different regions, aiming to provide a comprehensive geographical coverage of European seas. However, there still remain many concerns on its applicability as only a small fraction of Europe's seas are fully mapped and increasing knowledge and application raise further issues to be resolved. This paper presents an overview of the main discussion and conclusions of a workshop, organised by the MeshAtlantic project, focusing upon the experience in using the EUNIS habitats classification across different countries and seas, together with case studies. The aims of the meeting were to: (i) bring together scientists with exper_ience_in the use of the EUNIS marine classification and representatives from the European Environment Agency (EEA); (ii) agree on enhancements to EUNIS that ensure an improved representation of the European marine habitats; and (iii) establish practices that make marine habitat maps produced by scientists more consistent with the needs of managers and decision-makers. During the workshop challenges for the future development of EUNIS were identified, which have been classified into five categories: (1) structure and hierarchy; (2) biology; (3) terminology; (4) mapping; and (5) future development. The workshop ended with a declaration from the attendees, with recommendations to the EEA and European Topic Centre on Biological Diversity, to take into account the outputs of the workshop, which identify weaknesses in the current classification and include proposals for its modification, and to devise a process to further develop the marine component of the EUNIS habitat classification. (C) 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
Marine Pollution Bulletin (0025-326X) (Pergamon-elsevier Science Ltd), 2012-12 , Vol. 64 , N. 12 , P. 2630-2638

Droits : 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
http://archimer.ifremer.fr/doc/00125/23663/22686.pdf
DOI:10.1016/j.marpolbul.2012.10.010
http://archimer.ifremer.fr/doc/00125/23663/

Éditeur(s) : HAL CCSD EDP Sciences
Résumé : International audience
In order to ensure a sustainable management of reef fisheries, data need to be collected regularly on the effect of these fisheries on both fish resources and the ecosystems that sustain them. Habitat and resources monitoring programs can provide such information, but are difficult to implement as they involve a range of technical, financial and human resources. Regarding these problems, the involvement of the local population in monitoring programs, called participatory monitoring, seems to offer solutions. Indeed, participatory monitoring has the potential of increasing the number of data collected at low cost, while taking advantage of the traditional ecological knowledge available locally. Some questions need clarifying, however: which methods can bring relevant information for the monitoring of reef fisheries while being appropriate to the motivations and skills of the local population? Is the degree of participation of the local population sufficient to make the monitoring program work, particularly over the long term? To answer these questions, participatory monitoring methods commonly used for coral reef ecosystems have been implemented to assess reef fisheries at three different sites: Moorea island and Tikehau atoll in French Polynesia, and the Bay of Tulear in Madagascar. While highlighting the relevance of some participatory monitoring programs for snapshot and large-scale surveys, the results of this study also show their lesser interest for regular data gathering on long-time scales. In any case, strong coordination and supervision by scientists are considered essential.
La gestion durable des écosystèmes coralliens nécessite de disposer d’informations régulières concernant l’impact des pêcheries sur les ressources récifales et sur les écosystèmes dont elles dépendent. Les suivis intégrés des ressources, des habitats et des espèces associées qui visent à fournir ce type d’informations sont difficiles à mettre en œuvre, car ils impliquent de nombreuses ressources humaines, techniques et financières. Face à ces problèmes, la participation de la société civile dans les programmes de suivi semble en mesure d’apporter des solutions. Dans le but de tester cette hypothèse, des méthodes de suivi participatif ont été mises en œuvre afin de caractériser des pêcheries récifales sur trois socio-écosystèmes contrastés : l’île de Moorea et l’atoll de Tikehau en Polynésie française, et le littoral de Tuléar à Madagascar. Les résultats de cette étude soulignent la pertinence de certains suivis participatifs pour fournir une vision écosystémique dans le cas de collecte de données ponctuelles et de large envergure, et leur intérêt moindre pour la collecte continue de données sur de longues échelles de temps. Dans tous les cas, une structure de coordination et l’implication de scientifiques s’avèrent primordiales pour assurer pérennité et fiabilité au système de suivi.
ISSN: 1240-1307

hal-01302983
https://hal-univ-perp.archives-ouvertes.fr/hal-01302983
DOI : 10.1051/nss/2013109

Éditeur(s) : HAL CCSD Elsevier
Résumé : International audience
Grey (Halichoerus grypus) and harbour seals (Phoca vitulina) are sympatric seal species, but they display distinct strategies of habitat use and connectivity between haulout sites. The distribution patterns and variations in relative abundance of both species were investigated along the French coast of the English Channel, at the southern limit of their range where seal numbers are increasing. Regular censuses conducted at all main haulout sites in mainland France showed significant seasonal variations at most sites, with more harbour seals counted during summer (breeding and moulting seasons), and more grey seals during summer only in the eastern English Channel. Trends in maximum haulout numbers at haulout sites showed a significant increase over the last five years, ranging from 9.7 to 30.9% per year for harbour seals, and from 5.8% (in the western English Channel) to 49.2% (in the eastern English Channel) per year for grey seals. These rates of increase in grey seal numbers are not linked to local pup production and most probably result from seal movements from the southwest British Isles and the North Sea, respectively. Aerial surveys conducted across the English Channel showed that most seal observations at sea were concentrated in the north-eastern English Channel. Telemetry showed that the 28 harbour seals tracked remained highly coastal, within a radius of 100 km from their haulout sites, and did not move to other known colonies. Grey seals moved much greater distances, reaching up to 1200 km from their capture site. More than half of the 45 grey seals tracked crossed the English Channel, especially during the breeding season, moving to known colonies in the southwest British Isles and the North Sea. Combining individual tracks and long-term surveys of the seal populations allowed a better understanding of the dynamics of these populations and their connectivity at a larger regional scale. The findings provide direct information for the management of grey and harbour seals within the frame of the Marine Strategy Framework Directive, and highlight focus areas where potential interactions between the two species should be monitored.
ISSN: 0967-0645

hal-01509674
https://hal.archives-ouvertes.fr/hal-01509674
DOI : 10.1016/j.dsr2.2017.04.004

Éditeur(s) : HAL CCSD Nature Publishing Group
Résumé : International audience
Different marine habitats are characterised by different soundscapes. How or which differences may be representative of the habitat characteristics and/or community structure remains however to be explored. A growing project in passive acoustics is to find a way to use soundscapes to have information on the habitat and on its changes. In this study we have successfully tested the potential of two acoustic indices, i.e. the average sound pressure level and the acoustic complexity index based on the frequency spectrum. Inside and outside marine protected areas of Moorea Island (French Polynesia), sound pressure level was positively correlated with the characteristics of the substratum and acoustic complexity was positively correlated with fish diversity. It clearly shows soundscape can be used to evaluate the acoustic features of marine protected areas, which presented a significantly higher ambient sound pressure level and were more acoustically complex than non-protected areas. This study further emphasizes the importance of acoustics as a tool in the monitoring of marine environments and in the elaboration and management of future conservation plans. Coral reef ecosystems are among the most biologically diverse and complex marine ecosystems worldwide. In addition to their biological and ecological importance, coral reefs support major economic and physical functions (e.g. food production, tourism, biotechnology development and coastal protection) that are essential for many countries 1. Unfortunately, coral reefs are severely threatened: 20% of coral reefs can no longer be defined as such, another 25% are currently endangered and another 25% will be endangered by 2050 2. The frequency and severity of natural perturbations (e.g. cyclone, outbreaks of predators, particularly the crown-of-thorns starfish [COTS] Acanthaster planci) and anthropogenic perturbations (e.g. ocean acidification, pesticides, rising seawater temperatures) on coral reefs have greatly increased worldwide in the last three decades, and, as a consequence, reef communities (fish, coral and benthic invertebrates) have suffered unprecedented levels of decline 3,4
ISSN: 2045-2322

hal-01370610
https://hal-uvsq.archives-ouvertes.fr/hal-01370610
https://hal-uvsq.archives-ouvertes.fr/hal-01370610/document
https://hal-uvsq.archives-ouvertes.fr/hal-01370610/file/2016%20Sci.Rep.pdf
DOI : 10.1038/srep33326

Éditeur(s) : HAL CCSD PeerJ
Résumé : International audience
Acoustic recording has been recognized as a valuable tool for non-intrusive monitoring of the marine environment, complementing traditional visual surveys. Acoustic surveys conducted on coral ecosystems have so far been restricted to barrier reefs and to shallow depths (10–30 m). Since they may provide refuge for coral reef organisms, the monitoring of outer reef slopes and describing of the soundscapes of deeper environment could provide insights into the characteristics of different biotopes of coral ecosystems. In this study, the acoustic features of four different habitats, with different topographies and substrates, located at different depths from 10 to 100 m, were recorded during daytime on the outer reef slope of the north Coast of Moorea Island (French Polynesia). Barrier reefs appeared to be the noisiest habitats whereas the average sound levels at other habitats decreased with their distance from the reef and with increasing depth. However, sound levels were higher than expected by propagation models, supporting that these habitats possess their own sound sources. While reef sounds are known to attract marine larvae, sounds from deeper habitats may then also have a non-negligible attractive potential, coming into play before the reef itself.
ISSN: 2167-8359

Droits : http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/
hal-01654685
http://hal.upmc.fr/hal-01654685
http://hal.upmc.fr/hal-01654685/document
http://hal.upmc.fr/hal-01654685/file/peerj-4019.pdf
DOI : 10.7717/peerj.4019

Éditeur(s) : HAL CCSD Springer Verlag
Résumé : International audience
The life-history traits and population dynamics of species are increasingly being attributed to the characteristics of their preferred habitats. While coral reef fish are often strongly associated with particular habitats, long-term studies establishing the demographic and life-history consequences of occupying different reef substrata are rare and no studies have monitored individuals in situ over their lifetime and determined the fate of their offspring. Here, we documented a quasi-turnover and local reproductive success for an entire population of orange clownfish (Amphiprion percula) from Kimbe Island, Papua New Guinea, by taking bi-annual samples of DNA over a 10-yr period (2003–2013). We compared demographic and life-history traits of individuals living on two host anemone species, Heteractis magnifica and Stichodactyla gigantea, including female size, adult continued presence (a proxy for relative longevity range), early post-settlement growth, the number of eggs per clutch and ‘local’ reproductive success (defined for each adult as the number of offspring returning to the natal population). Our results indicate that while the relative longevity of adults was similar on both host anemone species, females living in H. magnifica were larger than females in S. gigantea. However, despite females growing larger and producing more eggs on H. magnifica, we found that local reproductive success was significantly higher for clownfish living in S. gigantea. Life-history traits also exhibited local spatial variation, with higher local reproductive success recorded for adults living on S. gigantea on the eastern side of the island. Our findings support a ‘silver-spoon’ hypothesis that predicts individuals that are fortunate enough to recruit into good habitat and location will be rewarded with higher long-term reproductive success and will make a disproportionate contribution to population renewal.
ISSN: 0722-4028

hal-01357939
https://hal-univ-perp.archives-ouvertes.fr/hal-01357939
DOI : 10.1007/s00338-016-1485-1

Éditeur(s) : Public Library Science
Résumé : Observing spatial and temporal variations of marine biodiversity from non-destructive techniques is central for understanding ecosystem resilience, and for monitoring and assessing conservation strategies, e.g. Marine Protected Areas. Observations are generally obtained through Underwater Visual Censuses (UVC) conducted by divers. The problems inherent to the presence of divers have been discussed in several papers. Video techniques are increasingly used for observing underwater macrofauna and habitat. Most video techniques that do not need the presence of a diver use baited remote systems. In this paper, we present an original video technique which relies on a remote unbaited rotating remote system including a high definition camera. The system is set on the sea floor to record images. These are then analysed at the office to quantify biotic and abiotic sea bottom cover, and to identify and count fish species and other species like marine turtles. The technique was extensively tested in a highly diversified coral reef ecosystem in the South Lagoon of New Caledonia, based on a protocol covering both protected and unprotected areas in major lagoon habitats. The technique enabled to detect and identify a large number of species, and in particular fished species, which were not disturbed by the system. Habitat could easily be investigated through the images. A large number of observations could be carried out per day at sea. This study showed the strong potential of this non obtrusive technique for observing both macrofauna and habitat. It offers a unique spatial coverage and can be implemented at sea at a reasonable cost by non-expert staff. As such, this technique is particularly interesting for investigating and monitoring coastal biodiversity in the light of current conservation challenges and increasing monitoring needs.
Plos One (1932-6203) (Public Library Science), 2012-02 , Vol. 7 , N. 2 , P. -

Droits : 2012 Pelletier et al. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License
http://archimer.ifremer.fr/doc/00078/18879/16453.pdf
DOI:10.1371/journal.pone.0030536
http://archimer.ifremer.fr/doc/00078/18879/

Éditeur(s) : Inter-research
Résumé : We propose a statistical approach based on multivariate analysis and general linear models to test the consequences of removal of reserve status from the Abore Reef fish assemblage of the Abore Reef reserve, New Caledonia. Consequences on fish density were examined at the level of fish assemblage, accounting for habitat. Fish counts and habitat-related information were collected before and after the removal of reserve status, both inside and outside the reserve. Species groups were constructed on the basis of additional information on behavioural characteristics and taxonomy. The impact of the removal of reserve status was assessed by using 2 habitat proxies corresponding to 2 spatial scales and by considering several criteria for grouping species. Habitat appeared to be a determining factor in explaining density variations. Significant positive effects were found for several species groups such as macrocarnivores, piscivores, herbivores, Lethrinidae and Siganidae. A counterintuitive negative effect was observed for Acanthuridae. No significant differences between the area which remained closed to fishing and the area open to fishing were found for the other species groups. The approach allows for a synoptic diagnosis of the impact of changes in reserve status at the fish assemblage level. It could be used to develop and select potential indicators for monitoring such impacts on fish assemblages in coral reef ecosystems and in other contexts.
Marine Ecology Progress Series (0171-8630) (Inter-research), 2005 , Vol. 292 , P. 271-286

Droits : info:eu-repo/semantics/openAccess
http://archimer.ifremer.fr/doc/00000/10970/7574.pdf
http://archimer.ifremer.fr/doc/00000/10970/

Éditeur(s) : HAL CCSD Society of Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry Press (SETAC)
Résumé : International audience
Tributyltin (TBT) and triphenyltin (TPT) are emblematic endocrine disruptors, which have been mostly studied in gonochoric prosobranchs. Although both compounds can simultaneously occur in the environment, they have mainly been tested separately for their effects on snail reproduction. Because large discrepancies in experimental conditions occurred in these tests, the present study aimed to compare the relative toxicity of TBT and TPT under similar laboratory conditions in the range of 0 ng Sn/L to 600 ng Sn/L. Tests were performed on the simultaneous hermaphrodite Lymnaea stagnalis, a freshwater snail in which effects of TPT were unknown. Survival, shell length, and reproduction were monitored in a 21-d semistatic test. Frequency of abnormal eggs was assessed as an additional endpoint. Triphenyltin hampered survival while TBT did not. Major effects on shell solidity and reproduction were observed for both compounds, reproductive outputs being more severely hampered by TBT than by TPT. Considering the frequency of abnormal eggs allowed increasing test sensitivity, because snail responses to TBT could be detected at concentrations as low as 19 ng Sn/L. However, the putative mode of action of the 2 compounds could not be deduced from the structure of the molecules or from the response of apical endpoints. Sensitivity of L. stagnalis to TBT and TPT was compared with the sensitivity of prosobranch mollusks with different habitats and different reproductive strategies.
Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry

hal-00877955
https://hal.archives-ouvertes.fr/hal-00877955
DOI : 10.1002/etc.2200
PUBMED : 23450754

Éditeur(s) : EDP Sciences
Résumé : Monitoring the abundance of green turtles (Chelonia mydas) is necessary to assess population trends and risks of collapse. This note presents a study aimed at comparing three techniques for the direct estimation of green turtle numbers in their foraging habitats (seagrass beds and reef flats). The experiment was carried out at Mayotte Island, Western Indian Ocean. The techniques involved were surveys by snorkel, and aerial surveys using a microlight aircraft and a paramotor. Each technique had shortcomings and advantages. While each technique provided estimations of turtle numbers only surveys by snorkel permitted identification of species and sex, whenever visibility and turtle behaviour permitted. Along the shorelines, and over foraging areas, the paramotor was found to be most suitable for direct estimations of turtle numbers. The major advantage of this technique lied in its capability to obtain a synoptic snapshot of turtle distribution over foraging areas. Linear surveys from a microlight aircraft are better suited to monitor foraging areas located further away from the shore.
Le suivi de l'abondance de tortues vertes (Chelonia mydas) est nécessaire pour évaluer l'évolution et éventuellement, le risque d'extinction des populations. L'objectif de cette expérience est de comparer trois techniques d'observation permettant l'évaluation directe de l'abondance totale de tortues vertes sur les aires d'alimentation (herbiers et platiers récifaux). L'étude a été conduite à l'île de Mayotte (ouest de l'océan Indien). Les techniques testées sont le comptage sous-marin et les comptages aériens à partir d'un ultra léger motorisé (ULM) et d'un paramoteur. Les limites de chaque technique utilisée ont été mises en évidence. L'abondance totale des tortues a été estimée par les trois techniques. Seuls, les comptages sous-marins ont permis de préciser des caractéristiques biologiques tels que l'espèce et le sexe, lorsque les conditions de visibilité et le comportement des tortues le permettaient. Le paramoteur paraît le plus adapté pour une estimation directe de l'abondance sur les aires d'alimentation situées à proximité immédiate de la côte. Cette technique permet de disposer d'un état de la répartition des tortues sur les aires d'alimentation à un moment donné. Pour les zones d'alimentation plus éloignées de la côte, l'usage de l'ULM est nécessaire pour réaliser les comptages à partir de transects linéaires.
Aquatic Living Resources (0990-7440) (EDP Sciences), 2005-04 , Vol. 18 , N. 2 , P. 193-198

Droits : EDP Sciences, IFREMER, IRD 2005
http://archimer.ifremer.fr/doc/2005/publication-432.pdf
DOI:10.1051/alr:2005021
http://archimer.ifremer.fr/doc/00000/432/

Éditeur(s) : Public Library Science
Résumé : Estimating diversity and abundance of fish species is fundamental for understanding community structure and dynamics of coral reefs. When designing a sampling protocol, one crucial step is the choice of the most suitable sampling technique which is a compromise between the questions addressed, the available means and the precision required. The objective of this study is to compare the ability to sample reef fish communities at the same locations using two techniques based on the same stationary point count method: one using Underwater Visual Census (UVC) and the other rotating video (STAVIRO). UVC and STAVIRO observations were carried out on the exact same 26 points on the reef slope of an intermediate reef and the associated inner barrier reefs. STAVIRO systems were always deployed 30 min to 1 hour after UVC and set exactly at the same place. Our study shows that; (i) fish community observations by UVC and STAVIRO differed significantly; (ii) species richness and density of large species were not significantly different between techniques; (iii) species richness and density of small species were higher for UVC; (iv) density of fished species was higher for STAVIRO and (v) only UVC detected significant differences in fish assemblage structure across reef type at the spatial scale studied. We recommend that the two techniques should be used in a complementary way to survey a large area within a short period of time. UVC may census reef fish within complex habitats or in very shallow areas such as reef flat whereas STAVIRO would enable carrying out a large number of stations focused on large and diver-averse species, particularly in the areas not covered by UVC due to time and depth constraints. This methodology would considerably increase the spatial coverage and replication level of fish monitoring surveys.
Plos One (1932-6203) (Public Library Science), 2014-01 , Vol. 9 , N. 1 , P. -

Droits : 2014 Mallet 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/00170/28132/26352.pdf
DOI:10.1371/journal.pone.0084344
http://archimer.ifremer.fr/doc/00170/28132/

Éditeur(s) : HAL CCSD Elsevier
Résumé : International audience
A better understanding of the key ecological processes of marine organisms is fundamental to improving design and effective implementation of marine protected areas (MPAs) and marine biodiversity. The movement behavior of coral reef fish is a complex mechanism that is highly linked to species life-history traits, predation risk and food resources. We used passive acoustic telemetry to study monthly, daily and hourly movement patterns and space use in two species, Schoolmaster snapper (Lutjanus apodus) and Stoplight parrotfish (Sparisoma viride). We investigated the spatial overlap between the two species and compared intra-specific spatial overlap between day and night. Presence-absence models showed different diel presence and habitat use patterns between the two species. We constructed a spatial network of the movement patterns, which showed that for both species when fish were detected by the array of receivers most movements were made around the coral reef habitat while occasionally moving to silt habitats. Our results show that most individuals made predictable daily crepuscular migrations between different locations and habitat types, although individual behavioral changes were observed for some individuals across time. Our study also highlights the necessity to consider multiple species during MPA implementation and to take into account the specific biological and ecological traits of each species. The low number of fish detected within the receiver array, as well as the intraspecific variability observed in this study, highlight the need to compare results across species and individuals to be used for MPA management.
ISSN: 0141-1136

hal-01169390
https://hal-univ-perp.archives-ouvertes.fr/hal-01169390
DOI : 10.1016/j.marenvres.2015.06.004

Éditeur(s) : Elsevier Science Bv
Résumé : Underwater video techniques are increasingly used in marine ecology studies. Technological progress regarding video cameras, sensors (such as sounders), battery life and information storage make these techniques now accessible to a majority of users. However, diver-based underwater visual censuses, and catch and effort data, remain the most commonly used for observing coastal biodiversity and species. In this paper, we review the underwater video techniques that have been developed since the 1950s to investigate and/or monitor coastal biodiversity. Techniques such as remote underwater video, whether baited or not, diver-operated video and towed video are described, along with corresponding applications in the field. We then analyse the complementary of techniques, first from studies comparing video techniques with other observation techniques, whether video-based or not, and second by documenting their respective cost efficiencies. These findings are discussed with respect to current challenges in monitoring and investigating coastal biodiversity. Video should be more often considered and used, either in addition to or as an alternative to diver-based, fishing and acoustic techniques, as it may be particularly suited for monitoring coastal biodiversity in a variety of areas and on larger scales than hitherto and within an ecosystem-based approach to management and conservation.
Fisheries Research (0165-7836) (Elsevier Science Bv), 2014-06 , Vol. 154 , P. 44-62

Droits : 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.
http://archimer.ifremer.fr/doc/00181/29274/27901.pdf
DOI:10.1016/j.fishres.2014.01.019
http://archimer.ifremer.fr/doc/00181/29274/

Éditeur(s) : Inter-Research
Résumé : Situated in the north of the Mozambique Channel, Mayotte is the easternmost island of the Comoros Archipelago. From 1998 to 2005, Grande Saziley beach was monitored daily for green turtle Chelonia mydas nesting activity. Track surveys were monitored daily on 5 other adjacent beaches. Although nesting occurs throughout the year, nesting seasonality begins at the end of the wet season and intensifies during the dry season to reach an average nesting peak in June. In order to estimate the number of females nesting in the Saziley site and population trends over the study period, incubation success and number of nests per female and per season were estimated at 0.77 (±0.05 SD) and 3.03 (±0.37) respectively. With an average of 1545 nesting turtles per year (±439), the change in nesting numbers over the study period was so small that the population can be regarded as stable, with an estimated annual mean growth rate of 0.912, confirmation that this population is both stable and in good health. Added support for this argument is demonstrated by the fact that the annual carapace size distribution of nesting females is stable, meaning that the nesting green turtle population of Mayotte is not ageing or rejuvenating. After due consideration of data on other nesting sites in the southwest Indian Ocean, the data from Mayotte emphasizes the fact that the green turtle is not an endangered species in this region. Even if it is still illegally exploited and alterations occur in their different habitats, the green turtle populations of this region seem to have successfully survived all threats during the past century.
Endangered Species Research (1613-4796) (Inter-Research), 2007-10-10 , Vol. 3 , P. 273-282

Droits : 2007 Inter-Research
http://archimer.ifremer.fr/doc/00018/12916/9873.pdf
DOI:10.3354/esr00053
http://archimer.ifremer.fr/doc/00018/12916/

Éditeur(s) : Elsevier Science Bv
Résumé : Monitoring fish and underwater habitats, particularly in and around marine protected areas (MPAs) requires non-destructive observation methods. This is generally achieved by divers conducting underwater visual censuses (UVC), but video-based techniques are now being used more often to observe underwater macrofauna and habitats. A comparison of these two techniques is relevant with the development of high-definition (HD) video, which constitutes a substantial improvement over previously available video resolutions at limited extra cost. We conducted a paired observation experiment involving both HD video and UVC in an MPA located in the New Caledonian lagoon, which is a highly diversified coral reef ecosystem. We compared three techniques for counting fish along 50 m x 4 m delineated strip transects: UVC and two video techniques in which the diver used either a straight trajectory (I-type transect) or a browsing one (S-type transect). The results showed that the proportion of fish that were not identified up to the species level did not exceed 3.3% in video observations versus 1.7% in UVC. The abundance and species richness were larger in UVC than in videos, and S-type transects detected more individuals and species than I-type transects. The average abundance and species richness observed by UVC were 1094 individuals and 69.7 species per transect respectively. In comparison with UVC. I-type and S-type video transects detected on average 56% and 61% of the abundance and 85% and 77% of the species richness seen by UVC respectively. Our results showed that, in comparison to UVC data recorded in situ, the post field analysis of HD video images provided representative observations of fish abundance and species diversity, although fewer species and individuals were detected. The advantages and shortcomings of each observation technique for monitoring fish assemblages, particularly in an MPA are discussed. HD video appears to be a cost-effective technique in terms of the human resources and time needed for field implementation. Overall, this study suggests that HD video-based techniques constitute an interesting complement to UVC, or an alternative when these cannot be implemented. (C) 2010 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.
Fisheries Research (0165-7836) (Elsevier Science Bv), 2011-01 , Vol. 107 , N. 1-3 , P. 84-93

Droits : 2010 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.
http://archimer.ifremer.fr/doc/00031/14192/11470.pdf
DOI:10.1016/j.fishres.2010.10.011
http://archimer.ifremer.fr/doc/00031/14192/

Éditeur(s) : Oxford university press
Résumé : The response of fish assemblages to changes in protection status is a major issue for both biodiversity conservation and fishery management. In New Caledonia, the Abore reef marine reserve harbours more than 500 fish species, and has been subjected to changes in protection status since 1988. The present study investigates the impact of these changes on a wide subset of species (213), based on underwater visual counts collected before the opening and after the closure to fishing of this marine protected area (MPA). We analysed the spatial and temporal variability in fish assemblage attributable to protection status, explicitly considering habitat. To understand the successive responses of fish assemblage to fishing and protection, the assessment models included four criteria de. ning species groups that partition the fish assemblage: trophic regime, adult size, mobility, and interest for fishing. We could therefore identify the negative impact of opening the MPA to fishing on piscivores and highly mobile species. Surprisingly, target species were not affected more than non-target species. Model results were used to identify species groups that respond to fishing and protection. These results utilize fisheries-related criteria to provide new insight into the response of fish assemblages to protection from the perspective of MPA monitoring.
ICES Journal of Marine Science (1054-3139) (Oxford university press), 2009 , Vol. 66 , N. 1 , P. 170-179

Droits : 2009 ICES/CIEM. Oxford Journals
http://archimer.ifremer.fr/doc/2009/publication-6130.pdf
DOI:10.1093/icesjms/fsn204
http://archimer.ifremer.fr/doc/00000/6130/

Éditeur(s) : HAL CCSD Société nationale de protection de la nature
Résumé : International audience
The island of Moorea in French Polynesia is representative of a relatively well preserved small tropical oceanic island but both its terrestrial and marine ecosystems are currently under strong anthropogenic pressures. The terrestrial ecosystems are facing an increasing urbanization, and the destruction and modification of their natural habitats by cultivation and forestry plantations, accidental or intentional fires, and particularly by the invasion of alien plant and animal species. Coastal areas and reef ecosystems are threatened by shoreline artificialization, sedimentation due to soil erosion, increasing uses of marine and lagoon resources and frequency of coral bleaching events. A significant erosion of terrestrial and marine biodiversity is observed on the island since the last decades. In the context of the Land Management Plan (PGA) and Marine Area Management Plan (PGEM) recently set up in the island by local authorities, scientific surveys and inventories were made in 2006 in order to assess the status of terrestrial biodiversity (vascular plants) and marine biodiversity (reef fishes) and compare areas with different anthropogenic pressures. Studies conducted on the flora and the vegetation at low and middle elevation along altitudinal transects show that the plant invasion process is related to climatic and topographic factors, and species autoecology. The marine study aims to compare the protected areas with control areas in order to test the effectiveness of protection measures and to propose a streamlined monitoring protocol. A methodological study in both terrestrial and marine ecosystems was conducted in order to propose biodiversity indicators which are crucial for decision making in conservation and sustainable development of island biodiversity. We used Geographic Information System (GIS) as a fast and intuitive tool for mapping indicators and their variability. This methodological approach developed on the island of Moorea could be used as a model for other tropical islands
Moorea est une petite île océanique tropicale de la Polynésie française relativement bien préservée, mais dont les écosystèmes terrestres et marins sont actuellement soumis à de fortes pressions anthropiques. Le milieu terrestre est confronté à une urbanisation croissante, à la destruction ou à la modification des habitats naturels pour l’extension des cultures ou des plantations forestières, aux incendies volontaires ou accidentels, et particulièrement à l’invasion d’espèces végétales et animales introduites. Les zones côtières et les récifs coralliens sont menacés par de multiples perturbations telles que l’artificialisation des lignes de rivage, l’apport de sédiments dus à l’érosion des sols, l’augmentation des usages des ressources marines et lagonaires et de la fréquence des phénomènes de blanchissement du corail. Une érosion sensible de la biodiversité terrestre et marine de l’île est observée depuis les dernières décennies. Dans le cadre du Plan Général d’Aménagement (PGA) et du Plan de Gestion de l’Espace Maritime (PGEM) mis en place par les autorités locales, des inventaires scientifiques ont été réalisés en 2006 dans le but d’évaluer l’état de la biodiversité terrestre (plantes vasculaires) et marine (poissons récifaux) et de comparer des zones soumises à différentes perturbations. Les études réalisées sur la flore et la végétation de basse et moyenne altitude le long de transects altitudinaux montrent des processus d’invasion végétale différents en relation avec les facteurs climatiques, topographiques et autoécologiques des espèces. Les études en milieu marin visent à comparer des aires protégées à des aires témoins afin de suivre l’efficacité des mesures de gestion. La réflexion méthodologique menée parallèlement sur les deux écosystèmes a pour but d’illustrer différents indices de biodiversité nécessaires à la prise de décision en matière de conservation ou de développement durable de la biodiversité insulaire et de réaliser un état de référence pour établir un diagnostic sur l’état de la biodiversité. La représentation cartographique des indices à l’aide d’un SIG, illustrée dans cette étude avec la richesse spécifique terrestre et marine, permet une lecture intuitive et rapide de la variabilité de cet indice dont la restitution est basée sur une standardisation du nombre d’espèces. Cette approche méthodologique développée sur l’île de Moorea pourrait servir de modèle pour d’autres îles tropicales
EISSN: 2429-6422

hal-01306285
https://hal-univ-perp.archives-ouvertes.fr/hal-01306285