PNEC - Librairie Quae : des livres au coeur des sciences

PNECThe French CoastalEnvironment ResearchProgrammeOverview of 1999-2002 activities

Editors

Jacques Clavier, Michel Joanny, Francois Carlotti

(1) Universite dc Bretagne occidental (UBO), Brest

(2) Ifremer, Centre de Brest

(3) CNRS, Station marine d'Endoume

PNEC - The French Coastal Environment Research Programme

ForewordThe PNEC national coastal environment programmeinvolves several organisations (Ifremer, CNRS/INSU, IRD, Cemagref, BRGM, CNES, Total), with theobjective of understanding how coastal ecosys-tems function. Considerable human activity takesplace in these ecosystems (50% of the Europeanpopulation is concentrated in a coastal zone of50 km). This anthropisation brings on deep-rangingmodifications and disturbances in these shore envi-ronments (estuaries, bays, lagoons, etc.) Thismeans that the coastal area is a repository influ-enced by catchment basins inputs, in terms of pro-ductivity and disturbances (dystrophy, anoxia, etc.)as well as ecosystem health and marine yields(micropollutants, microbiology, etc.).

Marine activities themselves, like fisheries andaquaculture, generate major modifications in foodwebs and and their biodiversity, while creatingchronic overfishing of some target species.

Tourist activities, urban growth and developing har-bour industries also contribute to perceptible modi-fications of some coastal areas.

All these reasons justify the interest that the scien-tific community has for these coastal ecosystems.Located at the interface between land and sea, mul-tidisciplinary studies are sustainably mobilising thescientific community of institutions which are work-ing in both catchments and coastal areas. The aimis to encourage a range of scientists, from hydro-dynamics specialists, biologists, geochemists, bio-chemists, chemists and modelling experts toeconomists and specialists in the human activitiesdeveloped there, to work together on these "work-sites".

However, the so-called theme-based actions willbring together specialists in a given field on a morefocused research question, thus "nourishing" theworksites with the most innovative research.

The final objective is that the PNEC, by developingknowledge about the impact of human activities onecosystem functioning, will provide guidance fordecisions made by those managing these sensitivesectors, in the framework of a policy for sustainabledevelopment.

Le Programme national d'environnement cotier(PNEC) est un programme pluriorganismes(Ifremer, CNRS/INSU, IRD, Cemagref, BRGM,CNES, Total) qui a pour objectif de comprendre lefonctionnement des ecosystemes cotiers. Cesecosystemes sont fortement anthropises (50 % dela population europeenne sont concentres sur unezone Morale de 50 km). Cette anthropisation induitde profondes modifications et perturbations de cesmilieux littoraux (estuaires, bales, lagunes...). Ainsi,la zone cotiere receptacle des bassins versants vadependre de ces apports aussi bien pour sa pro-ductivite, ses dereglements (dystrophie, anoxie....)que pour la sante des ecosystemes et des produc-tions marines (micropolluants, microbiologie...).

Les activites marines (peche et aquaculture) gene-rent elles-memes de profondes alterations desreseaux trophiques et de leur biodiversite, tout engenerantpour certaines especes cibles, une surex-ploitation chronique.

Les activites touristiques, I'urbanisation et le deve-loppement des industries portuaires contribuentaussi a des modifications sensibles de certaineszones du littoral.

L'ensemble de ces raisons justifie I'interet que lacommunaute scientifique porte a ces ecosystemescotiers. Situees aux interfaces terre/mer, leursetudes pluridisciplinaires mobilisent, de manieredurable, la communaute scientifique des orga-nismes qui travaillent, aussi bien sur les bassinsversants que sur les domaines cotiers. L'objectifest de chercher a faire travailler ensemble sur deszones ateliers appelees « chancers » aussi bien leshydrodynamiciens, les biologistes, les geochi-mistes, les biochimistes, les chimistes etles mode-lisateurs, que les economistes, specialistes desactivites humaines qui s'y developpent.

Les « actions themat/ques »par contre permettentde reunir les specialistes d'un domaine sur unequestion de recherche plus ciblee, permettant de" nourrir » les cbantiers de la recherche la plus inno-vante.

L'objectif final est que le PNEC puisse, par le deve-loppement des connaissances de I'impact des acti-vites humaines sur le fonctionnement des ecosys-temes, permettre, dans le cadre d'une politique dedeveloppement durable, d'orienter les prises dedecision des gesfionnaires de ces secteurs sen-sibles.

Maurice HeralDirector of Programmes and Strategy at Ifremer

Directeur des Programmes et de la Strategie Ifremer

Contents


Foreword

Overall presentation

Introduction 11Eight worksites 12Eastern Channel and Southern Bightof the North Sea worksite 12Bay of Seine worksite 12Bay of Mont-Saint-Michel worksite 13Bay of Biscay worksite 13Gulf of Lion worksite 13Mediterranean lagoons worksite 14New Caledonia lagoons worksite 14French Guiana worksite 14

Seven topic research actions (TRA) 15TRA 1. Biogeochemical cycles in temperateand tropical coastal environments sincethe last climatic cycle 15TRA 2. Population dynamics: hydrodynamicstructures and biological cycles 15TRA 3. Toxic or harmful algal blooms 15TRA 4. Effect of hydroclimatic factorson the variability of ecosystemsin the coastal environment 16TRA 5. Microorganisms and the coastalenvironment 16TRA 6. Dynamic equilibriumin the coastal zone 16TRA 7. Sediment dynamics 16The PNEC organization in 2002 17

Presentation generate

Introduction 21Huit chantiers 21Chantier Manche orientale - sudde la mer du Nord 22Chantier baie de Seine 22Chantier baie du Mont-Saint-Michel 22

Chantier golfe de Gascogne 23Chantier golfe du Lion 23Chantier lagunes mediterraneennes 23Chantier Nouvelle-Caledonie 24

Chantier Guyane 24Sept actions de recherchethematiques (ART) 25ART 1. Cycles biogeochimiques dans lesenvironnements cotiers temperes et tropicauxdepuis le dernier cycle climatique 25ART 2. Dynamique de populations : structureshydrodynamiques et cycles biologiques 25

ART 3. Efflorescences algales toxiquesou nuisibles 25ART 4. Effets des facteurs hydroclimatiquessur la variabilite des ecosystemesen environnement cotier 26ART 5. Microorganismeset environnement cotier 26ART 6. Gouvernance environnementaleet patrimoine cotier 26ART 7. Dynamique sedimentaire 26

Chapter I - Bay of Seine worksite

General presentation 31Scientific programme 31Participants 32Data banking 33Main results 33Water column 33Conclusion and perspectives 47

Chapter II - Bay of Biscay worksite

General presentation 55Participants and projects 55Main results 57A better knowledge of hydrodynamismand water masses evolutions 57Expertise and services for other disciplines 58The river plumes and their consequences 58Coastal upwellings, accoresand a paradoxical central area 60The limits of simultaneous observationof hydrological structures and distributionof pelagic fishes 60Structure of the benthic communitiesand foodweb analysis 61Towards a better understanding of timeevolution of harvested species 62

Chapter III - Gulf of Lion worksite

General presentation 71Scientific programme 71

Main results 72The Rhone river and the plume 72Circulation and distribution of elementsat mesoscale 74Pelagic production and vertical fluxes 76Benthic response and exchangesat the water-sediment interface 77Global budgets of matter 78Annexes 85


Chapter IV - Mediterranean lagoonsworksite

General presentation 89Context and objectives of the "Mediterraneanlagoons" worksite 89Main results 89A dynamic ecosystem 89A productive ecosystem 91

A man-affected ecosystem 9AAnnex 98Perspective: a Mediterranean lagoonsworksite phase II 100Main objective 100Workgroups and associated projects 100Collaborations 101

Chapter V - New Caledonia worksite

General presentation 109Study site and implementation 109

Participants 110

Main results 111Action 1 - Circulation and transport ofterrigeneous and anthropogenic inputs 111Action 2 - Biogeochemical functioningof the lagoon system 113Action 3 - Transfer of metals throughthe benthic trophic food chain 115Action 4 - Growth variations of lagoonorganisms 117Action 5 - Indicators of reef-lagoonenvironment and resource status 119

Chapter VI - French Guiana worksite

General presentation 137Scientific programme 137Participants 138Main results 140Theme 1. Sedimentology and transportof Amazonian sediment 140Theme 2. Continental shelf 146Theme 3. Mudflat and mangroves 148Theme 4. Relationships betweenresources and their environment 155

Chapter VII - Bay of Mont-Saint-Michelworksite

General presentation 159Scientific programme 159Theme 1: Trophic capacity 161Scientific programme 16 1Main activities and progress in 2002 162Pelagic production 162

Benthic production 162Secondary consumers 163Trophic transfers 163Theme 2: Dispersal, benthicpopulations structureand anthropogenic disturbances 164Scientific programme 164Main activities 164Preliminary results 165Hydrosedimentary: a common toolto the themes 1 and 2 166Scientific programme 166Main operations 166Progress report and preliminary results 167Economic valuation and sociologicalanalysis 168Economic valuation: human activitiesand natural assets management 168Sociological analysis: appropriation ofthe littoral areas by the mussels farmers 168

Annexes 169

Chapter VIII - Eastern English Channeland South Bay of the North Sea worksite

General presentation 177Scientific programme 2002-2005 177Activities in 2002 (year 0) 178Recommendations from the scientificcouncil 180

Chapter IX - Topic Research Action 1

General presentation 191Requests for proposals 1999 191Requests for proposals 2000 191Requests for proposals 2001 192Requests for proposals 2002 192Main results 193Subjects treated 193Dynamics of the BBL 193Benthic primary productivityand variations with high frequency 193Reef environments 193Shortcomings 194Main axis: MICROBENT core project 194Perspectives 200

Chapter X - Topic Research Action 2

General presentation 207Objectives 207Rationale 207Participants 208Main results 209


Project 1. Studies on population dynamicsof benthic organisms with planktonic larvaein coastal environments, with focuseson physics-biology coupling and speciesinteractions 209Project 2. Pelagic fish recruitment dynamicsand ecosystem interactions in the southernBenguela: a modelling approach 213Project 3. Demography and diversityof coastal pelagic zooplanktonand responses to physical forcing 216

Chapter XI - Topic Research Action 3

General presentation 229The 2002 call for proposal 229Results of the proposal 229

Participants 231Main results 231Taxonomy and distribution of toxicor harmful species along the Frenchcoasts 231Detection of toxic speciesof Pseudo-nitzschia 232A review on ciguatera 232Differential expression of surface proteinsin toxic and non-toxic strains of Alexandriumspecies. Preparation of cell surfaceantibodies for the detectionof Alexandrium species 232Determinism of phytoplankton bloomsin Mediterranean lagoons. The caseof toxic species 233The effects of different nitrogen sources(mineral or organic) on Alexandriumtamarense/catenella, species responsible fortoxic blooms in a Mediterranean lagoon 233Contamination kinetics of musselsby Dinophysis 233Modelling for bivalve contaminationby Alexandrium spp. toxins 233Study of the competition between speciesduring the development of a toxicefflorescence of Alexandrium minutum 234Perspective 234

Chapter XII - Topic Research Action 4

General presentation 239

Objectives 239

Coordination/events 2392002 Projects 240A typology of data, questions,and methods 240

Main results 242

Case studies 242Case study 1. Reorganisation of NorthAtlantic marine copepod biodiversityand climate 243Case study 2. Automatic recognitionof mesoscale hydrodynamical structures 244Case study 3. PASTECS: Package for analysisof space-time ecological series 245Perspectives 246

Chapter XIII - Topic Research Action 5

General presentation 253General background - state of art 253Researches covered by TRA 5 in years2000 to 2002 254Main results 254

Projects in the field of functional ecology 254Projects in the field of sanitarymicrobiology 256Animation of TRA 5 256Relations Worksites - TRA 5 257Conclusion 257Perspectives 257

Chapter XIV - Topic Research Action 6

General presentation 261Project 1. Economic analysis of oil spillsat sea: damage valuation and the roleof economic incentives in spill prevention 261Project 2. Fishing and recreational activitiesin an area to be protected: the caseof the Iroise Sea national marine parkproject (France) 263Project 3. Vulnerability of coastal territories:evaluation, stake-holders and publicpolicies 264Project 4. Territory for one, territoryfor another 266Project 5. Study of coastal area occupationstrategies: the case of shellfishconcession 267Project 6. Efficiency of policy instrumentsfor managing water pumping in coastalaquifer: an experimental approach 268

Interdisciplinary workshop 269

Organization 269Outputs 269

Contribution of social sciences to othersPNEC operations 269Perspective 269


Chapter XV - Topic Research Action 7

General presentation 273Introduction 273Field observations 275Laboratory experiments 277Numerical modelling 277

Main results 279Sete site 279True Vert site 281Omaha beach site 285Laboratory 286Innovative measurement techniques 287Conclusion & perspectives 288

Chapter XVI - Assessmentand prospective

Introduction 297General objectives 297Research themes 297Topic 1 - Climatic and anthropic influences 298

Topic 2 - Biodiversity and forcingsat the interfaces 298Topic 3 - Exceptional events involvingan imbalance of the coastal systems and/orsocial risks, in particular sanitary ones 299Topic 4 - Littoral public policiesand coastal heritage 299Operational structures 300Evaluation 300Strategic positioning of the programmein the national and international context 301

Evaluation et prospective 303Avant-propos 303Objectifs generaux 303Themes de recherche 303Theme 1 - Influences climatiqueset anthropiques 304Theme 2 - Biodiversite et forcagesaux interfaces 304Theme 3 - Evenements exceptionnelsentrainant un desequilibre des systemescotiers et/ou des risques societaux,notamment sanitaires 305Theme 4 - Politiques publiques littoraleset patrimoine cotier 306Structures operationnelles 306Evaluation 307Positionnement strategique du programmeaux niveaux national et international 307


Overall presentationHerve Chamley^ 1 ^ Guy Boucher^, Claude Alz ieu^

(1) Universite de Lille

(2) CNRS/Museum national d'histoire narurelle (MNHN), Paris

(3) Ifremer, Centre de Mediterranee, Station de Sere


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Introduction

The coastal environment, transition zone

between the continental landmass and the

sea, differs from the open ocean in physico-

chemical and biological properties. It has a

contrasted hydrodynamic regime, contains

high levels o f nutritive elements and con-

taminants, benthic processes predominate

over pelagic processes, and levels of biologi-

cal production and ecological diversity are

high. It is also a zone heavily dominated by

human activity and is therefore particularly

impacted by anthropogenic modification.

To study the coastal zone as thoroughly as

possible, the national coastal environment

programme (PNEC, Programme national

environnement cotier) structures research

work with the aim of increasing fundamen-

tal knowledge in response to sociodemo-

graphic demands. Research activities are

either focused on geographical worksites or

theme-based.

The PNEC was created in 1999 to group

together the scientific objectives o f four

national existing programmes supported by

different research institutions:

- national programme o f coastal oceano-

graphy (PNOC);

- national programme on the determinism

of the recruitment (PNDR);

- national programme on algal toxic blooms

(PNEAT);

- national programme on coral reefs

(PNRCO).

An Inter Institutes Committee (CIO) on the

basis o f national priorities gives the general

orientations o f the programme. The CIO is

composed o f the institutions financing the

programme, but i t also includes ministries

and different specialized agencies. A call for

tender is issued annually.

A Scientific Council (CS) o f 17 members

examines proposals, which refer either to

worksites or to topic research activities as

regards:

- their adequation to the objectives;

- their originality and the innovative cha-

racter of the approaches and the expected

results;

- the competence and adequacy o f the

applying research teams;

- the operational organization of the pro-

ject and the justification o f the budget

required.

For every proposal, the CS suggests a priority

order together with a budget. The CIO takes

the final arrangements. The members o f the

CS of the PNEC also participates in the scien-

tific selection o f the proposals to the other

national programme dealing with coastal

environment named "LITEAU". The task o f

LITEAU, supported by the Ministry of Ecolo-

gy and Sustainable Development, is to make

scientific results available to administrators

and policy makers as methods and tools

necessary for an optimal use of coastal areas.

The PNEC in 2002 involves the equivalent

o f 240 full-time scientists, working in 75

laboratories, in a total of 45 public institu-

tions (universities or others). The impres-

sive size o f this machine is a measure o f

The PNEC budget breakdown (k€) and number of publications.

1999 2000 2001 2002 Total N° pub.

Bay of Seine 129.6 45.7 - 175.3 24

Bay of Biscay 83.9 109.0 198.2 137.2 528.3 23

Gulf of Lion 106.7 45.7 38.1 99.1 289.6 56

Mediterranean lagoons 106.7 61.0 30.5 114.4 312.6 -'5

New Caledonia 30.5 47.3 64.8 64.8 207.4 45

French Guiana 76.2 76.2 122.0 9 1 5 365.9 31

Bay of Mont-Saint-Michel - 4.6 22.9 122.0 149.5 5

Eastern English Channel

and South Bay of the North Sea- 4.6 22.9 27.5 14

TRA 1 102.1 118.9 111.3 83.8 416.1 15

TRA 2 1 18.1 114.3 126.5 71.8 430.7 50

TRA 3 50.3 24.4 28.2 1 1.6 117.5 IS

TRA 1 30.5 76.2 76.2 45.8 228.7 71

TRA 5 10.4 79.3 39.6 61.4 190.7 8

IRA (. 15.2 80.0 19.8 18.3 133.3 10

TRA 7 91.5 93.8 80.8 73.2 339.3 33

Total 951.7 981.0 958.9 1 020.8 3 912.1 428

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what is at stake: supplying the "upstream"

information required for the integrated

management of coastal areas.

The total budget dedicated to the PNEC

over the 1999-2002 period reached about

3 900 k2 (see table).

Eight worksitesThe worksites correspond to operations car-

ried out in the same geographic zone over

several years. They make it possible to con-

duct multidisciplinary research around a

major linking theme: flux of contaminants,

fishery ecology, biogeochemical cycles,

impact o f drainage basins, eutrophication

and run-off in tropical environments, sedi-

ment dynamics or living resources, for exam-

ple. The eight worksites studied are: Eastern

English Channel, Bay of Seine, Bay o f Mont-

Saint-Michel, Bay o f Biscay, Gulf o f Lion, the

Mediterranean lagoons, the lagoon o f New

Caledonia and French Guiana.

Eastern Channel and Southern Bightof the North Sea worksite

Ecology and impact assessmentof Phaeocystis blooms in the EasternChannel and Southern Bight of the NorthSeaThe Primnesiophycaea Phaeocystis spp. are

small size planktonic algae. Phaeocystis

blooms are a common seasonal occurrence

in the Eastern Channel and Southern Bight

of the North Sea, and they are generally

related to anthropogenic disturbances.

The worksite aims to study the bloom o f

Phaeocystis globosa in the Eastern Channel and

south part of the North Sea to understand:

- the occurrence of the bloom of Phaeocystis

globosa in the area, specifying the natural

and anthropogenic causes;

- the consequences of these Phaeocystis out-

bursts on the marine ecosystems and their

users.

Bay of Seine worksite

Interactions between nutrients and majorcontaminants and benthic and pelagicsystemsThe Seine river, with its discharge of fresh-

water rich in particulate and dissolved mat-

ter as well as contaminants, creates the

largest disequilibrium in coastal plankton

production in the English Channel.

The objectives of the worksite developed in

the Bay of Seine (in continuity with other

programmes on the upstream and down-

stream basins of the Seine) are to collect in

situ data and to establish mathematical

models describing:

- the effects o f the nutrients and organic

matter content of the water of the Seine on

the major biological compartments (pelagic

and benthic);

- the fate o f certain contaminants trans-

ported by the Seine (heavy metals such as

cadmium and PCBs - polychlorinated

biphenyls -, stable, toxic organochlorine

molecules) and their possible accumulation

in living organisms.

This project combines in situ and in labora-

tory measurements, digital modelling o f

the system, study o f the flux o f matter in

the foodweb and of the flux of trace con-

taminants.

This work will make it possible to predict

the consequences for the ecosystem of the

sediment transported by the Seine, accor-

ding to the season and to anticipate fluctua-

tions in biological production downstream

from the river, as a function of policies con-

cerning the purification of urban and indus-

trial effluent in the drainage basin.

Scientific question Environmental forcing factors Worksite

Influence of Phaeocystis blooms Epicontinental, tide-dominated sea Eastern Channel and Southern Bight

of the North Sea

Land-derived pollution Epicontinental, tide-dominated sea Bay o f Seine

Ecology and human impact Epicontinental, tide-dominated sea and intertidal zone Bay of Mont-Saint-Michel

Fisheries and the ecosystem Tide and wave-controlled shelf Bay of Biscay

Carbon fluxes and the ecosystem River and storm-controlled margin Gulf of Lion

Ecology and aquaculture

in restricted ecosystems

Environment heavily constrained by human activity Mediterranean lagoons

Functioning of tropical mangrove ecosystems Massive longshore sedimentary transfer (Amazon river) French Guiana, shore-to-shelf range

Reef environment and human impact Drainage of tropical soils and human settlements Noumea lagoon, New Caledonia

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Bay of Mont-Saint-Michel worksite

Study the functioning of "the maritimeanthropogenic system" of the Bayof Mont-Saint-MichelT h e Bay o f Mont-Saint-Michel is a vast

sedimentary enclave situated in the south-

eastern part of the Norman-Breton gulf, in

the central English Channel. The decrease

of the shellfish production, as well as the

proliferation, in the bay of Cancale, of an

invasive gastropod, the l impet Crepidula

fornicata, bring to ask questions on the

trophic balances between the cultivated and

wild molluscs, as well native (intertidal and

subtidal filter-feeder benthos) as invasive.

The researchers o f the worksite aims to

answer the following two major groups of

questions:

- can the trophic capacity of the bay become

restrictive for the development of the shell-

fish farming and which repercussions could

have an increase o f the stocks o f farming

bivalves on the wild populations of filter-

feeders and consequently on the general

functioning of this ecosystem?

- considering the exceptional ecological and

economic interests o f this bay, how the

marine ecosystems could be restored, even

be rehabilitated, i f i t happened that they are

altered more or less profoundly by anthro-

pogenic disturbances?

In this context, the worksite Bay of Mont-

Saint-Michel addresses (1) the trophic

capacity o f the bay and (2) the degree o f

resilience of some benthic populations and

the restoration ability of the ecosystem fol-

lowing accidental or programmed anthro-

pogenic changes.

Bay of Biscay worksite

Study of the functioning of the ecosystemof the coastal regions off the mouths ofthe Loire and Gironde rivers, with the aimof improving management of the fisheryenvironmentThe Bay of Biscay is a large open bight on

the North Atlantic Ocean, with dynamics

involving large seasonal and pluriannual

variations of water masses. I t is also heavily

affected by human activities, fishing in par-

ticular. This industry is of prime economic

importance in the area: catches exceeded

100,000 tonnes in 1997 and 1998. I t

results in various disequilibria, particularly

for fish stocks (anchovies, hakes and sar-

dines). The management of stocks does not

take sufficiently into account the function-

ing of the hydrological structures of the Bay

of Biscay and the ecosystems in which the

life cycles o f the species exploited take

place.

The goal of the researchers of this worksite

is to increase our knowledge on fishery eco-

logy:

- study of hydrological structure and func-

tioning and the causes of variations in the

pelagic and benthic systems;

- the consequences for fishery resources and

for fishing management;

- t he impact o f demersal fishing on the

foodweb structure.

The expected benefits of this research are

diverse: greater knowledge concerning

plankton production and the biomass likely

to be produced in the gulf, understanding

o f the links between climate and the

renewal o f pelagic fish stocks, diagnostic

elements for assessing the impact o f aqua-

culture.

Gulf of Lion worksite

Transfer between pelagic and benthicsystems due to the Rhone river plumeThe Gulf of Lion provides a complex exam-

ple of the carbon C5'cle in a coastal environ-

ment: wide well-defined continental

plateau, considerable transport in the

Rhone o f material from the landmass,

marine hydrodynamics dominated by the

Ligurian currents, periodic alternation o f

frequent and violent winds.

The principal objective o f this worksite is

to establish an annual budget o f carbon and

associated elements to characterize, in par-

ticular, the sources and losses of material in

the "Western Mediterranean: material car-

ried by the Rhone, changes in production

and pelagic and benthic transformation,

sedimentation and geochemical changes in

the sediment.

The research currently underway concerns

interactions between material transported

to the sea from the landmass, physical fac-

tors and living species and interactions

between open-water organisms and those

from the bottom. This work will increase

our understanding o f the natural and

human factors affecting the functioning of

the coastal ecosystem.

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Mediterranean lagoons worksite

Integrated study of the Mediterraneanlagoonal ecosystem and socio-economicimplicationsThe Mediterranean lagoons are ecosystems

with high levels of biological diversity and

primary production, and productivity

favourable for certain exploitable resources

(filter-feeding shellfish).

Their location at the frontier between land

and sea subjects these lagoons to many

hydroclimatic constraints, some o f which

increase with human activity, leading to

various types of dysfunction (e.g. dystro-

phies and microbial contamination).

This worksite deals, in particular, with the

lake of Thau, the oyster and mussel pro-

duction o f which accounts for 10% o f

national shellfish production.

The approach used involves the description,

using mathematical models, o f the various

physical and biological processes control-

ling the productivity and health o f these

ecosystems. The aim is to increase under-

standing and to develop the tools required

for diagnosis o f major environmental phe-

nomena or evaluation o f the effects o f

changes.

Maintenance o f the equilibrium between

aquaculture and tourist activity in these

confined and fragile ecosystems constitutes

one of the major challenges o f integrated

management.

New Caledonia lagoons worksite

Impact of terrigenous sedimentson lagoonal populationsIn New Caledonia, the lagoon is subject to

increasing human pressure linked princi-

pally to mining, the development of tourist

activities and fishing and, locally, to urbani-

zation o f the town of Noumea. Three types

o f discharge affect the equilibrium o f the

lagoonal environment:

- particulate waste matter, responsible for

hypersedimentation;

- metals, which may have an inhibitory

effect on organisms;

- organic and inorganic dissolved and par-

ticulate effluent of urban origin, responsi-

ble for eutrophication of the environment.

The objective of this worksite is to increase

our understanding by analyzing and model-

ling the mechanisms of transport and trans-

formation o f the principal terrigenous and

human products discharged into this trop-

ical lagoon.

Increasing our understanding o f these

mechanisms will make i t possible to deter-

mine the role of natural and human influ-

ences on the evolution o f the ecosystem.

Research a t this worksite is structured into

four domains:

- sources, transport and fate of terrigenous

and human-origin materials;

- biological, sedimentological and chemical

functioning o f the lagoonal system;

- spatial and temporal variations in the

growth of lagoonal organisms;

- development o f indicators for reef and

lagoonal ecosystems for ecosystem moni-

toring.

French Guiana worksite

Hydrosedimentary flux, mobilityof the coastal zone and living resourcesThe major objective o f the French Guiana

worksite is to increase our understanding of

the consequences o f short- medium- and

long-term variations in currents and in the

transport o f particulate and dissolved mat-

ter from the Amazon for the structure o f

coastal ecosystems in French Guiana,

including mangroves. Two study strategies

have been implemented:

- in situ observation campaigns for the con-

tinental plateau and the mudflats o f the

estuary of the river Kaw;

- integration o f the results using two

approaches: a hydrodynamic model devel-

oped for the continental plateau and the

coastal zone, and analysis of results trans-

mitted by satellite (temperature, turbidity)

and by aerial digital video and spectrora-

diometry.

This information and environmental syn-

theses are preliminary steps towards studies

combining hydrosedimentary dynamics

and biological processes:

- morphological variations in the coastline,

excessive silting-up and erosion, possibili-

ties for development and coastal access;

- steps in biological colonization and the

production o f coastal mudflats (passage

from a bare mudflat to a mature mangrove

swamp);

- reproduction and nutrition strategies o f

marine populations (coastal fish and prawns

exploited by local fishermen).

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The expected results deal with the mana-

gement of port and estuary infrastructures

and of coastal areas, the preservation of the

ecosystems of French Guiana, the location

and characteristics o f the coastal feeding

grounds for prawns, the evaluation o f the

productivity o f usable stocks and the

impact on fish reserves o f the fishing o f

these stocks.

Seven topic researchactions (TRA)

Topic Research Actions (in French ART,

Action de recherche thematique) concern oper-

ations transverse and innovative in nature,

associated with or independent o f work-

sites, developed in the short term. They

encourage the development o f new lines o f

research, the sharing o f complementary

methodological approaches and bring

together a dispersed scientific community,

focusing on a project of high priority. They

are by definition flexible, open and change-

able. They are designed such t ha t thei r

results may be applied to the worksites.

TRA 1. Biogeochemical cyclesin temperate and tropical coastalenvironments since the last climatic cycle

This research project concerns knowledge

o f the fluxes of natural substances and con-

taminants between water, sediment and

organisms (e.g. carbon, nitrogen, phospho-

rus, silicon; heavy metals and synthetic

molecules). I t involves the assessment o f

matter during rapid environmental varia-

tions (e.g. tides and meteorological

sequences), striking events such as those

recorded in sediments (sediment archives)

or biological construction (coral reefs).

I t deals with:

- the process of transfer a t the water-sedi-

ment interface, including the early transfor-

mation of sediments (diagenesis), remobili-

sation in the water column or integration

into the food chain;

- the identification and quantification of

the mechanisms of transfer and redistribu-

tion of matter tha t operate i n transitory

situations in which the l ink between

human activity and climatic events plays a

key role.

TRA 2. Population dynamics:hydrodynamic structures and biologicalcycles

The principal objective of this project is to

increase our understanding and to predict

fluctuations in the abundance of organisms

and populations o f marine animals in

response to variations in the environment

on various scales.

The species studied (zooplankton, fish and

bottom-dwelling organisms with plank-

tonic larvae) have complex life-cycles in

which the successive forms pass through

stages with different morphological, eco-

logical and behavioural characteristics.

Each stage has specific interactions with the

environment. The relationships between

biological and physical processes are thus

studied both a t the level o f the organism

and a t the level o f the population. This

research involves a biological study of the

species and analysis of the distribution of a

population, and observation in situ, labora-

tory-based experimentation and digital

modelling. Specialists in hydrodynamics of

the water-sediment interface s tudy the

transport and dispersion of the species con-

sidered during the course o f the various

stages of its biological cycle.

TRA 3. Toxic or harmful algal blooms

Algal blooms are increasing due to growing

perturbations in coastal environments. A

few o f the microalgal species (phytoplank-

ton) produce toxins, which may be present

in the vegetable cells or excreted into the

surrounding environment. Excreted toxins

may kill fish and shellfish. The toxins pre-

sent in phytoplankton cells may be ingested

by shellfish, which may then be consumed

by humans, leading to poisoning with

severe consequences such as paralysis, diar-

rhoea and amnesia.

To prevent the emission of toxins and to

limit their effects, the research carried out

aims to investigate:

- the environmental conditions favouring

toxin production;

- the mechanisms triggering toxin produc-

tion in each species;

- the kinetics o f accumulation and elimina-

tion of toxins in shellfish.

Two species are particularly dangerous to

humans, as they act by blocking nervous

influx: Alexandrium tamarense in the Medi-

terranean lagoons and Alexandrium minutum

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in Nor th Brittany. Other species produc-

ing toxins that cause amnesia are also con-

sidered.

TRA 4. Effect of hydroclimatic factorson the variability of ecosystemsin the coastal environment

Coastal populations and ecosystems are very

sensitive to hydrological and climatic con-

ditions and to diverse disturbances asso-

ciated with human activities. The study of

these relationships between populations

and environment a t various spatial and

temporal scales requires the development of

new methods and tools for observation and

analysis: statistical analysis o f exceptional

planktonic events, modelling o f the

dynamics o f marine species, exploitation of

satellite images for the characterization of

physical forcings. The methods developed

are then applied to diverse worksites of the

PNEC or to large coastal surveillance net-

works such as Rephy (the French national

phytoplankton and phycotoxins monitor-

ing network; Reseau de surveillance du phyto-

plancton et des phycotoxines).

The computer programs, which are widely

distributed among the research teams, are

continually updated. This project, via

schools and seminars, creates a forum for

mathematical oceanography.

TRA 5. Microorganisms and the coastalenvironment

This project aims to stimulate novel research

into bacterial ecology, in relation to the ques-

tions raised by the various PNEC worksites

and microbiological health concerns.

I t contributes to the development o f mole-

cular biological techniques for studying the

functioning o f bacterial communities and

the ecology of new species (without requir-

ing traditional culture techniques). I t deals

with the links between viruses, bacteria and

planktonic species in terms o f competition

and predation and with the mechanisms

regulating bacterial production in coastal

ecosystems. These research activities are

increasing our understanding o f the

response of bacterial communities to UV

irradiation and heavy metals, with respect

to changes in organic matter. They make it

possible to study the fate of contaminating

bacteria that present a risk to human health,

particularly bacteria attached to particles,

within natural ecosystems.

TRA 6. Dynamic equilibrium in the coastalzone

The interactions between the various uses of

the coastal zone lead to conflicts that are

becoming one o f the major problems in the

management o f coastal zones. Analysis o f

economic dynamics combined with scien-

tific studies on the functioning of ecosys-

tems should make i t possible to design

tools to assist in decision-making and eval-

uation of public policies. The aim of this

project is to develop such tools (modelling

and simulation) designed:

- to evaluate the economic stakes associated

with the coastal environment by describ-

ing the interactions between dynamic and

economic agents and natural factors;

- to identify and to quantify the benefits

and costs o f economic activity and changes

in collective well-being;

- to develop suitable means of regulation;

- to simulate the effects o f intervention

policies;

- to formulate development strategies.

Emphasis is placed on the identification

and socio-economic evaluation of the envi-

ronmental functionalities o f coastal envi-

ronments.

The fields o f application concern, in parti-

cular, strategies for protecting coastal envi-

ronments thought to be fragile, considera-

tion o f the effects o f a possible increase in

sea level or an increase in the number o f

extreme meteorological events that might

result from a climatic change, and evalua-

tion o f the impact o f major accidents such

as oil pollution incidents.

TRA 7. Sediment dynamics

This project focuses on the instability factors

o f sandy beaches and the movements o f

coastal sand bodies. This involves the cou-

pl ing o f morphology, sediment dynamics

and hydrodynamic currents. I t integrates

two lines of research, the first of which aims

to answer the following questions:

- how do coastal sand bodies form and

change?

- what are the physical laws most suitable

for representing sediment flux?

- what is the role o f hydrosedimentary pro-

cesses in the large-scale, long-term changes

in a coastal sand system, and how do these

processes interact on various time scales?

To answer these questions, the research

teams combine digital modelling with

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experimentation in situ or laboratory simu-

lations and apply these tools to worksites

typical of various hydrodynamic conditions

of French coasts.

The second line o f research is devoted to

exchanges of particles at the water-sediment

interface. I t involves the development of a

new system (an erodimeter) for measuring

the erosion capacity of fine sediments under

the influence of basal currents, which will be

tested at various PNEC worksites.

The PNEC organization in 2002

The Partner Institutes

This consortium of seven French national research institutes has set up the PNEC and con-

tribute to its financing:

Ifremer French research institute for exploitation of the sea (Institut frangais

de recherche pour I'exploitation de la mer)

CNRS/INSU National centre for scientific research (Centre national de recherche

scientifique), National institute for sciences of the universe (Institut national

des sciences de Vunivers)

IRD Research institute for the development {Institut de recherche

pour le developpement)

BRGM Office of geological and mining research (Bureau de recherches geologiques

et minieres)

CNES French space agency (Centre national d'etudes spatia/es)

Cemagref Agricultural and environmental engineering research institute (Centre

du machinisme agricole, du genie rural et des mux et forets)

TOTAL French oil company Total

The Inter-Institutes Committee (CIO, Comite inter-organismes)

This committee meets once a year to decide the main programme orientations and budget

breakdown:

Nicole Lenotre (BRGM); Nicolas Gendreau ou Pierre Elie (Cemagref); Aurelie Sand

or Alain Podaire (CNES); Jean-Frangois Minster (Ifremer), chairman o f the Committee;

Sylvie Joussaume (CNRS); Jacques Boulegue (IRD); Pierre Michelier (TFE).

The Scientific Council (CS, Conseil scientifique)

This advisory committee (see the list below as o f January 2003) meets twice a year to select

proposals to the PNEC tender and to keep track of the research programme development.

Jacques Clavier (chairman) Institut universitaire europeen de la mer (IUEM), Brest

Loi'c Antoine Ifremer, Nantes

Martine Antona Cirad-Tera/Ere, Montpellier

Pieter Augustinus Department of Physical Geography, Utrecht

University (the Netherlands)

Michel Bhaud Observatoire oceanologique, Banyuls-sur-Mer

Francois Carlotti Laboratoire d'oceanographie biologique, Station

(executive secretary) marine d'Endoume

Jean-Pierre Gattuso Observatoire oceanologique, CNRS/INSU-UPMC,

Villefranche-sur-Mer

Pierre Chardy Laboratoire d'oceanographie biologique, Station

marine d'Arcachon

Marie-Christine Cormier-Salem Laboratoire d'ethnobiologie-biogeographie, IRD-

MNHN, Paris

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Patrick Gentien Crema, L'Houmeau

Laura Giuliano Centra Nazionale delle Ricerche, Istituto Sperimentale

Talassografic, Messina (Italy)

Michel Joanny Ifremer, Brest

(executive secretary)

Christiane Lancelot Univ. fibre, ESA (Ecologie des systemes aquatiques),

Bruxelles (Belgique)

Patrick Lassus Ifremer, Nantes

Pascal Lazure Ifremer, Brest

Andre Monaco Cefrem, laboratoire de sedimentologie, Perpignan

Fereidoun Rassoulzadegan Observatoire oceanologique, laboratoire

d'oceanographie biologique, Villefranche-sur-Mer

Jean-Pascal Torreton IRD, Noumea (Nouvelle-Caledonie)

The BureauChairman: Jacques Clavier, IUEM/UBO ([email protected])

Executive secretaries: Francois Carlotti, CNRS/INSU ([email protected]),

Michel Joanny, Ifremer ([email protected])

The worksite coordinators

Eastern Channel Valerie Gentilhomme [email protected]

Bay o f Seine Alain Menesguen [email protected]

Bay of Mont-Saint-Michel Patrick Le Mao [email protected]

Bay of Biscay Alain Herbland [email protected]

Gulf of Lion Patrick Raimbault [email protected]

Mediterranean lagoons Marc Trousselier [email protected]

New Caledonia lagoon Renaud Fichez [email protected]

French Guiana Daniel Guiral [email protected]

The Topic research action (TRA) coordinators

TRA 1 Daniel Cossa [email protected]

TRA 2 Francois Carlotti [email protected]

TRA 3 Marie-Josephe [email protected]

Chretiennot-Dinet

TRA 4 Benoit Beliaeff [email protected]

TRA 5 Philippe Lebaron [email protected]

TRA 6 Patrick Point [email protected]

TRA 7 Georges Chapalain [email protected]

Other cooperationsSeveral worksites and topic research action projects correspond to French participation

in international programmes such as:

GEOHAB, Global ecology and oceanography o f harmful algal blooms

GLOBEC, Global ocean ecosystem dynamics

ICRI, International coral reef initiative

LOICZ, Land ocean interactions in coastal zones

(1) Since January 2003. The previous Bureau (1998-2002) was composed of Herve Chamley (chairman), Claude Alzieu andGuy Boucher (executive secretaries).

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PNEC - Librairie Quae : des livres au coeur des sciences

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