Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Ecosystem structure and trophic dynamics of an exploited ecosystem of Bay of Bengal, Sundarban Estuary, India

  • Original Article
  • Fisheries
  • Published:
Fisheries Science Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

A trophic structure model for commercial fisheries of Sundarban Estuary in the northern Bay of Bengal (BoB) is developed using the mass balance modeling software Ecopath (Version 6.4.10992.0). In this model, we simulated 15 functional groups spread across an area of 17,049 km2. The mean trophic level of the present study area is 2.716. The ecotrophic efficiency of the present studied ecosystem is in the range of 0.424 of medium demersals and 0.961 of medium pelagics. Penaeid prawn, small pelagics, and medium pelagics are the most exploited groups of this ecosystem. The coastal northern BoB food web is mainly detritivorous and planktivorous; phytoplankton and detritus positively affected almost all the functional groups, and top predators are essentially absent in the system. The zooplankton and benthos have negative impacts on themselves because of cannibalistic behavior. The average catch per net primary production, i.e. the gross efficiency of the system is around 0.001. The system is low trophic and efficient. Proper ecosystem-based management practice can improve the efficiency of this overexploited ecosystem.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Fig. 1
Fig. 2
Fig. 3
Fig. 4

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. Heileman S, Bianchi G, Funge-Smithm S (2007) LME34: Bay of Bengal. NOAA and Sea around Us Project (SAUP)

  2. Ray S (2008) Comparative study of virgin and reclaimed islands of Sundarban mangrove ecosystem through network analysis. Ecol Model 215(1):207–216

    Article  Google Scholar 

  3. Mandal S, Ray S, Ghosh PB (2012) Modelling the impact of mangroves on fish population dynamics of Hooghly—Matla estuarine system, West Bengal, India. Proc Environ Sci 13:414–444

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  4. Roy M, Roy S, Ghosh PB (2012) Modelling of impact of detritus on detritivorous food chain of Sundarban mangrove ecosystem, India. Proc Environ Sci 13:377–390

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  5. Ullah MH, Rashed-Un-Nabi M, Al-Mamun MA (2012) Trophic model of the coastal ecosystem of the Bay of Bengal using mass balance Ecopath model. Ecol Model 225:82–94

    Article  Google Scholar 

  6. Harvey CJ, Cox SP, Essington TE, Hansson S, Kitchell JF (2003) An ecosystem model of food web and fisheries interactions in the Baltic Sea. ICES J Mar Sci 60:939–950

    Article  Google Scholar 

  7. Neira S, Arancibia H, Cubillos L (2004) Comparative analysis of trophic structure of commercial fishery species off Central Chile in 1992 and 1998. Ecol Model 172:233–248

    Article  Google Scholar 

  8. Duarte LO, Garcıa CB (2004) Trophic role of small pelagic fishes in a tropical upwelling ecosystem. Ecol Model 172:323–338

    Article  Google Scholar 

  9. Arreguin-Sanchez F, Zetina-Rejón M, Manickchand-Heileman S, Ramırez-Rodrıguez M, Vidal L (2004) Simulated response to harvesting strategies in an exploited ecosystem in the southwestern Gulf of Mexico. Ecol Model 172:421–432

    Article  Google Scholar 

  10. Mustafa MG (2003) Trophic model of the coastal ecosystem in the waters of Bangladesh, Bay of Bengal. In: Silvestre G, Garces L, Stobutzki I, Ahmed M, Valmonte-Santos RA, Luna C, Lachica-Aliño L, Munro P, Christensen V, Pauly D (eds) Assessment, management and future directions of coastal fisheries in Asian countries. WorldFish Center conference Proceedings, vol 67, pp 263–280, 1120 p

  11. Vivekanandan E, Srinath M, Kuriakose S (2005) Fishing the marine food web along the Indian coast. Fish Res 72:241–252

    Article  Google Scholar 

  12. Santhanam R, Srinivasan A, Devaraj M (1993) Trophic model of an estuarine ecosystem at the Southeast coast of India. In: Christensen V, Pauly D (eds) Trophic models of aquatic ecosystems. ICLARM Conference Proceedings, vol 26, pp 230–233, 390 p

  13. Aravindan, C.M. 1993. Preliminary trophic model of Veli Lake, southern India. In: Christensen V, Pauly D (eds) Trophic models of aquatic ecosystems. ICLARM conference Proceedings, vol 26, pp 87–89, 390 p

  14. Vivekanandan E, Srinath M, Pillai VN, Immanuel S, Kurup KN (2003) Trophic model of the coastal fisheries ecosystem of the southwest coast of India. In: Silvestre G, Garces L, Stobutzki I, Ahmed M, Valmonte-Santos RA, Luna C, Lachica-Aliño L, Munro P, Christensen V, Pauly D (eds) Assessment, management and future directions for coastal fisheries in Asian countries. WorldFish Center Conference Proceedings, vol 67, pp 281–298, 1120 p

  15. Mohamed KS, Zacharia PU (2009) Prediction and modeling of marine fishery yields from the Arabian Sea off Karnataka using Ecosim. Indian J Mar Sci 38(1):69–76

    Google Scholar 

  16. Murugan S, Joseph AP, Khan SA (2012) Ecological Niche of Mugil Cephalus—an Ecopath with Ecosim approach in Vellar estuary (South East Coast of India). Int J Pharma Bio Sci 3(1):662–676

    Google Scholar 

  17. Abdurahiman KP, Nayak TH, Zacharia PU, Mohamed KS (2010) Trophic organisation and predator-prey interactions among commercially exploited demersal finfishes in the coastal waters of the southeastern Arabian Sea. Estuar Coast Shelf Sci 87:601–610

    Article  Google Scholar 

  18. Gasalla MA, Rossi-Wongtschowski CLDB (2004) Contribution of ecosystem analysis to investigating the effects of changes in fishing strategies in the South Brazil Bight coastal ecosystem. Ecol Model 172:283–306

    Article  Google Scholar 

  19. Tomczak MT, Niiranen S, Hjerne O, Blenckner T (2012) Ecosystem flow dynamics in the Baltic Proper—using a multi-trophic dataset as a basis for food–web modelling. Ecol Model 230:123–147

    Article  Google Scholar 

  20. Steele JH, Ruzicka JJ (2011) Constructing end-to-end models using ECOPATH data. J Mar Syst 87(3–4):227–238

    Article  Google Scholar 

  21. Ray S, Straskraba M (2001) The impact of detritivorous fishes on a mangrove estuarine system. Ecol Model 140:207–218

    Article  Google Scholar 

  22. Kay JJ, Graham LA, Ulanowicz RE (1989) A detailed guide to network analysis. In: Wulff F, Field J, Mann KH (eds) Network analysis in marine ecology, methods and applications. Springer, New York, pp 15–61

    Google Scholar 

  23. Islam MS (2003) Perspectives of the coastal and marine fisheries of the Bay of Bengal, Bangladesh. Ocean Coast Manag 46:763–796

    Article  Google Scholar 

  24. Mandal S, Ray S, Ghosh PB (2013) Impact of mangrove litterfall on nitrogen dynamics of virgin and reclaimed islands of Sundarban mangrove ecosystem, India. Ecol Model 252:153–166

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  25. Preston GL (2004) Review of the status of shared/common marine living resources stocks and of stock assessment capability in the BoBLME region. Bay of Bengal Large Marine Ecosystem (BoBLME) Theme report, FAO-BOBLME Programme

  26. Christensen V, Pauly D (1998) Changes in models of aquatic ecosystems approaching carrying capacity. Ecol Appl 8(sp1):S104–S109

    Article  Google Scholar 

  27. Beverton RJH, Holt SJ (1957) On the dynamics of exploited fish populations. Fish Invest Minist Agric Fish Food GB (2 Sea Fish) 19:533

    Google Scholar 

  28. Gerlach SA (1971) On the importance of marine meiofauna for benthos communities. Oecologia 6:176–190

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  29. Palomares MLD, Pauly D (1999) Predicting the food consumption of fish populations as functions of mortality, food type, morphometrics, temperature and salinity. Mar Freshw Res 49:447–453

    Article  Google Scholar 

  30. Gulland JA (1971) The fish resources of the oceans. West Byfleet, Fishing News (Books), Ltd., for FAO, p 255

    Google Scholar 

  31. Mohamed KS, Zacharia PU, Muthiah C, Abdurahiman KP, Nayak TH (2008) Trophic modeling of the Arabian Sea ecosystem off Karnataka and simulation of fishery yields. Bull Cent Mar Fish Res Inst 51:140

    Google Scholar 

  32. Holmgren S (1994) An environmental assessment of the Bay of Bengal region. Bay of Bengal Programme, Madras, BOBP/REP/67, p 240

  33. Pauly D, Soriano-Bartz ML, Palomares MLD (1993) Improved construction, parametrization and interpretation of steady-state ecosystem models. In: Christensen V, Pauly D (eds) Trophic models of aquatic ecosystems. ICLARM conference Proceedings, vol 26, pp 1–13, 390 p

  34. Gauns M, Madhupratapa M, Ramaiaha N, Jyothibabub R, Fernandes V, Paul JT, Prasanna Kumar S (2005) Comparative accounts of biological productivity characteristics and estimates of carbon fluxes in the Arabian Sea and the Bay of Bengal. Deep-Sea Res II 52:2003–2017

    Article  Google Scholar 

  35. Qasim SZ (1979) Primary production in some tropical environments. In: Dunbar MJ (ed) Marine Production mechanisms, international biological programme 20. Cambridge University Press, Great Britain, pp 31–69

    Google Scholar 

  36. Pauly D, Christensen V (1995) Primary production required to sustain global fisheries. Nature 374:255–257

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  37. Pauly D, Christensen V (2000) Trophic levels of fishes. In: Froese R, Pauly D (eds) FishBase 2000: concepts, design and data sources. ICLARM, Manila, p 181

    Google Scholar 

  38. Froese R, Pauly D (eds) (2013) FishBase, World Wide Web electronic publication Version 08/2013. http://www.fishbase.org. Accessed 15 Mar 2015

  39. Blanchard JL, Pinnegar JK, Mackinson S (2002) Exploring marine mammal-fishery interactions using ‘Ecopath with Ecosim’: modelling the Barents Sea ecosystem. Sci Ser Tech Rep CEFAS Lowestoft 117:52

    Google Scholar 

  40. Jennings S, Kaiser MJ (1998) The effects of fishing on marine ecosystems. In: Advances in Marine Biology, vol 34, pp 201–212, 212a, 213–266, 266a, 268–352

  41. Leontief WW (1951) The structure of the US economy. Oxford University Press, New York

    Google Scholar 

  42. Hannon B (1973) The structure of ecosystems. J Theor Biol 41:535–546

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  43. Hannon B, Joiris C (1989) A seasonal analysis of the southern North Sea ecosystem. Ecology 70(6):1916–1934

    Article  Google Scholar 

  44. Ulanowicz RE, Puccia CJ (1990) Mixed tropic impacts in ecosystems. Coenoses 5:7–16

    Google Scholar 

  45. Pauly D, Christensen V, Dalsgaard J, Froese R, Torres FJ (1998) Fishing down marine food webs. Science 279(5352):860–863

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  46. Pauly D, Christensen V, Walters C (2000) Ecopath, Ecosim, and Ecospace as tools for evaluating ecosystem impact of fisheries. ICES J Mar Sci 57:697–706

    Article  Google Scholar 

  47. Gaedke U, Straile D (1994) Seasonal change of trophic transfer efficiencies in a plankton food web derived from biomass size and network analysis. Ecol Model 75–76:435–445

    Article  Google Scholar 

  48. Lindeman RL (1942) The trophic—dynamic aspects of ecology. Ecology 23:399–418

    Article  Google Scholar 

  49. Odum EP (1971) Fundamentals of ecology, 3rd edn. W.B. Saunders, Philadelphia

    Google Scholar 

  50. Libralato S, Coll M, Tudela S, Plomera I, Pranovi F (2008) Novel index for quantification of ecosystem effects of fishing as removal of secondary production. Mar Ecol Prog Ser 355:107–129. doi:10.3354/meps07224

    Article  Google Scholar 

  51. Coll M, Libralato S, Tedela S, Palomera I, Pranovi F (2008) Ecosystem overfishing in the ocean. PLoS One 3(12):E3881. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0003881

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  52. Ryther JH (1969) Photosynthesis and fish production in the sea. Science 166:72–76

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  53. Bradford-Grieve JM, Probert PK, Nodder SD, Thompson D, Hall J, Hanchet S, Boyd P, Zeldis J, Baker AN, Best HA, Broekhuizen N, Childerhouse S, Clark M, Hadfield M, Safi K, Wilkinson I (2003) Pilot trophic model for subantarctic water over the Southern Plateau, New Zealand: a low biomass, high transfer efficiency system. J Exp Mar Biol Ecol 289:223–262

    Article  Google Scholar 

  54. Gascuel D, Bozec Y, Chassot E, Colomb A, Laurans M (2005) The trophic spectrum: theory and application as an ecosystem indicator. ICES J Mar Sci 62:443–452. doi:10.1016/j.icesjms.2004.12.013

    Article  Google Scholar 

  55. Pauly D, Christensen V, Guénette S, Pitcher TJ, Sumaila UR, Walters CJ, Watson R, Zeller D (2002) Towards sustainability in world fisheries. Nature 418:689–695

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  56. Essington TE, Beaudreau AH, Wiedenmann J (2006) Fishing through marine food web. PNAS 103(9):3171–3175

    Article  CAS  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  57. Pillay TVR (1958) Biology of the Hilsa sp. Ind. J. Fish 5:201–207

    Google Scholar 

  58. Jones JB (1992) Environmental impact of trawling on the seabed: a review. N Z J Mar Freshw Res 26(1):59–67

    Article  Google Scholar 

  59. Jennings S, Pinnegar JK, Polunin NV, Warr KJ (2001) Impacts of trawling disturbance on the trophic structure of benthic invertebrate communities. Mar Ecol Prog Ser 213:127–142

    Article  Google Scholar 

  60. Kaiser MJ, Collie JS, Hall SJ, Jennings S, Poiner IR (2000) Modification of marine habitats by trawling activities: prognosis and solutions. Fish Fish 3(2):114–136

    Article  Google Scholar 

  61. Vivekanandan E (2013) The trawl fisheries of the western Bay of Bengal. APFIC Regional expert workshop on trophical trawl fishery management, Phuket, Thailand

  62. Christensen V, Walters CJ (2004) Ecopath with Ecosim: methods, capabilities and limitations. Ecol Model 172:109–139

    Article  Google Scholar 

  63. Finn JT (1976) Measures of ecosystem structure and function derived from analysis of flows. J Theor Biol 56:363–380

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  64. Xu S, Chen Z, Li S, He P (2011) Modeling trophic structure and energy flows in a coastal artificial ecosystem using mass-balance Ecopath model. Estuar Coasts 34(2):351–363

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  65. Kazanci C, Matamba L, Tollner EW (2008) Cycling in ecosystems: an individual based approach. Ecol Model 220(21):2908–2914

    Article  Google Scholar 

  66. Pauly D, Watson R, Alder J (2005) Global trends in world fisheries: impacts on marine ecosystems and food security. Philos Trans R Soc B: Biol Sci 360(1453):5–12

    Article  Google Scholar 

  67. Hussain MG, Hoq ME (eds) (2010) Sustainable management of fisheries resources of the Bay of Bengal—compilation of national and regional workshop reports. Support to sustainable management of the BOBLME Project, Bangladesh Fisheries Research Institute. SBOBLMEP Pub./Rep. 2, 122 p

  68. Rashed-Un-Nabi M, Ullah MH (2012) Effects of Set Bagnet fisheries on the shallow coastal ecosystem of the Bay of Bengal. Ocean Coast Manag 67:75–86

    Article  Google Scholar 

  69. Nurul Amin SM, Arshad A, Siraj SS, Japar Sidik B (2009) Population structure, growth, mortality and yield per recruit of segestid shrimp, Acetes japonicus (Decapoda: segestidae) from the coastal waters of Malacca, Peninsular Malaysia. Indian J Mar Sci 38(1):57–68

    Google Scholar 

  70. Lalitha Devi S (1987) Growth and population dynamics of three penaeid prawns in the trawling grounds off Kakinada. Indian J Fish 34(2):245–264

    Google Scholar 

  71. Abdussamad EM, Meiyappan MM, Somayajulu KR (2004) Fishery, population characteristics and stock assessment of cuttlefishes, Sepia aculeate and Sepia pharaonis at Kakinada along the east coast of India. Bangladesh J Fish Res 8(2):143–150

    Google Scholar 

  72. Collins MA, Grave SD, Lordan C, Burnell GM, Rodhouse PG (1994) Diet of the aquid Loligo forbesi Steenstrup (Cephalopoda: Loliginidae) in Irish waters. ICES J Mar Sci 51(3):337–344

    Article  Google Scholar 

  73. Radhakrishnan EV, Manisseri MK, Deshmukh VD (2007) Biology and Fishery of the Slipper Lobster, Thenus orientalis, in India. In: Biology and Fishery of the Slipper Lobster. CRC Press, USA, pp 309–324. ISBN 0-8493-3398-9

  74. Jayamanne SC, Jinadasa J (1991) Food and feeding habits of the Mud Crab, Scylla serrata Forskal inhabiting the Negombo Lagoon in the West Coast of Sri Lanka. Vidyodaya J Sci 3(2):61–70

    Google Scholar 

  75. El Hag EA (1984) Food and food selection of the Penaeid prawn Penaeus monodon (Fabricius). Dev Hydrobiol 21:213–217

    Article  Google Scholar 

  76. Deshmukh VD (2002) Biology of Acetes indicus Milne Edwards in Bombay waters. J Fish 49(4):379–388

    Google Scholar 

  77. Pillay TVR (1953) He food and feeding habits of the Bombay duck, Harpodon nehereus (Ham.), in the River Matla (Bengal). In: Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, India No. 19

  78. Ghosh S (2014) Fishery, reproductive biology and diet characteristics of Bombay duck Harpodon nehereus from the Saurashtra coast. Indian J Mar Sci 43(3):418–426

    Google Scholar 

  79. Rao RK, Babu KR (2013) Studies on food and feeding habits of Mugil cephalus (Linnaeus, 1758) East coast off Andhra Pradesh, India. Can J Pure Appl Sci 7(3):2499–2504

    Google Scholar 

  80. Phelan MJ, Gribble NA, Garrett RN (2008) Fishery Biology and management of Protonibea diacanthus (Sciaenidae) aggregations in far NothernCape York Peninsula waters. Cont Shelf Res 28(16):2143–2151

    Article  Google Scholar 

  81. Salini JP, Brewer DT, Blaber SJM (1998) Dietary studies on the predatory fishes of the Norman River estuary, with particular reference to penaeid prawns. Estuary Coast Shelf Sci 46(6):837–847

    Article  Google Scholar 

  82. Davis TLO (1985) The food of barramundi, Lates calcarifer (Bloch), in coastal and inland waters of Van Diemen Gulf and the Gulf of Carpentaria, Australia. J Fish Biol 26:669–682

    Article  Google Scholar 

  83. Chaudhuri A, Mukherjee S, Homechaudhuri S (2012) Diet composition and digestive enzymes activity in carnivorous fishes inhabiting mudflats of Indian Sundarbans estuaries. Turk J Fish Aquatic Sci 12:265–275. doi:10.4194/1303-2712-v12_2_11

    Google Scholar 

  84. Dutta S, Maity S, Bhattacharyya SB, Sundaray JK, Hazra S (2014) Diet composition and intensity of feeding of Tenualosa ilisha (Hamilton, 1822) occurring in the Northern Bay of Bengal, India. Proc Zool Soc 67(1):33–37. doi:10.1007/s12595-013-0066-3

    Article  Google Scholar 

  85. Remya R, Vivekanandan E, Manjusha U, Nair PG (2013) Seasonal variations in the diet of the Indian Oilsardine, Sardinella longiceps Valenciennes off Cochin, Kerala. Indian J Fish 60(1):55–59

    Google Scholar 

  86. Khan MZ (2000) Fishery, biology and resource characteristics of golden anchovy, Coilia dussumieri (Cuv & Val). In: Pillai VN, Menon NG (eds) Marine fisheries research and management. Central Marine Fisheries Research Institute

  87. Sivadas M, Bhaskaran MM (2009) Stomach content analysis of the Indian Mackerel Rastrelliger kanagurta (Cuvier) from Calicut, Kerala. Indian J Fish 56(2):143–146

    Google Scholar 

  88. Devaraj M (1999) Food and feeding habits of the king seer Scomberomorus commerson (Lacepede) in the seas around the Indian Peninsula. J Mar Biol Assoc India 40(69):90

    Google Scholar 

  89. Nootmorn P, Sumontha M, Keereerut P, Jayasinghe RPPK, Jagannath N, Sinha MK (2008) Stomach content of the large pelagic fishes in the Bay of Bengal. IOTC-2008-WPEB-11. 13 p

  90. Abdurahiman KP, Zacharia PU, Nayak TH, Mohamed KS (2010) Diet and trophic ecology of Silver Pomfret, Pampus argenteus (Euphrasen, 1788) exploited from the Southeast Arabian Sea. J Mar Biol Assoc India 48(2):206–212

    Google Scholar 

  91. Pillai PKM (1974) A note on the food and feeding habit of the Ribbon fish, Trichiurus lepturus. Indian J Fish 21(2):597–600

    Google Scholar 

  92. Prabha YS, Manjulatha C (2008) Food and Feeding Habits of Upeneus vittatus (Forsskal, 1775) from Visakhapatnam coast (Andhra Pradesh) of India. Int J Zool Res 4(1):59–63

    Article  Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgements

The authors are grateful to the fishermen from the West Bengal coast for their help in data collection. The authors also humbly acknowledge the Indian National Centre for Ocean Information Services (INCOIS) for funding the Potential Fishing Zone (PFZ) validation project, for conducting the present study. The second author also gratefully acknowledges Director, INCOIS for his encouragement and unconditional help. This is INCOIS contribution number 270. The authors also humbly acknowledge Isaac Kaplan and Chris Harvey of NOAA Fisheries, Northwest Fisheries Science Center for their valuable comments and suggestions. The authors are thankful to Abhra Chanda for correction.

Author information

Author notes

  1. Sachinandan Dutta

    Present address: Aquatic Bioresource Research Laboratory, Department of Zoology, University of Calcutta, 35, Ballygunge Circular road, Kolkata, 700019, India

Authors and Affiliations

  1. School of Oceanographic Studies, Jadavpur University, Kolkata, 700032, India

    Sachinandan Dutta & Sugata Hazra

  2. Information Services and Ocean Sciences Group, Indian National Centre for Ocean Information Services, “Ocean Valley”, Pragathi Nagar (BO), Nizampet (SO), Hyderabad, 500090, India

    Kunal Chakraborty

Authors
  1. Sachinandan Dutta
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Kunal Chakraborty
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Sugata Hazra
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Sachinandan Dutta.

Appendix 1

Appendix 1

See Table 9.

Table 9 The sources of diet of different groups
Full size table

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

Dutta, S., Chakraborty, K. & Hazra, S. Ecosystem structure and trophic dynamics of an exploited ecosystem of Bay of Bengal, Sundarban Estuary, India. Fish Sci 83, 145–159 (2017). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12562-016-1060-2

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12562-016-1060-2

Keywords

Search

Navigation