2010: Ichthyoplankton community structure in the northwest Gulf of St. Lawrence (Canada): past and present

MARINE ECOLOGY PROGRESS SERIES Mar Ecol Prog Ser Vol. 412: 189–205, 2010 doi: 10.3354/meps08687 Published August 18 INTRODUCTION Species diversity plays an important role in processes related to ecosystem functioning. It is widely accepted that... More

MARINE ECOLOGY PROGRESS SERIES Mar Ecol Prog Ser Vol. 412: 189–205, 2010 doi: 10.3354/meps08687 Published August 18 INTRODUCTION Species diversity plays an important role in processes related to ecosystem functioning. It is widely accepted that species diversity, which is defined as richness, abundance, and composition of species as well as interactions between species, promotes production and ecosystem stability (Chapin et al. 2000, Hooper et al. 2005, Duffy & Stachowicz 2006, Tilman et al. 2006, Worm et al. 2006). However, anthropogenic activities can affect community biodiversity directly by exploitation, pollution, and invasive species introduction, and indirectly by modifying habitats and, more globally, by affecting climate via greenhouse gas emissions (Worm et al. 2006). Exploitation of marine resources and of a trophic level in particular can greatly modify community structure, inducing a cascade effect on the food chain (Scheffer et al. 2005). In the North Atl Less