Analysis of the Ecosystem Structure and Energy Flow in the Waters of the Wangjiadao Islands

Abstract

Marine islands play a crucial role in marine ecosystems. The waters of the Wangjiadao islands, which are located in the Northern Yellow Sea, are one of the typical island ecosystems. Sea cucumbers and shellfish are important target species, but information on ecological capacity is lacking. Using the EWE model, a food web model was constructed for the waters of Wangjiadao Island in order to estimate the potential biomass of selected species that could proliferate without destabilizing the ecosystem. The model consists of 22 functional groups that were selected for their functional roles within the ecosystem and the availability of data. The potential for fishery biomass enhancement is significant, with sea cucumber biomass increasing by 242%, Mizuhopecten yessoensis biomass increasing by 42%, Chlamys farreri biomass increasing by 1.6%, Ruditapes philippinarum biomass increasing by 0.5% and Portunus trituberculatus biomass increasing by 134%, reflecting the development of the Wangjiadao Islands water’s ecosystem, and the results can be used as a reference for fisheries resource management.