Annual phytoplankton blooms on the northern region of the Kerguelen Plateau fuel a productive food web that supports highly valuable commercial fisheries for Patagonian toothfish (Dissostichus eleginoides) and mackerel icefish (Champsocephalus gunnari). The food web on the plateau is understudied in comparison to other regions of the Southern Ocean. Major linkages and energy pathways have not been explored, and the combined effects of fishing and a changing climate on the ecosystem are largely unknown. Single species studies on the plateau have shown that the combined effects of climate change and fisheries are impacting populations, however, it is unclear how these impacts translate to the ecosystem. We extended an existing Ecopath model to describe food web dynamics on the plateau and investigate food web interactions with the fishery. Results from our model highlight, for the first time, the properties of the food web, major energy pathways and energy transfers between trophic levels. Energy transfer from detritus was most efficient at the lowest trophic level while energy from primary production was more efficient at higher trophic levels. Consumption and respiration were high in our system, most likely due to the inclusion of bacteria and microzooplankton. Killer whales, cephalopods and myctophids were key functional groups for energy transfer in the system. These groups were relatively data poor, suggesting a useful focus area for future updates to the model. Patagonian toothfish and mackerel icefish were heavily consumed in the food web, however, the inclusion of fisheries catches and by-catch had little to no impact on food web dynamics.

克格伦高原北部地区的年度浮游植物开花，为生产性食物网提供了燃料，为巴塔哥尼亚牙鱼（Dissostichus eleginoides）和鲭鱼冰鱼（Champsocephalus gunnari）提供了极有价值的商业渔业）。与南大洋其他地区相比，高原地区的食物网被研究不足。尚未探讨主要的联系和能源途径，而且捕鱼和气候变化对生态系统的综合影响尚不清楚。在高原上进行的单一物种研究表明，气候变化和渔业的综合影响正在影响人口，但是，尚不清楚这些影响如何转化为生态系统。我们扩展了现有的Ecopath模型，以描述高原上的食物网动态，并研究食物网与渔业之间的相互作用。我们模型的结果首次突显了食物网的特性，主要能量途径以及营养级之间的能量转移。在最低营养级别，碎屑的能量传递效率最高，而在较高营养级别，初级生产的能量传递效率更高。我们的系统中的消耗和呼吸很高，这很可能是由于细菌和微浮游动物的包裹所致。虎鲸，头足类动物和线虫是系统中能量转移的关键功能组。这些小组的数据相对较少，这为将来模型更新提供了有用的关注领域。巴塔哥尼亚牙鱼和鲭鱼冰鱼在食物网中大量消费，但是，捕捞渔获物和副渔获物对食物网动态几乎没有影响。头足类和Myctophids是系统中能量转移的关键功能组。这些小组的数据相对较少，这为将来模型更新提供了有用的关注领域。巴塔哥尼亚牙鱼和鲭鱼冰鱼在食物网中大量消费，但是，捕捞渔获物和副渔获物对食物网动态几乎没有影响。头足类和Myctophids是系统中能量转移的关键功能组。这些小组的数据相对较少，这为将来模型更新提供了有用的重点领域。巴塔哥尼亚牙鱼和鲭鱼冰鱼在食物网中大量消费，但是，捕捞渔获物和副渔获物对食物网动态几乎没有影响。