A preliminary mass-balance food web model of the eastern Chukchi Sea
Abstract
A preliminary mass-balance food web model was developed for the eastern Chukchi Sea continental shelf, describing the trophic structure and function of this ecosystem. The model was developed with the Ecopath framework and provides an annual snapshot of the food web structure in the eastern Chukchi Sea. Species were represented individually where data permitted or were aggregated into functional groups with species of similar diet, life history, and habitat requirements where data were sparse. The model consists of 52 living functional groups, two detrital compartments, and nine subsistence harvest groups. The purpose of this report is to document the construction of this trophic model and the development of model input parameters for all functional groups; including literature and data sources, data quality, model assumptions and limitations, any parameter adjustments, and parameter estimation methods.
