| The high primary production (PP) of intertidal mudflats at temperate latitudes is mostly supported by microphytobenthos (MPB), which support both benthic and pelagic food webs. In the present thesis, we use a physical-biological coupled model to investigate the spatial and temporal variability of MPB dynamics on a large temperate intertidal mudflat of the French Atlantic coast. The model explicitly simulates the MPB biomass and the grazer (Peringia ulvae) biomass and density. The outputs provide key findings on MPB dynamics. In winter-spring, optimal light and mud surface temperature (MST) conditions for MPB growth lead to a MPB spring bloom. Light is the most limiting driver over the year. However, a high MST limits the MPB growth 40% of the time during... |
