A trophic model of the Pearl River Delta coastal ecosystem

A 26-compartment steady-state trophic model (1997–1999) was constructed using the Ecopath with Ecosim software to study the general status and development trends of the Pearl River Delta coastal ecosystem. The results show that the values of effective trophic level ranged from 1.00 to 4.21. It was found that a high trophic niche overlap existed in the typical estuarine ecosystem. Mixed trophic impacts show that detritus and the groups at the low trophic levels had positive influences on most groups. The ecosystem was found to be in an immature state during 1997–1999 based on the system statistics.