Ecological Insights: Analyzing the Barents Sea Food Web Using Social Network Analysis

Abstract

The study focuses on exploring the Barents Sea food-web meta-web, a larger network comprising multiple food webs within an ecological community. The research utilizes a social network analysis (SNA) approach to uncover insights into the interconnections and trophic dynamics of species in this unique marine ecosystem. The study aims to identify key trophospecies, understand their significance across trophic groups, detect communities within the food web, and apply centrality measures to gain insights for conservation and management strategies. The data analysis and visualization are performed using Gephi software and R programming. The findings reveal the importance of GAD_MOR trophospecies from the Zooplankton group in shaping the food web dynamics. However, this species is absent in higher trophic groups due to trophic transfer efficiency and selective feeding behavior. The study also identifies three distinct communities within the food web, indicating interconnectedness and species interactions. Moreover, the application of centrality measures provides insights into the structural and functional roles of species, assisting in conservation and management strategies. The results highlight the complex nature of the Barents Sea ecosystem and emphasize the significance of interdependencies for effective ecological preservation and sustainable management.