Stable isotopes as ecological tracers
2017-01-01
I started to use stable isotope ratios of light biogenic elements (C, N and S) as ecological tracers at the beginning of my PhD thesis, and quickly grew interested in their wide range of applications in environmental sciences. Over the years, and in the context of a number of fruitful academic collaborations, I developed extensive theoretical, practical and analytical knowledge of stable isotopes. From 2014 to 2017, alongside Gilles Lepoint, I co-managed University of Liège’s stable isotope facility. I’m also a guest lecturer at University of Liège, where Gilles and I co-teach a course about stable isotope and their use in marine ecosystems.
I successfully used stable isotopes to solve questions in fields ranging from ecophysiology to organic matter fluxes and biogeochemistry. I worked with many model species groups (seagrasses, invertebrates, fishes, marine mammals and seabirds) originating from marine or freshwater ecosystems of tropical, temperate and polar regions. I also grew familiar with most common stable isotope data analysis tools, including mixing models, ecological niches metrics, isotopic diversity indices and trophic position estimation models. When possible, I try to combine stable isotopes with other techniques such as gut content analysis, or with other trophic markers such as fatty acids.
Publications
Boulart C., Rouxel O., Scalabrin C., Le Meur P., Pelleter E., Poitrimol C., Thiebaut E., Matabos M., Castel J., Tran Lu Y A., Michel L. N., Cathalot C., Cheron S., Boissier A., Germain Y., Guyader V., Arnaud-Haon S., Bonhomme F., Broquet T., Cueff-Gauchard V., Le Layec V., L’Haridon S., Mary J., Le Port A.-S., Tasiemski A., Kuama D. C., Hourdez S., Jollivet D
(2022).
Active hydrothermal vents in the Woodlark Basin may act as dispersing centres for hydrothermal fauna.
Communications Earth & Environment, 3: 64.
Yunda-Guarin G., Michel L. N., Nozais C., Archambault P
(2022).
Interspecific differences in feeding selectivity shape isotopic niche structure of three ophiuroids in the Arctic Ocean.
Marine Ecology Progress Series, 683: 81-95.
Besnard L., Duchatelet L., Bird C., Le Croizier G., Michel L. N., Pinte N., Schaal G., Vieira R. P., Gonçalves J. M. S., Martin U., Mallefet J
(2022).
Diet consistency but large-scale isotopic variations in a deep-sea shark: the case of the velvet belly lantern shark, Etmopterus spinax, in the northeastern Atlantic region and Mediterranean Sea.
Deep-Sea Research Part I: Oceanographic Research Papers, 182: 103708.
Moreau C.*, Le Bourg B.*, Balazy P., Danis B., Eléaume M., Jossart Q., Kuklinski P., Lepoint G., Saucède T., Michel L. N
(2022).
Trophic markers and biometric measurements in Southern Ocean sea stars (1985–2017).
Ecology, 103 (3): e3611. *Shared first authorship.
Le Bourg B., Kuklinski P., Balazy P., Lepoint G., Michel L. N
(2021).
Interactive effects of body size and environmental gradient on the trophic ecology of sea stars in an Antarctic fjord.
Marine Ecology Progress Series, 674: 189-202.
Lins L., Zeppilli D., Menot L., Michel L. N., Bonfiácio P., Brandt M., Pape E., Rossel S., Uhlenkott K., Macheriotou L., Bezerra T. N., Sánchez N., Alfaro-Lucas J. M., Martinez Arbizu P., Kaiser S., Murakami C., Vanreusel A
(2021).
Toward a reliable assessment of potential ecological impacts of deep-sea polymetallic nodule mining on abyssal infauna.
Limnology and Oceanography Methods, 19 (9): 626-650.
Frotté L., Michel L. N., Lepoint G., Cordonnier S., Bezault E., Monti D
(2021).
Variability of amphidromous organism isotopic niches in three Guadeloupe rivers affected by damming and water catchment.
Belgian Journal of Zoology, 151: 63-80.
Padilha J. A., Carvalho G. O., Espejo W., Souza J. S., Pizzochero A. C., Cunha L. S. T., Costa E. S., Pessôa A. R. L., Almeida A. P., Torres J. P. M., Lepoint G., Michel L. N., Das K., Dorneles P. R
(2021).
Factors that influence trace element levels in blood and feathers of Pygoscelis penguins from South Shetland Islands, Antarctica.
Environmental Pollution, 284: 117209.
Remy F.*, Michel L. N.*, Mascart T., De Troch M., Lepoint G
(2021).
Trophic ecology of macrofauna inhabiting seagrass litter accumulations is related to the pulses of dead leaves.
Estuarine, Coastal and Shelf Science, 252: 107300. *Shared first authorship.
Yunda-Guarin G., Brown T. A., Michel L. N., Saint-Béat B., Amiraux R., Nozais C., Archambault P
(2020).
Reliance of deep-sea benthic macrofauna on ice-derived organic matter highlighted by multiple trophic markers during spring in Baffin Bay, Canadian Arctic.
Elementa: Science of the Anthropocene, 8 (1): 047.
Couturier L. I. E.*, Michel L. N.*, Amaro T., Budge S. M., da Costa E., De Troch M., Di Dato V., Fink P., Giraldo C., Le Grand F., Loaiza I., Mathieu-Resuge M., Nichols P. D., Parrish C. C., Sardenne F., Vagner M., Pernet F., Soudant P
(2020).
State of the art and best practices for fatty acid analyses in aquatic sciences.
ICES Journal of Marine Science, 77 (7-8): 2375-2395. Paper selected as Editor’s Choice. *Shared first authorship.
Alfaro Lucas J. M., Pradillon F., Zeppilli D., Michel L. N., Martinez Arbizu P., Tanaka H., Foviaux M., Sarrazin J
(2020).
High environmental stress and productivity increase functional diversity along a deep-sea hydrothermal vent gradient.
Ecology, 101 (11): e03144..
Methou P., Michel L. N., Segonzac M., Cambon-Bonavita M.-A., Pradillon F
(2020).
Integrative taxonomy revisits the ontogeny and trophic niches of Rimicaris vent shrimps.
Royal Society Open Science, 7 (7): 200837.
Le Bourg B., Lepoint G., Michel L. N
(2020).
Effects of preservation methodology on stable isotope compositions of sea stars.
Rapid Communications in Mass Spectrometry, 34 (2): e8589.
Dehnhard N., Achurch H., Clarke J., Michel L. N., Southwell C., Sumner M. D., Eens M., Emmerson L
(2020).
High inter‐ and intraspecific niche overlap among three sympatrically breeding, closely related seabird species: Generalist foraging as an adaptation to a highly variable environment?.
Journal of Animal Ecology, 89 (1): 104-119.
Włodarska‐Kowalczuk M., Mazurkiewicz M., Górska B., Michel L. N., Jankowska E., Zaborska A
(2019).
Organic carbon origin, benthic faunal consumption, and burial in sediments of northern Atlantic and Arctic fjords (60–81°N).
Journal of Geophysical Research: Biogeosciences, 124 (12): 3737-3751.
Pinzone M.*, Damseaux F.*, Michel L. N., Das K
(2019).
Stable isotope ratios of carbon, nitrogen and sulphur and mercury concentrations as descriptors of trophic ecology and contamination sources of Mediterranean whales.
Chemosphere, 237: 124448. *Shared first authorship.
Pizzochero A. C., de la Torre A., Sanz P., Navarro I., Michel L. N., Lepoint G, Das K., Schnitzler J. G., Chenery S. R., McCarthy I. D., Malm O., Dorneles P. R., Martínez M. A
(2019).
Occurrence of legacy and emerging organic pollutants in whitemouth croakers from Southeastern Brazil.
Science of The Total Environment, 682: 719-728.
Zeppilli D., Bellec L., Cambon-Bonavita M.-A., Decraemer W., Fontaneto D., Fuchs S., Gayet N., Mandon P., Michel L. N., Portail M., Smol N., Sørensen M. V., Vanreusel A., Sarrazin J
(2019).
Ecology and trophic role of Oncholaimus dyvae sp. nov. (Nematoda: Oncholaimidae) from the Lucky Strike hydrothermal vent field (Mid-Atlantic Ridge).
BMC Zoology 4: 6.
Michel L. N., Danis B., Dubois P., Eleaume M., Fournier J., Gallut C., Jane P., Lepoint G
(2019).
Increased sea ice cover alters food web structure in East Antarctica.
Scientific Reports, 9: 8062.
Włodarska‐Kowalczuk M., Aune M., Michel L. N., Zaborska A., Legeżyńska J
(2019).
Is the trophic diversity of marine benthic consumers decoupled from taxonomic and functional trait diversity? Isotopic niches of Arctic communities.
Limnology and Oceanography, 65 (5): 2140-2151.
Latli A., Michel L. N., Lepoint G., Kestemont P
(2019).
River habitat homogenisation enhances trophic competition and promotes individual specialisation among young of the year fish.
Freshwater Biology, 64 (3): 520-531.
Saucède T., Guillaumot C., Michel L. N., Fabri-Ruiz S., Bazin A., Cabessut M., García-Berro A., Mateos A., Mathieu O., De Ridder C., Dubois P., Danis B., David B., Díaz A., Lepoint G., Motreuil S., Poulin E., Féral J.-P
(2019).
Modeling species response to climate change in Sub-Antarctic islands: Echinoids as a case study for the Kerguelen Plateau.
In: Welsford, D., J. Dell and G. Duhamel (Eds). The Kerguelen Plateau: marine ecosystem and fisheries. Proceedings of the Second Symposium: 95-116.
Jankowska E., Michel L. N., Lepoint G., Włodarska-Kowalczuk M
(2019).
Stabilizing effects of seagrass meadows on coastal water benthic food webs.
Journal of Experimental Marine Biology and Ecology, 510: 54-63.
Remy F., Mascart T., De Troch M., Michel L. N., Lepoint G
(2018).
Seagrass organic matter transfer in Posidonia oceanica macrophytodetritus accumulations.
Estuarine, Coastal and Shelf Science, 212: 73-79.
Mascart T., De Troch M., Remy F., Michel L. N., Lepoint G
(2018).
Seasonal dependence on seagrass detritus and trophic niche partitioning in four copepod eco-morphotypes.
Food Webs, 16: e00086.
Pizzochero A. C., Michel L. N., Chenery S. R., McCarthy I. D., Vianna M., Malm O., Lepoint G., Das K., Dorneles P. R
(2018).
Use of multielement stable isotope ratios to investigate ontogenetic movements of Micropogonias furnieri in a tropical Brazilian estuary.
Canadian Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences, 75 (6): 977-986.
Jankowska E., De Troch M., Michel L. N., Lepoint G., Włodarska-Kowalczuk M
(2018).
Modification of benthic food web structure by recovering seagrass meadows, as revealed by trophic markers and mixing models.
Ecological Indicators, 90: 28-37.
Gajdzik L., Parmentier E., Michel L. N., Sturaro N., Soong K., Lepoint G., Frédérich B
(2018).
Similar levels of trophic and functional diversity within damselfish assemblages across Indo-Pacific coral reefs.
Functional Ecology, 32 (5): 1358-1369.
Pinzone M., Acquarone M., Huyghebaert L., Sturaro N., Michel L. N., Siebert U., Das K
(2017).
Carbon, nitrogen and sulphur isotopic fractionation in captive juvenile hooded seal (Cystophora cristata): Application for diet analysis.
Rapid Communications in Mass Spectrometry, 31 (20): 1720-1728.
Das K., Holleville O., Ryan C., Berrow S., Gilles A., Ody D., Michel L. N
(2017).
Isotopic niches of fin whales from the Mediterranean sea and the Celtic sea (North Atlantic).
Marine Environmental Research, 127: 75-83.
Frédérich B.*, Michel L. N.*, Zaeytydt E., Lingofo Bolaya R., Lavitra T., Parmentier E., Lepoint G
(2017).
Comparative Feeding Ecology of Cardinalfishes (Apogonidae) at Toliara Reef, Madagascar.
Zoological Studies, 56: 10. *Shared first authorship.
Latli A., Sturaro N., Desjardin N., Michel L. N., Otjacques W., Lepoint G., Kestemont P
(2017).
Isotopic half-life and enrichment factor in two species of European freshwater fish larvae: an experimental approach.
Rapid Communications in Mass Spectrometry, 31 (8): 685-692.
Michel L. N., David B., Dubois P., Lepoint G., De Ridder C
(2016).
Trophic plasticity of Antarctic echinoids under contrasted environmental conditions.
Polar Biology, 39: 913-923.
Jankowska E., Michel L. N., Zaborska A., Włodarska-Kowalczuk M
(2016).
Sediment carbon sink in low-density temperate eelgrass meadows (Baltic Sea).
Journal of Geophysical Research: Biogeosciences, 121 (12): 2918-2934.
Lepoint G., Bernard L., Gobert S., Michel L. N
(2016).
Trophic interactions between two neustonic organisms: insights from Bayesian stable isotope data analysis tools.
Belgian Journal of Zoology, 146 (2): 123-133.
Lepoint G., Michel L. N, Parmentier E., Frédérich B
(2016).
Trophic ecology of the seagrass-inhabiting footballer demoiselle Chrysiptera annulata (Peters, 1855); comparison with three other reef-associated damselfishes.
Belgian Journal of Zoology, 146 (1): 21-32.
Michel L. N., Dauby P., Gobert S., Graeve M., Nyssen F., Thelen N., Lepoint G
(2015).
Dominant amphipods of Posidonia oceanica seagrass meadows display considerable trophic diversity.
Marine Ecology, 36 (4): 969-981.
Caut S., Jowers M. J., Michel L., Lepoint G., Fisk A. T
(2013).
Diet-and tissue-specific incorporation of isotopes in the shark Scyliorhinus stellaris, a North Sea mesopredator.
Marine Ecology Progress Series, 492: 185-198.
Jansen O. E., Michel L., Lepoint G., Das K., Couperus A. S., Reijnders P. J. H
(2013).
Diet of harbor porpoises along the Dutch coast: A combined stable isotope and stomach contents approach.
Marine Mammal Science, 29 (3): E295-E311.
Jansen O. E., Aarts G. M., Das K., Lepoint G., Michel L., Reijnders P. J. H
(2012).
Feeding ecology of harbour porpoises: stable isotope analysis of carbon and nitrogen in muscle and bone.
Marine Biology Research, 8 (9): 829-841.