@article{fdi:010090319, title = {{H}uman activities and environmental variables drive infaunal community structure and functioning in {W}est {A}frican mangroves}, author = {{J}acquot, {M}. {P}. and {N}ordstr{\¨o}m, {M}. {C}. and {D}e {W}ever, {L}. and {K}a, {R}. {N}. and {K}a, {S}. and {L}e {G}arrec, {V}. and {R}affray, {J}ean and {S}adio, {O}. and {D}iouf, {M}. and {G}rall, {J}. and {T}ito de {M}orais, {L}uis and {L}e {L}oc'h, {F}ran{\c{c}}ois}, editor = {}, language = {{ENG}}, abstract = {{I}n {W}est {A}frican tropical estuaries, such as the {S}aloum {D}elta ({S}enegal), mangroves provide specific socio-economic functions including various natural food resources for local human populations. {M}angrove-habitat loss is therefore of great concern, in terms of conservation and management, and highlights the need to study {W}est {A}frican mangrove under human-induced pressures. {B}ased on data from 2007 to 2008, this study aimed to establish a conditions report for two of the main {S}outhern {W}est {S}enegal mangroves areas: the {S}ine {S}aloum and the {P}etite {C}{\^o}te. {W}e assessed the influence of environmental variables and human-induced pressures (i.e. shellfish harvesting and heavy metals (potentially toxic elements, {PTE}s)) on infaunal community structure and functions through trait-based approaches.{R}eflecting for example changing seasons and hypersaline events, the {S}aloum environmental variables and their temporal dynamics greatly impacted infaunal communities in the subtidal zone. {I}n the intertidal area, closer to anthropogenic disturbances, pressures related to human activities took precedence over environmental variables in explaining infaunal community structure. {S}hellfish harvesting resulted in a significant decrease (p < 0.05) in total macrofaunal abundance (933.79 +/- 626.34 ind m(-2) in unexploited stations compared to 140.92 +/- 71.99 ind m(-2) in exploited stations; mean +/- {SE}) in addition to a decline in biomass and taxonomic richness. {I}ntertidal species composition was affected by both shellfish harvesting and {PTE}s. {PTE}s were also associated with a significant decrease in functional diversity and particularly with a change in macrofaunal living habits. {T}he combination of an {RLQ} and fourth-corner analysis highlighted a significant association between feeding modes and sediment grain size in both tidal areas.{T}his study provides a needed deeper understanding of the unintended effects of human activities on infaunal communities and their functioning, in a highly valuable system for humans. {P}inpointed factors driving infaunal community structure and functions provide important insights for future research, as well as reference points for the implementation of management measures.}, keywords = {{B}iological traits ; {Z}oobenthos ; {S}hellfish harvesting ; {P}otentially toxic elements ; {I}ntertidal and subtidal environments ; {I}nverse estuary ; {SENEGAL} ; {SALOUM} {DELTA}}, booktitle = {}, journal = {{E}stuarine {C}oastal and {S}helf {S}cience}, volume = {293}, numero = {}, pages = {108481 [18 ]}, ISSN = {0272-7714}, year = {2023}, DOI = {10.1016/j.ecss.2023.108481}, URL = {https://www.documentation.ird.fr/hor/fdi:010090319}, }