The Seine estuary plays an important role in the dynamics of the easte
rn English Channel ecosystem. Nevertheless, its biological compartment
is poorly known. This constitutes an important handicap to establish
the precise state of the health of this major European estuary. The ob
jectives of this study were to identify the life resources of the estu
ary: macrobenthos, mesozooplankton, suprabenthos, and fish populations
and to define the main trophic links in two parts of the estuary (i.e
. the polyhaline and oligohaline zones). There is an impoverishment of
the biological diversity from the polyhaline zone to the oligohaline
zone. The benthic and pelagic fauna of the Seine estuary is similar to
other North-Eastern Atlantic estuaries. But the pelagic fauna, especi
ally the copepod Eurytemora affinis and the shrimp Palaemon longirostr
is seemed to be more abundant in the Seine estuary than in other estua
ries. Two macrobenthic communities occurred in the estuary: a diversif
ied and abundant Abm alba-Pectinaria koreni community in the outer par
t of the estuary and a Macoma balthica community in the inner part. Th
is latter was especially poor in specific richness, density and biomas
s, in all areas, except on tidal mud flats. Two trophic chains were id
entified. In the oligohaline zone corresponding to the maximum turbidi
ty zone (high turbidity, low concentration of oxygen), the trophic cha
in was exclusively planktonic due to the dredging of the estuary which
prevented permanent benthic fauna formation. In this zone, the number
of fishes was relatively low in spite of high biomass of mesozooplank
ton and suprabenthos. In the outer part of the estuary, low turbidity
and high concentration of oxygen are more favourable to fish populatio
ns which feed especially on benthic fauna.