Tag phytoplankton

Prof. Boyd provides additional insights into fertilization of aquaculture ponds, discussing phytoplankton requirements, organic and inorganic fertilizers, and other relevant aspects of pond management. 

Dissolved oxygen management is the most important requirement of aquaculture pond water quality. DO concentration below 3 mg/L is stressful to shrimp. 

Intensification of pond aquaculture involves the use of commercial fertilizers such as urea and triple superphosphate to stimulate phytoplankton blooms. There is no objective way of determining the ideal fertilization rate for an individual pond. 

Commercial nitrogen and phosphorus fertilizers are widely used in aquaculture production systems to stimulate phytoplankton growth and the food web that provides natural food organisms beneficial to stocked fish fry and shrimp postlarvae. 

Changes in atmospheric carbon dioxide concentration should have little effect on rising alkalinity concentration in aquaculture systems. Climate change is of greater concern in freshwater aquaculture than is an increase in alkalinity. 

Phytoplankton has several important effects on water quality, including removing ammonia nitrogen from water and absorbing nutrients from the water for its growth. Abundance of blue-green algae tends to increase as nutrient inputs in aquafeeds or fertilizers increase. 

A vigorous phytoplankton bloom will support a healthy benthic community and will contribute significantly to stabilising and maintaining adequate pond water and bottom quality. 

Manufactured aquafeeds, if improperly managed, can result in undesirable oxygen demand that can reduce dissolved oxygen levels and pollution through effluents, and stress cultured animals. 

Los organismos fitoplanctónicos, o microalgas, son muy abundantes en los estanques de acuacultura y tienen un papel crítico en estos ecosistemas, influyendo significativamente en la ecología general del estanque y en la calidad del agua. El manejo adecuado de las poblaciones de fitoplancton es esencial para el éxito de la producción de estanques acuícolas. 

It is one of the most commonly measured water quality variables in aquaculture, and probably the most misunderstood water quality variable in aquaculture. The pH levels in water have a propensity to change rapidly, but this is a natural phenomenon that often has little consequences and not much can be done to avoid it. 

Phytoplanktonic organisms, or microalgae, are very abundant in aquaculture ponds and have critical roles in these ecosystems, significantly influencing overall pond ecology and water quality. Proper management of phytoplankton populations is essential for successful aquaculture pond production. 

Light penetrating water is scattered and absorbed exponentially as it passes downward. The presence of dissolved organic matter and suspended solids further impedes light penetration, and different types of solids absorb different wavelengths. 

The silicon plants take up in silicic acid from water strengthens cell walls. Among the phytoplankton, diatoms particularly need silicon. 

Animal manures, grasses and other organic matter have been widely used as fertilizers in aquaculture ponds. The fertilizers decompose and release nutrients that promote the growth of phytoplankton and enhance the base of the food web. 

The simplest tool for assessing phytoplankton abundance in aquaculture ponds is the Secchi disk. An electronic turbidimeter can be used to measure the amount of light scattered by a water sample.