Herbeck, Lucia S and Unger, D (2013) Pond aquaculture effluents traced along back-reef waters by standard water quality parameters, δ15N in suspended matter and phytoplankton bioassays. Marine Ecology Progress Series, 478 . pp. 71-86. DOI https://doi.org/10.3354/meps10170.

Full text not available from this repository.

Abstract

Despite the enormous growth in aquaculture in recent years, little is known of the impact of effluents from large-scale pond agglomerations on tropical coastal ecosystems. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the dispersal and ecological impact of effluents from fish and shrimp ponds along 3 seagrass-covered back-reef areas on Hainan Island, tropical China, with pond areas in their hinterland differing in extent (Yelin: 0.04 km2; Qingge: 2.4 km2; Changqi: 8.7 km2). Concentrations of dissolved and particulate nitrogen, chlorophyll a (chl a) and stable nitrogen isotopes of ammonium (δ15N-NH4+), nitrate (δ15N-NO3-) and suspended matter (δ15N-TSM) were used to trace pond effluents along transects perpendicular to the shore. Additionally, δ15N-TSM and chl a samples were taken from a phytoplankton bioassay experiment, during which offshore surface water was incubated in dialysis bags at stations along these transects. High nutrient concentrations, particularly ammonium, in combination with high chl a (~10 µg l-1) and elevated chl a levels in the bioassays after incubation indicate eutrophication of the effluent-exposed back-reef areas Qingge and Changqi, with decreasing intensity in the offshore direction. We report the first δ15N-NH4+ of pond effluents which were as high as 17‰. Consequently, elevated δ15N values in TSM (5 to 12‰) and a δ15N increase from <7 up to 14‰ over time in the phytoplankton bioassays specified pond effluents as the predominant nutrient source. The effluents affect the entire back-reef areas over a distance of at least 2.5 km from shore. Our results show that analysis of δ15N in phytoplankton bioassays is a powerful bioindicator for tracing pond-derived nutrient dispersal and eutrophication effects.

Document Type:	Article
Programme Area:	UNSPECIFIED
Research affiliation:	Biogeochemistry and Geology > Ecological Biogeochemistry Ecology > Mangrove Ecology
Refereed:	Yes
Open Access Journal?:	No
DOI:	https://doi.org/10.3354/meps10170
ISSN:	0171-8630
Date Deposited:	16 Aug 2019 12:42
Last Modified:	26 Mar 2024 13:29
URI:	http://cris.leibniz-zmt.de/id/eprint/2642

Actions (login required)

View Item