Abstract
Deposit-feeding sea cucumbers are efficient nutrient recyclers and have the potential to contribute to the limitation of organic matter load in polyculture or integrated aquaculture systems. Assessing how they assimilate organic matter originating from other farmed species is therefore important for the development of such multi-species farming systems. Here, a coupled stable isotope − fatty acid approach was used to characterize the assimilation of organic matter from shrimp (Penaeus stylirostris) farming by Holothuria scabra in an experimental culture system. H. scabra were reared in mesocosms on shrimp farming-originating sediment with and without additional food sources (maize and fish meals). Although fatty acid results did indicate that shrimp-farming sediment was assimilated by holothurids, we found no evidence of maize waste and fish meal contribution to H. scabra organic carbon (no effect on δ13C, no accumulation of meal-specific fatty acids). However, a strong effect of fish meal on H. scabra δ15N was observed, suggesting that this additional food source could represent an alternative source of nitrogen for holothurids. Finally, this study supports the culture of H. scabra as a perspective to reduce sedimentary organic matter excess associated with shrimp farms, and suggest that the addition of selected food sources might contribute to increasing the content in some nitrogen organic compounds in holothurid tissues.
Highlights
The combined farming of different species, where each one feeds on wastes from the other one aims at increasing economic yields of aquaculture surfaces, reducing ultimate effluents from production units and generating a mass-balanced system mitigating impacts on the adjacent environment (Soto, 2009)
Fatty acid results did indicate that shrimp-farming sediment was assimilated by holothurids, we found no evidence of maize waste and fish meal contribution to H. scabra organic carbon
This study supports the assimilation of shrimp farm sediment by holothurids, which could represent a solution to pond sediment excessive organic matter enrichment associated with shrimp farming
Summary
The combined farming of different species, where each one feeds on wastes from the other one (commonly referred to as polyculture, co-culture, or integrated culture Lutz, 2003; Zamora et al, 2016) aims at increasing economic yields of aquaculture surfaces, reducing ultimate effluents from production units and generating a mass-balanced system mitigating impacts on the adjacent environment (Soto, 2009). Sea cucumbers are considered as ideal models for co-culture systems in association with various taxa (molluscs, crustaceans, fish, seaweed) in both temperate and tropical environments (Zamora et al, 2016). Their high economic value makes them an attractive aquaculture product, with an annual. Individuals of H. scabra averaging 1 kg were reported to displace more than 250 cm of sediments per diurnal cycle (Purcell, 2004) Their burrowing activity limits sediment hypoxia, thereby enhancing organic matter bacterial remineralization (MacTavish et al, 2012).
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