Evaluation of carrying capacity for shrimp pond culture with integrated bioremediation techniques

Abstract

The integrated multi-trophic aquaculture (IMTA) is a semi-artificial habitat optimization ecosystem by co-culture species from multiple trophic levels, in which farm waste produced by species of a higher trophic level is a nutrition source for species of a lower trophic level. However, in system construction it is essential to distinguish the roles of aquaculture organisms from different trophic levels and optimize the aquaculture capacity allocation. With this objective, a carrying capacity evaluation model for shrimp culture with integrated bioremediation techniques was developed, and the efficiency to repair the aquaculture pond environment was evaluated. Scenario simulations were conducted to assess the shrimp culture capacity for optimal economic and ecological benefits. The sensitivity analysis of the model indicated that changes in bivalve biomass had no significant impacts on the concentration of total nitrogen (TN) in the system, and macroalgae were more sensitive to the changes in TN than biofilters did. In conclusion, 1,500,000 Litopenaeus vannamei co-cultured with 15,000 kg Crassostrea gigas and 1,125 kg Gracilaria lemaneiformis per hectare would bring maximum integrated benefit, and the use of integrated bioremediation techniques can make shrimp pond culture a virtuous cycle incorporating both production and restoration.