Food web and ecological models used to assess aquatic ecosystems submitted to aquaculture activities

Rodrigo Sávio Teixeira De Moura,Gustavo Gonzaga Henry-Silva

doi:10.1590/0103-8478cr20180050

Rodrigo Sávio Teixeira De Moura, Gustavo Gonzaga Henry-Silva

Open Access

https://doi.org/10.1590/0103-8478cr20180050

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Abstract

ABSTRACT: Continental aquatic ecosystems play a fundamental role in economic and social development; however, they are vulnerable to environmental degradation due to the various stresses to which they are submitted. Aquaculture is among the main anthropic activities that influence these environments. Mathematical modelling of aquatic ecosystems performed using a set of computational tools allows simplified representation of environment regarding its biotic and abiotic components. Some of the most used techniques are: hydrodynamic modelling, focusing on the dispersion of nutrients; nutrient-mass balance modelling, especially phosphorus; bioenergetic modelling in animal production systems, with an estimate of the generation of residues in the environment by farmed animals; and trophic and ecological modelling, focusing on aquatic communities and their interactions. These techniques help understand changes caused by aquaculture systems in aquatic environments. In this way, it is possible to estimate the magnitude and extent of the impacts of these activities by simulating the possible environmental changes over time. It can be concluded that techniques involving mathematical modelling can provide relevant information for future impacts prediction on aquatic environments, promoting the management of water resources and their multiple uses.

Highlights

Mathematical modelling is one of the ways to understand the structure and functioning of aquatic ecosystems
The greatest challenge of the models applied to aquatic ecosystems has been to increase environmental resolution, i.e., the complexity of the processes and patterns that can be Received 01.25.18
Since the development of the first mathematical models applied to aquatic ecosystems, the main objective was to model some components of the aquatic environment, i.e., a hydrological parameter, such as currents or thermal stratification, a parameter of water quality, such as concentrations of nutrients, or even some key communities, such as primary producers

Summary

INTRODUCTION

Mathematical modelling is one of the ways to understand the structure and functioning of aquatic ecosystems. Most ecological models are rarely applied by a small part of the scientific community, and an even smaller fraction have access to the source code for possible contributions (TROLLE et al, 2012) In this context, we can mention some models that have stood out over the years, namely: (i) Hydrodynamic and/or water quality models, such as DYRESM/ELCOM/CAEDYM, DELFT3D, CE-QUAL-W2, and PROTECH; (ii) Mass balance models for phosphorus (DILLON & RIGLER, 1974; VOLLENWEIDER, 1975); (iii) Complex ecological models, such as Ecopath with Ecosim; (iv) Dynamic simulation models, such as STELLA and VISQ; and (v) Bioenergetic models, such as Fish-PrFEQ. These models have been among the most widely used and generally recognized, mainly by the number of studies reported in the literature that addressed them (TROLLE et al, 2012; COLLÉTER et al, 2015)

Mathematical models applied to lakes and reservoirs

Findings

Modelling of aquatic ecosystems submitted to aquaculture activities