Tracing the organic matter source of cage culture sediments based on stable carbon and nitrogen isotopes in Poyang Lake, China

Abstract

Collected sediment samples from the cage fish farm were measured to determine carbon and nitrogen stable isotope compositions and to understand the influence of the aquaculture waste on the sediment. The average δ13C of the sediment organic matter was −27.2 ‰ and −26.5 ‰, and the average δ15N value was 5.6 ‰ and 6.2 ‰ in October 2017 and November 2018, respectively. A linear mixing model was used to calculate the contribution ratios of the aquaculture waste in sediment organic matter. The contribution ratio of fish feces was 53.9 % and 25.5 %, and the contribution ratio of waste feed was 18.4 % and 52.6 % in October 2017 and November 2018, respectively. The sediment in the “cage fish area” was characterized by high waste feed ratio in sediment organic matter. The sediment organic matter was affected by the aquaculture waste even at sites 1500 m away from the cage fish farm.