Bacteria as food in aquaculture: do they make a difference?

Abstract

Bacterioplankton is an important component of marine as well as fresh waters and accounts for a large fraction of the production of particulate matter in those ecosystems. The concept of bacteria as providers of essential nutrients in aquatic food webs has been raised most recently in relation to the utilization of bacteria as a food source in aquaculture food chains. This article represents a comprehensive review on the potential role of bacteria as a direct food source for aquaculture organisms. After studying shortly the analytical tools that can be applied to determine the uptake and assimilation of bacteria by higher trophic levels, it describes the bacterial loads that are found in closed and open aquaculture systems and elaborates on the composition of bacteria from a nutritional point of view. Next this study elaborates in more detail on the role of bacteria as food for the zooplankton groups used as live food in aquaculture hatcheries and for various groups of aquaculture target organisms, such as fish, crustaceans and especially bivalves. This includes an assessment of the specific uptake mechanisms of the different taxonomic groups of interest in relation to their efficiency to ingest bacteria. Finally, future research lines are suggested to elucidate the nutritional impact of the bacterial community in aquaculture systems and how to steer this in order to optimize the production.

Bacterial Community Dynamics in an Oyster Hatchery in Response to Probiotic Treatment

“…The dominance of Proteobacteria in the system, the most abundant phylum in all samples (up to 87% in larvae), is consistent with previous studies where it was shown to make up the largest and most diverse phylum in oyster-associated microbiota (Hernández-Zárate and Olmos-Soto, 2006; Trabal Fernández et al, 2014; Dittmann et al, 2018). Bacteria are an essential component of aquaculture nutrition, as a source of both nutrients and growth factors for the microalgae, and as food for the larvae (Kamiyama, 2004; Natrah et al, 2014; Nevejan et al, 2016). Factors such as size, nutrient availability, metabolites, and accompanying bacteria lead to differential ingestion of algae and associated microbes in eastern oysters (Newell and Jordan, 1983; Baldwin, 1995; Pales Espinosa et al, 2009; Nevejan et al, 2016).…”

“…Bacteria are an essential component of aquaculture nutrition, as a source of both nutrients and growth factors for the microalgae, and as food for the larvae (Kamiyama, 2004; Natrah et al, 2014; Nevejan et al, 2016). Factors such as size, nutrient availability, metabolites, and accompanying bacteria lead to differential ingestion of algae and associated microbes in eastern oysters (Newell and Jordan, 1983; Baldwin, 1995; Pales Espinosa et al, 2009; Nevejan et al, 2016). Interestingly, strong temporal changes were seen in the structure of microbial communities of oyster larvae, tank surface biofilms, and/or rearing water in each of the trials.…”

Hypersaline Lagoons from Chile, the Southern Edge of the World

“…The brine shrimp Artemia and bacteria coexist and interact in hypersaline lagoons, as demonstrated by Quiroz et al [30]. One evident expression of this interaction is that Artemia gets energy grazing on bacteria [58][59][60], which also provide enzymes to digest the algae and yeasts that are also Artemia food items. Additionally, environmental bacteria colonize and establish in the Artemia gut conforming the microbiota, which is known to provide multiple functional benefits to the host such as protection against pathogens, energy balance, immunological enhancement, and behavior [61].…”

Reproductive performance of fairy shrimpBranchinecta orientalis(G. O. Sars 1901) (Crustacea: Anostraca), fed with effluent of rainbow troutOncorhynchus mykiss(Walbaum 1792) ponds

“…To reduce nutrient inputs through the feed and its effects on the environment and to optimize recycling of nutrients in effluents, several aquaculture techniques and rearing systems have been developed (Nevejan et al., ). In Iran, trout Oncorhynchus mykiss is one of the most common cold water fish produced, with a production of 127,000 tons in 2014 (FAO ).…”