Changes of macrofaunal functional composition at sedimentary habitats in the vicinity of fish farms

Papageorgiou, Nikos; Sigala, Kalliopi; Karakassis, Ioannis

doi:10.1016/j.ecss.2009.05.002

Cited by 55 publications

(30 citation statements)

References 51 publications

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“…The Sitia fish farm (Crete) at the time of this study operated approximately 45 to 50 net cages and produced about 1000 t yr −1 of sea bass and gilthead seabream (Pitta et al 2009). Cages were suspended above depths that ranged from 15 to 30 m over coarse to fine grain sand (Papageorgiou et al 2009). In total, approximately 2000 t of feed were released to farmed fish annually at this site (Pitta et al 2009), which led to enriched water concentrations of dissolved inorganic nitrogen and phosphorus in the surrounding area (Pitta et al 2006).…”

Section: Study Sitesmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Seagrass productivity was evaluated in all seagrass patches during both February/March and April/May sample periods, which corresponded to periods of low and high fish farm feeding rates, respectively (Papageorgiou et al 2009). In each seagrass patch, 3 PVC rings (16.5 cm diameter) were haphazardly thrown by SCUBA divers.…”

Section: Seagrass Productivity Morphometrics and Epiphyte Loadmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…In the surrounding sediments, however, nutrients and organic matter can accumulate (Pusced du et al 2007), which can stimulate bacterial growth and increase benthic respiration (La Rosa et al 2001, Vezzulli et al 2002. This may lead to anoxic events and toxic porewater conditions for benthic organisms (Belias et al 2003, Holmer et al 2008, Papageorgiou et al 2009). These conditions can persist even after fish farming practices have ended (Delgado et al 1999, Karakassis et al 1999.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Indirect effects of fish cage aquaculture on shallow Posidonia oceanica seagrass patches in coastal Greek waters

Rountos¹,

Peterson²,

Karakassis³

2012

Aquacult. Environ. Interact.

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) to large-scale (1000 t yr −1 ) fish production, respectively. On both islands, the seagrass variables, shoot productivity, standing crop and leaf morphometrics (length and width) were significantly lower (p < 0.0001) in impacted seagrass patches adjacent to fish farms compared with control patches. In addition, significantly higher sea urchin densities and herbivore feeding pressure (percentage of shoots with herbivore grazing scars) were found in impacted patches on both islands. Higher leaf tissue nitrogen and epiphyte loads were also found in impacted patches, but these increases could not be attributed to fish farming alone. Our results show that negative effects on seagrass patches can occur as a result of fish farming at both small-scale and large-scale intensities and that increased sea urchin densities and feeding pressures are important indirect effects of coastal aquaculture on these islands.

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Section: Study Sitesmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Seagrass Productivity Morphometrics and Epiphyte Loadmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Indirect effects of fish cage aquaculture on shallow Posidonia oceanica seagrass patches in coastal Greek waters

Rountos¹,

Peterson²,

Karakassis³

2012

Aquacult. Environ. Interact.

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“…In the case of eutrophication, the response of benthic fauna to organic enrichment depends on the biological traits of the organisms. Different species have different activity patterns and the importance of faunal activities for ecosystem maintenance is closely related to individual functional traits (Papageorgiou et al, 2009). A moderate increase of organic matter in the sediment has been reported to increase macrofaunal biomass by favoring deposit-feeding organisms that take advantage of the available food (Grall and Chauvaud, 2002), thus reducing the chance of hypoxia occurring.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Response of Benthic Macrofauna to Eutrophication in a Mesocosm Experiment: Ecosystem Resilience Prevents Hypoxic Conditions

2017

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A benthic-pelagic mesocosm experiment was performed to study how the benthic macrofaunal community responds to a eutrophication gradient. The novel experimental setup allowed the induction of an eutrophication gradient in the water column and the detailed documentation of the response of the benthos in terms of biodiversity and ecosystem processes. Nine mesocosms were deployed in the facilities of the Hellenic Center for Marine Research in Crete in the eastern Mediterranean. The mesocosms were 4 m deep, contained 1.5 m 3 coastal water, and included 85 liters of undisturbed sediment at the bottom. No water or sediment exchange was allowed. The experimental design included a Control and two eutrophication levels (Low and High) for the 58-day duration of the experiment. Macrofaunal samples were collected at the end of the experiment from each mesocosm and compared to the ones collected at the beginning of the experiment from the sediment collection area. Results show that the High eutrophication treatment differed significantly from the Control and Low treatments in terms of macrofaunal species composition, diversity, ecological status and ecosystem processes. The increased availability of organic matter in the sediment caused differences in macrofaunal community structure by favoring deposit-feeding species with high bioturbation ability, which significantly increased their abundance. The increased bioturbation potential of the new community combined with the high organic matter consumption contributed to the oxygenation of the sediment within the mesocosm, preventing the creation of hypoxic conditions in the sediment and maintaining ecosystem health despite the highly eutrophic conditions and significant changes in sediment geochemical variables. In the oligotrophic eastern Mediterranean, healthy benthic ecosystems may use existing ecosystem processes to "buffer" the negative effects caused by eutrophication.

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“…The benthic impacts of the Mediterranean fish farming industry are still less well described and understood than those at higher latitudes, where salmon is the predominant culture species group, but considerable progress has been made in recent years in understanding and quantifying the relationships between particulate waste inputs and benthic response in this environment (e.g. Holmer et al 2008, Apostolaki et al 2009, Papageorgiou et al 2009, 2010, Sanz-Lázaro et al 2011. Regulation and management of seabed impacts is a key component of regulating finfish impacts in all salmon farming countries (Wilson et al 2009) but is inconsistently applied in Mediterranean aquaculture (Telfer et al 2009).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

MERAMOD: predicting the deposition and benthic impact of aquaculture in the eastern Mediterranean Sea

Cromey¹,

Thetmeyer²,

Lampadariou³

et al. 2012

Aquacult. Environ. Interact.

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A model composed of coupled particle tracking and benthic response modules was developed for predicting waste solids flux and benthic impacts of gilthead sea bream Sparus aurata L. and sea bass Dicentrarchus labrax L. aquaculture. The model was tested at 6 sites with different hydrodynamics, bathymetries and biomasses in the Aegean and Ionian seas, eastern Mediterranean Sea, and sediment trap flux and benthic impact indicators were observed. Seven sediment trap validation studies were conducted that varied in design with traps deployed either on the seabed, attached to nets or suspended in the water column. Model predictions of flux to traps spaced 5 m apart up to 50 m from the cages over a 13 d period were significant (R 2 = 0.61, n = 57, p ≤ 0.05). However, the model could not predict adequately the flux to traps spaced 2 m apart in the high-flux zone underneath cages where variability between trap observations was high. In this high-flux zone underneath cages, the averaged model flux predictions resulted in a performance of ± 49%. Statistically significant relationships were established at 4 sites between modelled flux and either benthic fauna impact indicator species (S), abundance (A), A/S ratio, Shannon-Wiener index or biomass fractionation index (BFI), (R 2 = 0.82, 0.60, 0.57, 0.67 and 0.48, respectively; n = 24, p ≤ 0.05). Two other sites, which did not exhibit an abundance peak in enriched zones, did not fit these relationships. Using relative abundance of taxonomic groups, a modelled flux of 4.1 g m −2 d −1 was determined to be a useful boundary; on either side of this boundary, clear trends occurred in pollutant tolerant and intolerant species.

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Changes of macrofaunal functional composition at sedimentary habitats in the vicinity of fish farms

Cited by 55 publications

References 51 publications

Indirect effects of fish cage aquaculture on shallow Posidonia oceanica seagrass patches in coastal Greek waters

Indirect effects of fish cage aquaculture on shallow Posidonia oceanica seagrass patches in coastal Greek waters

Response of Benthic Macrofauna to Eutrophication in a Mesocosm Experiment: Ecosystem Resilience Prevents Hypoxic Conditions

MERAMOD: predicting the deposition and benthic impact of aquaculture in the eastern Mediterranean Sea

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