南四湖表层沉积物重金属的空间分布、来源及污染评价

为研究南四湖表层沉积物中重金属含量、分布与污染特征,采集了29个表层沉积物站点并测定了8种重金属含量。采用主成分、相关分析、聚类分析法分析了重金属来源,同时运用地累积指数法和潜在生态风险指数法综合评价了南四湖沉积物中重金属的污染现状和潜在生态风险。结果表明,（1）南四湖表层沉积物中,As、Hg、Pb、Cr、Cd、Cu、Zn、Ni的平均含量分别为14.41、0.048、25.69、71.10、0.22、30.14、87.55、35.33mg/kg,其中As、Hg、Pb、Cd均超过环境背景值,在空间上表现出上级湖高,下级湖低的分布特征;（2）相关性分析、主成分以及聚类分析显示,Pb、Cr、Cu、Zn、Ni具有同源性,为自然源元素;As和Cr具有同源性,为人为源元素;Hg元素主要来源与其他几种重金属不同,受自然地质背景与人类活动的双重影响。③地累积指数法评价结果表明,南四湖沉积物重金属元素的污染程度：Hg＞Cd＞As＞Pb＞Cr＞Zn＞Ni＞Cu,Hg、Cd、As、Pb已处于无污染-中度污染程度,而其它元素无污染。④潜在生态指数法研究结果表明,南四湖表层沉积物单项重金属生态风险程度顺序为：Hg＞Cd＞As＞Pb＞Ni＞Cu＞Zn＞Cr,Hg、Cd具有较高的生态风险等级,为主要的生态风险贡献因子,其它7种重金属元素均为低生态风险等级。综合分析可见,Hg、Cd、As、Pb为南四湖表层沉积物主要重金属污染元素,各湖区沉积物污染程度由高至低依次为：南阳湖＞独山湖＞微山湖＞昭阳湖。     

洞庭湖表层沉积物营养盐和重金属污染特征及生态风险评价

为探究洞庭湖表层沉积物中营养盐和重金属的空间分布特征与生态风险,2012年2月和2013年4月在东、南、西洞庭湖各取3个共计9个具有代表性样点的表层沉积物,测定其有机质（OM）、总氮（TN）、总磷（TP）、镉（Cd）、汞（Hg）、砷（As）、铅（Pb）和铬（Cr）的含量。结果表明,洞庭湖表层沉积物中 OM、TN 和 TP 的含量分别为1．48％～4．22％、382～2217 mg／kg 和142～716 mg／kg,与国内其他湖泊（水库）相比,OM和 TN 含量处于中等水平;OM和 TN 的空间分布相似,表现为南洞庭湖区＞东洞庭湖区＞西洞庭湖区,TP 表现为东洞庭湖区＞西洞庭湖区＞南洞庭湖区。洞庭湖表层沉积物中,Cd、Hg、As、Pb 和 Cr 的含量分别为0.60～20．70 mg／kg、0.090～0．640 mg／kg、10．4～83．7 mg／kg、16．9～95．8 mg／kg 和59．0～199．0 mg／kg,其中 Cd 和 As 超过土壤环境质量三级标准,是主要的重金属污染物;Cd 和 Hg 的空间分布相似,表现为南洞庭湖区＞西洞庭湖区＞东洞庭湖区;As、Pb 和 Cr 的空间分布相似,表现为南洞庭湖区＞东洞庭湖区＞西洞庭湖区。初步评价结果显示,除 TP 外,其余营养盐和重金属均具有引起较低生态风险的可能性,横岭湖和虞公庙的 Cd、As 和 Cr 以及洞庭湖出口的 Cr 具有引起较高生态风险的可能性;受 Cd 和 As 含量较高的影响,南洞庭湖区具有较高的生态风险。     

通州区河流沉积物重金属污染评价

为了解通州区河流沉积物重金属污染现状,保障区域水生态安全,采集了11条主要河流25个沉积物样品,测定了重金属Hg、As、Pb、Cr、Cd和Cu的含量,采用地累积指数法、潜在生态风险指数法对重金属污染程度及潜在生态风险进行了评价。结果表明:(1)全区沉积物重金属Hg、As、Pb、Cr、Cd、Cu平均含量为0.673、6.27、24.40、78.60、0.25、45.80 mg/kg,总体高于中国水系沉积物平均值;(2)全区重金属平均地累积指数为Hg(1.53)Cr(0.75)Cu(0.38)Cd(0.11)Pb(-0.77)As(-0.90),沉积物主要受Hg、Cr、Cu、Cd污染;北运河污染最为严重,主要来源于工业废水及城市污水的排放;(3)全区重金属平均潜在生态风险系数为Hg(336)Cd(63)Cu(12)As(9)Cr(5)≈Pb(5),Hg具有极强生态危害;通州全区潜在生态风险指数RI=430,其中北京城市副中心RI=633,重金属生态危害更为严重。研究结果能够为通州区的河流底泥治理及生态修复提供科学依据。     

嵊泗赤潮监控区表层沉积物和紫贻贝（Mytilus edulis）重金属含量分析

根据嵊泗赤潮监控区2007年～2009年每年的8月表层沉积物及2007年和2008年的8月紫贻贝重金属的监测结果,对沉积物和紫贻贝质量进行分析评价,结果表明：嵊泗赤潮监控区表层沉积物质量良好,符合一类沉积物质量标准,Cu和Pb的含量明显高于其它3种重金属元素,其次是As〉Cd〉Hg;污染指数大小排序为Cu〉As,Pb〉Cd〉Hg,沉积物将有可能受到Cu的污染,应引起重视。紫贻贝重金属含量大小依次为Cu〉Cd〉As〉Pb〉Hg,而Pb和Cd的污染指数较高,紫贻贝已受到Pb和Cd的污染。     

唐山附近海域春季表层沉积物重金属含量年际变化及污染评价

根据2006-2015年4个航次对唐山附近海域共70个采样站位的表层沉积物调查资料,分析了沉积物中Hg、Cu、Pb、Cd、Cr、Zn和As 7种重金属的含量和年际变化特征,并利用超标率统计法、地累积指数法和潜在生态风险指数法对其污染状况进行了评价.结果显示,调查海域表层沉积物中重金属含量总体水平较低,除个别站位的Cu和As超过第Ⅰ类标准值外,其他调查站位的重金属含量均符合第Ⅰ类标准.2006-2015年调查海域表层沉积物中7种重金属含量的年际变化略有不同,其中,Cu、Pb、Cd和Zn4种重金属含量相对比较稳定,Hg和Cr的含量表现为先升高后降低的趋势,而As的变化趋势不明显.地累积指数法评价结果显示,7种重金属的地累积指数(Igeo)多年平均值为Hg＞Cd＞Pb＞Cu＞As＞Cr＞Zn;而潜在生态风险评价结果显示,7种重金属的潜在生态风险系数(Eri)多年平均值为Hg＞Cd＞As＞Pb＞Cu＞Cr＞Zn;两种污染评价结果一致,均显示Hg是唐山附近海域表层沉积物的主要污染因子,潜在生态风险最大.综合潜在风险指数(RJ)年际变化范围为44.26-153.18,平均值为89.92,属于低生态风险水平;RI年际变化基本表现为先升高后降低的趋势,表明近年来调查海域表层沉积物重金属的污染状况有所改善.     

黄河上游青川甘段表层沉积物重金属分布特征及风险评价

为揭示黄河上游青川甘段表层沉积物重金属分布特征和生态风险,选取青川甘段内黄河干流以及主要支流（白河、黑河、洮河、湟水）18个位点,采集表层沉积物样品,分析铬(Cr)、砷(As)、汞(Hg)、镍(Ni)、铜(Cu)、锌(Zn)、镉(Cd)、铅(Pb)等8种重金属元素含量的空间分布特征和来源,采用内梅罗综合污染指数法、地累积指数法和潜在生态危害指数法进行风险评价。结果显示,沉积物中As和Hg平均含量分别为11.74 mg/kg和0.034 mg/kg,分别富集1.3倍和1.0倍,其他6种重金属含量均低于中国水系沉积物背景值。As富集程度最高,内梅罗综合污染指数最高,为中度污染,但潜在生态风险远低于Hg和Cd。Hg的潜在生态风险值最高,为40.29,中等级别,其次为Cd,仅在黑河Cd为中等生态风险。根据主成分分析法和相关性分析结果推测,部分断面较高的As、Hg和Cd污染程度和生态风险主要受人类活动影响,如干流的龙羊峡库区出水口（G5）、支流洮河的西寨大桥（T1）、黑河的大水(H2),应加强监控。     

海州湾海洋牧场重金属的空间分布及来源分析

为了解海州湾海洋牧场的环境状况，本研究采集了该区域20个站位的表层水体和沉积物样品，对海水和沉积物中的8种重金属元素（Cr、Ni、Cu、Zn、Pb、Cd、As和Hg）进行测定，并通过物种敏感性分布法、地累积指数法和潜在生态风险指数法评估海州湾海洋牧场的重金属污染及生态风险程度，最后结合PCA/APCS模型对沉积物重金属的可能来源进行定量分析讨论。旨在海洋污染防控和海水养殖绿色高质量发展提供科学依据。结果表明:（1）物种敏感度分布法评估结果显示，海水中的As具有高生态风险，Cd、Cu和Zn处于中度生态风险；（2）综合生态风险指数结果显示,海州湾海洋牧场沉积物中重金属处于中生态风险状态，主要受到Cd与Hg的影响；（3）由受体模型定量分析可知，海洋牧场重金属污染的潜在来源主要包括养殖中产生的污染、陆源排污及2009年以前的临河口排污，其中养殖中产生的污染对Cu、Zn、Ni、Pb和Cr的贡献率大于50%，陆源排污对As和Cd的贡献率分别为40%和82.85%,而Hg主要受2009年以前临河口排污的影响。     

山东省主要贝类养殖区重金属环境状况及贝类安全风险分析

依据2014年8月对山东省近岸贝类养殖区的调查资料,研究了养殖区海水、沉积物和生物体中6种重金属的含量及富集情况,并对贝类养殖区进行质量及生态风险评价.结果显示,海水中重金属含量从高到低为As、Cu、Cr、Pb、Cd和Hg;沉积物中重金属含量从高到低为Cr、Pb、Cu、As、Cd和Hg;贝类体中重金属含量从高到低为Cu、As、Cd、Cr、Pb和Hg.生态环境质量评价结果表明,养殖区海水中重金属含量均符合Ⅱ类海水水质标准;沉积物重金属含量均符合Ⅰ类海洋沉积物质量标准;贝类体中Hg、Cd、Pb和Cr均符合《食品安全国家标准食品中污染物限量》,Cu符合Ⅰ类海洋生物质量标准.贝类对重金属的富集能力从大到小为Cu、Cd、Hg、Pb、Cr和As,调查海域贝类体中的Cu、Cd富集系数较高,其他重金属富集系数相对较低.重金属质量安全风险分析表明,贝类体中Cd、Pb、As、Cr和Hg的膳食暴露量较低,处于安全范围内,但建议去除内脏后食用.     

燕尾港近岸海域表层沉积物重金属的分布与污染评价

测定了燕尾港近岸海域表层沉积物中重金属的含量,运用地累积指数就其污染程度进行了分析与评价。结果表明Cu、Zn、Pb、Cd、Cr、As、Ni、Mn的平均含量分别为20．2,264,54．0,1．52,69．8,38．8,35．7,684 mg/kg。Cu、Zn、Pb、Cr、As的平均含量低于国家海洋沉积物质量标准的二级标准值,重金属Cd的平均值高于国家海洋沉积物质量标准的二级标准值;地累积指数评价结果表明,Cd在调查海域污染程度重,7种重金属的污染程度依次为Cd＞ As＞ Pb＞Zn＞Cr＞Ni＞Cu。对结果进行主成分分析和聚类分析后发现,前2个主成分的贡献率分别为62．41％、12．52％,表明此海域表层沉积物中重金属的主要来源是工业废水和农业灌溉水的排放及大气沉降。     

东碇临时海洋倾倒区及邻近海域表层沉积物重金属污染及潜在生态风险评价

本文分析了2005—2015年其中4年东碇临时海洋倾倒区及邻近海域表层沉积物中Cu、Pb、Zn、Cd、Hg、As共6种重金属含量及时空分布特征,并采用潜在生态风险指数对重金属污染现状及潜在生态风险进行评价。结果表明:历次调查重金属含量均较低,符合国家海洋沉积物质量一类标准;Cd、Cu的空间分布不均匀,其余4种重金属指标空间分布差异不大,在表层沉积物中,As、Pb、Zn富集程度相对较高,而Cu、Hg、Cd较低;东碇临时海洋倾倒区及邻近海域沉积物重金属综合潜在生态风险处于较低水平,风险排序为AsPbHgCdCuZn,其中As、Pb和Hg为主要潜在生态风险因子。     

对虾养殖池沉积环境中TOC_TP_TN和pH垂直分布

１９９５年冬季,测定了青岛地区四个池龄１０年以上的对虾养殖池不同层次沉积物中有机碳（ＴＯＣ）、总氮（ＴＮ）、总磷（ＴＰ）和ｐＨ并研究了其垂直分布。结果表明,沉积物中的ＴＯＣ和ＴＮ污染较底层严重,泥质虾池表层污染较泥沙质更严重。沉积物中ＴＰ为输出过程而导致缺乏,ＴＰ的受扰动层与ＴＯＣ和ＴＮ的污染层基本一致。沉积物的ｐＨ无规律性变化。     

对虾养殖池沉积环境中TOC_TP_TN和pH及质量评价模型

１９９５年冬季,研究了青岛地区即墨市丰城、王村、城阳区上马、流亭等乡镇的对虾养殖区８０个虾池沉积物中有机碳（ＴＯＣ）、总氮（ＴＮ）、总磷（ＴＰ）和ｐＨ与池龄的关系。结果表明,沉积物中ＴＯＣ随年代而积累,除即墨丰城泥沙质虾池外,与池龄成正线性相关,相关系数（γ）为０．７４２２￣０．８３３０（Ｐ＜０．０５）;沉积物中ＴＮ亦随年代而积累,所有调查区沉积物中ＴＮ与池龄成正线性相关,相关系数（γ）为０．４６０３￣０．８５７４（Ｐ＜０．０５）;沉积物中ＴＰ随年代而降低,与池龄成负线性相关,城阳流亭养殖区的相关系统（γ）为０．４２６１（０．１＞Ｐ＞０．０５）,其它养殖区（γ）为０．４９５６￣０．９０６０（Ｐ＜０．０５）。沉积物的ｐＨ与池龄的关系无规律可循。提出了虾池底质环境质量的评价模型。     

梅溪湖表层沉积物营养盐和有机质分布特征及污染评价

梅溪湖属于城市浅水湖泊，其沉积物特征可反映湖泊的水生态环境状况，对防止湖泊富营养化具有重要意义。2020年11月至2021年7月，分季节对梅溪湖表层沉积物（0～10 cm）进行了采样，分析了沉积物TN、NH4+、NO3-、TP、有效磷（AP）和有机质（OM）等指标的时空分布特征和污染程度。结果表明：沉积物（0～10 cm）TN、NH4+、NO3-、TP、AP和OM的平均含量依次为1654.68± 754.22 mg/kg、24.66± 20.02 mg/kg、13.60± 2.33 mg/kg、512.60± 281.39 mg/kg、8.58± 6.81 mg/kg和2.84± 1.43 %。湖区东部营养物和有机质含量最高。人类活动对梅溪湖表层沉积物营养盐的空间分布有着较大的影响。梅溪湖沉积物TP和NO3-含量在春季最高（4月份），冬季（1月）最低。AP含量在春季（4月）最高，在夏季最低（7月份）。沉积物TN、NH4+和OM含量没有明显的季节差异。梅溪湖沉积物TN和TP的含量变幅分别为667～4000 mg/kg和184～1475mg/kg，均已超出我国东部浅水湖泊沉积物的营养物参考阈值范围；TN和TP的标准指数变幅分别为1.21～7.27和0.31～2.46，TN全部超标，梅溪湖生态环境质量受N元素的影响较为严重，对湖泊生态系统安全构成了一定的威胁。相关分析表明，沉积物OM与TN、TP、AP、NH4+、NO3-均显著正相关，说明沉积物有机质的降解和释放对梅溪湖氮磷营养盐具有重要影响。     

Beneficial co‐culture of jellyfish Rhopilema esculenta (Kishinouye) and sea cucumber Apostichopus japonicus (Selenka): implications for pelagic‐benthic coupling

This study investigated monthly changes of sedimentation and sediment properties in three different culture systems (ponds) – i.e. jellyfish Rhopilema esculenta monoculture (J), sea cucumber Apostichopus japonicus and jellyfish co‐culture (SJ) and sea cucumber monoculture (S) – to verify the feasibility of co‐culturing jellyfish and sea cucumbers. Results showed that jellyfish culture accelerated the settling velocity of total particulate matter (TPM). Average TPM settling velocities in the SJ (75.6 g m^?2 day^?1) and J (71.1 g m^?2 day^?1) ponds were significantly higher than that in the S pond (21.7 g m^?2 day^?1) from June to September during the jellyfish culture period. Average settling velocities of organic matter (OM), total organic carbon (TOC), total nitrogen (TN) and total phosphorus (TP) in the SJ pond increased significantly by 3.0, 2.9, 3.3 and 3.8 times, respectively, compared with those in the S pond. Sediment contents of OM, TOC, TN and TP in the SJ and J ponds were significantly higher than those in the S pond during the jellyfish culture season. The specific growth rate of sea cucumbers feeding on SJ sediment was significantly higher than that of those feeding on S sediment. Co‐culturing sea cucumbers with jellyfish may help alleviate benthic nutrient loading due to the jellyfish and provide a secondary cash crop.     

养殖模式对草鱼池塘底泥微生物群落结构影响的分析

为了解养殖模式对主养草鱼(Ctenopharyngodon idellus)池塘底泥微生物群落结构的影响,使用高通量测序方法分析了山塘、精养和鱼菜共生三种模式下草鱼池塘底泥微生物的结构特征。结果显示:(1)精养池塘水体COD_Mn、总氮(TN)和总磷(TP)[(35.67~108.34)mg/L、(3.40~7.93)mg/L、(1.35~2.19)mg/L]显著高于山塘[(2.67~24.33)mg/L、(0.77~3.30)mg/L、(0.38~0.77)mg/L]和鱼菜共生池塘[(31.67~58.50)mg/L、(2.40~3.43)mg/L、(0.81~1.22)mg/L],且养殖后期呈上升趋势,山塘和鱼菜共生池塘后期呈下降趋势。(2)三种模式条件下底泥微生物群落结构存在显著差异,但鱼菜共生与精养池塘底泥菌群结构相似性高于山塘模式;山塘池塘底泥微生物丰富度显著低于鱼菜共生和精养池塘,但多样性无显著性差异;山塘菌群多样性指数与环境因子无相关性,但精养模式ACE指数与TN、NH⁺₄、TP、DO呈显著负相关,Shannon指数与TN和DO呈显著负相关;鱼菜共生模式ACE指数与NH⁺₄、TP、COD_Mn呈显著正相关,Shannon指数与NH⁺₄、TP、DO呈显著正相关。(3)山塘池塘核心菌群四季变化差异大;鱼菜共生和精养池塘核心菌群四季均以地杆菌属(Geobacter)、厌氧粘细菌属(Anaeromyxobacter)和脱氯单胞菌属(Dechloromonas)等厌氧和兼性厌氧菌为主。结果表明,鱼菜共生模式底泥微生物群落受环境因子影响小,能够达到控制水体COD_Mn和TN的目的。     

Sedimentation and sediment characteristics in sea cucumber Apostichopus japonicus (Selenka) culture ponds

Annual sedimentation, re-suspension rates and contents of particulate organic carbon (POC), particulate organic nitrogen (PON) and total phosphorus (TP) in the sediment were investigated in two sea cucumber culture ponds at Rongcheng, Shandong Province, China. The results showed that the average flux of total particulate matter in the ponds was 22.1 g m² d⁻¹. The average re-suspension rate of the sediment in the ponds was 81.7%. The re-suspension rates in spring and autumn were higher than those in summer and winter. The mean contents of POC, PON and TP in the sediment of the ponds were 4.4, 0.5 and 0.6 (mg g⁻¹), respectively, and the mean contents of Chlorophyll a (Chl a) and pheophytin in the sediment were 8.1 and 12.1 μg g⁻¹ respectively. The POC, PON and TP contents in the sediment of the ponds increased during the period of sea cucumber aestivation (summer) and hibernation (winter), while they decreased during the feeding periods. The organic matter accumulation rate and the contents of POC, PON, TP, Chl a and pheophytin in the sediment were even lower than those in the pond without sea cucumber (P<0.05). The results demonstrated that sea cucumber culture can effectively stop nutrient accumulation at the bottom of the cucumber culture ponds.     

珠三角地区密养淡水鱼塘水质状况分析与评价

池塘养殖是珠三角地区淡水渔业生产的主要形式。2012年5月～12月对草鱼（Ctenopharyngodon idellus）、云斑尖塘鳢（Oxyeleotris marmoratus）、大口黑鲈（Micropterus salmoides）和乌鳢（Channa argus）等该地区几种主要密养淡水品种鱼塘水质进行监测,分析水体理化环境因子,并选取pH、溶解氧（DO）、非离子氨（NH3）、氨氮（NH4^＋-N）、硝酸盐氮（NO3^--N）、亚硝酸盐氮（NO2^--N）、总氮（TN）、总磷（TP）、高锰酸盐指数（CODMn）和透明度等10项因子,采用单项污染指数和负荷比对监测参数进行单项评价,用综合污染指数法对各池塘水质进行整体评价。结果表明4种密养淡水鱼塘营养盐负荷高问题突出,NH3、NO3^--N、NO2^--N、TN和TP为池塘中的主要污染因素;草鱼池塘主要污染物为NH3和TN,其污染负荷合计为37.58%;云斑尖塘鳢池塘主要污染物为NH3、NO3^--N和TN,其污染负荷达59.37%;大口黑鲈池塘的主要污染物为NH3、TN、NO3^--N和NO2^--N,其污染负荷高达66.80%;乌鳢池塘的主要污染物为TN、NO3^--N、TP和NH3,其污染负荷达59.43%;对CODMn的分析与评价结果显示,池塘水体中还原性有机质含量高;由综合污染指数判定,所有池塘水体均为＂重污染＂等级,并超出警戒水平。     

Bacteria in shrimp pond sediments: their role in mineralizing nutrients and some suggested sampling strategies

Strategies for sampling sediment bacteria were examined in intensive shrimp. Penaeus monodon (Fabririus), ponds in tropical Australia. Stratified sampling of bacteria at the end of the production season showed that the pond centre, containing flocculated sludge, had significantly higher bacterial counts (15.5 × 10⁹ g-¹ dw) than the pond periphery (8.1 × 10⁹g^?1 dw), where the action of aerators had swept the pond floor. The variation in bacterial counts between these two zones within a pond was higher than that between sites within each zone or between ponds. Therefore, sampling effort should be focused within these zones; for example, sampling two ponds at six locations within each of the two zones resulted in a coefficient of variation of ± 5%. Bacterial numbers in the sediment were highly correlated with sediment grain size, probably because eroded soil particles and organic waste both accumulated in the centre of the pond. Despite high inputs of organic matter added to the ponds, principally as pelleted feeds, the mean bacterial numbers and nutrient concentrations (i.e. organic carbon, nitrogen and phosphorus) in the sediment were similar to those found in mangrove sediments. This suggests that bacteria are rapidly remineralizing particulates into soluble compounds. Bacterial numbers were highly correlated with organic carbon and total kjeldahl nitrogen in the sediment, suggesting that these were limiting factors to bacterial growth.     

Sediment Quality in Arkansas Bait Minnow Ponds

Sediment cores were collected from 7-yr-old, 20- to 25-yr-old, and 30- to 35-yr-old ponds at a bait minnow farm at Lonoke, Arkansas, USA. Average depths of soft sediment (S and M horizons) were 8 cm in young ponds, 12 em in intermediate-age ponds, and 26 cm in old ponds. Organic carbon concentrations in sediment were low to moderate (1–2%) and carbon to nitrogen ratios were wide (20–50). Phosphorus and sulfur concentrations increased as ponds aged. Most of the phosphorus (78.9%) was in organic form, but sulfur was primarily inorganic in form (presumably iron sulfide). There appears to be two major problems associated with sediment accumulation over time. Deep, soft sediment interferes with pond management and especially with harvest. High phosphorus concentration in old sediment may contribute to dense phytoplankton blooms by supplying phosphorus to the water. Sodium nitrate treatment did not increase the rate of sediment organic matter decomposition in laboratory trials and would not be expected to enhance the degradation of sediment organic matter in ponds. The best method for improving the condition of bottoms in older bait minnow ponds probably is to remove the sediment.     

Food inputs, water quality and nutrient accumulation in integrated pond systems: A multivariate approach

A participatory on-farm study was conducted to explore the effects of food input patterns on water quality and sediment nutrient accumulation in ponds, and to identify different types of integrated pond systems. Ten integrated agriculture-aquaculture (IAA) farms, in which ponds associate with fruit orchards, livestock and rice fields were monitored in the Mekong delta of Vietnam. Pond mass balances for nitrogen (N), organic carbon (OC) and phosphorus (P) were determined, and pond water quality and sediment nutrient accumulation were monitored. Data were analyzed using multivariate canonical correlation analysis, cluster analysis and discriminant analysis. The main variability in pond water quality and sediment nutrients was related with food inputs and water exchange rates. Water exchange rate, agro-ecological factors, pond physical properties and human waste input were major variables used to classify ponds. Classification was into: (1) low water exchange rate ponds in the fruit-dominated area, (2) low water exchange rate ponds in the rice-dominated area receiving homemade feed, and (3) high water exchange rate ponds in the rice-dominated areas receiving wastes. Pond water exchange rate was human-controlled and a function of food input patterns, which were determined by livelihood strategies of IAA-households. In the rice-dominated area with deep ponds, higher livestock and human wastes were found together with high water exchange rates. In these ponds, large organic matter loads reduced dissolved oxygen and increased total phosphorus concentrations in the water and increased nutrient (N, OC and P) accumulation in the sediments. In the rice-dominated area with wide ponds, higher homemade feed amounts were added to the ponds with low water exchange rate. This resulted in high phytoplankton biomass and high primary productivity. The contrary occurred in the fruit-dominated area, where fish were grown in shallow and narrow ponds, receiving more plant residue which resulted in lower phytoplankton biomass and lower sediment nutrient accumulation.