Design and evaluation of an irrigation system for creating water gradients under an automatic rain shelter

Summary This paper reports on the design and performance of an irrigation system associated with a rain shelter. The shelter is used in the closed position as a platform for multiple spray lines. This system automatically supplies, at a specified time, water of specified depth and delivery rate, either uniformly or on a specified gradient across the sheltered area. Variations in crop water deficits and yields have conformed closely to imposed water gradients.     

Factors Affecting Metabolism of Commercial Channel Catfish Ponds as Indicated by Continuous Dissolved Oxygen Measurement1

Continuous dissolved oxygen (DO) measurements were analyzed to evaluate the rates of pond metabolic processes related to productivity and respiration in three commercial catfish ponds in northwest Mississippi. Multiple regression models were constructed to assess the relative importance of various forcing functions on indices of net primary productivity (NPP) and whole pond respiration (WPR), duration of automated aeration, and DO concentration below various threshold values. Water temperature, solar radiation, wind run, cumulative feed, and lagged values of these parameters were considered as forcing functions. Generally, NPP and WPR were most strongly affected by water temperature and only weakly related to solar radiation. The duration of nightly aeration was also strongly related to water temperature, although 10-d cumulative feed was an important predictor in one pond. The best predictors of duration of DO below certain threshold values were NPP, WPR and wind run, the importance of which varied depending upon the pond and the threshold value considered. Change in feeding rate from one day to the next was inversely related to feeding rate on the previous day. The results of this analysis suggest that NPP and WPR rates, and the duration of required nightly aeration in commercial catfish ponds are controlled by factors not amenable to practical management control.     

Sedimentation and Resuspension in Earthen Fish Ponds

Resuspension of particles from pond sediment into the water column may be an important nutrient transfer mechanism in aquaculture ponds. However, the magnitude of sediment re-suspension cannot be determined directly because sediment traps collect particles settling from the water column as well as those re-suspended from the pond bottom. We developed a dilution analysis method to differentiate the magnitude of the two particle source fluxes based upon the concentration of soil-derived elements (Si, Al, and Fe) and water-derived elements (C, N) in material collected by sediment traps placed in earthen ponds. Estimated organic C sedimentation from feed residues and algae was compared with trapped organic C as an independent and approximate measure of resuspension. Resuspension fluxes based independently on analyses of three soil-derived elements and on the estimation of expected C sedimentation were similar and accounted for 60–90% of the total solids flux (121–2,676 g/m² per d) in most ponds sampled. The proportion of total flux that was derived from resuspension in ponds stocked with common carp Cyprinus carpio and tilapia Oreochromis spp . was modeled as a hyperbolic function of fish size and density, with a threshold fish size of 200–300 g. Resuspension flux was conservatively estimated to be equivalent to the daily suspension of a few mm of the pond bottom. These results indicate that sediment resuspension is a major process in carp and tilapia ponds, suggesting that the exchange of nutrients between the sediment and overlying water is intensive.     

A Control System to Simulate Diel pH Fluctuation in Eutrophic Aquaculture Ponds

Abstract.— The toxicity of substances that vary in toxicity through time (daily) as a function of pH are not effectively assessed with static renewal test methods. A control system to simulate diel pH fluctuation in eutrophic aquaculture ponds was established in a flow-through, wet-laboratory setting. Water (100 L/ min) was conditioned in a packed column of 3.81-cm Pall rings prior to distribution to 48 189-L fish tanks. Control system components included a distributed data acquisition and control system, a personal computer, and various pH control devices. pH values greater than that of influent water (pH 8.0) were achieved by additions of concentrated sodium hydroxide solutions; pH values less than that of influent water were achieved by additions of carbon dioxide gas. Two data acquisition and control software strategies were developed to control pH: one from pH 7.4 to 8.0 and the other from pH 8.0 to 9.6. The basic control strategy involved comparison of a projected pH value to a set point. A moving linear regression was used to forecast the pH value that would result following base or gas addition, and the rate of chemical addition was adjusted accordingly. The system has resulted in acceptable pH control (deviation < 0.1 pH unit), indicating the potential utility of a relatively simple control system for evaluation of fish physiological response to the characteristically dynamic environment of eutrophic aquaculture ponds.     

Alkanes as internal markers to estimate digestibility of hay or hay plus concentrate diets in horses.

Dry matter intake (DMI), dry matter digestibility (DMD), and fecal output (FO) are difficult to measure directly in the field, and indirect methods using external and internal markers have thus been developed. An experiment was conducted consisting of two digestion trials with two periods in each trial to examine the use of five odd-chain alkanes (C25 to C33) of plant cuticular wax as internal markers to estimate DMD of hay or hay plus concentrate diets in horses. Eight mature Thoroughbred geldings were housed in 4- x 4-m stalls and randomly assigned to one of two mixed grass/legume hays (Diets 1 and 2) in Trial 1 and to mixed grass/legume hay plus one of two concentrates (Diets 3 and 4) in Trial 2. After the first 12-d period was conducted, dietary assignments for each group were switched for the second period in each trial. Each period consisted of a dietary accommodation from d 1 to 7 and total fecal collection from d 8 to 11. Results indicated that fecal recoveries of odd-chain alkanes were 88 to 90% for Diet 1, 75 to 92% for Diet 2, 71 to 81% for Diet 3, and 71 to 82% for Diet 4. Alkane recoveries were not related to alkane chain lengths. Digestibilities calculated from alkane concentration data adjusted using the mean fecal recovery of individual odd-chain alkanes (DA1) were not significantly different from the digestibilities estimated from total collection (DTC) for Diets 1 and 2 in Trial 1 and Diets 3 and 4 in Trial 2. When adjustment was based on the mean recovery of all alkanes (DA2; estimated by linear regression), all DA2 estimates for horses offered all diets were similar to DTC. Results indicate that accurate mean estimates of DMD can be obtained by using plant wax alkane markers and adjusting for the mean recovery of five odd-chain alkanes in a diet.     

Effect of electroimmobilisation on ovine plasma concentrations of beta-endorphin/beta-lipotrophin, cortisol and prolactin

The effect of electroimmobilisation on the plasma concentrations of beta-endorphin/beta-lipotrophin (beta-EP/beta-LPH), cortisol and prolactin (PRL) has been assessed in sheep. Serial blood samples were collected from control and electroimmobilised animals during the first and fourth of a series of four repeated treatments over two days. After electroimmobilisation the mean (+/- SEM) plasma concentrations of beta-EP/beta-LPH increased significantly from 132 +/- 19 pg ml-1 to 545 +/- 111 pg ml-1; the plasma concentrations of cortisol also increased significantly from 22.3 +/- 3.5 ng ml-1 to 108.0 +/- 12.9 ng ml-1. There was no significant change in plasma PRL concentrations after electroimmobilisation and also no significant difference between the plasma concentrations of PRL in the control and electroimmobilised animals. There was no significant difference between the effects of the first and fourth exposure to electroimmobilisation on the plasma concentrations of beta-EP/beta-LPH, cortisol and PRL. These results suggest that the endocrine response to electroimmobilisation may be specific to the pituitary-adrenal axis.     

Photosynthetic suspended-growth systems in aquaculture

Standardized evaluation and rating of biofilters for aquaculture should be assessed in the context of the economic efficiency of ecological services (waste assimilation, nutrient recycling, and internal food production) provided by earthen ponds, and the availability and cost of land, water, and electrical energy resources required to support particular classes of production systems. In photosynthetic suspended-growth systems, water quality control is achieved by a combination of natural and mechanical processes. Natural processes include photosynthesis of oxygen, algal nutrient uptake, coupled nitrification–denitrification, and organic matter oxidation; mechanical processes include aeration and water circulation. Ammonia is controlled by a combination of phytoplankton uptake, nitrification, and immobilization by bacteria. Unlike biofilters for recirculating aquaculture systems, unit processes are combined and are an integral part of the culture unit. The important design and operational considerations for photosynthetic suspended-growth systems include temperature effects, aeration and mixing, quantity and quality of loaded organic matter, and fish water quality tolerance limits. The principle advantages of photosynthetic suspended-growth systems are lower capital costs relative to other recirculating aquaculture systems and increased control over stock management relative to conventional static ponds. The main disadvantage is the relatively low degree of control over water quality and phytoplankton density, metabolism, and community composition relative to other recirculating aquaculture systems. Examples of photosynthetic suspended-growth systems include semi-intensive ponds, intensively aerated outdoor lined ponds, combined intensive–extensive ponds, partitioned aquaculture systems, greenwater tanks, greenwater tanks with solids removal, and greenwater recirculating aquaculture systems.