An experiment in phytoplankton ecology and applied fishery management: effects of artificial aeration on troublesome algal blooms in a small eutrophic loch

Abstract. A sharp rise in the concentration of soluble reactive phosphorus antl a marked decrease in the level of nitrate were associated with intermittent thermal stratification and localized de-oxygenation in Coldingham Loch (Berwickshire, Scotland) in summer. These conditions apparently favoured plunktonic blue-green ‘algae’ (Cyanobacteria) such asAphani-zomenon, which grew to bloom proportions and threatened the trout angling fishery for which the loch is managed. Various measures for ameliorating the situation are discussed and two bubble-gun units were installed in the deepest part of the loch (ca 12m), to distribute compressed air and mix the column. The installation was operated continuously during the periods May-September of 1984 and 1985. Temperature and chlorophyll measurements indicated good vertical and horizontal mixing. In spite of virtually no effect on rates of release of phosphorus from the sediments, mixing prevented surface bloom formations of Aphanizomenon and reduced its biomass; maxima of 17 and 52m filament 1^?1 in 1984 and 1985 respectively contrast markedly with peaks of 130 and 630m 1^?1 recorded in 1983. Total phytoplankton abundance was also lower. In 1984, the main difference occurred at the ‘critical’ late-summer period with chlorophyll concentrations of ca 20 μg 1^?1 being only one-half of those measured at the same time in 1983, and Secchi disc transparencies of ca 3·0 m compared to values of ≤ l·5min 1983. An even greater response was recorded in 1985; throughout May to September, chlorophyll levels rarely exceeded 13μg 1^?1 while water transparency usually exceeded 3·0m.     

The Spawning of Perch (Perca fluviatilis L.) in Loch Leven, Kinross, Scotland

Investigations were carried out in 1979 and 1980 into the location of spawning grounds of perch in Loch Leven, the comparative intensity of their use and the duration of the spawning period. Spawning was found to take place in depths of 1–5 m and there was an indication that depths around 3 m are preferred. Silt and mud apparently inhibit spawning on exposed shores down to 2.5 m although natural shelter probably ameliorates this. Macrophytic vegetation is rarely present at the preferred depths, therefore, artefacts and artificial substrates must be most frequently used. Spawning started about 25 April in a ‘mild’ spring and about 9 May in a ‘cold’ spring. The duration of the spawning period was 4–5 weeks. A double peak in spawning intensity was found in 1979 and, if valid, could indicate a division of spawning fish into two groups, possibly by age as the peaks were not associated with the location of spawning sites. Although spawning tended to be more intense on the southern shore and around one of the islands almost any part of the loch down to 5 m may be used.     

Changes in pH and calcium after selective liming in the catchment of Loch Dee, a sensitive and rapid-turnover loch in south-west Scotland

Abstract. A variety of liming techniques were investigated to mitigate the effects of long-term acidification of Loch Dee. a rapid-turnover loch in south-west Scotland.
Of the limestone chips and powder added to the major inflow stream plus powder added to the catchment between 1980 and 1982, only 3·6% was calculated to have reached the loch and none was lost at the outflow. After the addition of limestone powder to the loch in 1983. via the major inflow stream, the calcium levels increased in the loch but 50% of the added limestone was calculated to have been lost at the loch outflow, Within 2 years, calcium concentrations and pH had relumed to pre-liming levels. Calcium uptake by sediments accounted for about 28% of the 75 tonnes of limestone added although this was probably n conservative estimate.
These results suggest that, in sensitive rapid-turnover lochs, the addition of limestone will be at least a regular requirement if water quality is lo be maintained at levels desirable for maintaining a viable fishery, A high initial dosage will also be required due lo calcium uptake by sediments.     

Phosphorus Fractions in Soil and Water of Aquaculture Ponds Built on Clayey Ultisols at Auburn, Alabama

Phosphorus fractions in soil and water were determined for a 22-year-old, 400m² fish pond constructed on clayey Ultisols at Auburn, Alabama. This pond had been used in pond fertilization and fish feeding experiments each year. Total phosphorus concenlrations in bottom soil were greater in deep water than in shallow water areas. Highest concentrations of phosphorus occurred in the 5–10 cm soil layer, but phosphorus had accumulated above its original concentration to depths of 20 to 45 cm ( x = 36.8 cm). The soil phosphorus accumulation rate was 2.68 g/m² per year. Less than 1% of the total phosphorus in soils from three ponds was extractable in distilled water or 0.5 M NaHCO₃. Sequential extraction with 1 M NH₄Cl, 0.5 N HCl, and 0.1 N NaOH removed less than 25% of the total phosphorus. The loosely-bound phosphorus fraction (1 M NH₄Cl extractable) was 0.4 to 5.2% of the extractable phosphorus. The ability to adsorb phosphorus decreased and the capacity to release phosphorus increased in pond soils as total phosphorus concentration increased. After 22 years of aquacultural production, phosphorus adsorption sites in a pond soil were only about half-saturated. Although soluble phosphorus accounted for 37% of the phosphorus in pond water, only 7% of the total phosphorus in pond water was soluble reactive phosphorus. The phosphorus pool in pond soil was over 500 times greater than that of pond water, but most of the soil phosphorus was strongly adsorbed and unavailable.     

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。     

Evidence for Control of Water Quality in Channel Catfish Ictalurus punctatus Ponds by Phytoplankton Biomass and Sediment Oxygenation

A data set describing annual variation of water quality in ten commercial channel catfish Ictalurus punctatus ponds was subjected to exploratory statistical analysis to infer ecological processes affecting pond water quality. Two factors explained 67% of the variation in concentrations of water quality variables. The first factor (Factor 1) explained 49% of the variance and was associated with a large negative loading by total ammonia-nitrogen and large positive loadings by total nitrogen, total phosphorus, chemical oxygen demand, and chlorophyll a . Factor 1 was interpreted with respect to factor loadings to represent the effect of phytoplankton biomass. The second factor (Factor 2) explained an additional 18% of the variance and was associated with a large negative loading by soluble reactive phosphorus and large positive loadings by nitrite-nitrogen and, to a lesser extent, nitrate-nitrogen. Factor 2 was interpreted to be related to variation in pond sediment oxygenation. Although factor analysis indicated the overwhelming effect of phytoplankton biomass on water quality, opportunities for management of phytoplankton communities in large commercial aqua-culture ponds are limited. However, maintenance of an oxidized sediment-water interface may improve water quality by limiting the diffusion of reductant-soluble phosphorus from sediment to water and increasing sediment nitrification rates.     

桑沟湾养殖海域柱状沉积物中磷的赋存形态和生物有效性

以桑沟湾扇贝和海带两个养殖海区的柱状沉积物为研究对象,采用连续提取法将沉积物中磷的赋存形态分为交换态磷（Ex-P）、铁结合态磷（Fe-P）、自生磷（Au-P）、碎屑磷（De-P）和有机磷（Or-P）,并分析了各形态磷的垂直分布特征;利用沉积物年代序列测定的结果,结合桑沟湾水产养殖历史,探讨了近200年来桑沟湾养殖海域沉积物中磷形态的含量变化情况,并进一步分析了该区域的生物有效磷。结果表明,柱状沉积物中上层各形态磷的含量高于底层,表明养殖活动使桑沟湾表层沉积物中的磷含量增大。各形态磷的含量在贝壳沉积区内变化幅度均较大,Or-P是沉积物中磷的主要形态;扇贝养殖区沉积物中的总磷（TP）、Or-P和海带养殖区沉积物中的TP、Or-P在沉积时间序列上分布基本一致,其含量变化与各时期工业生产和海水养殖活动密切相关;两个区域柱状沉积物中潜在生物有效性磷占总磷的百分比为61.2%和71.0%。沉积物中Ex-P的含量对该海域的初级生产力的影响较大。     

不同形态氮富集对青菱湖沉积物磷释放的影响

为了揭示无机氮和有机氮对沉积物磷释放的贡献,在武汉市青菱湖草型湖区和藻型湖区分别采集沉积物,进行添加不同形态不同浓度氮(0.5、2.5 g酪蛋白,0.02、0.2 g氯化铵)的培养实验。结果显示,培养结束时,草、藻型湖区沉积物加2.5 g酪蛋白的处理组上覆水中溶解反应性磷(SRP)浓度分别为对照组的64.88倍和5.61倍,而加氯化铵处理组与对照组上覆水中SRP浓度无显著差异;加氯化铵处理组上覆水溶解氧(DO)浓度分别为各自对照组的80%左右,而加酪蛋白处理组上覆水DO浓度分别为各自对照组的10%和4%;整个培养过程中,草、藻型湖区沉积物均为加2.5 g酪蛋白处理组的沉积物碱性磷酸酶活性(APA)稍高于其他处理组相应值,但无显著性差异;草、藻型湖区沉积物加2.5 g酪蛋白处理组磷平衡浓度(EPC0)分别为对照组的2.08倍和1.77倍;而加氯化铵处理组和加0.5 g酪蛋白处理组沉积物EPC0与对照组相应值无显著差异。研究表明,有机氮的富集会增加沉积物磷的释放,而无机氮对沉积物磷释放的贡献不大;有机氮对沉积物磷释放的影响是由形成厌氧的状态、胞外磷酸酶的分泌、改变沉积物磷吸附行为等多种因素综合作用的结果。     

洱海河口湿地沉积物环境因子对磷形态空间分异的影响

为探讨沉积物理化指标、可提取态金属元素浓度等环境因子对沉积物磷空间分异规律的影响,选择洱海入湖河口湿地沉积物为研究对象,分析了无机磷形态在湿地水平和垂直方向的空间分异,讨论了沉积物环境因子的影响。结果表明:(1)洱海入湖河口湿地沉积物总无机磷(TIP)含量变化范围为1360.24~2093.66 mg/kg,其中残渣态磷(RP)含量最高,占比变化范围为62.94%~85.18%,铁/铝结合态磷(Fe/Al-P)和钙结合态磷(Ca-P)含量次之,占比变化范围分别为9.37%~25.97%和0.54%~11.42%,可交换态磷(EP)和水溶态磷(DP)含量最低,占比变化范围分别为0.94%~3.91%和0.22%~0.65%。(2)水平方向上,TIP和各形态磷含量总体上均呈现沿水流方向逐渐递减的规律,其中TIP、EP、Fe/Al-P、Ca-P在出口位置含量稍高于湿地内部;垂直方向上,DP、EP、Fe/Al-P和RP含量在表层富集,随深度增加呈下降趋势,Ca-P含量在表层较低,在中层和底层富集。(3)冗余分析显示,可提取态金属含量最低的Mn对磷形态分布规律(P<0.05)的解释率最高(12.7%);相关性分析显示,可提取态Al、Mn含量、pH和ORP对各磷形态分布的影响程度随深度的增加而加强;而可提取态Ca含量对Ca-P的影响随深度的增加而减弱。     

有机质对大型富营养化浅水湖泊沉积物磷吸附特征的影响

以大型浅水湖泊(太湖和巢湖)为研究对象,系统分析了沉积物有机质(OM)含量和组成、磷吸附参数、磷形态及间隙水溶解反应性磷(SRP)浓度在水平方向上的分布.吸附解吸平衡浓度(EPC0)与SRP浓度的比较结果表明,在太湖北部与巢湖南淝河入湖口等污染较严重的区域,沉积物仍表现出吸附磷的功能;OM与土壤有效磷(Olsen-P)、磷吸附指数和碱性磷酸酶活性均显著正相关,有机质分解所产生的小分子物质可增加磷的吸附容量;添加小分子有机质的室内模拟试验进一步证实了上述假设,糖类主要影响磷的吸附能,而氨基酸主要增加最大吸附量.有机质自身及其降解产物以不同方式影响沉积物对磷的吸附能力,并据此调节湖泊富营养化过程.     

Phosphatase activity with reference to bacteria and phosphorus in tropical freshwater aquaculture pond systems

The bio‐geochemical cycle of phosphorus is significantly influenced by microbes in the aquatic environment. Organic phosphorus compounds are decomposed and mineralized by enzymatic complexes such as phosphatases produced by microbes. Enzymatic catalysis results in the production of orthophosphate, which can be used readily by primary producers. Even the smallest concentration of phosphate in water has an influence over the production process in aquaculture systems. Extracellular alkaline phosphatase activity was observed in water and sediment media of aquaculture ponds with different management practices. Heterotrophic bacterial populations as well as phosphatase‐producing bacterial populations were higher in sediments compared with water. In the freshwater fish ponds, Bacillus spp. were the dominant forms of bacteria producing phosphatase. The alkaline phosphatase activity of sediment was always higher than that of water. The partitioning of extracellular alkaline phosphatase in pond water by a 0.22‐µm membrane filter revealed that a proportion was often free rather than cell associated and might have originated as free enzymes released by enriched sediments or by fish or microbes. In the case of water, although the dissolved alkaline phosphatase activity was lower than the total alkaline phosphatase activity, the former was nevertheless unimportant, as it constituted about 20% of the ‘total’ activity. Free alkaline phosphatase activity shared a negative correlation with the orthophosphate concentration of water, whereas gross alkaline phosphatase activity was positively correlated with the total phosphorus and bacterial population of water.     

广州市主要湖泊沉积物磷的赋存形态

以广州市主要城市湖泊为研究对象,从环境地球化学角度阐明沉积物中磷的总量、主要赋存形态与其潜在释放风险和环境效应的内在联系,为广州市城市湖泊环境特征评估及后续的生态修复提供基础数据和理论支撑。2016-2017年对广州市8个主要城市湖泊花都湖、白云湖、东山湖、流花湖、天河湖、海珠湖、荔湾湖、麓湖表层沉积物的总磷（TP）及各形态磷的含量与分布特征进行研究,并运用单因子污染指数法和生物有效性指数法对沉积物磷污染程度进行评价。结果表明：广州市湖泊表层沉积物TP含量为368～5 276 mg/kg,平均3 277 mg/kg,其含量分布特征表现为东山湖>白云湖>花都湖>流花湖>天河湖>荔湾湖>麓湖>海珠湖。TP中以无机磷（IP）为主要存在形式,占TP含量的67.56%～87.44%,IP中又以铁结合态磷（Fe-P）为主,占TP含量的32.77%～60.24%,均值为42.88%。相关分析表明TP与Fe-P和有机磷OP,Fe-P与De-P,Ca-P与OP呈显著的正相关关系,表明其来源的相似性。通过分析可将广州市湖泊分为受珠江干流直接影响、接纳河涌入水、相对...     

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.     

Influence of sediment phosphorus on utilization efficiency of phosphate fertilizer: a mesocosm study

Influence of initial sediment phosphorus content of the pond sediment on P dose efficiency was examined in a laboratory experiment using four types of sediments collected from ponds located along a nutrient gradient in a sewage‐fed fish farm. Each sediment type (500 g) was dispensed in a glass jar with water and treated with single super phosphate (SSP) treatment at 1.25, 2.5, 5.0 and 10.0 mg L^?1 in triplicate. Determination of orthophosphate (OP) and soluble reactive phosphorus (SRP) in water and available and total P in sediment showed increased response in relation to dose and time. At a given dose, the rate of increase for all species of phosphate in sediment or water was maximum in the case of local pond (LP) soil followed by stocking pond (SP), facultative pond (FP) and anaerobic pond (AP) soil, suggesting that utililization of phosphate fertilizer was much better under oligotrophic conditions than under eutrophic states. The SSP‐induced OP peak at 10 mg L^?1 in LP sediment was similar to that of 5.0 mg L^?1 in AP sediment containing 59% enhanced initial phosphate, implying that fertilizer application can be profitably reduced by 18% in the former without limiting the OP level in the water phase. It is concluded that dosage selection of phosphorus fertilizer in aquaculture ponds should be based on an evaluation of the initial P status of the system.     

卫河新乡段底泥-间隙水-上覆水中营养盐的分布特征

为研究卫河新乡市区河段底泥-间隙水-上覆水中营养盐的时空分布特征,分别于2013年1、4、7、10月对卫河新乡段上游（S1）、人口密集区（S2）、人工拓宽河道形成的牧野湖入湖水口（S3）、湖岸静水区（S4）、湖心处（S5）和湖区下游（S6）共计6个样点进行采样分析。结果表明：（1）S1和S2底泥中总氮（TN）、氨氮（NH4+-N）含量呈现随深度增加而上升的趋势,除S3外,各样点底泥中总磷（TP）含量的垂向分布在15～20 cm处比表层含量低,但并无明显规律性;（2）S2、S3、S4样点在4月时底泥(干重)中的TN含量达到最大值,分别为5.8、2.2、1.7 g/kg,10月时TP含量达到最大值,分别为0.88、0.22、0.21 g/kg,除S3号样点外,其余各样点底泥NH4+-N的含量均在7月出现最大值,按样点号依次为25.42、37.19、14.23、12.28、34.11 mg/kg;（3）间隙水中TN和NH4+-N含量的垂向分布与底泥中的分布相似,间隙水和底泥中的TN、NH4+-N之间呈显著的正相关,TP之间无明显相关性;（4）间隙水和上覆水中的各营养盐之间均无明显相关性。     

Phosphorus release rates from freshwater sediments affected by fish farming

The main wastes from fish production are fish faeces and uneaten feed, rich in nitrogen and phosphorus (P), which have the potential to alter the trophic state of the water body. It has been estimated that about 66% of P in fish feed accumulates on the bottom sediments. The P associated with these sediments can be released to the water column. The objectives of this work were to: (a) assess the release of phosphorus from sediments affected by intensive production of salmonids in two lakes in Patagonia, Argentina: Lago Moreno (PMOR ) and Alicura Reservoir (PALI ) ; (b) evaluate the efficiency of anionic exchange membranes (AEMs) for the determination of P release rates from sediments and compare this technique with the traditional chemical method; and (c) assess the usefulness of AEMs in estimating the labile fraction of phosphorus from sediments affected by fish farms. For all the conditions assayed, the release rates estimated with AEMs were higher than those estimated by syringe (n = 23, P= 0.001). The AEMs appear to have higher sensitivity than chemical methods, particularly at low concentrations. The AEMs are more reliable for the estimation of labile P, particularly in sediments low in labile P concentration. The difference between the release rates estimated by the AEMs and the syringe are indicative of the amount of labile P that will be available in the water over the short term. The release rates were higher under anaerobic conditions than under aerobic conditions for the two types of sediments affected by fish farms. The calcium and organic matter content of sediments, rather than the iron concentration, appears to control the availability of P.     

渤海中部海域表层沉积物磷形态及潜在生物可利用磷分布特征

磷是海洋浮游植物生长和繁殖所必需的重要生源要素，也是海洋初级生产力和食物链的基础元素，沉积物中能参与界面交换的生物可利用磷（Bioavailable phosphorus, BAP）的潜在含量取决于沉积物中磷的形态，而渤海中部区域的相关研究较少。因此本文以渤海中部海域的5个区域（唐山沿岸、秦皇岛沿岸、渤海东北部海域、渤海海峡、渤海西南部海域）为研究对象，采用分级浸取法，测定了23个采样点的沉积物样品中磷的组分、含量，并计算潜在BAP含量，研究分析了其分布特性及影响因素。结果表明：渤海中部海域表层沉积物中无机磷（Inorganic phosphorus, IP）是渤海中部海域表层沉积物中总磷（Total phosphorus, TP）的主要存在形式，唐山沿岸、秦皇岛沿岸、渤海东北部海域、渤海海峡、渤海西南部海域这五个区域沉积物中IP含量平均分别占其 TP含量的78.39%、79.06%、71.46%、84.60%、81.46%，而有机磷（Organic phosphorus, OP）则均占较小的比例。IP均以碎屑磷（Detrital phosphorus, De-P）为主要赋存形态，平均分别占TP的54.02%、52.12%、33.33%、69.41%、57.28%，IP中各形态磷的含量顺序为：碎屑磷（Detrital phosphorus, De-P）>?闭蓄态磷（Occluded phosphorus, Oc-P）>铁/铝吸附态磷（Fe and Al oxidation state phosphorus, Fe/Al-P）>弱吸附态磷（Exchangeable phosphorus, Ex-P）>钙结合态磷（Calcium-bound phosphorus, Ca-P）。河流输入、沉积物粒度和沉积环境是影响渤海中部海域表层沉积物中不同形态磷含量及分布的主要因素。根据沉积物中潜在的BAP含量分析表明，唐山沿岸、秦皇岛沿岸、渤海东北部海域、渤海西南部海域表层沉积物中潜在的BAP含量平均分别占 TP 的44.77%、46.94%、64.87%、40.54%，具备较强的向水体中释放磷的潜力。为渤海中部海域有效地提供沉了积物环境的相关信息。     

Observations on open-water densities of sea lice larvae in Loch Shieldaig, Western Scotland

Sea trout (Salmo trutta L.) stocks on the West Coast of Scotland and Ireland have decreased due to reduced survival during the marine phase of their life cycle. Lice‐infested sea trout returning to rivers could indicate that parasite burdens are contributing to the decline. Salmon farms represent a potential source of substantial quantities of sea lice, leading to a conjectured link between parasites on salmon fish farms and infestations on wild sea trout. To investigate the potential infective pressure on sea trout in Loch Shieldaig, offshore and sub‐littoral plankton samples were collected and analysed for sea lice nauplius and copepodid stages. During the plankton survey, numbers of sea lice on a fish farm in the loch reached a maximum in November 2001. Soon after, numbers of sea lice larvae peaked in open‐water samples and then in sub‐littoral samples. Nauplii were found adjacent to the farm and occurred less elsewhere. This study reports a concentration of sea lice larvae at the head of Loch Shieldaig and indicates a possible relationship between sea lice numbers on the fish farm and lice larvae densities in the open‐water of the loch and in the sub‐littoral zone.     

Effect of sediment on growth and survival of post-larval Litopenaeus stylirostris (Boone, 1931)

The sediments from four areas that are used or will be used for shrimp culture were evaluated for their effect on post‐larvae growth of Litopenaeus stylirostris. Texture, organic matter, total, and bio‐available fraction of phosphorus, manganese, iron, zinc, copper, and cadmium of the sediments were measured. A positive significant correlation was obtained between total and bio‐available concentrations of iron, cadmium, and manganese, but not for copper, phosphorus, or zinc. Significant differences in final weight, survival rates, and shrimp yield were obtained among treatments. The highest survival rates were obtained with sediments that had the highest manganese levels. This survival high rate was significantly correlated with total manganese content of the sediment (r=0.92). The highest final weight were obtained in treatments with sediments containing higher levels of phosphorus, which was reinforced by a significant positive correlation between final weight and total and bio‐available phosphorus (r=0.94 and 0.95 respectively), while final weight seems adversely affected by high concentrations of copper (r=?0.83) in the sediment. Texture of the sediment influenced shrimp yield, with lower values for sandy sediments relative to silty sediments.