Evaluating the most suitable nonlinear growth model for turbot (Scophthalmus maximus) in aquaculture 2 (weight application): Multi‐criteria model selection and growth prediction

Seeking the most suitable model to describe the growth of turbot, we analysed growth data of two different turbot (Scophthalmus maximus) strains reared communally in a recirculating aquaculture system. We fitted 10 different nonlinear growth models to individual weight gain data (n = 2,010) during the grow‐out phase. Analyses were carried out for each strain, for sexes within strains and for a pooled data set containing both strains and sexes. To assess the model performance, three different criteria are used. Further, a growth‐simulation was performed to evaluate the shape of the generated curve. This way we could assess the capability of the models to predict future growth. The 3‐parametric Gompertz model achieved the best fit in 42.9% of all cases tested and the lowest Bayesian information criterion in 100% of cases. The model produced realistically shaped curves and asymptotic values matching the biological attributes of the species. In contrast, 5‐parametric functions projected unrealistically shaped curves and predicted improbable mature sizes. Our results show that increasing number of parameters do not lead to increasing goodness of fit, but tend to result in overfitting, and demonstrate the advantages of the 3‐parametric Gompertz model for describing the growth of turbot.     

美国工厂化循环水养殖系统研究

美国工厂化循环水养殖系统研究可以划分成两个有着明显差异的研究技术路线,一是高集成循环水养殖系统模式研究,主要是通过使用各种各样的水处理设备来获得良好的水质,通过各种自动化设施来减少人员劳动强度,通过高精度的水质监控系统来实时反馈系统运行状态。二是经济型循环水养殖系统模式研究,主要是以简化水处理设备,采用简单的处理方式以获得较高经济效益。     

基于人工湿地的循环水产养殖系统工艺设计及净化效能

该研究首次将复合垂直流人工湿地同池塘养殖结合,通过构建养殖－湿地生态系统,验证人工湿地对水产养殖用水和废水净化与回用的可行性。近9个月的新建人工湿地运行结果表明,水力负荷从313、469、625 mm/d增加到781 mm/d,人工湿地对TSS、COD_Cr和BOD₅去除率的变动范围分别为80.5%～82.9%、45.2%～64.2%和61.0%～77.0%,对NH^＋₄-N、NO^-₃-N、TN去除率的变动范围分别为51.5%～67.8%、-90.6%～40.0%和29.1%～68.6%,对TP和IP的去除率为72.7%～89.1%和0～33.3%,对细菌总数、总大肠菌群、藻类等生命物质也有较好的去除效果,湿地出水水质除溶氧外能达到国家渔业水质标准。初步结果表明人工湿地应用于水产养殖用水处理和回用具有广阔的前景。     

凡纳滨对虾RAS与WSSV-VP26的相互作用

白斑综合征病毒(WSSV)是对虾养殖中主要的病原之一,病原与宿主作用是介导病毒感染的重要过程。RAS蛋白是Ras基因分泌的保守蛋白,为小G蛋白家族的一员,普遍存在于从酵母菌到哺乳动物的真核细胞中,具有偶联受体和效应系统传递跨膜信号的功能,在细胞增殖和分化中起双重调节的作用,但关于RAS与WSSV的作用尚不明确。本研究将凡纳滨对虾(Litopenaeus vannamei) Ras基因克隆至pBAD/gⅢA表达载体上,以E. coli Top10为宿主菌,在L-阿拉伯糖的诱导下获得RAS重组蛋白。以Co~(2+)亲和层析方法,获得纯化的RAS蛋白,质谱分析显示,该蛋白为凡纳滨对虾RAS。采用Far-western和ELISA检测方法分析RAS与WSSV结构蛋白VP26、VP28N和VP37的相互作用。Far-western结果显示,RAS与VP26有明显的结合作用,ELISA实验结果显示,RAS与VP26蛋白的相互作用随RAS量的增加而增强。本研究表明,RAS参与WSSV侵染过程,为进一步研究WSSV侵染机制提供了理论基础。     

Water velocity in commercial RAS culture tanks for Atlantic salmon smolt production

An optimal flow domain in culture tanks is vital for fish growth and welfare. This paper presents empirical data on rotational velocity and water quality in circular and octagonal tanks at two large commercial smolt production sites, with an approximate production rate of 1000 and 1300 ton smolt/yr, respectively. When fish were present, fish density in the two circular tanks under study at Site 1 were 35 and 48 kg/m³, and that in four octagonal tanks at Site 2 were 54, 74, 58 and 64 kg/m³, respectively. The objective of the study was twofold. First, the effect of biomass on the velocity distribution was examined, which was accomplished by repeating the measurements in empty tanks under same flow conditions. Second, the effect of operating conditions on the water quality was studied by collecting and analysing the water samples at the tank’s inlet and outlet. All tanks exhibited a relatively uniform water velocity field in the vertical water column at each radial location sampled. When fish were present, maximum (40 cm/s) and minimum (25–26 cm/s) water rotational velocities were quite similar in all tanks sampled, and close to optimum swimming speeds, recommended for Atlantic salmon-smolt, i.e., 1–1.5 body lengths per second. The fish were found to decrease water velocity by 25% compared to the tank operated without fish. Flow pattern was largely affected by the presence of fish, compared to the empty tanks. Inference reveals that the fish swimming in the tanks is a major source of turbulence, and nonlinearity. Facility operators and culture tank designers were able to optimize flow inlet conditions to achieve appropriate tank rotational velocities despite a wide range of culture tank sizes, HRT’s, and outlet structure locations. In addition, the dissolved oxygen profile was also collected along the diametrical plane through the octagonal tank’s centre, which exhibits a close correlation between the velocity and oxygen measurements. All tanks were operated under rather intensive conditions with an oxygen demand across the tank (inlet minus outlet) of 7.4–10.4 mg/L. Estimates of the oxygen respiration rate in the tank appears to double as the TSS concentration measured in the tank increases from 3.0 mg/L (0.3 kg O₂/kg feed) up to 10–12 mg/L (0.7 kg O₂/kg feed). Improving suspended solids control in such systems may thus dramatically reduce the oxygen consumption and CO₂ production.     

Performance study of annular settler with gratings in circular aquaculture tank using computational fluid dynamics

The use of recirculating aquaculture systems (RAS) permits the production of fish with a small amount of water and they are an alternative to the scarcity and pollution of water resources. The implementation of an annular settler made by concentric cylinder in an RAS tank allowed the optimal growth conditions of the fish and improves the removal of solids naturally with the presence of low water velocities in the sedimentation zone. The hydrodynamic analysis conducted in this study using computational fluid dynamics allowed the evaluation of different parameters for the geometric design of the settler and its effect on the velocity flow fields that directly affect the particle sedimentation process. Through the evaluation of different geometric configurations of the settler, the use of gratings in the perimeter of the settler with maximum height h_r = 1/6h, width and separation of 0.5h_r, for tank diameter (D) to water depth (h) ratios (D/h) less than 6 was established. These conditions produced velocities between 15−25 cm/s into the cultivation zone, optimal for fish growth. In addition, with the perimetral gratings, velocities less than 2 cm/s are generated inside the settler, situation that benefits the settling of particles and self-cleaning of the tank.     

A novel computer simulation model for design and management of re-circulating aquaculture systems

The aim of this study was to develop a simulation model for finding the optimal layout and management regime for a re-circulating aquaculture system (RAS). The work plan involved: (1) quantifying the effects of fish growth and management practices on production; (2) developing a mathematical simulation model for the RAS, taking into account all factors that directly influence system profitability; and (3) estimating the production costs and, hence, the profitability of an RAS. The resulting model is process-oriented, following the flow of fish through the RAS facility, and generates an animated graphic representation of the processes through which the fish passes as it progress through the system. The simulation assesses the performance in terms of yearly turnover, stocking density, tank utilization and biomass in process, and uses statistics to track the state of the RAS and record changes that affect efficiency. The economic impact of system design and operation was modeled to enable a user to anticipate how changes in design or operating practices, costs of inputs, or price of products affect system profitability. The proposed approach overcomes difficulties in characterizing RAS design and operation. The simulation approach allows all of the RAS's components such as equipment, biological processes (e.g., fish growth), and management practices to be evaluated jointly, so that an initial design can be fine-tuned to produce an optimized system and management regime suited to a specific fish farm within a reasonable time. The methodology was executed step-by-step to design an optimal RAS that meets both economic and stocking-density limits. Optimal design specifications were presented for several case studies based on data from Kibbutz Sde Eliahu's RAS, in which Nile tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus) are raised in 20 concrete raceways. Further research should include more extensive testing and validation of the integrated model, which then should be disseminated to the aquaculture community.     

基于高通量测序的石斑鱼循环水养殖生物滤池微生物群落分析

为了解循环水养殖系统生物过滤器内微生物群落结构,明确其内部微生物的多样性。该文采用Illumina-Mi Seq高通量测序技术对石斑鱼循环水养殖系统3级浸没式生物滤池内微生物群落结构及多样性进行分析。研究结果表明:3个浸没式生物滤池的样品分别获得712,635,865个Operational Taxonomic Unit(OTU),共同包含的OTU为488个,其中3号滤池的微生物群落丰富度和多样性高于1号和2号生物滤池,且1号生物滤池和2号生物滤池内微生物群落结构相似度较高。在门的水平,3个滤池以变形菌门Proteobacteria、拟杆菌门Bacteroidetes为优势菌;在属的水平,发现3个滤池中起硝化作用的细菌主要是亚硝化单胞菌Nitrosomonas和硝化螺菌Nitrospira。该试验为揭开生物滤池这个"黑匣子"提供数据基础,对研究海水循环水养殖生物滤池的构建及其脱氮效率具有重要的指导意义。     

Effects of alkalinity on ammonia removal,carbon dioxide stripping,and system pH in semi-commercial scale water recirculating aquaculture systems operated with moving bed bioreactors

When operating water recirculating systems (RAS) with high make-up water flushing rates in locations that have low alkalinity in the raw water, such as Norway, knowledge about the required RAS alkalinity concentration is important. Flushing RAS with make-up water containing low alkalinity washes out valuable base added to the RAS (as bicarbonate, hydroxide, or carbonate), which increases farm operating costs when high alkalinity concentrations are maintained; however, alkalinity must not be so low that it interferes with nitrification or pH stability. For these reasons, a study was designed to evaluate the effects of alkalinity on biofilter performance, and CO₂ stripping during cascade aeration, within two replicate semi-commercial scale Atlantic salmon smolt RAS operated with moving bed biological filters. Alkalinity treatments of nominal 10, 70, and 200 mg/L as CaCO₃ were maintained using a pH controller and chemical dosing pumps supplying sodium bicarbonate (NaHCO₃). Each of the three treatments was replicated three times in each RAS. Both RAS were operated at each treatment level for 2 weeks; water quality sampling was conducted at the end of the second week. A constant feeding of 23 kg/day/RAS was provided every 1–2 h, and continuous lighting, which minimized diurnal fluctuations in water quality. RAS hydraulic retention time and water temperature were 4.3 days and 12.5 ± 0.5 °C, respectively, typical of smolt production RAS in Norway.It was found that a low nominal alkalinity (10 mg/L as CaCO₃) led to a significantly higher steady-state TAN concentration, compared to when 70 or 200 mg/L alkalinity was used. The mean areal nitrification rate was higher at the lowest alkalinity; however, the mean TAN removal efficiency across the MBBR was not significantly affected by alkalinity treatment. The CO₂ stripping efficiency showed only a tendency towards higher efficiency at the lowest alkalinity. In contrast, the relative fraction of total inorganic carbon that was removed from the RAS during CO₂ stripping was much higher at a low alkalinity (10 mg/L) compared to the higher alkalinities (70 and 200 mg/L as CaCO₃). Despite this, when calculating the total loss of inorganic carbon from RAS, it was found that the daily loss was about equal at 10, and 70 mg/L, whereas it was highest at 200 mg/L alkalinity. pH recordings demonstrated that the 10 mg/L alkalinity treatment resulted in the lowest system pH, the largest increase in [H⁺] across the fish culture tanks, as well as giving little response time in case of alkalinity dosing malfunction. Rapid pH changes under the relatively acidic conditions at 10 mg/L alkalinity may ultimately create fish health issues due to e.g. CO₂ or if aluminium or other metals are present. In conclusion, Atlantic salmon smolt producers using soft water make-up sources should aim for 70 mg/L alkalinity considering the relatively low loss of inorganic carbon compared to 200 mg/L alkalinity, and the increased pH stability as well as reduced TAN concentration, compared to lower alkalinity concentrations.