Dinâmica da comunidade fitoplanctônica em um viveiro de engorda de camarão marinho (Litopenaeus vannamei) no Estado do Ceará

Abstract

In shrimp ponds, the phytoplankton community can exhibit development patterns associated with environmental, operational and biological factors. The present study characterized the weekly phytoplankton composition and biomass changes in a pond over the growth cycle of Litopenaeus vannamei. Shrimp of 1.35 ± 0.63 cm in body length were stocked in a 3.3 ha pond under 42.4 animals/m2. Water sampling took place in the estuary (E), water inlet canal (C), pond plateau (P) and near the pond water drainage outlet (D). Horizontal net sampling was carried out with a 20 μm mesh net for taxonomic identification of phytoplankton. For chlorophyll a and phytoplankton counting samplings were conducted on the water sub-surface. Simultaneously, water analysis was carried out for temperature, salinity, dissolved oxygen, pH, visibility, depth, phosphate, reactive silicate, ammonium nitrogen, nitrate, nitrite and suspended solids. Shrimp were harvested after 85 days of rearing and achieved 11.18 g in body weight, 1.85 FCR and 52.9% survival. Feed contributed with 92.1% and 95.8% of nitrogen and phosphorous inputs into the pond, with the remainder attributed to chemical fertilizers. Pond soil organic matter was statistically higher in D (31.99 ± 13.66 g/kg) when compared to P (4.10 ± 1.56 g/kg; P < 0.05). However, soil pH between these sampling stations did not show statistically significant differences (P > 0.05), achieving a mean of 7.86 ± 0.40 for P and 7.82 ± 0.65 for D. While water temperature showed a similar trend for all sampling stations (P > 0.05), water pH was statistically higher for P and D (8.45 and 8.47, respectively; P < 0.05). Water salinity varied between 10‰ (E) and 35‰ (C, P and D), with minimum levels observed in the initial phases of the study. Dissolved phosphate ranged from 0.01 mg/l (C) to 0.24 mg/l (P) and nitrate from 0.002 mg/l (C, P and D) to 0.05 mg/l (P). Total Dissolved Nitrogen showed no statistically significant differences throughout the growth cycle (P > 0.05), except for E. The N:P, N:Si and Si:P molar ratios were below Redfield suggested ratios, except for Si:P in E and C. Chlorophyll a varied between 1.63 μg/l (C) and 184.83 μg/l (D). In P and D, chlorophyll a increased progressively throughout the study period. In the pond, phytoplankton showed an ecological succession different from the E and C. In P and D, diatoms predominated initially, but it was followed by excessive blooms of cyanophytes and euglenophytes. High inputs of feed and fertilizers were the main contributors for these blooms, potentially harmful to shrimp. The dissolved nutrients ((N-NH3,4, N-NO2 -, N-NO3 -, P-PO4 3- e Si) carried out a larger influence on the phytoplankton development in the pond.