2023 Volume 79 Issue 25 Article ID: 23-25022
We compared the feeding and biodepositing rate of the cultivated oysters and fouling mussels by the feeding experiment. The object of this study was to understand the impacts of fouling mussels on the growth of oysters and the load of particulate organic matter (POM) to the sea bottom at the oyster farms. Results showed that the feeding rate of EPA and DHA per the biomass of bivalve were larger in fouling mussels compared with oysters, which implied that fouling mussels can ingest more POM originated from phytoplankton which is essential for their growth. It was also revealed that mussels excrete more POC than oysters per unit biomass and per time. On the other hand, the amount of EPA and DHA per unit POC was lower in biodeposits from mussels than that from oysters. These results imply that removing fouling mussels from oyster farms can reduce the mass of settling POM from farms, although it is possible that the oxygen consumption rate of settling POM increase in the short term. In conclusion, removing fouling mussels from oyster farms can lead to the form of sustainable aquaculture, in terms of the efficient use of phytoplankton resources and the mitigation of the environmental impacts.
