The effect of embayment complexity on ecological carrying capacity estimations in bivalve aquaculture sites
The effect of embayment complexity on ecological carrying capacity estimations in bivalve aquaculture sites
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DOI：
10.1016/j.jclepro.2020.125739
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发表时间：
2021-03
影响因子：
11.1
通讯作者：
R. Filgueira;T. Guyondet;P. Thupaki;T. Sakamaki;J. Grant
中科院分区：
文献类型：
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作者：
R. Filgueira;T. Guyondet;P. Thupaki;T. Sakamaki;J. Grant
双壳类水产养殖需要通过人为增加滤食者的密度来改变其自然种群。如果储存的生物质的过滤压力超过系统补充枯竭资源的能力，双壳类养殖场可能会对生态系统产生负面影响。生态承载能力的概念通常被用来为双壳类水产养殖的管理和监管决策提供信息。生态承载能力的概念被理解为特定区域内水产养殖活动的规模，可以在不导致水环境发生不可接受变化的情况下得到支持。在本研究中，将水动力模型与模拟有机沉积物主要动态的生态模型相耦合，以评估双壳类水产养殖对沉积物供应的影响，并评估生态承载力。空间上明确的模型允许确定哪些地区的有机沉积物可以减少到超过生态系统恢复能力的预防性阈值。该模型已被应用于加拿大新斯科舍省的三个沿海海湾，它们在水循环和入口/海岸复杂性方面存在差异。模型的结果表明，目前苏伯岛、葡萄酒港和怀特黑德的水产养殖作业在双壳类养殖生态系统的生态承载能力范围内。对其他假设放养情景的模拟表明，当地水循环与系统的生态承载能力相关，从而与水产养殖作业相关。因此，出于规划目的，应考虑将租约放置在流通最佳的地区。该模型探索假想情景的能力可用作指导关于新水产养殖场选址的管理决策的工具。
Bivalve aquaculture requires the alteration of natural populations of filter-feeders by artificially increasing their density. A bivalve farm could have negative consequences for the ecosystem if the filtration pressure of stocked biomass surpasses the capacity of the system to replenish the depleted resources. The concept of ecological carrying capacity, understood as the magnitude of aquaculture activity in a given area that can be supported without leading to unacceptable changes in the aquatic environment, is commonly used to inform management and regulatory decisions of bivalve aquaculture. In this study, a hydrodynamic model has been coupled to an ecological model that simulates the main dynamics of organic seston to evaluate the effects of bivalve aquaculture on seston supply and assess ecological carrying capacity. The spatially-explicit model allows the identification of areas where organic seston could be reduced beyond precautionary thresholds of ecosystem resilience. The model has been applied to three coastal embayments in Nova Scotia (Canada) that differ in water circulation and inlet/coastal complexity. The outcomes of the model suggest that the current aquaculture operations in Sober Island, Wine Harbour, and Whitehead are within the ecological carrying capacity of the ecosystem for bivalve aquaculture. The simulation of additional hypothetical stocking scenarios had demonstrated the relevance of local water circulation to the ecological carrying capacity of the system, and consequently for aquaculture operations. Accordingly, the placement of leases in areas with optimal circulation should be considered for planning purposes. The capability of the model to explore hypothetical scenarios could be used as a tool to guide management decisions in regard to site selection for new aquaculture sites.