[Coral-List] Filter feeding bivalves for improvements in coastal water quality

[Sarah Frias-Torres]

Wera,
in tropical ecosystems with existing mangrove-coral reef or mangrove-seagrass-coral reef biomes, water quality is largely accomplished by the mangrove, in particular, fringing mangroves due to:
1) physical estabilization of sediments by the mangrove root system
2) filter feeding organisms attached to submersed mangrove roots: bivalves, sponges, tunicates, etc. Mangrove bivalves are an important source of food for locals, where they still exist.
If you are planning on conducting small-scale pilot studies, in regions where the biomes explained above exist, it will be useful to compare the filtering ability of a mangrove community, with that of a bivalve only facility.
To give you an idea of proportions, durng the First International Symposium on Mangroves as Fish Habitat, April 2006 held at RSMAS-University of Miami, (see all abstracts at  http://www.rsmas.miami.edu/conference/mangrove-fish-habitat/pdf/MFHProgramFinal52Pages.pdf
and articles at Bulletin of Marine Science Vol 80, N 3; 2007), Dr. Primavera from the Southeast Asian Fisheries Development Center in the Philippines, demonstrated that for every unit of aquaculture pond area (mostly shrimp aquaculture) in the Philippines, you need six units of coastal mangrove area to clean up the water an return to the water quality standards that existed before the aquaculture activity.
Hope this helps



Sarah Frias-Torres, Ph.D. 
Marine Conservation Biologist
Ocean Research and Conservation Association, Florida USA
 > Date: Fri, 23 May 2008 21:31:04 +0200> From: wera.leujak at web.de> To: coral-list at coral.aoml.noaa.gov> Subject: [Coral-List] Filter feeding bivalves for improvements in coastal water quality> > Dear Coral-Listers,> > I am currently trying to get an overview of the feasibility of using filter-feeding bivalves for improvements in water quality. I am undertaking this work for the Save Our Seas Foundation. The foundation is keen to get involved in funding small-scale pilot studies on this topic in the future in cooperation with research institutions or aquaculture facilities that already have experience in this area. Hence, one of the aims of the overview is to identify potential cooperation partners. While I am aware of a wealth of theoretical studies on the topic (mainly in temperate waters), I came across little information on past or ongoing small- or large-scale practical field trials in the tropics. I am aware that there have been some trials in Israel (National Center for Mariculture) and in Jordan (Marine Science Station at Aqaba), but do not know if they are still ongoing.> > I therefore would like to get in touch with you if you have worked or are working on one of the following topics:> - Use of filter-feeding bivalves (giant clams or others) or artificial reef structures to improve coastal water quality in tropical waters by removal of nutrients (N,P) > - Use of bivalves as biofilters in integrated aquaculture / polyculture in the tropics (land-based and open ocean facilities)> - Use of bivalves as biofilters for the removal of toxic pollutants in tropical coastal waters or in aquaculture effluents> > I am looking forward to hearing from you.> > Many thanks> > Wera> > Dr. Wera Leujak> Consultant> Save Our Seas Foundation> http://www.saveourseas.com/web/191.0.html> wera.leujak at web.de> > _______________________________________________________________________> Jetzt neu! Schützen Sie Ihren PC mit McAfee und WEB.DE. 30 Tage> kostenlos testen. http://www.pc-sicherheit.web.de/startseite/?mc=022220> > _______________________________________________> Coral-List mailing list> Coral-List at coral.aoml.noaa.gov> http://coral.aoml.noaa.gov/mailman/listinfo/coral-list