Effects of iso-nitrogenous and iso-phosphorus fertilizers as nutrient sources on carp polyculture in Bangladesh

A 120 day long experiment was conducted to find out the effects of cow manure with urea and triple super phosphate (CUT), poultry manure with urea and triple super phosphate (PUT) and cow manure with poultry manure (CP) having similar quantities of nitrogen and phosphorus on pond productivity and fish yield. The stocking fish were rohu (Labeo rohita), catla ( Catla catla) and mrigal ( Cirrhinus mrigala) in each treatment pond at the rate of 10000/ha. All ponds were fertilized fortnightly at the rate of 4000 kg/ha cow manure with 62 kg/ha urea and 65 kg/ha TSP, 2700 kg/ha poultry manure with 62 kg/ha urea and 16 kg/ha TSP, and 4000kg/ha cow manure with 2700 kg/ha poultry manure for the treatment CUT, PUT and CP respectively. Each treatment contained an iso-nitrogen and iso-phosphorus of 56 kg and 46 kg respectively. Though the physico-chemical parameters were more or less similar in all ponds, the chlorophyll-a content and abundance of total plankton were significantly higher (P< 0.05) in the ponds receiving the fertilizer treatment of PUT than those of other treatments. Final growth as well as per unit production of fish of treatment PUT (1773 kg/ha) was significantly higher (P< 0.05) than that of treatment CP (1528 kg/ha) followed by that of treatment CUT (1336 kg/ha). The over all results showed that poultry manure with urea and triple super phosphate proved to be superior to cow manure with urea and triple super phosphate, and poultry manure with cow manure, even when nitrogen and phosphorus content was similar, in carp polyculture system under prevailing conditions.

Alternative phosphorus sources for formulated fish feed

An experiment was conducted to evaluate the possibility of using inorganic fertilizer triple super phosphate (TSP), inorganic fertilizer 16:20 (a 16:20 grade fertilizer contains 16 percent N and 20 percent P20 5), rice-bran and duck-manure as phosphorus sources in formulated fish feed for Nile tilapia ( Oreochromis niloticus). Experiment was conducted for a period of 2 months in net-cages suspended in fertilized earthen ponds and all male sex-reversed Nile tilapia (9.39- 10.37 g) were used in the experiment. Seven treatments including one non-feed treatment were used in this experiment. Treatment 1 (non-feed), treatment 2 (-P) where fish fed with phosphorus non-supplemented diet acted as control 1 and treatment 3, 4, 5, 6 and 7 where fish fed with 3% di-calcium phosphate (DCP), 3% triple supper phosphate (TSP), 7% 16:20 inorganic fertilizer, 30% rice-bran and 30% duck-manure supplemented diet, respectively. Results showed that the TSP and 16:20 grade inorganic fertilizer supplementation in diets as phosphorus sources were equivalent to DCP (Di-calcium phosphate) supplementation in terms of growth performance, feed utilization efficiency and final body composition of Nile tilapia. Ricebran and duck-manure were not found as good phosphorus sources.

A Comparison of Two Methods for Enhancing the Recovery of Seagrasses into Propellor Scars: Mechanical Injection of a Nutrient and Growth Hormone Solution vs. Defecation by Roosting Seabirds: Final Report.

Based on the recovery rates for Thalassia testudinum measured in this study for scars of these excavation depths and assuming a linear recovery horizon, we estimate that it would take ~ 6.9 years (95% CI. = 5.4 to 9.6 years) for T. testudinum to return to the same density as recorded for the adjacent undisturbed population. The application of water soluble fertilizers and plant growth hormones by mechanical injection into the sediments adjacent to ten propellor scars at Lignumvitae State Botanical Site did not significantly increase the recovery rate of Thalassia testudinum or Halodule wrightii. An alternative method of fertilization and restoration of propellor scars was also tested by a using a method of “compressed succession” where Halodule wrightii is substituted for T. testudinum in the initial stages of restoration. Bird roosting stakes were placed among H.wrightii bare root plantings in prop scars to facilitate the defecation of nitrogen and phosphorus enriched feces. In contrast to the fertilizer injection method, the bird stakes produced extremely high recovery rates of transplanted H. wrightii. We conclude that use of a fertilizer/hormone injection machine in the manner described here is not a feasible means of enhancing T. testudinum recovery in propellor scars on soft bottom carbonate sediments. Existing techniques such as the bird stake approach provide a reliable, and inexpensive alternative method that should be considered for application to restoration of seagrasses in these environments. Document contains 40 pages)

Preliminary studies of the dual role of cotton-seed cake as fish feed and fish pond fertilizer in aquaculture

Many locally available fish feeds have been tried in fish culture. These include guinea corn, soya bean, groundnut cake and rice bran. Cotton seed cake has been successfully used as a fishpond organic fertilizer at Ado-Ekiti Government fish farm. Three fishponds stocked respectively with common carps, Heterotis, Tilapia spp., Clarias lazera and Heterobranchus were fed with cotton seed cake. Carps, Tilapia and Heterotis increased rapidly in weight and length while the catifishes did not grow

Potential Application of Adsorptive Media to Enhance Phosphorus Uptake in Stormwater Basins and Wetlands at Lake Tahoe : literature review. Report to the University of California Davis Tahoe Research Group

Phosphorus removal by wetlands and basins in Lake Tahoe may be improved through designing these systems to filter storm water through media having higher phosphorus removal capabilities than local parent material. Substrates rich in iron, aluminum and calcium oftentimes have enhanced phosphorus removal. These substrates can be naturally occurring, byproducts of industrial or water treatment processes, or engineered. Phosphorus removal fundamentally occurs through chemical adsorption and/or precipitation and much of the phosphorus can be irreversibly bound. In addition to these standard media, other engineered substrates are available to enhance P removal. One such substrate is locally available in Reno and uses lanthanum coated diatomaceous earth for arsenate removal. This material, which has a high positive surface charge, can also irreversibly remove phosphorus. Physical factors also affect P removal. Specifically, specific surface area and particle shape affect filtration capacity, contact area between water and the surface area, and likelihood of clogging and blinding. A number of substrates have been shown to effectively remove P in case studies. Based upon these studies, promising substrates include WTRs, blast furnace slag, steel furnace slag, OPC, calcite, marble Utelite and other LWAs, zeolite and shale. However, other nonperformance factors such as environmental considerations, application logistics, costs, and potential for cementification narrow the list of possible media for application at Tahoe. Industrial byproducts such as slags risk possible leaching of heavy metals and this potential cannot be easily predicted. Fly ash and other fine particle substrates would be more difficult to apply because they would need to be blended, making them less desirable and more costly to apply than larger diameter media. High transportation costs rule out non-local products. Finally, amorphous calcium products will eventually cementify reducing their effectiveness in filtration systems. Based upon these considerations, bauxite, LWAs and expanded shales/clays, iron-rich sands, activated alumina, marble and dolomite, and natural and lanthanum activated diatomaceous earth are the products most likely to be tested for application at Tahoe. These materials are typically iron, calcium or aluminum based; many have a high specific surface area; and all have low transportation costs. (PDF contains 21 pages)

Nitrogen and phosphorus forms in water and the food requirements of algae. [Translation from: Wiadomosci Ekologiczne 19 238-244, 1973. ]

When dissolved in water, compounds of nitrogen and phosphorus ought to contain the basic assimilated food requirements for autotrophic plants and therefore autotrophic algae. This article summarises the occurrence of nitrogen in water, how species of algae utilize nitrogen and phosphorus forms for growth and the capacities of algae to adapt to environments of different nutrient wealth. This topic has unquestionable importance not only for the purpose of survival of a species but also in deciding indirectly about the stability of ecosystems.

Changes of water quality and sediment phosphorus of a small productive lake following decreased phosphorus loading

Esthwaite Water is the most productive or eutrophic lake in the English Lake District. Since 1945 its water quality has been determined from weekly or biweekly measurements of temperature, oxygen, plant nutrients and phytoplankton abundance. The lake receives phosphorus from its largely lowland-pasture catchment, sewage effluent from the villages of Hawkshead and Near Sawrey, and from a cage-culture fish farm. From 1986 phosphorus has been removed from the sewage effluent of Hawkshead which was considered to contribute between 47% and 67% of the total phosphorus loading to the lake. At the commencement of phosphorus removal regular measurements of phosphorus in the superficial 0-4 cm layer of lake sediment were made from cores collected at random sites. Since 1986 the mean annual concentration of alkali-extractable sediment phosphorus has decreased by 23%. This change is not significant at the 5% level but nearly so. There has been no marked change in water quality over this period. Summer dominance of blue-green algae which arose in the early 1980s after decline of the previous summer forms, Ceratium spp., has been maintained. Improvement in water quality is unlikely to be achieved at the present phosphorus loading.

Trends in nitrate-nitrogen, nitrite-nitrogen and phosphorus concentration in Ebonyi river, Nigeria

A baseline study of the limnological integrity of Ebonyi River, a tropical lotic system in south-eastern Nigeria was conducted between September 2006 and February 2008 to assess its potential in enhancing fisheries production for the benefit of the rural poor, who depend on the resources of the river for survival. The parameters measured were nitrate-nitrogen, nitrite-nitrogen and phosphate-phosphorus. Results show that nitrate varied between 40.43mg/L in September 2006 and 1.73mg/L in December 2007, Showing significant difference (P<0.01) among months. The values recorded for nitrites varied between 0.2mg/L in September 2006 and 0.4mg/L in February 2008, showing significant (P<0.01) variation among months. Values recorded for phosphorus was highest (0.05mg/L) in the month of October 2006 while the least mean value (0.32mg/L) was recorded in the month of May 2007 and showed significant (p<0.01) variation in monthly means. It was concluded that the values of the measured parameters falls within tolerable range for enhanced fisheries development in the area. KEYWORDS: Limnology, Tropical, River, Monthly, Mean, Variation

Aspects of phosphorus pollution from aquaculture

Phosphorus is an essential element for living organisms and exists in waterbodies as dissolved and particulate forms. Phosphorus is required for optimum growth, feed efficiency, bone development and maintenance of acid-base regulation in fish. The presence of high concentration of phosphates in water may indicate presence of pollution as it may accelerate plant growth and disrupt the aquatic ecosystem thereby benefiting certain species and altering species diversity in affected areas. Eutrophication of waterbodies is often correlated with the phosphorus loading into the environment and aquaculture has been identified as one of the sources of phosphorus pollution. Details of the impacts of eutrophication is given in Bernhardt (1981). Phosphorus must be provided in fish feed because of its low concentration in water. Studies made in Europe and Northern America have revealed a phosphorus surplus in most commercial feeds which is above actual requirements; or is supplied in a form which is unavailable to the fish. Surplus phosphorus is excreted, while unavailable phosphorus is passed out in the feces. Discharge of phosphorus from fish farms and hatchery effluents have caused phosphorus pollution in Nordic countries, North America and Europe. This article examines the path of phosphorus pollution, quantification/prediction of phosphorus load from aquaculture and remedial measures.

Global transcriptional responses of the toxic cyanobacterium, Microcystis aeruginosa, to nitrogen stress, phosphorus stress, and growth on organic matter

Whole transcriptome shotgun sequencing (RNA-seq) was used to assess the transcriptomic response of the toxic cyanobacterium Microcystis aeruginosa during growth with low levels of dissolved inorganic nitrogen (low N), low levels of dissolved inorganic phosphorus (low P), and in the presence of high levels of high molecular weight dissolved organic matter (HMWDOM). Under low N, one third of the genome was differentially expressed, with significant increases in transcripts observed among genes within the nir operon, urea transport genes (urtBCDE), and amino acid transporters while significant decreases in transcripts were observed in genes related to photosynthesis. There was also a significant decrease in the transcription of the microcystin synthetase gene set under low N and a significant decrease in microcystin content per Microcystis cell demonstrating that N supply influences cellular toxicity. Under low P, 27% of the genome was differentially expressed. The Pho regulon was induced leading to large increases in transcript levels of the alkaline phosphatase phoX, the Pst transport system (pstABC), and the sphX gene, and transcripts of multiple sulfate transporter were also significantly more abundant. While the transcriptional response to growth on HMWDOM was smaller (5–22% of genes differentially expressed), transcripts of multiple genes specifically associated with the transport and degradation of organic compounds were significantly more abundant within HMWDOM treatments and thus may be recruited by Microcystis to utilize these substrates. Collectively, these findings provide a comprehensive understanding of the nutritional physiology of this toxic, bloom-forming cyanobacterium and the role of N in controlling microcystin synthesis.

Historical nitrogen and phosphorus loadings to the northern Gulf of Mexico

Primary productivity in many coastal systems is nitrogen (N) limited; although, phytoplankton productivity may be limited by phosphorus (P) seasonally or in portions of an estuary. Increases in loading of limiting nutrients to coastal ecosystems may lead to eutrophication (Nixon 1996). Anthropogenically enhanced eutrophication includes symptoms such as loss of seagrass beds, changes in algal community composition, increased algal (phytoplankton) blooms (Richardson et al. 2001), hypoxic or anoxic events, and fish kills (Bricker et al. 2003).

The influence of nitrogen and phosphorus on the growth of a diatom Skeletonema costatum (Greville) Cleve

Nitrogen and phosphorus requirements of a chain-forming diatom, Skeletonema costatum (Greville) Cleve, collected from Yatsushiro Sea, Japan, were investigated in a laboratory culture experiment. Sodium nitrate and sodium glycerophosphate were used as nitrogen and phosphorus sources, respectively. Cultures were grown in modified Provasoli's ASP2NTA medium (Provasoli et al. 1957) at 25±1°C, light intensity 60 µE mˉ² secˉ¹ and photoperiod 12:12-h, L:D cycle. Optimum growth was observed at nitrate concentrations of 3-10 mglˉ¹ and phosphate concentrations of 1.5-15 mglˉ¹. Adequate growth was also found at the nitrate concentration of up to as high as 300 mglˉ¹. Significantly poorer growth was found at lower nitrate (<3.0 mglˉ¹) and higher phosphate (>15 mglˉ¹) concentrations. From the present study, it is concluded that S. costatum can grow well at wide ranges of nitrate concentrations but is sensitive to higher phosphate concentrations.

Effect of fertilizer carbamide on proteolytic enzymes of fish Labeo rohita

Specific activities of acid, alkaline and neutral proteases in liver, muscle, brain, and gill of fish exposed to 50 ppm ambient carbamide for 15, 30 and 60 days and in control were estimated. It was observed that carbamide even at low concentration of 50 ppm inhibited proteolysis and favoured protein synthesis.