Environmental quality and natural food performance at feeding sites in a carp (Cyprinus carpio) pond

• Published in: Aquaculture international Vol. 24; no. 6; pp. 1591 - 1606
• Main Authors: Adámek, Z., Mrkvová, M., Zukal, J., Roche, K., Mikl, L., Šlapanský, L., Janáč, M., Jurajda, P.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Cham Springer International Publishing 01-12-2016; Springer Nature B.V
• Subjects: Biomedical and Life Sciences; Carp Pond Aquaculture; Cyprinus carpio; Domestic animals; Environmental conditions; Environmental degradation; Environmental quality; Feeding behavior; Food resources; Freshwater; Freshwater & Marine Ecology; Life Sciences; Natural & organic foods; Polyculture; Ponds; Product Processing and Quality; Turbidity; Zoobenthos; Zoology; Zooplankton; Czech Rep; Oxygen; Pond aquaculture; Zooplankton; Macrozoobenthos; Turbidity; Supplemental feeding
• ISSN: 0967-6120; 1573-143X
• DOI: 10.1007/s10499-016-0048-3

Just like other domesticated animals, common carp (
Cyprinus carpio
) are able to learn where food can easily be obtained. As a result, carp in semi-intensive polyculture ponds could conceivably restrict their main activity centres to supplemental feeding sites, leading to lowered exploitation of natural food resources (zooplankton and macrozoobenthos) and localised degradation of environmental conditions. At two semi-intensive ponds in southern Moravia (Czech Republic), areas around feeding sites displayed significantly reduced oxygen concentration and saturation (mainly
p
 < 0.001). Likewise, temperature, pH and transparency also decreased significantly at feeding sites (mainly
p
 < 0.05), while turbidity increased. While there was no significant difference in zooplankton biovolume at feeding and non-feeding sites, zoobenthos density and biomass were significantly lower at feeding sites (mainly
p
 < 0.01). The feeding behaviour of carp, therefore, led to significant changes in both abiotic and biotic conditions at supplemental feeding sites.