Phosphorus Budget in Integrated Multitrophic Aquaculture Systems with Nile Tilapia, Oreochromis niloticus, and Amazon River Prawn, Macrobrachium amazonicum

Integrated multitrophic aquaculture (IMTA) systems are designed mainly for efficient use of resources. Substrates added to aquaculture ponds provide space for periphyton to settle and recover nutrients, making these nutrients available to the species being reared. The present study is centered on the phosphorus budget, analyzing the main ecological compartments of IMTA systems in earthen ponds stocked with Amazon River prawn, Macrobrachium amazonicum, and Nile tilapia, Oreochromis niloticus, with or without different added substrates. The experimental design was completely randomized, with three treatments (without a substrate, with a geotextile fabric substrate, and with a bamboo substrate) and four replications. Phosphorus entered the systems mainly in tilapia feed (ca. 50–61%), inlet water (ca. 17–27%), and fertilizer (ca. 6–7%). Input of phosphorus from other compartments ranged from 1.5 to 1.9%. Most phosphorus was accumulated at the pond bottom as sediment (ca. 60–68%) and fish biomass (ca. 18–26%), or discharged in the outlet water (ca. 7–10%). Feeding is the main driver for the distribution of phosphorus in the ponds. Levels of phosphorus retained in reared animals (20–28%) were higher in these IMTA systems than in tilapia and prawn monocultures (reported as 10–20% and 10–13%, respectively). Nonetheless, the present data showed that the addition of different types of substrates might not improve the recovery of phosphorus in animal biomass as initially supposed. Even so, these IMTA systems decreased the amount of phosphorus released in effluents, and this decrease was enhanced by the addition of substrates, reducing the impact on the receiving waterbodies.