Evaluation of planktonic and benthic communities of microalgae in the shrimp ponds (Litopenaeus vannamei)

Abstract

The objective of this work is to evaluate the planktonic and benthic communities of microalgae, looking to establish relationships with the hydrological variables, management and production of shrimp ponds. During the period of September 2005 to October 2006, three Litopenaeus vannamei ponds and the affluent channel were analyzed by taking biweekly samples of phytoplankton and phytobenthos. In the ponds, informations about the hydrological variables, weather, culture parameters and the production data were recorded. The Cyanophyta dominated the phytoplankton in all cycles, reaching the relative abundance of 80%, being the Pseudoanabaena genus the main responsible for this domination. The Bacillariophyta dominated the phytobenthos, with abundance over 85%. The phytoplankton reached higher densities in the ponds, whereas the phytobenthos was dominant in the affluent channel. A positive relationship between the benthic Bacillariophyta and the shrimps´ growth was observed.