Author(s)

S. Neumann-Leitão, F. A. N. Feitosa, M. C. O. Moura, M. J. Flores Montes, K. Muniz, M. G. G. Silva-Cunha & M. N. Paranaguá

Abstract

Aquaculture impacts on the water quality and plankton community in a mangrove ecosystem in Brazil S. ~eumann-~eitiiol, F. A. N. ~eitosa', M. C. 0. Moura, M. J. Flores Montes, K. ~ u n i z ' , M. G. G. ~ilva-~unha' & M. N. ~aranagd 1 Department of Oceanography, Federal University of Pernambuco, Brazil 2 Department of Biology, Federal Rural University of Pernambuco, Brazil Abstract Mariculture has become an important source of human food and its production is likely to expand well in Brazil for the foreseeable future. However, maricuiture has caused direct and indirect negative impacts on the coastal ecosystem. To assess the impacts caused by a shrimp culture farm at the Goiana mangrove area the water and plankton community were studied. Samples were obtained from May11997 to Januaryll999, before and after the farm implantation. Mariculture facilities reduced around 20% of the mangrove area. An intensive mixture of the marine and freshwater fluxes occurred in the system, dominating the marine.

Keywords