Aquaculture Reports (Dec 2022)
A multi-trait evaluation framework to assess the consequences of polyculture in fish production: An application for pikeperch in recirculated aquaculture systems
Abstract
Polyculture offers an alternative to monoculture in recirculated aquaculture systems (RAS). Nevertheless, RAS polyculture can potentially result in beneficial as well as detrimental consequences. This places a premium on assessing consequences of a particular polyculture prior to its implementation in farming production. In fish aquaculture, most of previous assessments of polyculture consequences have been carried out through multi-trait approach by analysing independently species traits related to a single biological function. Yet, polyculture can impact many biological functions and the overall consequences are the result of multiple interactions from different functions. Therefore, an integrative analysis is required to synthesise the polyculture consequences at the multi-trait levels. Here we propose a multi-trait evaluation framework (i.e. considering traits related to multiple functions), for the polyculture consequence assessment. We analyse this framework through multivariate analysis prior integrating results for each trait. As test case, we used pikeperch (Sander lucioperca), reared in monoculture and in polyculture with European perch (Perca fluviatilis), common carp (Cyprinus carpio) and black-bass (Micropterus salmoides). Our results revealed the importance of applying multi-trait framework to obtain a reliable assessment of fish polycultures. The divergence that might occur in the expression of some traits in the same polyculture has been highlighted to support this argument. Through the integration method, it was possible to find the suitable combination(s) of fish and to exclude the unsuitable ones. For future researches, we suggest to support the multi-trait assessment by weighting the traits involved in the multivariate analysis.
