title: Coupling aquaculture with forest plantations for food, energy, and water resiliency.
abstract: Freshwater aquaculture and forest bioenergy markets are expanding globally in areas concurrently experiencing human population growth, urbanization and water shortages. Coupling these agroecosystems can improve food, energy, and water resiliency by enhancing ecosystem services through fertilization, water-reuse, carbon storage, and bioenergy via biomass production. This study evaluated how a model aquaculture-managed forest plantation could (1) provision fish and woody biomass; (2) regulate carbon, groundwater infiltration, and groundwater quality; and (3) support nutrient cycling over a two-year period. A 0.5-hectare hardwood bioenergy plantation was established with 12 Populus spp. genotypes adjacent to a 0.6-hectare freshwater aquaculture operation (hybrid striped bass, Morone chrysops×M. saxatilis); pond waters were land-applied on the plantation for two years. The aquaculture operation produced ~3.5Mg of fish and trees yielded 5.9Mgha(-1)yr(-1) of oven-dry biomass, sequestered 2.9Mg carbon (C) ha(-1)yr(-1) and stored 0.028Mg nitrogen (N) ha(-1)yr(-1). Biomass productivity, carbon storage, and nitrogen storage differed significantly among the evaluated Populus genotypes. Land application of pond water increased groundwater infiltration by 60% relative to the previous year. The integrated system regulated chlorophyll a, total organic carbon, and nitrogen in groundwater at concentrations below regulatory limits. This study demonstrated that coupled agroecosystems could deliver productive yields of food and bioenergy as well as support water re-use while meeting water quality regulations. More research is needed to evaluated long-term sustainability and economic viability of this coupled system and other land management practices that seek to improve food, energy, and water resiliency.
authors.affiliation: 2820 Faucette Dr., Campus Box 8001, Department of Forestry and Environmental Resources, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC, USA. Electronic address: sdshiffl@ncsu.edu.
authors.forename: Shawn Dayson
authors.initials: SD
authors.lastname: Shifflett
authors.affiliation: 127A David Clark Labs, Box 7617, Department of Applied Ecology, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC, USA.
authors.forename: Allison
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Culbreth
authors.affiliation: 2820 Faucette Dr., Campus Box 8001, Department of Forestry and Environmental Resources, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC, USA.
authors.forename: Dennis
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Hazel
authors.affiliation: 127A David Clark Labs, Box 7617, Department of Applied Ecology, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC, USA.
authors.forename: Harry
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Daniels
authors.affiliation: 2820 Faucette Dr., Campus Box 8001, Department of Forestry and Environmental Resources, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC, USA.
authors.forename: Elizabeth Guthrie
authors.initials: EG
authors.lastname: Nichols
mesh_terms: D057914:Agricultural Irrigation; D017756:Aquaculture; D018533:Biomass; D002244:Carbon / Q000032:analysis; D057965:Carbon Sequestration; D002734:Chlorophyll / Q000032:analysis; D000077194:Chlorophyll A; D016468:Forestry; D065928:Forests; D060587:Groundwater / Q000032:analysis*; D009584:Nitrogen / Q000032:analysis; D009657:North Carolina; D061005:Ponds / Q000737:chemistry; D014197:Trees / Q000502:physiology*
chemical_list: D002734:Chlorophyll; D002244:Carbon; D009584:Nitrogen; D000077194:Chlorophyll A
keywords: Bioenergy; Ecosystem services; Food energy water nexus; Groundwater infiltration; Integrated aquaculture-managed forest plantation; Water quality