F3.4 Freshwater aquafarms

Biome: F3. Artificial wetlands biome

Contributors:
(texts)

Freshwater aquafarms are ponds constructed from earthworks or cages built within freshwater lakes, rivers and reservoirs. They are most common in Asia. and used to produce species. Their commercial production of fish and crustacean involves intensive interventions, including focussed inputs of food and nutrients, and control of competitors, predators and diseases that may limit production of target species. Consequently habitat diversity and primary production are low, and non-target biota is limited to opportunistic colonisers from adjacent water sources, including insects, fish, frogs, waterbirds and some aquatic plants.

Key Features

Artificial mostly permanent waterbodies managed for production of fish or crustaceans with managed inputs of nutrients and energy Simple trophic networks of opportunistic colonists supported mainly be algal productivity.

Overview of distribution

Mostly in Asia but also in northern and western Europe, North and West Africa, the Americas, and southeast Australia and New Zealand.

Profile versions

• v1.0 (2020-01-20): RT Kingsford; DA Keith
• v2.0 (2020-05-26): RT Kingsford; M Beveridge; DA Keith
• v2.01 ():
• v2.1 (2022-04-06): RT Kingsford; M Beveridge; DA Keith Full profile available at official site

Main references

Selected references for this functional group:

• Ottinger M, Clauss K, Kuenzer CJO (2016) Aquaculture: relevance, distribution, impacts and spatial assessments–a review Ocean & Coastal Management 119: 244-266 DOI:10.1016/j.ocecoaman.2015.10.015

Diagrammatic assembly model

Diagrammatic assembly model of F3.4 Freshwater aquafarms. See general notes on diagrams. Open image full size.

Maps

Maps are indicative of global distribution patterns are not intended to represent fine-scale patterns. The maps show areas of the world containing major (coloured red) or minor occurrences (coloured yellow) of each ecosystem functional group. See general notes on maps.

There are 2 alternative versions of the indicative map for this functional group, please compare description and sources below.

F3.4.IM.orig_v1.0

Datasets

• FEOW-2008

Map references

• Abell R, Thieme ML, Revenga C, Bryer M, Kottelat M, Bogutskaya N, Coad B, Mandrak N, Contreras Balderas S, Bussing W, Stiassny MLJ, Skelton P, Allen GR, Unmack P, Naseka A, Ng R, Sindorf N, Robertson J, Armijo E, Higgins JV, Heibel TJ, Wikramanayake E, Olson D, López HL, Reis RE, Lundberg JG, Sabaj Pérez MH, Petry P (2008) Freshwater ecoregions of the world: A new map of biogeographic units for freshwater biodiversity conservation, BioScience 58: 403–414. DOI:10.1641/B580507

F3.4.web.orig_v1.0

Freshwater ecoregions (Abell et al. 2008) were identified as containing major or minor occurrences of these functional groups if: i) their descriptions mentioned features consistent with those identifed in the profile of the Ecosystem Functional Group; and ii) if their location was consistent with the ecological drivers described in the profile. The selections were check by expert reviewers. Occurrences were mapped at 30 arc seconds spatial resolution. Open image full size.

Datasets

• FEOW-2008

Map references

• Abell R, Thieme ML, Revenga C, Bryer M, Kottelat M, Bogutskaya N, Coad B, Mandrak N, Contreras Balderas S, Bussing W, Stiassny MLJ, Skelton P, Allen GR, Unmack P, Naseka A, Ng R, Sindorf N, Robertson J, Armijo E, Higgins JV, Heibel TJ, Wikramanayake E, Olson D, López HL, Reis RE, Lundberg JG, Sabaj Pérez MH, Petry P (2008) Freshwater ecoregions of the world: A new map of biogeographic units for freshwater biodiversity conservation, BioScience 58: 403–414. DOI:10.1641/B580507

Back to: Realm overview / Freshwater Realm / Biome overview / F3. Artificial wetlands biome
Check: the Glossary / Profile structure / the public document