Food production

Question 1

Hard

Methods of commercial shrimp farming (aquaculture) have evolved to reduce environmental impacts and increase production efficiency.

Suggest two reasons why more shrimp are now produced using land-based aquaculture systems rather than being harvested from traditional wild marine fisheries.

[2]

Land-based Biofloc Technology (BFT) systems are increasingly used instead of traditional open-pond systems located in coastal areas.

This new type of shrimp farming differs from open-ponds because:

it utilizes a dense community of beneficial microorganisms (biofloc) to continuously process and recycle nitrogenous waste inside the culture tanks, minimizing water exchange
it uses probiotics and bioremediation strains of bacteria in the water column, which significantly reduces the need for chemical disinfectants and antibiotics

Suggest one advantage of using recycled biofloc water inside land-based tanks rather than drawing fresh estuarine water directly into coastal ponds.

[1]

Suggest the advantage of reducing the use of chemical disinfectants and antibiotics in shrimp farms.

[2]

Another advantage of Biofloc Technology (BFT) systems is the reduction in nutrient waste discharge.

The nutrient waste figures for a traditional open-pond system and a land-based BFT system are shown in the table below.

$phosphorus8.01.2\begin{array}{|l|c|c|c|} \hline \text{Nutrient waste} & \begin{array}{c} \text{Mass of discharge in kg} \\ \text{per tonne of shrimp produced} \end{array} & & \begin{array}{c} \text{Discharge from BFT as} \\ \text{a percentage of discharge} \\ \text{from open-pond (\%)} \end{array} \\ \hline & \text{open-pond} & \text{BFT} & \\ \hline \text{dissolved nitrogen} & 64.0 & 16.0 & 25.0 \\ \hline \text{total phosphorus} & 8.0 & 1.2 & \\ \hline \end{array}$

Calculate the total phosphorus in the waste from the BFT system as a percentage of the total phosphorus in the waste from the open-pond system. Show your working.

[2]

If nutrient waste from shrimp farms is released into local marine or freshwater ecosystems, it can cause eutrophication.

Design an investigation to compare the pollution (such as algal growth or dissolved oxygen depletion) caused by effluent discharged from an open-pond system with effluent discharged from a Biofloc Technology (BFT) system.

Your answer should include experimental details and be written in full sentences.

[6]

Food production

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Question 1

Hard

Methods of commercial shrimp farming (aquaculture) have evolved to reduce environmental impacts and increase production efficiency.

Suggest two reasons why more shrimp are now produced using land-based aquaculture systems rather than being harvested from traditional wild marine fisheries.

[2]

Land-based Biofloc Technology (BFT) systems are increasingly used instead of traditional open-pond systems located in coastal areas.

This new type of shrimp farming differs from open-ponds because:

it utilizes a dense community of beneficial microorganisms (biofloc) to continuously process and recycle nitrogenous waste inside the culture tanks, minimizing water exchange
it uses probiotics and bioremediation strains of bacteria in the water column, which significantly reduces the need for chemical disinfectants and antibiotics

Suggest one advantage of using recycled biofloc water inside land-based tanks rather than drawing fresh estuarine water directly into coastal ponds.

[1]

Suggest the advantage of reducing the use of chemical disinfectants and antibiotics in shrimp farms.

[2]

Another advantage of Biofloc Technology (BFT) systems is the reduction in nutrient waste discharge.

The nutrient waste figures for a traditional open-pond system and a land-based BFT system are shown in the table below.

Calculate the total phosphorus in the waste from the BFT system as a percentage of the total phosphorus in the waste from the open-pond system. Show your working.

[2]

If nutrient waste from shrimp farms is released into local marine or freshwater ecosystems, it can cause eutrophication.

Your answer should include experimental details and be written in full sentences.

[6]

Food production

Question 1

Food production Questions

Food production

Question 1

Food production Questions