A quantitative analysis of organic matter inputs to soft sediment communities surrounding salmon farms in the Marlborough Sounds region of New Zealand

McMullin RM, Sabadel AJM, Hageman KJ, & Wing SR (2021). AScience of The Total Environment, 773, 145146.

Highlights

Key fatty acids and bulk stable isotopes discriminated farm and marine production.
Soft sediment communities assimilated aquaculture-derived organic matter.
Trophic level of soft sediment taxa decreased with increasing proximity to farms.
Total basal organic matter assimilated decreased with increasing proximity to farms.
Assimilation of farm-derived organic matter peaked in outer limit of effects zone.

Keywords

Aquaculture, Organic matter flux, Depositional footprint, Biochemical tracer, Fatty acid, Stable isotope

[open access]

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