Open AccessEffects of stocking density of Chinese soft‐shelled turtle and interactions between cultivated species on growth performance and the environment in a turtle–rice coculture system
Author(s) -
Zhao Jing,
Zou Yiyi,
Chen Hanxiang,
Xu Jiehao,
Liang Zhenzhen,
Xu Haisheng
Publication year - 2020
Publication title -
journal of the world aquaculture society
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.655
H-Index - 60
eISSN - 1749-7345
pISSN - 0893-8849
DOI - 10.1111/jwas.12665
Subject(s) - stocking , turtle (robot) , monoculture , biology , zoology , agronomy , fishery
Experiments were performed to investigate the effects of stocking density (6, 8, 10, and 12 turtles/m 2 ) of Chinese soft‐shelled turtles ( Pelodiscus sinensis ) and coculture interactions on growth performance and environment in a turtle–rice coculture system. The average yields of rice grain and rice straw in four turtle–rice coculture (TR) groups were significantly higher than those in a rice monoculture with fertilizer (RMF) group and a rice monoculture (RM) group ( p < .05). The yield of turtles increased gradually with increasing stocking density until reaching 10 turtles/m 2 , and the yield of TR10 was 1,297.51 ± 106.31 g/m 2 . The death rate in TR6, TR8, and TR10 groups was significantly lower than that in the turtle monoculture (TM) group ( p < .05), whereas the specific growth rate and weight gain in TR6, TR8, and TR10 groups were significantly higher than those in the TM group ( p < .05). The nitrogen and phosphorus use efficiencies in the TR groups were significantly higher than those in the TM and RM groups ( p < .05). The water environment was improved in the TR group. The results suggest that an appropriate stocking density (10 turtles/m 2 ) of turtles in the coculture system can effectively increase the yield of turtles and reduce the impacts on the environment compared with the TM.