by Christopher Knud-Hansen
fter
an eight-year hiatus from active PD/A CRSP participation, Michigan State University
(MSU) is very pleased to join the PD/A CRSP Tenth Work Plan activities. Under
the direction of Ted Batterson, Chris Knud-Hansen, and Don Garling, MSU is
returning to the Asian Institute of Technology (AIT), Pathumthani, Thailand,
where it was a PD/A CRSP participant from 1988 to 1993. The two MSU activities
funded under the Tenth Work Plan are the “Use of Clinoptilolite Zeolites
for Ammonia-N Transfer and Retention in Integrated Aquaculture Systems, and
for Improving Pond Water Quality before Discharge” (Appropriate Technology/Experiment),
and “Workshops on Using Principles of Pond Dynamics to Optimize Fertilization
Efficiency” (Pond Dynamics/Activity).
The Appropriate Technology research project examines potentially new applications for natural clinoptilolite zeolites
in aquaculture. Natural zeolites are aluminosilicate minerals found in volcanogenic
sedimentary rocks worldwide, and possess several important properties including
adsorption, cation-exchange (particularly with ammonium ions), dehydration-rehydration,
and catalysis. They are inert and have no associated environmental risks.
Current environmental applications include soil improvements for water and
nutrient retention, treatment of water and wastewater, and dietary supplements
for farm-raised animals. Clinoptilolite use in aquaculture has focused on
ammonia removal for aquaria and other freshwater culture systems.
Our PD/A CRSP research will adapt clinoptilolite’s capability to sequester/release
ammonia nitrogen in order to provide a more socially acceptable way to integrate
animal manures with pond fertilization. Crushed clinoptilolite, enriched with
manure-derived ammonia, can fertilize ponds without additional oxygen demands
or unnecessary organic inputs. Clinoptilolite can also capture soluble nitrogen
and phosphorus (by flocculation) from discharged pond water, facilitating
the recycling of on-farm nutrients which would otherwise degrade downstream
environments.
The clinoptilolite research will take place at AIT within the Agriculture,
Aquatic Systems and Engineering Program in the School of Environment, Resources
and Management during the spring and summer of 2002. AIT faculty Amrit Bart
is serving as host country principal investigator, with Yang Yi providing
technical and logistical assistance. Laboratory and tank experiments will
be conducted during 2002 by Yuan Derun, a doctoral student within the aquaculture
program. AIT will also provide important logistical support for the pond dynamic
workshops.
The pond dynamic workshops are designed to teach through demonstrations,
presentations, and informal discussions how to 1) manage ecological factors
(e.g., nutrient and light availability) which control natural food production
in fertilized ponds, 2) identify ecological benefits/limitations of organic
versus inorganic fertilizers as related to pond dynamics, 3) understand pond
characteristics (e.g., pond location, pond depth and area, source water, bank
stabilization, and use of hapas and cages) which can affect fertilization
decisions, 4) evaluate common methods for determining fertilization requirements
(e.g., fixed-input, computer modeling, algal bioassays), and 5) use an algal
bioassay test kit for identifying pond- and time-specific pond fertilization
requirements. The portable algal bioassay kit, designed and tested through
PD/A CRSP research previously conducted at AIT, requires no water chemistry,
electricity or computers, and may be assembled using local materials.
Workshops are planned for June and July 2002, and will be given by Chris Knud-Hansen
at five locations where the PD/A CRSP and/or AIT have established formal connections:
AIT, Bangkok, Thailand; Cambodia Dept. of Fisheries, Phnom Penh, Cambodia;
Regional Development Coordination for Livestock and Fisheries, Savannakhet,
Laos; Research Institute for Aquaculture No. 1, Bac Ninh, Vietnam; Research
Institute for Aquaculture No. 2 and the University of Agriculture and Forestry,
Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam. The workshops will each have about 15 to 20 participants
including university students and faculty, government extension officers,
and provincial fisheries staff. Algal bioassay test kits will be available
for workshop participants and subsequently left with the host country institutions.
Email contact information:
Ted Batterson: batters2@msu.edu
Don Garling: garlingd@msu.edu
Chris Knud-Hansen: cknudhansen@worldnet.att.net
Amrit Bart: bart@ait.ac.th
Yang Yi: yangyi@ait.ac.th
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| The Aquaculture CRSP is funded under USAID Grant No. LAG-G-00-96-90015-00
and by
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