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Gatune WC, Vanreusel A, Ruwa R, Bossier P, De Troch M
Fatty acid profiling reveals a trophic link between mangrove leaf litter biofilms and the post-larvae of giant tiger shrimp Penaeus monodon
Lack of naturally derived quality food has impaired the development of ecological shrimp culture in many countries. The use of periphytic biofilm on aquatic substrates could help to bioaccumulate essential macronutrients in seafood. Gatune and co-workers have found that the biofilm on leaf litter of mangroves Rhizophora mucronata is a source of essential fatty acids to larvae of shrimp Penaeus monodon. In particular, the biofilm supplies arachidonic acid (ARA), eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) to the shrimp and thus upgrades the nutritional value of shrimps for consumers. The authors conclude that periphytic biofilm should be promoted in sustainable mangrove–shrimp aquaculture.
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