Aquaculture systems have been criticized for their environmental impact due to effluent discharge, the use of finite resources to feed farmed animals, among other things. In this sense, strategies have been implemented to reduce the negative impact of aquaculture while maintaining or increasing food production through this route. The use of integrated multitrophic aquaculture (IMTA) is one of the most efficient strategies in using resources and safe production of food of marine origin since the waste of one organism can become valuable resources for another. Also, some cultivated organisms belonging to different taxonomic groups may have synergistic relationships. For this reason, it is crucial to know the advances and perspectives of the IMTA systems for the sustainable continuity of aquaculture.
Briefly, aquaculture has been criticized as a contaminant and not a sustainable industry due to the diverse negative impacts of effluents on the ecosystems and the need for different raw materials, increasing the overall carbon footprint. Strategies have been developed and implemented to make the activity more sustainable. A significant advance was achieved by integrated multi-trophic aquaculture (IMTA), whose concept was developed to make aquaculture a more sustainable activity. IMTA systems integrate the production of two or more complementary species of different trophic levels under a circular economy approach, maximizing the efficient use of resources while reducing environmental impacts. In this regard, polyculture, aquaponics, biofloc technology (BFT, systems based on microbial consortia), and FLOCponics, which integrates BFT with soilless plant production, represent the most popular IMTA systems. These techniques have been adapted to different scales, significantly contributing to small farms, allowing high production per area and economic feasibility with premium products directed to niche markets. The integration must contribute to achieving the following essential purposes:
1. nutrient use optimization;
2. environmental impact minimization;
3. simultaneous production of more than one species and, consequently, extra incomes contributing to improving the economic feasibility of the cultures;
4. improvements of water and sediment quality into the system, with a reduced carbon footprint.
This Research Topic seeks contributions from the different types of integrated multi-trophic aquaculture (polyculture, aquaponics, BFT, and FLOCponics, and other concepts), either experimental or conceptual approaches, preferably (but not necessarily) emphasizing sustainability or circular economy.
Authors are invited to submit papers cutting across several fields to create this Research Topic. Original Research Articles, Reviews, Systematic Reviews, Mini Reviews, Brief Research Reports, Conceptual Analyses, General Commentary, and Opinions are welcome. All submitted articles will be subject to a rigorous peer-review process to enable quick and wide dissemination of their application in the research and development of integrated multi-trophic aquaculture.
Aquaculture systems have been criticized for their environmental impact due to effluent discharge, the use of finite resources to feed farmed animals, among other things. In this sense, strategies have been implemented to reduce the negative impact of aquaculture while maintaining or increasing food production through this route. The use of integrated multitrophic aquaculture (IMTA) is one of the most efficient strategies in using resources and safe production of food of marine origin since the waste of one organism can become valuable resources for another. Also, some cultivated organisms belonging to different taxonomic groups may have synergistic relationships. For this reason, it is crucial to know the advances and perspectives of the IMTA systems for the sustainable continuity of aquaculture.
Briefly, aquaculture has been criticized as a contaminant and not a sustainable industry due to the diverse negative impacts of effluents on the ecosystems and the need for different raw materials, increasing the overall carbon footprint. Strategies have been developed and implemented to make the activity more sustainable. A significant advance was achieved by integrated multi-trophic aquaculture (IMTA), whose concept was developed to make aquaculture a more sustainable activity. IMTA systems integrate the production of two or more complementary species of different trophic levels under a circular economy approach, maximizing the efficient use of resources while reducing environmental impacts. In this regard, polyculture, aquaponics, biofloc technology (BFT, systems based on microbial consortia), and FLOCponics, which integrates BFT with soilless plant production, represent the most popular IMTA systems. These techniques have been adapted to different scales, significantly contributing to small farms, allowing high production per area and economic feasibility with premium products directed to niche markets. The integration must contribute to achieving the following essential purposes:
1. nutrient use optimization;
2. environmental impact minimization;
3. simultaneous production of more than one species and, consequently, extra incomes contributing to improving the economic feasibility of the cultures;
4. improvements of water and sediment quality into the system, with a reduced carbon footprint.
This Research Topic seeks contributions from the different types of integrated multi-trophic aquaculture (polyculture, aquaponics, BFT, and FLOCponics, and other concepts), either experimental or conceptual approaches, preferably (but not necessarily) emphasizing sustainability or circular economy.
Authors are invited to submit papers cutting across several fields to create this Research Topic. Original Research Articles, Reviews, Systematic Reviews, Mini Reviews, Brief Research Reports, Conceptual Analyses, General Commentary, and Opinions are welcome. All submitted articles will be subject to a rigorous peer-review process to enable quick and wide dissemination of their application in the research and development of integrated multi-trophic aquaculture.
