Integrated mangrove aquaculture systems enhance macrobenthic productivity: A case study in Zhanjiang, China

Mangrove ecosystems provide critical services, including habitat support for fisheries. However, the expansion of aquaculture has led to widespread mangrove degradation, creating a major challenge for coastal ecosystem management. Integrated mangrove aquaculture (IMA) systems have been proposed as a sustainable approach to conserve mangrove while maintaining livelihoods, but their effects on macrobenthic communities in aquaculture ponds remain poorly understood. To address this knowledge gap, macrobenthic communities were surveyed in nine mangrove-based aquaculture ponds (5-25% mangrove cover) and nine non-mangrove ponds in Zhanjiang, China. Their community structure, secondary production, and relationships with environmental variables were analyzed. Results showed that mangrove-based aquaculture ponds had significantly higher macrobenthic density, biomass, and secondary production than non-mangrove ponds, driven by elevated Arthropod and Annelid contributions. Correlation analysis identified total organic carbon, total nitrogen, total phosphorus, and redox potential in sediment as key factors influencing macrobenthic abundance. These findings demonstrate that IMA systems enhance aquaculture ecosystem productivity through organic matter enrichment in sediments, offering a blueprint for the sustainable restoration of aquaculture-degraded coastal mangrove ecosystems.