The problem of acid sulfate soils in brackish water aquaculture;

Abstract

Actual and potential acid sulfate soils cover over 750,000 ha. of unclassified wetlands in the mangrove swamp of the Niger Delta. This belt serves many functions including aquaculture development. Presently a number of brackish water aquaculture projects are sited on these soils. In acid sulfate soils, an acidic condition usually develops due to oxidation of the sulfidic materials (e.g. Iron Sulfides) in the soils. Elements such as iron and aluminum are released to pond water in large quantities, while essential nutrients like phosphorus and nitrogen become fixed in the soil and thus are unavailable to the larger community. Acid sulfate soils pose a range of problems for brackish water aquaculture- including, slow fish growth, low fish yields and mass fish mortality. This paper reviews some of the literature on the problems of brackish water aquaculture in acid sulfate soils and also presents some preliminary findings on the acid sulfate soils of the NIOMR/ARAC fish farm, Buguma, Rivers State.