Advances in Research on the Habitat-Disturbing Effects of Ulva Prolifera and Their Consequences for the Ecology of Apostichopus Japonicus Aquaculture Ponds
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Abstract
The sustained outbreaks of Ulva prolifera green tides in the Yellow Sea have become one of the most severe ecological disasters in China’s coastal waters. During large-scale senescence and decomposition, substantial amounts of ammonia nitrogen, sulfides, and dissolved organic matter are released, triggering hypoxia, acidification, and sediment deterioration, thereby imposing significant stress on semi-enclosed Apostichopus japonicus aquaculture ponds. At present, systematic studies on how green tides across their entire life cycle—especially during senescence—specifically perturb the pond's benthic environment and, in turn, affect A. japonicus physiological homeostasis and health remain relatively weak. This paper systematically reviews the occurrence characteristics of Yellow Sea green tides, the biogeochemical processes during Ulva senescence and their potential impacts on the aquaculture environment, and integrates findings from A. japonicus ecology and physiological ecology. The aim is to elucidate the stress mechanisms by which green tide disasters affect pond aquaculture systems for A. japonicus, and to provide theoretical support for establishing ecosystem-health-based risk warning and control strategies in aquaculture.
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