Effects of feeding and stocking density on digestion of cultured Atlantic salmon Salmo salar L.

The combined effects of feeding rate （0.8%, 1.0%, and 1.2% initial body weight/day）, feeding frequency （two, three, and four times/day） and stocking density （10, 15, and 20 kg/m3） in recirculating aquaculture systems （RAS） on growth performance, digestion and waste generation of Atlantic salmon （Salmo salar L.） were investigated in an 8-week orthogonal experiment （L9（3）3） with a constant daily water renewal at 7.50% of total volume. No mortality occurred during the experimental period. Feed conversion ratio （FCR） varied from 0.90 to 1.13 and specific growth rate （SGR） ranged from 0.48% to 0.69%/day. SGR, thermal growth coefficient （TGC） and FCR were not significantly （P〉0.05） affected by the three factors, while net protein utilization （NPU） was significantly （P〈0.05） affected. Apparent digestibility coefficients （ADC） of dry matter in the present study were in the range 66.12%-73.55%. ADC in protein, lipid and energy were statistically different among all treatments and in the range of 90.07%-93.67%, 81.54%-89.15%, and 67.55%-71.87%, respectively. The proportion of mean total ammonia nitrogen excreted ranged from 1.37% to 1.64% of feed nitrogen at steady state, and the concentration of nitrogenous and phosphorus compounds were differently correlated to the three factors. The results will provide valuable reference data for culture management decisions in the Atlantic salmon farming industry.     

Intestinal microbiota of healthy and unhealthy Atlantic salmon Salmo salar L. in a recirculating aquaculture system

The present study sampled the intestinal content of healthy and unhealthy Atlantic salmon( Salmo salar L.), the ambient water of unhealthy fish, and the biofilter material in the recirculating aquaculture system(RAS) to understand differences in the intestinal microbiota. The V4–V5 regions of the prokaryotic 16 S r RNA genes in the samples were analyzed by Mi Seq high-throughput sequencing. The fish were adults with no differences in body length or weight. Representative members of the intestinal microbiota were identified. The intestinal microbiota of the healthy fishincluded Proteobacteria(44.33%), Actinobacteria(17.89%), Bacteroidetes(15.25%), and Firmicutes(9.11%), among which the families Micrococcaceae and Oxalobacteraceae and genera S phingomonas, Streptomyces, Pedobacter, Janthinobacterium, Burkholderia, and Balneimonas were most abundant. Proteobacteria(70.46%), Bacteroidetes(7.59%), and Firmicutes(7.55%) dominated the microbiota of unhealthy fish, and Chloroflexi(2.71%), and Aliivibrio and Vibrio as well as genera in the family Aeromonadaceae were most strongly represented. Overall, the intestinal hindgut microbiota differed between healthy and unhealthy fish. This study off ers a useful tool for monitoring the health status of fish and for screening the utility of probiotics by studying the intestinal microbiota.     

Effects of stocking density on the growth and immunity of Atlantic salmon salmo salar reared in recirculating aquaculture system (RAS)

Atlantic salmon reared in recirculating aquaculture system (RAS) may lead to inappropriately high stocking density, because fish live in a limited space. Finding the suitable stocking density of Atlantic salmon reared in RAS is very important for RAS industry. In this paper, the influence of stocking density on growth and some stress related physiological factors were investigated to evaluate the effects of stocking density. The fish were reared for 220 days at five densities (A: 24 kg/m³; B: 21 kg/m³; C: 15 kg/m³; D: 9 kg/ m³ and E: 6 kg/m³ ). The results show that 30 kg/m³ might be the maximum density which RAS can afford in China. The stocking densities under 30 kg/m³ have no effect on mortality of Atlantic salmon reared in RAS. However, the specific growth rate (SGR), final weight and weight gain in the high density group were significantly lower than the lower density groups and middle density groups. Moreover, feed conversion rate (FCR) had a negative correlation with density. Plasma hormone T₃ and GH showed significant decrease with the increase of the stocking density of the experiment. Furthermore, thyroid hormone (T₃), GH (growth hormone) activities were decreased with stocking density increase. However, plasma cortisol, GOT (glutamic oxalacetic transaminase) and GPT (glutamic pyruvic transaminase) activities were increase with stocking density increase. And the stocking density has no effects on plasma lysozyme of Atlantic salmon reared in RAS. These investigations would also help devise efficient ways to rear adult Atlantic salmon in China and may, in a way, help spread salmon mariculture in China.

     

Effects of spectral composition,photoperiod and light intensity on the gonadal development of Atlantic salmon Salmo salar in recirculating aquaculture systems (RAS)

Artificial lighting regimes have been successfully used to inhibit sexual maturity of Atlantic salmon in confinement.However,when these operations are applied in commercial recirculating aquaculture systems(RAS) using standard lighting technology,sexual maturation is not suppressed.In this study,an L_9(3~3) orthogonal design was used to determine the effects of three factors(spectral composition,photoperiod,and light intensity) on the gonadal development of Atlantic salmon in RAS.We demonstrated that the photoperiod at the tested levels had a much greater effect on the gonadosomatic index and female Fulton condition factor than spectral composition and light intensity.The photoperiod had a significant effect on the secretion of sex steroids and melatonin(P0.05),and a short photoperiod delayed sex steroid and melatonin level increases.The three test factors had no significant effects on the survival rate,specific growth rate,relative weight gain,and male Fulton condition factor(P0.05).The optimum lighting levels in female and male Atlantic salmon were LD 8:16,455 nm(or 625 nm),8.60 W/m~2;and LD 8:16,8.60 W/m~2,455 nm respectively.These conditions not only delayed gonadal development,but also had no negative effects on Atlantic salmon growth in RAS.These results demonstrate that a combination of spectral composition,photoperiod and light intensity is effective at delaying the gonadal development of both male and female salmon in RAS.     

Influence of stocking density on growth,body composition and energy budget of Atlantic salmon Salmo salar L. in recirculating aquaculture systems

Atlantic salmon Salmo salar were reared at four stocking densities—high density D 1(final density ~39 kg/m 3), medium densities D 2(~29 kg/m 3) and D 3(~19 kg/m 3), and low density D 4(~12 kg/m 3)—for 40 days to investigate the effect of stocking density on their growth performance, body composition and energy budgets. Stocking density did not significantly affect specific growth rate in terms of weight(SGR w) but did affect specific growth rate in terms of energy(SGR e). Stocking density significantly influenced the ration level(RL w and RL e), feed conversion ratio(FCR w and FCR e) and apparent digestibility rate(ADR). Ration level and FCR w tended to increase with increasing density. Fish at the highest density D 1 and lowest density D 4 showed lower FCR e and higher ADR than at medium densities. Stocking density significantly affected protein and energy contents of the body but did not affect its moisture, lipid, or ash contents. The expenditure of energy for metabolism in the low-density and high-density groups was lower than that in the medium-density groups. Stocking density affected energy utilization from the feces but had no effect on excretion rate. The greater energy allocation to growth at high density and low density may be attributed to reduced metabolic rate and increased apparent digestibility rate. These findings provide information that will assist selection of suitable stocking densities in the Atlantic-salmon-farming industry.     

Effects of organic carbon consumption on denitrifier community composition and diversity along dissolved oxygen vertical profiles in lake sediment surface

At present, the understanding of the dynamics of denitrifiers at different dissolved oxygen (DO) layers under organic carbon consumption within the surface sediments remains inadequate. In this study, high-throughput sequencing and quantitative PCR targeting nirS gene were used to analyze the denitrifier abundance dynamics, community composition, and structure for aerobic (DO 0.5–6.9 mg/L), hypoxic-anoxic (DO 0–0.5 mg/L), and anoxic (DO 0 mg/L) layers in surface sediments under organic carbon consumption. Based on the analysis of nirS gene abundance, the values of denitrifying bacteria decreased with organic carbon consumption at different DO layers. When the bacterial species abundance at the genus level were compared between the high-carbon and low-carbon sediments, there was significant increase in 6 out of 36, 7 out of 36 and 6 out of 36 genera respectively for the aerobic, hypoxic-anoxic and anoxic layers. On the other hand, 14 out of 36, 9 out of 36 and 15 out of 36 genera showed significant decrease in bacterial species abundance respectively for the aerobic, hypoxic-anoxic and anoxic layers. Additionally, 14 out of 36, 20 out of 36, and 15 out of 36 genera had no change in bacterial species abundance respectively for the aerobic, hypoxic-anoxic, and anoxic layers. This indicates that the carbon utilization ability of different denitrifiers on each DO layers was generally different from each other. Diversity of denitrifying bacteria also presented significant differences in different DO layers between the high- and low-carbon content sediment layers. Moreover, under the high-carbon and low-carbon content, the abundance of nirS gene showed a high peak within the hypoxic-anoxic regions, suggesting that this region might be the main distribution area for the denitrifying bacteria within the surface sediments. Furthermore, community of unique denitrifiers occurred in different DO layers and the adaptive changes of the denitrifier community followed the organic carbon consumption.     

Evaluation of Feed and Feeding Regime on Growth Performance,Flesh Quality and Fecal Viscosity of Atlantic Salmon (Salmo salar L.) in Recirculating Aquaculture Systems

The effects of different feeds and feeding regimes on growth performance, flesh quality and fecal viscosity of Atlantic salmon(Salmo salar L.) in recirculating aquaculture systems(RAS) were investigated. Fish(initial body weight of 1677 g ± 157 g) were fed with four commercial feeds(Nosan salmon-NS, Aller gold-AG, Skretting salmon-SS and Han ye-HY) in two feeding regimes(80% and 100% satiation) for 78 d. The results showed that salmon specific growth ratio(SGR) and weight gain ratio(WGR) were significantly affected by feed type and feeding regime(P 0.05). Feed conversion ratio(FCR) varied between 0.93 and 3.40, which was significantly affected by feed type(P 0.05), and slightly improved with increased satiation degree. The activities of digestive enzymes including protease, lipase and amylase were also significantly affected by feed type and feeding regime(P 0.05), increasing with satiation degree. Flesh qualities for vitamin E, hydroxyproline(HYP), liquid loss and muscle p H among all groups showed significant differences(P 0.05), ranging from 26.67 to 29.67, while no obvious difference was found in flesh color. Fecal viscosity for different treatments showed no significant difference, though improvement was found in 100% satiation group. From present experiment, it was concluded that both feed type and feeding regime can affect the important quality attributes of Atlantic salmon.     

Effects of dissolved oxygen and nutrients from the Kuroshio on hypoxia off the Changjiang River estuary

Journal of Oceanology and Limnology - The intrusion of the Kuroshio into the East China Sea (ECS) affects the development of hypoxia off the Changjiang (Yangtze) River estuary; however,...     

Effects of temperature and dissolved oxygen content on oxygen consumption rate of Chinese prawn, giant tiger prawn and giant freshwater prawn

INTRODUCnON-WatertemperatheanddissolvedoxygenareimportantenvironmentalfactorsinthegmwthanddevelOPmntofaqUaticorgAnsms.ThereareInanPublishedstUdiesontheox-.ygenconsUInPtionrate(OCR)oftheprawn')(WangJim,l986;WangDanghenetal-,199l;ZangWeilingetal-,l992,l993),buttheydidnotcontalndetailedinfonnaionabouttheeffectoftemPerabeontheOCR-ThePresentstudydetendnedtheOCRofju-venilesofChineseprawn,gianttiserprawnandgiantfreshwaterprawnthatwererearedatdifferenttemperatllresforaboutaweekattheCaoj…     

The bacterial diversity and community composition altered in the oxygen minimum zone of the Tropical Western Pacific Ocean

The oxygen minimum zones(OMZs) are globally expanding,yet the variation pattern of microbial communities related to dissolved oxygen levels remain unclear.Spatial variability of bacterial diversity and community composition(repre sented by 16 S rRNA) of six stations was investigated within the water column in the seamount area of Tropical Western Pacific Ocean(TWPO) in May 2019.The seawater has dissolved oxygen(DO) concentration of 3.01-6.68 mg/L and the core of the oxygen minimum zones was located between the depths of 650 m and 1 750 m.The bacterial alpha-diversity showed unimodal pattern with the decreasing DO with depths and peaked in the upper oxycline(UO) of OMZs.The bacterial community structure of the mixed layer(ML) and the bottom layer clustered and separated from each other,while those of UO and the OMZ core(OM) clustered and overlapped.Overall,bacterial community composition transitioned from being Alphaproteobacteria and Gammaproteobacteria-dominant in ML to being Gammaproteobacteria and Nitrososphaeria/Deltaproteobacteria-dominant in UO and OM,and then changed to being Clostridia and unidentified Actinobacteria-dominant in the bottom layer.Moreover,both bacterial alpha-diversity and the abundant classes fitted varying sectioned functions with DO.The DO solely explained 40.37% of the variation of bacterial community composition among layers(P0.001).The predicted function profiling showed that the water column was predominant by chemoheterotrophy,cyanobacteria,and photoautotrophy in ML,by chemoheterotrophy and nitrate/sulfide cycling in UO and OM,and by chemoheterotrophy and ferme ntation in the bottom layer.Our findings revealed the DO-associated variation in bacterial diversity and community composition,and help to clarify the potential responses of microbes and their involved biogeochemical processes to the expansion and intensification of OMZs.     

Impact of Kuroshio on the dissolved oxygen in the East China Sea region

A marine survey was conducted from 18 May to 13 June 2014 in the East China Sea(ECS)and its adjacent Kuroshio Current to examine the spatial distribution and biogeochemical characteristics of dissolved oxygen(DO) in spring. Waters were sampled at 10-25 m intervals within 100 m depth, and at 25-500 m beyond 100 m. The depth, temperature, salinity, and density(sigma-t) were measured in situ with a conductivity-temperature-depth(CTD) sensor. DO concentrations were determined on board using traditional Winkler titration method. The results show that in the Kuroshio Current, DO content was the highest in the euphotic layer, then decreased sharply with depth to about 1 000 m, and increased with depth gradually thereafter. While in the ECS continental shelf area, DO content had high values in the coastal surface water and low values in the near-bottom water. In addition, a low-DO zone of f the Changjiang(Yangtze) River estuary was found in spring 2014, and it was formed under the combined influence of many factors, including water stratification, high primary productivity in the euphotic layers, high accumulation/sedimentation of organic matter below the euphotic layers, and mixing/transport of oceanic current waters on the shelf. Most notable among these is the Kuroshio intruded water, an oceanic current water which carried rich dissolved oxygen onto the continental shelf and alleviated the oxygen deficit phenomenon in the ECS, could impact the position, range, and intensity, thus the formation/destruction of the ECS Hypoxia Zone.     

Influence of dissolved oxygen on the protectiveness and morphological characteristics of calcareous deposits with galvanostatic polarization

The influence of dissolved oxygen on calcareous deposits formed under galvanostatic polarization mode was studied.When the dissolved oxygen concentration was less than 7 mg L~(-1),the cathodic protection potential showed a plateau at the initial polarization,and then quickly shifted negatively.While the dissolved oxygen was more than 9 mg L~(-1),the potential shifted negatively in a linear form.After 168 h of polarization,the final protection potential shifted negatively with the decreasing dissolved oxygen concentration.The deposition progress was monitored by electrochemical impedance spectroscopy,and only one single loop was found in Nyquist diagram,indicating deposits of ineffective protectiveness precipitation under the experimental conditions.The protection factor of deposits increased with the decreasing dissolved oxygen concentration which was detected by linear polarization resistance technique.The cathodic electrochemical reaction could change very shortly from oxygen reduction to hydrogen evolution after cathodic protection under very low dissolved oxygen concentration,such as 1 mg L~(-1),resulting in the hydrogen bubbling from the metallic surface and the decrease of deposits protection factor.Observation by scanning electron microscopy and X-ray diffraction analysis demonstrated that the deposits were mainly of calcite under the experimental conditions,and that dissolved oxygen had no effect on the crystalline types of calcium carbonate.     

Study on kinetics of cathodic reduction of dissolved oxygen in 3.5% sodium chloride solution

Electrochemical reduction of dissolved oxygen in seawater on metals is of great importance for corrosion studies. The present paper studied cathodic reduction of dissolved oxygen on Q235 carbon steel in 3. 5% sodium chloride(NaCl)solutions by cyclic voltammetry(CV), electrochemical impedance spectroscopy(EIS), rotating disk electrode(RDE)and rotating ring-disk electrode(RRDE). The cyclic voltammetric results demonstrated the cathodic process on Q235 carbon steel in O2-saturated 3. 5% NaCl solution contains three reactions:dissolved oxygen reduction, iron oxides reduction and hydrogen evolution. The peak potential of oxygen reduction reaction(ORR)is-0. 85 V vs Ag/AgCl, 3 molL-1 KCl. The E1S results indicated that the ORR occurring on Q235 carbon steel is a 4-electron process and that no finite diffusion is caused by the intermediate of H2O2 produced by ORR. The RDE and RRDE voltammograms confirmed the EIS results and it was found that the number of transferred electrons for ORR was nearly 4, I. E. , dissolved oxygen reduced to water.     

Comparison of time-restricted and ad libitum self-feeding on the growth,feeding behavior and daily digestive enzyme profiles of Atlantic salmon

Although it has been hypothesized that a predictable feeding regime in animals allows physiological variables to be adjusted to maximize nutrient utilization and,hence,better growth performance,the assumption has rarely been tested.This study compares the effects of time-restricted versus free access self-feeding on the growth,feeding behavior and daily digestive enzyme rhythms of Atlantic salmon(Salmo salar).In an experiment that lasted 6 weeks,fish(109.9 g) were divided into two groups:group 1 had free access to a self-feeder(FA);group 2 received three meals per day(2 h per meal) at dawn,midday and dusk via a time-restricted self-feeder(TR).At the end of the experiment,the fish were sampled every 3 h over a24-h period.The results showed that the TR fish quickly synchronized their feeding behavior to the feeding window and their blood glucose showed a significant postprandial increase,while FA fish displayed no statistically significant rhythms(P0.05).Pepsin activity of TR fish also showed a significant daily rhythm(P0.05) with the acrophase at the second feed and a decrease over the next 12 h.Average daily trypsin,lipase and amylase levels of FA fish were significantly lower than those of TR fish(P0.01);however,the growth performance of both groups was similar(P0.05).In conclusion,the study failed to confirm a link between the entrainment of daily digestive enzyme profiles and growth performance,with the TR group showing comparatively poor blood glucose regulation.     

Effects of DNA extraction and universal primers on 16S rRNA gene-based DGGE analysis of a bacterial community from fish farming water

Among many reports investigating microbial diversity from environmental samples with denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis (DGGE), limited attention has been given to the effects of universal primers and DNA extraction on the outcome of DGGE analysis. In this study, these effects were tested with 16S rRNA gene-based DGGE on a bacterial community from farming water samples. The results indicate that the number of discernable bands in the DGGE fingerprint differed with the primer pairs used; the bands produced by 63f/518r, 341f/926r and 933f/1387r primer pairs were obviously fewer than those by 968f/1401r. Also, we found that each DNA extraction method resulted in different community profiles, reflected by the number and intensity of bands in the DGGE fingerprint. Furthermore, the main bands (theoretically representing dominant bacteria) differed with the extraction methods applied. It is therefore believed that the effects of universal primers and DNA extraction should be given more attention and carefully chosen before performing an investigation into a new environment with DGGE.     

A VERTICAL DISTRIBUTION MODEL OF NUTRIENTS AND DISSOLVED OXYGEN IN THE SOUTHERN TAIWAN STRAIT

Sinoe vertical transport of nutrients and dissolved oxygen are quite important in the water col-umn and have drawn serious attention these recent years, a one-dmension numerical model is tried to simulate the vertical distribution of nutrients and dissolved oxygen in June at two research sites in the southemTaiwan Strait. Physical transport parameters are calibrated by temperature simulation, and thenare used to simulate the profiles of NO_3, PO_4 and dissolved oxygen. The simulation was generally success-ful for both stations. The importance of various factors, such as upwelling tidal current andbiogeochemical activities, which influence the vertical distribution of nutrients and dissolved oxygen, is revealed by analysis of the modeling results. Some important rates, fluxes and ratios are also estimated anddiscussed on the basis of simulation.     

Effects of extratropical solar penetration on North Atlantic Ocean circulation and climate

Effects of extratropical solar penetration on the North Atlantic Ocean circulation and climate are investigated using a coupled ocean-atmosphere model.In this model,solar penetration generates basinwide cooling and warming in summer and winter,respectively.Associated with SST changes,annual mean surface wind stress is intensified in both the subtropical and subpolar North Atlantic,which leads to acceleration of both subtropical and subpolar gyres.Owing to warming in the subtropics and significant saltiness in the subpolar region,potential density decreases(increases) in the subtropical(subpolar)North Atlantic.The north-south meridional density gradient is thereby enlarged,accelerating the Atlantic meridional overturning circulation(AMOC).In addition,solar penetration reduces stratification in the upper ocean and favors stronger vertical convection,which also contributes to acceleration of the AMOC.     

Effect of dissolved oxygen on swimming ability and physiological response to swimming fatigue of whiteleg shrimp (Litopenaeus vannamei)

The swimming endurance of whiteleg shrimp(Litopenaeus vannamei, 87.66 mm ± 0.25 mm, 7.73 g ± 0.06 g) was examined at various concentrations of dissolved oxygen(DO, 1.9, 3.8, 6.8 and 13.6 mg L-1) in a swimming channel against one of the five flow velocities(v1, v2, v3, v4 and v5). Metabolite contents in the plasma, hepatopancreas and pleopods muscle of the shrimp were quantified before and after swimming fatigue. The results revealed that the swimming speed and DO concentration were significant factors that affected the swimming endurance of L. vannamei. The relationship between swimming endurance and swimming speed at various DO concentrations can be described by the power model(ν·tb = a). The relationship between DO concentration(mg L-1) and the swimming ability index(SA∫ 9000I), defined as SAI =vdt( cm), can be described as SAI = 27.947 DO0.137(R2 = 0.9312). The 0level of DO concentration directly affected the physiology of shrimp, and exposure to low concentrations of DO led to the increases in lactate and energetic substrate content in the shrimp. In responding to the low DO concentration at 1.9 mg L-1 and the swimming stress, L. vannamei exhibited a mix of aerobic and anaerobic metabolism to satisfy the energetic demand, mainly characterized by the utilization of total protein and glycogen and the production of lactate and glucose. Fatigue from swimming led to severe loss of plasma triglyceride at v1, v2, and v3 with 1.9 mg L-1 DO, and at v-11 with 3.8, 6.8 and 13.6 mg L DO, whereas the plasma glucose content increased significantly at v3, v4 and v5 with 3.8 and 6.8 mg L-1 DO, and at v5 with 13.6 mg L-1 DO. The plasma total protein and hepatopancreas glycogen were highly depleted in shrimp by swimming fatigue at various DO concentrations, whereas the plasma lactate accumulated at high levels after swimming fatigue at different velocities. These results were of particular value to understanding the locomotory ability of whiteleg shrimp and its physiological changes, further contributing to the improvement of capture and rearing technique.     

Laboratory simulation of dissolved oxygen reduction and ammonia nitrogen generation in the decay stage of harmful algae bloom

To evaluate how the decay of bloom-forming algae affect the coastal dissolved oxygen,a laboratory simulation was conducted in terms of three typical harmful algae,Alexandrium catenella,Prorocentrum donghaiense,and Skeletonema costatum.Algae of same biomass(55 μg/mL) were conducted in lightproof columns,and the cell density,dissolved oxygen(DO),and ammonia nitrogen of different layers were monitored at certain time series.Results show that the decomposition of algae significantly decreased the DO,and increased the ammonia nitrogen in all layers;and significant deference between different species was observed.The A.catenella treatment showed the lowest DO(average concentration of 3.4 mg/L) and the highest ammonia nitrogen(average concentration of 0.98 mg/L) at the end of test,followed by P.donghaiense; and the S.costatum showed relatively high DO and low ammonia nitrogen due to slow decay rate.Results indicate that decomposition of harmful bloom algae,especially dinoflagellate,would cause significantly DO depletion and toxic ammonia nitrogen increase,which will detrimentally affect both pelagic and benthic ecosystem.     

Comparison of fungal community composition within different intestinal segments of tilapia and bighead carp

Although intestinal fungi play important roles in host health and disease,the composition and diversity of fungal communities remain poorly reported in fish.In this study,fungi in the fore-,mid-,and hindintestine of tilapia(Oreochromis mossambicus) and bighead carp(Aristichthys nobilis) from Hongchaojiang Reservoir in Guangxi,China were investigated by ITS sequencing.Based on this,we obtained 1 763 478 high-quality tags,which clustered into 1 089 operational taxonomic units(OTUs).In total,404 OTUs were annotated,of which 310,68,and 26 belonged to Ascomycota,Basidiomycota,and other,respectively.Results show significant differences in the community composition of intestinal fungi between tilapia and bighead carp but not within their different intestinal segments.Furthermore,154 of the 404 annotated OTUs were considered reliable and were classified into three trophic modes and nine guilds.The three trophic modes consisted of 108 OTUs of saprotrophic fungi,41 OTUs of pathotrophic fungi,and five OTUs of symbiotrophic fungi.The top three most abundant OTUs overall(i.e.,Otu000002,Scopulariopsis acremonium; Otu000018,Alternaria palandui; Otu000034,Aureobasidium pullulans) showed lower abundance in the hind-intestinal segments of bighead carp,suggesting uneven distribution of these fungi in this species.In addition,saprotrophic and pathotrophic fungi were markedly decreased in the hindintestine.It is indicated that the fungal community was not only related to host species specificity but also to the respective physiological functions of different intestinal segments.These findings provide valuable information on the composition,structure,and potential function of the intestinal fungi community associated with different intestinal segments in tilapia and bighead carp under natural conditions,thus highlighting the importance of fungi as an integral part of the inte stinal microbiota in maintaining host health.