Annual variations of biogenic element contents of manila clam (Ruditapes philippinarum) bottom-cultivated in Jiaozhou Bay,China

Manila clam (Ruditapes philippinarum) was monthly sampled from its benthic aquaculture area in Jiaozhou Bay from May 2009 to June 2010. The annual variations of major elemental composition, organic content, fatness and element ratio of Manila clam were examined. The element removal effect of clam farming in Jiaozhou Bay was analyzed based on natural mortality and clam harvest. The results indicated that the variation trend of carbon content in shell (C _shell) was similar to that in clam (C _clam). Such a variation was higher in summer and autumn than in other seasons, which ranged from 9.10 ± 0.13 to 10.38 ± 0.09 mmol g^?1 and from 11.28 ± 0.29 to 12.36 ± 0.06 mmol g^?1, respectively. Carbon content of flesh (C _flesh) showed an opposite variation trend to that of shell in most months, varying from 29.42 ± 0.05 to 33.64 ± 0.62 mmol g^?1. Nitrogen content of shell (N _shell) and flesh (N _flesh) changed seasonally, which was relatively low in spring and summer. N _shell and N _flesh varied from 0.07 ± 0.009 to 0.14 ± 0.009 mmol g^?1 and from 5.46 ± 0.12 to 7.39 ± 0.43 mmol g^?1, respectively. Total nitrogen content of clam ranged from 0.50 ± 0.003 to 0.76 ± 0.10 mmol g^?1 with a falling tend except for a high value in March 2010. Phosphorus content of clam (N _clam) fluctuated largely, while phosphorus content of shell (P _shell) was less varied than that of flesh (P _flesh). P _shell varied from 0.006 ± 0.001 to 0.016 ± 0.001 mmol g^?1; while P _flesh fluctuated between 0.058 ± 0.017 and 0.293 ± 0.029 mmol g^?1. P _clam ranged from 0.015 ± 0.002 to 0.041 ± 0.006 mmol g^?1. Carbon and nitrogen content were slightly affected by shell length, width or height. Elemental contents were closely related to the reproduction cycle. The removal amounts of carbon, nitrogen and phosphorus from clam harvest and natural death in Jiaozhou Bay were 2.92×10⁴t, 1420 t and 145 t, respectively. The nutrient removal may aid to reduce the concentrations of nitrogen and phosphorus, the main causes of eutrophication, and to maintain the ecosystem health of Jiaozhou Bay.