FISHERIES RESEARCH INSTITUTE,MOA,TAIWAN

This research investigated the effect of solar panel installation on the water quality, sediment, and benthic macroinvertebrates of clam culture ponds. The ponds were located at the Taixi Fisheries Research Institute's Mariculture Research Center. The period of cultivation lasted from May 2020 to June 2021. In this study, Meretrix taiwanica was cultured at three different shading rates: 0%, 40%, and 70%. During the initial culture period, the shading rates were negatively correlated with biochemical oxygen demand, chlorophyll-a, ammonia, and nitrate concentrations in water, but positively correlated with organic matter concentrations in sediment. The 40% shading rates had relatively higher species abundance and biodiversity indices, but the community structures were comparable to those of the 0% shading rates. In addition, ponds with shading rates between 0 and 40 percent were deemed relatively healthy due to the presence of numerous polychaeta Neanthes glandicincta. as an indicator species. The recommended shading rates for solar panels in hard clam ponds were therefore 0% and 40%.