Harnessing Microalgae for Sustainable Nutrition and Ecosystem Services in Aquaponic Systems: A Blue-Green Approach to Ecosystem Health

Ramya Manoharan¹Chythra Somanathan Nair¹Drishya Nishanth¹Radhakrishnan Subramanian¹Zienab F R Ahmed¹Luca Rastrelli²Xiulan Xie³Maozhi Ren⁴Abdul Jaleel^1*

• ¹United Arab Emirates University, Al-Ain, United Arab Emirates
• ²Istituto Nazionale di Geofisica e Vulcanologia Sezione di Palermo, Palermo, Italy
• ³Laboratory of Space Biology, Institute of Urban Agriculture, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences; Chengdu 610000, China , chengdu , China, chengdu, China
• ⁴Laboratory of Space Biology, Institute of Urban Agriculture, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences; Chengdu 610000, China, chengdu, China

Aquaponics is a soillesssoilless farming approach that integrates aquaculture with hydroponics to produce food. In regions with limited arable land, aquaponics can help address food insecurity challenges. Both fish and plants are produced using aquaponic systems. The aquafeeds used to feed the fish in aquaponic systems are also the main source of nutrition for the plants. Currently, commercial aquafeeds such as fishmeal and fish oil are used in aquaponics, but they do not completely meet the nutritional requirements of plants. Additionally, commercial aquafeeds are expensive, and their production is unsustainable.This Therefore, the current review focuses on the suitability of microalgae as a replacement for commercial aquafeeds and its role in meeting the nutritional requirements of plants growing in aquaponic systems. Microalgae production is sustainable and cost effective compared to with commercial aquafeed production. Many studies have been conducted on the impact of microalgae-based feed on fish growth and its role as a biofertilizer and biostimulants for plant growth. However, using microalgae as aquafeed for the development of both fish and plants in aquaponic systems remains underexplored. This review provides insights into the integration of microalgae as aquafeed in aquaponic systems, which could help meet the nutritional requirements of plants without compromising fish nutrition, making aquaponics more efficient and sustainable. This review aims to provide insights into the dual role of microalgae in aquaponics-enhancing fish nutrition while supplementing plant nutrient requirements. Although some micronutrient gaps may persist, further optimisation could help make aquaponic systems more efficient and sustainable.