Influence of Physicochemical Water Parameters on the Total Weight of the Slipper-shaped Oyster Crassostrea iredalei in Visayas, Philippines

Year: 2019       Vol.: 68       No.: 2      

Authors: Michelle B. Besana, Ma. Ramela Angela C. Bermeo, and Philip Ian P. Padilla

Abstract:

Annual assessments of the total weights of the most abundant oyster species in the Philippines, Crassostrea iredalei, for two consecutive years were examined across ten different sampling sites in Visayas, Philippines. The ANCOVA model was used to investigate the effects of the different sampling sites and the different physicochemical water parameters as covariates on the log total weight. The ANOVA model was also used to examine site differences in the log total weight without taking into account the effects of the covariates. ANOVA and ANCOVA results were compared to distinguish site differences with and without the covariates in the model. The results from the ANOVA model revealed that there were significant differences in the mean log total weight between sites. In the final ANCOVA model, there were still significant differences in the mean log total weight between sites above and beyond the significant positive covariate effect of temperature. The observed variations in the total weight of oysters is most likely due to the varied underlying internal and external factors that affect oyster culture in their respective ecological habitat. The study also reflects both vulnerability and coping mechanism of the Philippine C. iredalei with the variations in temperature which are critical for developing tolerance for positive growth and survival. The findings of this study could promote patterns of selective breeding and culture practices with the additional consideration of environmental factors that would lead to a better understanding of the changing environmental conditions operating in the different culture sites that would help ensure better culture management and harvest.

Keywords: analysis of variance (ANOVA), analysis of covariance (ANCOVA), Tukey-Kramer method, physicochemical water parameter, slipper-shaped oyster Crassostrea iredalei

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