Effects of Temperature on Microbial Communities, Physicochemical Properties, and Odor Characteristics in Aquaculture Tail Water Fermentation Systems

The rapid expansion of aquaculture has intensified challenges associated with tail water management, necessitating advanced treatment and utilization strategies. This study investigates the impacts of fermentation temperature on odor profiles, nitrogen-phosphorus indicators, and their correlations with keystone microbial taxa in aquaculture tail water fermentation systems. Through organoleptic evaluation, water quality analysis, and high-throughput sequencing, we characterized variations in microbial communities and physicochemical parameters under different temperature conditions (15, 30, and 40). Results demonstrated that fermentation temperature significantly influenced odor characteristics and nutrient dynamics. Distinct dominant microbial taxa emerged across temperature gradients: Debaryomyces predominated at 15(68.72% relative abundance), while Sporolactobacillus became dominant at 30 (57.50%) and 40 (61.82%). These temperature-driven shifts in microbial composition correlated with measurable changes in nitrogen-phosphorus levels and sensory odor attributes. Our findings elucidate the temperature-dependent regulation of microbial consortia in tail water fermentation systems and establish preliminary linkages between microbial dynamics, nutrient transformation, and odor development. This work provides critical insights for optimizing fermentation protocols and functional microbe screening in aquaculture wastewater valorization.