Bacterial microbiome of integrated abalone-Ulva aquaculture system

Several large commercial farms practice integrated multi-trophic aquaculture (IMTA) in South Africa, growing the seaweed Ulva lacinulata in land-based systems integrated with the abalone Haliotis midae. In this study, we provide detailed information on the bacterial communities, using 16S next-generation sequencing, associated with Ulva and abalone effluent water entering and leaving Ulva raceways, providing valuable information on benefits and potential biosecurity risks of the IMTA systems.