Comparative Feeding Performance of Magallana gigas and Argopecten irradians: Implications for Sustainable Spatial Management in Intensively Cultured Coastal Waters

Sustainable management of intensive aquaculture areas requires a profound understanding of the feeding interactions between cultured species and their environment. This study compared the seasonal feeding performance of the Pacific oyster Magallana gigas and the bay scallop Argopecten irradians on the southern coast of Korea using the biodeposition method. Our results demonstrated significant interspecific differences: M. gigas adopted a ‘high-throughput’ strategy with superior filtration rates, whereas A. irradians exhibited a ‘pre-ingestive selective’ strategy characterized by higher pseudofeces production and particle rejection. Based on these findings, we propose three core spatial management strategies: (1) horizontal re-arrangement to optimize food utilization by positioning high-efficiency filter feeders upstream; (2) a dynamic vertical positioning strategy to mitigate metabolic stress during environmental shifts; and (3) an environmental management model incorporating species-specific biodeposition loads. These strategies provide a scientific foundation for maximizing growth efficiency while ensuring the ecological sustainability of intensive aquaculture systems.