Experimental Design and

Modeling in Aquaculture
School of Marine and Coastal
Sciences, Quelimane, Mz

We will cover this morning

What is a scientist?
What is the scientific method?
How to design and execute an
experiment.
How to develop a simple model.
Example of a teaching model Fish
Farm.

A scientist Someone who

uses the scientific method to
solve problems.

So what is the scientific method?

a)Formulate a question.
b)Design an experiment to answer
question.
c)Carry out the experiment and collect the
data.
d)Analyze the data.
e)Evaluate and verify hypothesis. Correct
or incorrect.

Science is like climbing a

mountain.
Only one way leads to the
top. The other is blocked by
cliffs, glaciers, and rock walls.
How to find the way?

Dont conquer the world in one

step!
If you try the hard way to climb the
cliff you will never make it to the top.
You will fall and have accomplished
nothing.
This is like a poorly designed
experiment. You have achieved
nothing and your experiment was a
failure.

Look for the easy way!

Well designed experiments will take
you one step at a time to the top.
Each experiment must be strong to
serve as a foundation for the next
step. If you fall from one step, you
make corrections, retry and make it
to the next step.

How do we find the easy

way?
Experimental Design! Dont attack
the mountain without thinking. It is
bigger and stronger than you are.
But you have a brain!
Use the scientific method one step
at a time

Data Collection and

Monitoring
This is a necessary part of understanding
the world. It is very important.
It is NOT science until it is analyzed
using the scientific method.
There is much data in Quelimane
suitable for analysis leading to an
advanced degree which is being ignored.
Climb the mountain the easy way!

Parts of an experiment

Develop question or hypothesis Scientist

Design experimental methodology Scientist
Collect data Technician
Analyze data Scientist
Evaluate hypothesis and verify Scientist

Did you know that Albert Einstein never

collected data and did all his experiments in
his mind?

How to schedule your time

as a scientist

Division of Time
Experienced Scientist

Division of Time
Apprentice Scientist

How most students design

experiments !!

Design your Experiment

with care
Data collection must be
relevant to your
experiment. Why are you
collecting the data?
Analyze the data carefully
using appropriate statistical
methods

Example of
A well designed
experiment
Hypothesis
Increasing salinity decreases
the growth rate of Tilapia,
Oreochromis mossambicus,

Experimental design
Aquaria of 8 different salinities 0 to 40 ppt
10 fish in each aquarium under identical
conditions. Measured and identified.
Salinity, oxygen, temp and pH recorded
daily
All mortalities measured and recorded
Maximum food provided for several weeks.
Aquaria cleaned and water replaced daily.
All surviving fish measured and qualitatively
assessed (condition, color etc.).
Repeat at least three times.

Analysis
Data table of salinity vrs size, oxygen vrs
size, pH vrs size and temp vrs size for 80
fish.
Linear regression size against all variables
Calculate correlation coefficients for all.
Analysis of Variance with 95% statistical
probability.
Data tables provided of number, means,
variation, standard deviation and
statistical results.

Conclusion
Based upon the analysis of data,
accept or reject your original
hypothesis.
Regardless of the outcome if the
experiment is well done you have
made one step up the mountain.
Design a new experiment and take
another step.

Systems Modeling

Modeling can

Save time and money

Avoid mistakes
Predict the future
Provide insight into interactions not obvious
Assist is the design of experiments and
equipment
BUT they must be supported by
experimental work. Models are only as
good as the data!

Simple spreadsheet model of

tilapia pond operation