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Paddling by ducks will lead to a water body becoming more oxygenated; research shows duck waste provides more nutrition to fish, thus boosting pisciculture.

Bengaluru: Tripura chief minister Biplab Deb, known for gaffes such as “internet existed in the days of Mahabharata”, has yet again made a seemingly fantastical remark but one that actually has a fair amount of truth in it.

Statement: ‘Ducks increase oxygen in water bodies’.

Who said it: Tripura CM Biplab Deb

Full statement (edited for context): “I announce that 50,000 ducks will be distributed among the locals of this area. Imagine how beautiful it would be if these 50,000 ducks swim in this waterbody (Rudrasagar lake surrounding the Neermahal palace in Sipahijala district, Tripura). Their swimming will recycle oxygen in the water. This will create more fish feed. Pisciculture will get a boost. To make this place more attractive to tourists, we’ll also have to beautify the neighbourhood.”

#WATCH 'Aaj maine ghoshna ki hai 50,000 desi hans (ducks) aas pass ke logon ko de diye https://t.co/JnlsyO3SZd jalasai(Neermahal Lake) mein jab 50,000 safed ducks ghumegi toh kitna sundar lagegi aur use oxygen bhi recycle hoti hai' says Tripura CM Biplab Deb (27.8.18) pic.twitter.com/1pLzb5dsHi — ANI (@ANI) August 28, 2018

Accuracy meter: 5/5

Explanation: Deb’s projections about improved tourism cannot be determined, but the two statements he made about ducks increasing the oxygen content of waterbodies and providing feed for fish are both fairly accurate.

Some research has been carried out into ducks raising oxygen levels in water at the department of fisheries, Indira Gandhi Agricultural University, Raipur. This is a derivative of the Egyptian-origin, widely adopted ‘fish-duck integrated farming system’. Research has again shown that waterbodies with fish show a growth in abundance and health of fish also improves when ducks are introduced in the ecosystem.

A majority of oxygen in a waterbody — especially the oceans — comes from the water absorbing it from the atmosphere at the surface. Just like oceanic currents mix the oxygenated surface water with subsurface water, paddling by ducks will lead to Rudrasagar lake becoming more oxygenated. Naturally, the amount of increase in oxygenation would grow as the number of ducks in it grows. Deb’s plan of releasing 50,000 ducks into an artificial lake that’s less than 2.5 sq km would work.

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However, oxygen levels change more rapidly because of how ducks affect the ecosystem. Animals when introduced into an ecosystem can change it in varying ways in a phenomenon called ‘trophic cascade’. Sometimes these changes are for the worse, sometimes for the infinitely better. Duck waste does indeed provide more nutrition to fish, while also altering the pH levels and physiochemistry of water. In fact, duck waste would be an ideal source of fuel for thriving phytoplankton, which will in turn sustain more fish.

Pisciculture that depends on ducks is far less expensive with far more increased yields. The research carried out at the Indira Gandhi Agricultural University shows the yield of fish increased from 1.5 tonnes to 2.8 tonnes per hectare per year. The entire region’s aquaculture (farming of both aquatic animals and plants) would change with the introduction of ducks. Deb’s statement that introduction of ducks will benefit the local economy is definitely correct.

Also read: From the internet’s birthday to defining what Indian beauty is, Biplab Deb seems to know it all

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