Knowledge summary of seaweed cultivation from a Swedish perspective
Short description
Food requirements are predicted to increase in the near future as the estimated global human population approaches 10 billion. Seaweeds can be rich in proteins, making them a promising novel source for vegetable proteins. Seaweed aquaculture is not an established food industry in Sweden today, but the Swedish coastline is long with very good conditions for seaweed growth. However, for the Swedish seaweed aquaculture industry to develop in the future, there is a great need to increase both knowledge and skills regarding the production of the biomass. This project focus on increasing knowledge about biomass production by providing a summary of national and international seaweed cultivation research relevant to Swedish conditions using scientific methods (systematic reviews and meta-analyses).
Aims of the project
- Use a systematic review approach to compile the state of the art within sustainable seaweed aquaculture internationally and in Sweden
- Evaluate different cultivation approaches statistically, using meta-analyses
- Produce a policy brief and a popular scientific report aimed to inform policy makers, farmers, industry and the public about cultivation and use of the most interesting seaweed species in Swedish waters
- Communicate results through a workshop, webpage, science festivals, and media
More about the project
Seaweed aquaculture is not an established food industry in Sweden today, but interest in seaweed biomass for human consumption has increased exponentially the last years. Sweden has a long coastline with relatively pristine waters and very good conditions for seaweed growth, which indicate a large potential for increased production of seaweed biomass leading to both economic growth and higher food security and employment. However, for the Swedish seaweed aquaculture industry to develop in the future, there is a great need to increase both knowledge and skills regarding the production of the biomass.
The production of seaweeds is environmentally friendly and can mitigate eutrophication as well as ocean acidification. Thus, seaweed aquaculture covers both environmental, social and economic dimensions of sustainability. As cultivated seaweeds need to be native to Sweden – to avoid introduction of invasive species, the project focuses on seaweed genera that are present along the Swedish coast.
Salinity gradient affects cultivation
The salinity gradient along the Swedish coast result in large changes in seaweed biodiversity and opportunities for seaweed cultivation. At the west coast of Sweden, salinity conditions are almost oceanic and several species from different taxonomic groups can be cultivated (e.g. Saccharina, Ulva, Palmaria, Gracilaria).
Moving into the Baltic Sea, seaweed biodiversity decreases sharply and in the northern part of the Bothnian Bay most seaweeds found belong to the genus Ulva. Therefore, special focus is on Ulva cultivation in different salinities in order to evaluate the potential for Ulva cultivation in the Baltic Sea.
Method
The project uses systematic, rather than narrative, reviews to objectively synthesize data from international seaweed cultivation literature. Furthermore, data collected from the systematic reviews are included in meta-analyses in order to statistically evaluate how different cultivation techniques and optimization protocols affect the biomass yield and content of interesting biochemicals.
