![]() ![]() But they also have the added natural advantage of relatively high levels of long-chain omega-3 fatty acids (brain food), which are not naturally found in terrestrial food sources. Some seaweeds can contain 10-30% protein, which is comparable with soy protein levels. Human health and medical benefits extend beyond commercially viable and tasty alternative protein sources. Seaweed farms can do better when grown in areas with higher nutrient levels, such as alongside fed finfish production facilities. So when you have large human populations, intensive land-based farming or aquaculture facilities releasing nutrients into our coastal systems, can be a very effective way to respond to that. Seaweed can also be used to recover and recycle excess nutrients such as nitrogen and phosphates from wastewater. As highly effective biostimulants, they provide viable alternatives to synthetic fertilizers. Seaweed can improve intensive agriculture too. If Asparagopsis farming lives up to its potential, it could make a truly meaningful difference. It accounts for 20-30% of all greenhouse gas emissions, much of it associated with livestock production.Īny significant reduction in methane production "would have a rapid and significant effect on atmospheric warming potential", according to a report from the US Environmental Protection Agency.Īt the most recent global climate meeting, COP26, it was clearly noted that current national climate commitments will not be enough to avoid exceeding 1.5℃ of warming. Methane is a potent greenhouse gas that contributes to global warming. The native Australian red seaweed Asparagopsis has been shown to markedly reduce methane production in cattle, when added to their diet. This includes new foods, new materials such as fabrics, and new building supplies designed to store carbon in the long term.Ĭutting methane emissions and other benefits As they can be used to make new products to replace other materials that have larger carbon footprints. However, seaweeds may still have a contribution in this space through carbon offsets. In some situations, seaweed ecosystems produce more carbon than they can capture. And research has to factor in the interactions of the various organisms that live on and around seaweed communities, as well as the prevailing environmental conditions. There are differences between species and ecosystems. Verifying whether the carbon dioxide fixed by seaweeds through photosynthesis can be locked up long-term is extremely complex. But it turns out it's not as simple as that. That's really exciting because it's not something many of our traditional farming approaches have been able to do.Įarly studies suggested that scaling up seaweed aquaculture could make a big difference to climate change by capturing carbon dioxide emissions. So you could be growing it as a nutraceutical supplement, a fiber for textiles and as a fertilizer, all at once. Soaking up excess nutrients in wastewaterĬreating new materials such as bioplastics, packaging and textiles.Īnother thing that blows me away with seaweed is that one plant can actually tap into several of these market opportunities. Providing extra health benefits in new therapeutics Reducing methane production in cows and other ruminants such as goats and sheepīoosting protein and nutrients in food products If we were to think of seaweed as one of the tools in the toolbox, they'd be the multitool or Swiss army knife with a wide range of potential applications, including: It's true that seaweed has huge potential to address some of the most wicked problems facing the planet. And they have very different properties, just like terrestrial plants, depending on the species and where they live. We group them into reds, greens and browns. Many are foundational species that act like forests underwater, but they come in many different types and forms. In many ways, they're as diverse as the plants you see on land. These are the primary producers in our marine and aquatic systems. Seaweed is a catch-all term for marine plants. ![]() Now at the Marine Bioproducts Cooperative Research Centre, my eyes have opened to the huge diversity of Australian seaweeds and their many amazing applications. I became interested in using seaweed to clean up nutrients in our coastal systems. I've studied seaweeds as ecosystem health indicators for years. I'm on the panel and the answer, I think, is a definite maybe! It's hard to think of another substance with so much potential.Ĭan seaweed save the world? It's a question being posed this weekend at the WOMADelaide world music festival Planet Talks. There's such a wide range of applications, from fertilizers to foods, bioplastics, textiles, supplements and carbon sinks.
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |