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Growth, protein and carbohydrate contents in Ulva rigida and Gracilaria bursa-pastoris integrated with an offshore fish farm

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Abstract

Low-technology practices are generally the rule when cultivating marine macroalgae, and they do not necessarily comply with sustainability requirements. When integrated with other marine organisms in land-based setups, seaweed culture can be sustainable also providing environmental benefits. Major challenges of such integrated aquaculture systems, however, are in sea-based setups. The current study examined the growth rates of Ulva rigida and Gracilaria bursa-pastoris, as well as their protein and carbohydrate contents, when exposed to different distances from an offshore, fed-fish cage system. Nutrient levels in seawater were consistently high downstream from the fish cages, significantly enhancing the specific growth rates and cellular contents of starch and soluble protein in these two seaweeds. Specifically, daily maximal growth rates were 17 % day−1 for U. rigida and 10 % day−1 for G. bursa-pastoris, maximal starch contents were 22 and 21 %, respectively, and maximal protein contents were on a dry weight basis 7 and 13 %, respectively. When repositioned at low ambient nutrient levels for 48 h, the starch and the carbohydrate levels increased by 129 and 131 % for U. rigida and by 198 and 150 % for G. bursa-pastoris, respectively. Altogether, this study supports implementing future viable mean of sustainable macroalgae cultivation by taking advantage of excessive nutrients released from an offshore fish farm.

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Acknowledgments

This study was partially funded by the Ministry of Science and Technology, Israel (Grant No. 3–99763). Special thanks to Lev-Yam fish farm for sharing their facilities and for their logistic support. The authors would like to thank Israel Oceanographic and Limnological Research and in particular Mr. Dov S. Rosen and Mr. Lazar Raskin of the Marine Geology and Coastal Processes Department, for providing the seawater temperature and upper layer currents data gathered near the head of the Hadera Coal Unloading Terminal, Israel. We are grateful to Guy Paz for preparing all figures and artwork.

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    Authors and Affiliations

    1. Department of Zoology, Tel Aviv University, Ramat Aviv, 69978, Israel

      Leor Korzen

    2. Israel Oceanographic and Limnological Research Ltd. The National Institute of Oceanography, P.O. Box 8030, Tel Shikmona, 31080, Haifa, Israel

      Leor Korzen, Avigdor Abelson & Alvaro Israel

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    1. Leor Korzen
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    2. Avigdor Abelson
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    3. Alvaro Israel
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    Correspondence to Leor Korzen.

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    Avigdor Abelson and Alvaro Israel contributed equally to this work.

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    Korzen, L., Abelson, A. & Israel, A. Growth, protein and carbohydrate contents in Ulva rigida and Gracilaria bursa-pastoris integrated with an offshore fish farm. J Appl Phycol 28, 1835–1845 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10811-015-0691-5

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    • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10811-015-0691-5

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