Algaculture

A seaweed farm in Uroa, Zanzibar
Algaculture in Kibbutz Ketura, Israel

Algaculture is a form of aquaculture involving the farming of species of algae.[1]

The majority of algae that are intentionally cultivated fall into the category of microalgae (also referred to as phytoplankton, microphytes, or planktonic algae). Macroalgae, commonly known as seaweed, also have many commercial and industrial uses, but due to their size and the specific requirements of the environment in which they need to grow, they do not lend themselves as readily to cultivation (this may change, however, with the advent of newer seaweed cultivators, which are basically algae scrubbers using upflowing air bubbles in small containers).[citation needed]

Commercial and industrial algae cultivation has numerous uses, including production of nutraceuticals such as omega-3 fatty acids (as algal oil)[2][3][4] or natural food colorants and dyes, food, fertilizers, bioplastics, chemical feedstock (raw material), protein-rich animal/aquaculture feed, pharmaceuticals, and algal fuel,[5] and can also be used as a means of pollution control and natural carbon sequestration.[6]

Global production of farmed aquatic plants, overwhelmingly dominated by seaweeds, grew in output volume from 13.5 million tonnes in 1995 to just over 30 million tonnes in 2016.[7] Cultured microalgae already contribute to a wide range of sectors in the emerging bioeconomy.[8] Research suggests there are large potentials and benefits of algaculture for the development of a future healthy and sustainable food system.[9][6]

  1. ^ Huesemann, M.; Williams, P.; Edmundson, Scott J.; Chen, P.; Kruk, R.; Cullinan, V.; Crowe, B.; Lundquist, T. (September 2017). "The laboratory environmental algae pond simulator (LEAPS) photobioreactor: Validation using outdoor pond cultures of Chlorella sorokiniana and Nannochloropsis salina". Algal Research. 26: 39–46. Bibcode:2017AlgRe..26...39H. doi:10.1016/j.algal.2017.06.017. ISSN 2211-9264. OSTI 1581797.
  2. ^ Lane, Katie; Derbyshire, Emma; Li, Weili; Brennan, Charles (January 2014). "Bioavailability and Potential Uses of Vegetarian Sources of Omega-3 Fatty Acids: A Review of the Literature". Critical Reviews in Food Science and Nutrition. 54 (5): 572–579. doi:10.1080/10408398.2011.596292. PMID 24261532. S2CID 30307483.
  3. ^ Winwood, R.J. (2013). "Algal oil as a source of omega-3 fatty acids". Food Enrichment with Omega-3 Fatty Acids. Woodhead Publishing Series in Food Science, Technology and Nutrition. pp. 389–404. doi:10.1533/9780857098863.4.389. ISBN 978-0-85709-428-5.
  4. ^ Lenihan-Geels, Georgia; Bishop, Karen; Ferguson, Lynnette (18 April 2013). "Alternative Sources of Omega-3 Fats: Can We Find a Sustainable Substitute for Fish?". Nutrients. 5 (4): 1301–1315. doi:10.3390/nu5041301. PMC 3705349. PMID 23598439.
  5. ^ Venkatesh, G. (1 March 2022). "Circular Bio-economy—Paradigm for the Future: Systematic Review of Scientific Journal Publications from 2015 to 2021". Circular Economy and Sustainability. 2 (1): 231–279. Bibcode:2022CirES...2..231V. doi:10.1007/s43615-021-00084-3. ISSN 2730-5988. S2CID 238768104.
  6. ^ a b Diaz, Crisandra J.; Douglas, Kai J.; Kang, Kalisa; Kolarik, Ashlynn L.; Malinovski, Rodeon; Torres-Tiji, Yasin; Molino, João V.; Badary, Amr; Mayfield, Stephen P. (2023). "Developing algae as a sustainable food source". Frontiers in Nutrition. 9. doi:10.3389/fnut.2022.1029841. ISSN 2296-861X. PMC 9892066. PMID 36742010.
  7. ^ In brief, The State of World Fisheries and Aquaculture, 2018 (PDF). FAO. 2018.
  8. ^ Verdelho Vieira, Vítor; Cadoret, Jean-Paul; Acien, F. Gabriel; Benemann, John (January 2022). "Clarification of Most Relevant Concepts Related to the Microalgae Production Sector". Processes. 10 (1): 175. doi:10.3390/pr10010175. hdl:10835/13146. ISSN 2227-9717.
  9. ^ Greene, Charles; Scott-Buechler, Celina; Hausner, Arjun; Johnson, Zackary; Lei, Xin Gen; Huntley, Mark (2022). "Transforming the Future of Marine Aquaculture: A Circular Economy Approach". Oceanography: 26–34. doi:10.5670/oceanog.2022.213. ISSN 1042-8275.