Sweden: Seaweed sector buoyed as 20 species of sea lettuce found on Baltic and Scandinavian coasts

Published Jun 15, 2023

Tridge summary

Researchers at the University of Gothenburg have discovered 20 unique species and subspecies of sea lettuce (Ulva) across the Baltic Sea, including three invasive species. This discovery, published in Algal Research, is crucial for the expanding aquaculture industry and blue economy, as sea lettuce is known for its easy reproduction and rapid growth. The study aims to prevent the introduction of non-native species, which could harm native biodiversity, by providing a basis for strain selection and regulations in sea lettuce aquaculture.

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Original content

Researchers at the University of Gothenburg surveyed 10,000 kilometres of coast and found twenty species of sea lettuce. Green macroalgae of the genus Ulva, also known as sea lettuce, are almost ubiquitous in the wider Baltic Sea region and can be found from the Atlantic waters all the way up to the Bay of Bothnia in the Baltic Sea. Sea lettuce reproduce easily and grow quickly, which makes it of appeal for an expanding aquaculture industry and blue economy. Research is ongoing both in Sweden and abroad for utilising sea lettuce in the food industry and for different biochemical applications. There are multiple species, but until now it has not been known how many there are and previously only a handful had been identified, said Sophie Steinhagen, a researcher at Tjärnö Marine Laboratory. “We have studied the biological diversity of the Baltic Sea, Kattegatt and Skagerak by taking a large number of samples from sea lettuce that we have then conducted DNA analysis of. We found 20 ...

Source: Foodnavigator