The number of green algae salad species in the Baltic Sea and Skagerak is significantly higher than previously thought. After scientists from the University of Gothenburg explored 10,000 kilometers of coastline, twenty species of sea lettuce were discovered.
Green macroalgae of the genus Ulva, also known as sea lettuce, are almost ubiquitous in the wider Baltic Sea and can be found from the waters of the Atlantic to the Gulf of Bothnia in the Baltic Sea. Sea lettuce is easy to propagate and grows quickly, making it attractive to the expanding aquaculture industry.
Research into the use of sea lettuce in the food industry and for various biochemical applications is ongoing in Sweden and abroad. There are several species, but it is not yet known how many there are, and only a handful have previously been identified.
Invasive species identified
“We studied the biodiversity of the Baltic Sea, the Kattegatt and the Skagerak by taking a large number of samples from sea lettuce, which we then subjected to DNA analysis. We found 20 unique species and subspecies. Three of them are invasive species that found their way here in different ways,” says Sophie Steinhagen, a researcher at the Tjarno Marine Laboratory.
Scientists have also discovered entirely new species of sea lettuce in Swedish waters that have not yet been scientifically described. Some of them seem to grow only in the Baltic Sea.
The significance of this survey is considerable. Cultivation of sea lettuce as a food source is a rapidly growing industry, and alien species are at risk of spreading through simple ignorance. To preserve and protect valuable ecosystems along the coast, it is important to know which species grow there and not to introduce new species that risk competing with native species.
Grow the right species in the right place
“Our study shows that today’s species identification method, which is often done by looking at the appearance of green algae, is insufficient to identify the distribution of different species. We weren’t able to see the true extent of biodiversity,” says Steinhagen
The inventory discovered many new species, information that may be valuable when sea lettuce cultivation begins in new locations along the coast. It is important to grow the right species in the right place to avoid the risk of affecting diversity.
“These new findings allow us to develop methods to maintain a unique species of sea lettuce along a particular coastline. Our research can also help write regulations regarding invasive species that should not be used in aquaculture if it is to be sustainable,” says Steinhagen.
Facts about sea lettuce
Sea salad consists of many types of Ulva green algae. In Sweden, sea lettuce grows on cliffs and rocks at the water’s edge along the entire west coast and in the Baltic Sea as far as the Gulf of Bothnia. Sea lettuce is very nutritious with a relatively high protein content, healthy polyunsaturated fatty acids and fiber. It also has valuable biochemical molecules. Research into the use of sea lettuce in the food industry and for various biochemical applications is ongoing in Sweden and abroad.
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