A program in Taiwan has successfully cultivated two types of native giant seaweed, or marine algae, enabling the restoration of marine habitats, the National Academy of Marine Research said on Monday.
The cultivation of the macroalgae species would ensure a stable supply of seedlings and enhance ocean carbon sinks, the academy said in a statement.
The academy, which falls under the Ocean Affairs Council, earlier this year collaborated with the Ministry of Agriculture’s Fisheries Research Institute to build a farm to grow large seaweeds at the institute’s Mariculture Research Center, and developed techniques for the mass culture of native giant seaweed species, it said.
Photo courtesy of the National Academy of Marine Research
As part of the project, researchers collected 48 native large seaweed species from the ocean off southern Taiwan and moved them to tanks on land to cultivate in large amounts, the academy said.
The research team designed the tanks and improved the algae production and cultivation model — including by regulating natural light sources, using flowing water without fertilization and reducing the labor cost of harvesting algae — to provide a stable source of algae for high-value recycling, it said.
Two types of native large seaweeds, Caulerpa lentillifera, commonly known as “sea grapes,” and Gracilaria firma, were found to be suitable for mass production, the center said.
During the cultivation and mass production process, these species were found to be able to survive in unfavorable conditions such as high water temperatures and drastic changes in salinity, the center said.
After one month of cultivation, the biomass changed, and the growth rate increased by up to nine times for Caulerpa lentillifera and three times for Gracilaria firma.
The academy on July 13 delivered the mass-produced giant algae to the Fisheries Research Institute, which shipped them using its research ship to artificial algal field facilities in the Taiwan Strait for cultivation and testing.
These macroalgae would be used in research related to marine carbon sinks, as they have excellent carbon-absorption properties and can help control pollution, the center said.
They could be used in high-value industries, such as food, biomedicine, energy and environmental protection and would help promote the government’s policy of transitioning to net zero emissions by 2050 by enhancing ocean carbon sinks and benefiting marine ecosystems, the academy said.
Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) Chairman Eric Chu (朱立倫), spokeswoman Yang Chih-yu (楊智伃) and Legislator Hsieh Lung-chieh (謝龍介) would be summoned by police for questioning for leading an illegal assembly on Thursday evening last week, Minister of the Interior Liu Shyh-fang (劉世芳) said today. The three KMT officials led an assembly outside the Taipei City Prosecutors’ Office, a restricted area where public assembly is not allowed, protesting the questioning of several KMT staff and searches of KMT headquarters and offices in a recall petition forgery case. Chu, Yang and Hsieh are all suspected of contravening the Assembly and Parade Act (集會遊行法) by holding
PRAISE: Japanese visitor Takashi Kubota said the Taiwanese temple architecture images showcased in the AI Art Gallery were the most impressive displays he saw Taiwan does not have an official pavilion at the World Expo in Osaka, Japan, because of its diplomatic predicament, but the government-backed Tech World pavilion is drawing interest with its unique recreations of works by Taiwanese artists. The pavilion features an artificial intelligence (AI)-based art gallery showcasing works of famous Taiwanese artists from the Japanese colonial period using innovative technologies. Among its main simulated displays are Eastern gouache paintings by Chen Chin (陳進), Lin Yu-shan (林玉山) and Kuo Hsueh-hu (郭雪湖), who were the three young Taiwanese painters selected for the East Asian Painting exhibition in 1927. Gouache is a water-based
Taiwan would welcome the return of Honduras as a diplomatic ally if its next president decides to make such a move, Minister of Foreign Affairs Lin Chia-lung (林佳龍) said yesterday. “Of course, we would welcome Honduras if they want to restore diplomatic ties with Taiwan after their elections,” Lin said at a meeting of the legislature’s Foreign Affairs and National Defense Committee, when asked to comment on statements made by two of the three Honduran presidential candidates during the presidential campaign in the Central American country. Taiwan is paying close attention to the region as a whole in the wake of a
OFF-TARGET: More than 30,000 participants were expected to take part in the Games next month, but only 6,550 foreign and 19,400 Taiwanese athletes have registered Taipei city councilors yesterday blasted the organizers of next month’s World Masters Games over sudden timetable and venue changes, which they said have caused thousands of participants to back out of the international sporting event, among other organizational issues. They also cited visa delays and political interference by China as reasons many foreign athletes are requesting refunds for the event, to be held from May 17 to 30. Jointly organized by the Taipei and New Taipei City governments, the games have been rocked by numerous controversies since preparations began in 2020. Taipei City Councilor Lin Yen-feng (林延鳳) said yesterday that new measures by