Gunnar Cervin1, Alexandra Kinnby1,2
1University of Gothenburg, Sweden - 2NOFIMA AS, Norway
Salinity is a critical factor influencing marine ecosystems, particularly in the brackish waters along the Swedish coast where freshwater runoff from rivers combine with the Baltic Sea inflow currents to create variable salinity conditions. This variability, intensified by climate change, directly affects coastal flora, including economically important red seaweeds. This study investigates the effects of varying salinity levels on the growth and biochemical composition of two red seaweed species, Palmaria palmata and Chondrus crispus, in coastal Sweden. Red seaweeds are valued for their biochemical composition which includes relatively high concentrations of proteins, polysaccharides, and bioactive compounds beneficial for food, cosmetics, and pharmaceutical applications. However, environmental stressors such as salinity fluctuations may impact the physiology and productivity of these species with unknown consequences for their composition. We exposed both P. palmata and C. crispus to a controlled range of salinities (7.5‰, 15‰, 22.5‰, and 30‰), measuring changes in growth rates and biochemical composition. Preliminary results indicate a significant effect of salinity on the optimal growth and biochemical profiles of both species. This study underscores the importance of salinity as an environmental parameter for optimal growth and nutrient profiles.
Biography
Gunnar Cervin has a background in Marine Botany, with a PhD-degree focusing on rocky shore ecology. Gunnar did a post doc for prof. Steinberg at University of New South Wales, Sydney, working with chemical ecology in seaweeds. Following the post doc Gunnar returned to Sweden and was part of developing marine chemical ecology at Tjärnö marine laboratory, Univ of Gothenburg. In addition Gunnar has also been a driving force for the seaweed cultivation development in Sweden for the last 10 years.