Marine integrated pest management (MIPM) approach for sustainable seagriculture

Toward integrated pest management in bivalve aquaculture

Pests of bivalve aquaculture are a challenging problem that can reduce productivity, profitability and sustainability. A range of pest management approaches have been developed for bivalve aquaculture, but a general absence of guiding frameworks has limited the scale and permanency of implementation. Applying principles of 'integrated pest management' (IPM) could change this paradigm to improve economic and environmental outcomes. We reviewed existing research and tools for pest management in bivalve aquaculture, with studies grouped under five pillars of IPM: pest ecology (25 studies), bioeconomic cost-benefits (4 studies), continual monitoring (17 studies), proactive prevention (32 studies) and reactive control (65 studies). This body of knowledge, along with insights from terrestrial agriculture, provide a strong foundation for developing and implementing IPM in bivalve aquaculture. For example, IPM principles have been applied by a regional collective of oyster farmers in the US Pacific Northwest to optimize pesticide application and search for other options to control problematic burrowing shrimps. However, IPM has not yet been broadly applied in aquaculture, and data gaps and barriers to implementation need to be addressed. Priorities include establishing meaningful pest-crop bioeconomic relationships for various bivalve farming systems and improving the efficacy and operational scale of treatment approaches. An IPM framework also could guide potential step-change improvements through directing selective breeding for resistance to pests, development of bespoke chemical control agents, applying emerging technologies for remote surveillance and farm management, and regional alignment of management interventions. © 2022 Society of Chemical Industry.

Fighting SARS-CoV-2 with green seaweed Ulva sp. extract: extraction protocol predetermines crude ulvan extract anti-SARS-CoV-2 inhibition properties in in vitro Vero-E6 cells assay

Due to the global COVID-19 pandemic, there is a need to screen for novel compounds with antiviral activity against SARS-COV-2. Here we compared chemical composition and the in vitro anti- SARS-COV-2 activity of two different Ulva sp. crude ulvan extracts: one obtained by an HCl-based and another one by ammonium oxalate-based (AOx) extraction protocols. The composition of the crude extracts was analyzed and their antiviral activity was assessed in a cytopathic effect reduction assay using Vero E6 cells. We show that the extraction protocols have a significant impact on the chemical composition, anti- SARS-COV-2 activity, and cytotoxicity of these ulvan extracts. The ulvan extract based on the AOx protocol had a higher average molecular weight, higher charge, and 11.3-fold higher antiviral activity than HCl-based extract. Our results strongly suggest that further bioassay-guided investigation into bioactivity of compounds found in Ulva sp. ulvan extracts could lead to the discovery of novel anti-SARS-CoV-2 antivirals.

Reviewing the interface of bioeconomy and ecosystem service research

The bioeconomy is currently being globally promoted as a sustainability avenue involving several societal actors. While the bioeconomy is broadly about the substitution of fossil resources with bio-based ones, three main (competing or complementary) bioeconomy visions are emerging in scientific literature: resource, biotechnology, and agroecology. The implementation of one or more of these visions into strategies implies changes to land use and thus ecosystem services delivery, with notable trade-offs. This review aims to explore the interdisciplinary space at the interface of these two concepts. We reviewed scientific publications explicitly referring to bioeconomy and ecosystem services in their title, abstract, or keywords, with 45 documents identified as relevant. The literature appeared to be emerging and fragmented but eight themes were discernible (in order of decreasing occurrence frequency in the literature): a. technical and economic feasibility of biomass extraction and use; b. potential and challenges of the bioeconomy; c. frameworks and tools; d. sustainability of bio-based processes, products, and services; e. environmental sustainability of the bioeconomy; f. governance of the bioeconomy; g. biosecurity; h. bioremediation. Approximately half of the documents aligned to a resource vision of the bioeconomy, with emphasis on biomass production. Agroecology and biotechnology visions were less frequently found, but multiple visions generally tended to occur in each document. The discussion highlights gaps in the current research on the topic and argues for communication between the ecosystem services and bioeconomy communities to forward both research areas in the context of sustainability science.

Biomolecular Composition and Revenue Explained by Interactions between Extrinsic Factors and Endogenous Rhythms of Saccharina latissima

This review provides a systematic overview of the spatial and temporal variations in the content of biomolecular constituents of Saccharina latissima on the basis of 34 currently-available scientific studies containing primary measurements. We demonstrate the potential revenue of seaweed production and biorefinery systems by compiling a product portfolio of high-value extract products. An investigation into the endogenous rhythms and extrinsic factors that impact the biomolecular composition of S. latissima is presented, and key performance factors for optimizing seaweed production are identified. Besides the provisioning ecosystem service, we highlight the contribution of green-engineered seaweed production systems to the mitigation of the ongoing and historical anthropogenic disturbances of the climate balance and nutrient flows. We conclude that there are risks of mismanagement, and we stress the importance and necessity of creating an adaptive ecosystem-based management framework within a triple-helix partnership for balancing the utilization of ecosystem services and long-term resilience of aquatic environment.

Exergy efficiency of light conversion into biomass in the macroalga Ulva sp. (Chlorophyta) cultivated under the pulsed light in a photobioreactor

Marine macroalgae are a potential feedstock for biorefineries that can reduce dependence on fossil fuels and contribute to bioeconomy. New knowledge and technologies for efficient conversion of solar energy into macroalgae biomass are needed to increase biomass yields and energy conversion efficiency. In this work, we show that the green macroalgae from Ulva sp. can grow under the pulsed light in a photobioreactor with higher exergy conversion efficiency in comparison to cultivation under constant light with the same intensity. In the tested frequencies, 1-40 Hz and duty cycles (DC) 1-100%, DC has a stronger impact on the growth rate than frequency. The efficiency of light transformation into biomass increased with decreasing DC. Pulsating with DC 20% led to 60% of the biomass chemical energy yield for the respective constant light (DC 100%). Models of Ulva sp. growth rate and exergy conversion efficiency as a function of pulsating light parameters were developed. These results open new directions to enhance solar to chemical energy conversion through macroalgae by controlling the light distribution in the macroalgal biomass.