In recent years, a significant number of novel metabolites with potent pharmacological properties (antioxidant, antitumor, anti-HIV) have been discovered from marine organisms. Kappaphycus alvarezii (Doty) is a marine alga belonging to order: Gigartinales and family: Solieriaceae. It has been invasive in the Gulf of Mannar since 2000, and has a high content of the steroid phenol. This is the first report on its antioxidant properties using an animal model. This study aimed to explore the antioxidant and antigenotoxic/protective role of K. alvarezii growing in southeast coast of India in the male rat. The findings indicate that an extract of K. alvarezii is not nephrotoxic at the dose levels. The algal antioxidant activity shows similar correlation (89%; R2 = 0.8963) at varying temperature to the known antioxidant. K. alvarezii extracts exhibit significant protective effects against DNA damage induced by H2O2, which might be related to antioxidant activity. In conclusion, our results suggest that long-term daily administration of K. alvarezii extract offers enhanced antioxidant potential and protection against tissue lipid peroxidation and cell damage. Our results support the use of K. alvarezii in the food and pharmaceutical industries.
Digital library
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Enteric methane emissions from ruminants constitute a large proportion of agricultural greenhouse gas emissions, particularly in New Zealand. The recent increase in enteric methane emissions has driven the development of innovative strategies for mitigating these emissions. Red seaweed from the genus Asparagopsis has demonstrated elimination of enteric methane due to the presence of the active anti-methanogenic component, bromoform.
Spatial variation in bromoform content for Asparagopsis armata throughout the North Island, New Zealand, was quantified to determine the region that produces the highest concentration of bromoform. Alongside Asparagopsis, the New Zealand red seaweed species Bonnemaisonia hamifera, Delisea compressa, Plocamium sp., Vidalia colensoi, and identified aquaculture-target seaweed species, Ecklonia radiata, and Ulva sp. B, were investigated as ruminant feed additives to reduce enteric methane emissions. Polyphenol quantification and compositional analyses were carried out for these seaweed species to provide a baseline for interpreting anti-methanogenic effects. Seaweed species were included at 0 %, 2 %, 6 %, and 10 % of feed organic matter (ryegrass hay) during in vitro fermentation assays using rumen inoculant from non-lactating cows. Total gas, methane, hydrogen, volatile fatty acid (VFA), and ammonia production were measured during the incubations.
Bromoform concentration was highest in A. armata sampled from Matheson’s Bay at 1 % of the biomass dry weight. Species of red seaweed had a high halogen content, while E. radiata and Ulva. sp. B had a high iodine and crude protein content, respectively. Inclusions of A. armata and B. hamifera demonstrated near elimination of enteric methane production at doses of 2 and 6 % organic matter, respectively, while the remaining species (except for Ulva sp. B) caused moderate reductions at doses of 6 and 10 % organic matter in comparison to these two species. The anti-methanogenic effects of A. armata and B. hamifera resulted in a 22 % reduction in total VFA production, accompanied by changes in the relative proportions of individual VFAs, and had little or no effect on organic matter degradation.
The effectiveness of A. armata and B. hamifera demonstrates the potential of these species for mitigating ruminant methane emissions at low inclusion rates, dependent on the concentration of their active components, while E. radiata and Ulva sp. B could be used as feed additives for nutritional benefit. The undertaking of larger scale sampling of A. armata throughout New Zealand, the identification of the active component(s) in B. hamifera, and the development of methods and infrastructure required for successful large-scale aquaculture and application of these seaweed species to livestock management systems are key areas of future research highlighted by this thesis.
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Inscribed to Mrs. Dietz
Madam, --
In this humble attempt to awaken an interest in this subject, and to register, as far as I am acquainted, a catalogue of genuine American Algae, I am actuated only by a motive to advance a science, the study of which had afforded me so much pleasure, and in which, I feel assured, you take much interest.
I was induced to inscribe it to you, Madam, because it is a branch of Natural History free and open to be perused by females as by men - a branch which men have not entirely appropriated to themselves; likewise, because ladies in Great Britian have been so successful as to make some of the most important discoveries, and aided in rendering assistance in raising Algology to the proper rank it now maintains as a class in Natural History. Ladies have also excelled in this country in the beautiful display of specimens in their albums, and deserve much credit not only for preserving many species from oblivion, but also for awakening thereby an interest in this subject of those who could otherwise have been enlisted. England boast proudly and justly of her Mrs. Griffiths, Miss Cutler, and Miss Hutchins. Give us time, opportunity, and encouragment, and why should not the names of Mrs. Dietz, Mrs. Fisher, and Miss French be as proudly hailed by Americans for the efforts they will make to place this neglected science on the same exalted mineuce it has attained in Europe.
Most respectfully,
John Hooper
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The invasive Asiatic red alga Gracilaria vermiculophylla has recently spread rapidly around the globe. In the Northwest Atlantic, it was first collected in Virginia during 1998; in New England, it was first recorded from Narragansett Bay, Rhode Island in 2007. Until now, the specific dates of its introduction and current distribution in New England have been poorly understood. We employed a combination of field collections, evaluations of historical herbarium specimens, and molecular investigations (including mt-CO1 gene sequencing) to document its present distribution and approximate dates of introduction within New England. We found G. vermiculophylla at 18 of 24 Northwest Atlantic sites growing with native Gracilaria populations. Presently, it is recorded from Stamford, CT to Greenland, NH, with no populations known from five Maine sites where the native G. tikvahiae grows. Molecular screening of historical specimens revealed that G. vermiculophylla was collected from five sites in Massachusetts during 2000, whereas it was first documented in New Hampshire from the middle of the Great Bay Estuarine System (i.e., Dover Point) during 2003. In Rhode Island, initial specimens were documented during 2007, and those in Connecticut were first confirmed during 2010. As G. vermiculophylla has gone primarily undetected in New England since at least 2000, this highlights the difficulty of documenting the arrival and spread of an invasive species that closely resembles a native congener. Hence, DNA sequencing is critical in clarifying the introduction and expansion of such non-native seaweeds.
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Agarophyte, Gracilaria edulis was not occuring in Minicoy lagoon .With a view to bringing in this commercially important resource into the vast lagoon of Minicoy Island, seed material of G. edulis was introduced from Kavaratti Island (Lakshadweep. 400 Km north of Minicoy) and Gulf of Mannar (Mandapam) in the year March 1990.
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Introductions of non-indigenous species to new ecosystems are one of the major threats to biodiversity, ecosystem functions and services. Globally, species introductions may lead to biotic homogenisation, in synergy with other anthropogenic disturbances such as climate change and coastal pollution. Successful marine introductions depend on (1) presence of a transport vector, uptake of propagules and journey survival of the species; (2) suitable environmental conditions in the receiving habitat; and (3) biological traits of the invader to facilitate establishment. Knowledge has improved of the distribution, biology and ecology of high profile seaweed invaders, e.g. Caulerpa taxifolia, Codium fragile ssp. tomentosoides, Sargassum muticum, and Undaria pinnatifida. Limited, regional information is available for less conspicuous species. The mechanisms of seaweed introductions are little understood as research on introduced seaweeds has been mostly reactive, following discoveries of introductions. Sources of introductions mostly cannot be determined with certainty apart from those directly associated with aquaculture activities and few studies have addressed the sometimes serious ecological and economic impacts of seaweed introductions. Future research needs to elucidate the invasion process, interactions between invaders, and impacts of introductions to support prevention and management of seaweed introductions. -
To compare the nutritional quality of TPG (Teleaulax / Plagioselmis / Geminigera) clade species of cryptomonads with that of RHO (Rhodomonas / Rhinomonas / Storeatula) clade species 6 Teleaulax amphioxeia (TA) and 1 Rhinomonas sp. strains were mass-cultured in newly designed 500-L photobioreactors to the end of exponential growth phase. Intraspecific variations (IVs) in terms of one standard deviation among the 6 TA strains in the compositions of the three macronutrients were 41.5 (protein), 89.8 (lipid), and 15.6% (carbohydrate) of the mean. When harvested from stationary growth phase mean compositions of essential amino acids (EAAs, 47.3%) and non-EAAs (52.7%) of the 2 TA strains, CR-MAL07 and CR-MAL08-2, were similar to those of a Chroomonas strain. The IVs between the 2 TA strains in the composition of EAAs (10.3 and 2.4) and non-EAAs (8.5 and 2.1% of the mean) were rather smaller than those of saturated fatty acids (30.3 and 26.1) and unsaturated fatty acids (UFAs, 12.0 and 12.5% of the mean) in f/2-Si and urea-based compound fertilizer (UCF) culture media, respectively. Mean compositions of eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA, 17.9%) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA, 12.7%) of total fatty acids of the 2 TA strains were higher than those that of a Chroomonas strain. EPA and DHA compositions exhibited similar level of IVs between the 2 TA strains in f/2-Si (14.6 and 11.0) and UCF media (12.6 and 13.5% of the mean). Thus, the nutritional quality in terms of amino acids, UFAs, EPA, and DHA in a TPG clade species, T. amphioxeia was comparable to those of RHO clade species with notable IVs. Practically, biotechnological targets for TPG clade cryptomonad strains might be subspecies or clone level.
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Aquatic foods are increasingly being recognized as having an important role to play in an environmentally sustainable and nutritionally sufficient food system. Proposals for increasing aquatic food production often center around species, environments, and ambitious hi-tech solutions that mainly will benefit the 16% of the global population living in high-income countries. Meanwhile, most aquaculture species and systems suffer from large performance gaps, meaning that targeted interventions and investments could significantly boost aquatic food supply and access to nutritious foods without a concomitant increase in environmental foot- prints. Here we contend that the dialogue around aquatic foods should pay greater attention to identifying and implementing interventions to improve the productivity and environmental performance of low-value commodity species that have been relatively overlooked in this regard to date. We detail a range of available technical and institutional intervention options and evaluate their potential for increasing the output and envi- ronmental performance of global aquaculture.
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On December 3 and 4, 2009, the Long Island Sound Study (LISS) brought together an international roster of experts to discuss new and innovative technologies to address the management of eutrophication and hypoxia in the Long Island Sound. The workshop explored the potential application of extractive aquaculture technologies of macroalgal and shellfish cultivation for nutrient mitigation in the near shore estuarine environments of the Sound. Nutrient bioextraction is defined here as “an environmental management strategy by which nutrients are removed from an aquatic ecosystem through the harvest of enhanced biological production, including the aquaculture of suspension-feeding shellfish or algae.” These emerging technologies would complement existing nutrient source control programs. The workshop program was designed to bring experts in macroalgae and shellfish cultivation, integrated multi-trophic aquaculture (IMTA), resource economics and coastal modeling together with local partners to discuss the potential benefits of these technologies to the Sound and other urban estuarine environments. Goals of the workshop included: increasing awareness of alternatives for nutrient management on the part of federal/state/municipal agencies and coastal managers; an assessment of the local feasibility of this approach including suggestions for pilot projects and locations; and the identification of opportunities for economic incentives for nutrient bioextraction through nitrogen credit trading or other practices.
The workshop was co-sponsored by the Long Island Sound Study (a partnership of federal and state agencies, user groups, concerned organizations, and individuals dedicated to restoring and protecting the Sound), Environmental Protection Agency, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, New England Interstate Water Pollution Control Commission, and University of Connecticut, and was held at the University of Connecticut’s Stamford Campus. Over 100 people were in attendance each day. Participants represented a variety of organizations, including local, state and fede ral agencies, shellfish growers and industry representatives, academics and non-profits. Invited speakers were as follows:
1) Bela Buck, Alfred Wegener Institute for Polar Research, Bremerhaven, Germany;
2) Alejandro Buschmann, Universidad de Los Lagos, Puerto Montt, Chile;
3) Stephen Cross, University of Victoria, Victoria, British Columbia, Canada;
4) Hauke Kite-Powell, Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution, Woods Hole, Massachusetts, USA;
5) Dale Kiefer, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, California, USA;
6) Richard Langan, University of New Hampshire, Durham, New Hampshire, USA;
7) Odd Lindahl, University of Gothenburg, Sweden;
8) Robin Miller, HydroQual, Inc., New Jersey, USA;
9) Roger Newell, Horn Point Laboratory, University of Maryland, Cambridge, Maryland, USA;
10) Robert Rheault, East Coast Shellfish Growers Association, Wakefield, Rhode Island, USA; &
11) Kurt Stephenson, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, Virginia, USAThe structure of the workshop was a series of dynamic presentations on the first day and morning of the second day. The entire afternoon of the second day was devoted to a panel discussion by experts in aquaculture and local environmental laws and regulations. The panel was moderated by Charles Yarish from the University of Connecticut. Panelists were as follows:
1) Jeanette Brown, Executive Director of the Stamford Water Pollution Control Authority and advisory board member of the Connecticut Nitrogen Credit Exchange Program, Stamford, CT, USA
2) David Carey, Director of the Connecticut Department of Agriculture, Bureau of Aquaculture, Milford, CT, USA
3) Curt Johnson, Senior Staff Attorney, Connecticut Fund for the Environment, New Haven, CT, USA
4) Paul Mankiewicz, Executive Director of the Gaia Institute, Bronx, NY, USA
5) Robert Rheault, Executive Director of the East Coast Shellfish Growers Association, Wakefield, RI, USA -
The indoor cultivation of the free-living conchocelis of a Porphyra purpurea (Roth) C. Ag. strain, isolated from Long Island Sound, was established, and the effects of both photoperiod and cultural temperature on conchosporangia development were studied. Statistical analysis revealed that temperatures between 10°C and 15°C and light phases between 12 and 16 h per day comprised an ideal growth “window” for both the vegetative growth and reproductive development of conchocelis. For vegetative growth, there was a significant interaction between temperature and photoperiod. Conchospores were released from mature conchosporangia under both neutral (12/12 h) and long (16/8 h) day lengths. Different seawater supplements, such as full- and half-strength Von Stosch enrichment, showed no significantly different effects on growth or development. This work provides a guideline for maintaining conchocelis cultures of P. purpurea , which is a type of the Porphyra genus.
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Marine Agronomy Group, CAFNRM, UH-Hilo
200 W. Kawili st., HI 96720, USA
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