The potential for large-scale kelp aquaculture to counteract marine eutrophication by nutrient removal

Shaochun Xu; Zonghe Yu; Yi Zhou; Shidong Yue; Junhua Liang; Xiaomei Zhang

doi:10.1016/j.marpolbul.2022.114513

The potential for large-scale kelp aquaculture to counteract marine eutrophication by nutrient removal

Mar Pollut Bull. 2023 Feb:187:114513. doi: 10.1016/j.marpolbul.2022.114513. Epub 2023 Jan 11.

Authors

Shaochun Xu¹, Zonghe Yu², Yi Zhou³, Shidong Yue¹, Junhua Liang⁴, Xiaomei Zhang⁵

Affiliations

¹ CAS Key Laboratory of Marine Ecology and Environmental Sciences, Institute of Oceanology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Qingdao 266071, China; Laboratory for Marine Ecology and Environmental Science, Qingdao National Laboratory for Marine Science and Technology, Qingdao 266237, China; Center for Ocean Mega-Science, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Qingdao 266071, China; CAS Engineering Laboratory for Marine Ranching, Institute of Oceanology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Qingdao 266071, China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China; Shandong Province Key Laboratory of Experimental Marine Biology, Qingdao 266071, China.
² College of Marine Sciences, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou 510642, China.
³ CAS Key Laboratory of Marine Ecology and Environmental Sciences, Institute of Oceanology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Qingdao 266071, China; Laboratory for Marine Ecology and Environmental Science, Qingdao National Laboratory for Marine Science and Technology, Qingdao 266237, China; Center for Ocean Mega-Science, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Qingdao 266071, China; CAS Engineering Laboratory for Marine Ranching, Institute of Oceanology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Qingdao 266071, China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China; Shandong Province Key Laboratory of Experimental Marine Biology, Qingdao 266071, China. Electronic address: yizhou@qdio.ac.cn.
⁴ CAS Key Laboratory of Marine Ecology and Environmental Sciences, Institute of Oceanology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Qingdao 266071, China; Laboratory for Marine Ecology and Environmental Science, Qingdao National Laboratory for Marine Science and Technology, Qingdao 266237, China; Center for Ocean Mega-Science, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Qingdao 266071, China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China; Shandong Province Key Laboratory of Experimental Marine Biology, Qingdao 266071, China.
⁵ CAS Key Laboratory of Marine Ecology and Environmental Sciences, Institute of Oceanology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Qingdao 266071, China; Laboratory for Marine Ecology and Environmental Science, Qingdao National Laboratory for Marine Science and Technology, Qingdao 266237, China; Center for Ocean Mega-Science, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Qingdao 266071, China; CAS Engineering Laboratory for Marine Ranching, Institute of Oceanology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Qingdao 266071, China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China; Shandong Province Key Laboratory of Experimental Marine Biology, Qingdao 266071, China. Electronic address: zhangxiaomei@qdio.ac.cn.

PMID: 36638717
DOI: 10.1016/j.marpolbul.2022.114513

Abstract

Large-scale kelp aquaculture offers several opportunities to counteract eutrophication. Here, six sites from Ailian Bay to its offshore waters in Rongcheng, northern China, were selected to investigate the spatiotemporal variations of kelp (Saccharina japonica) and seawater concentrations of C, N, and P in 2017 and 2019 in order to assess nutrient removal by kelp farming. Variations in biological parameters and elemental nutrient concentrations of whole thalli were also quantified in 2015 and 2016. We found that kelp farming in Ailian Bay can remove 1309 tons of C, 104 tons of N, and 12 tons of P. The increase of total suspended matter and nutrient concentrations from the coast to offshore waters supports the hypothesis of nutrient removal by farmed kelp. This study provides evidence of the bioremediation potential of farmed kelp.

Keywords: Aquaculture; Coastal bay; Eutrophication; Kelp; Nutrient removal; Offshore waters.

MeSH terms

Aquaculture
Eutrophication
Kelp*
Nutrients
Seawater