Modelling potential production of macroalgae farms in UK and Dutch coastal waters
There is increasing interest in macroalgae farming in European waters for a range of applications, including food, chemical extraction for biofuel production. This study uses a 3-D numerical model of hydrodynamics and biogeochemistry to investigate potential production and environmental effects...
| Main Authors: | , , , , , , , , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Copernicus Publications
2018-02-01
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| Series: | Biogeosciences |
| Online Access: | https://www.biogeosciences.net/15/1123/2018/bg-15-1123-2018.pdf |
| _version_ | 1811240702252679168 |
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| author | J. van der Molen J. van der Molen P. Ruardij K. Mooney P. Kerrison N. E. O'Connor E. Gorman K. Timmermans S. Wright M. Kelly A. D. Hughes E. Capuzzo E. Capuzzo |
| author_facet | J. van der Molen J. van der Molen P. Ruardij K. Mooney P. Kerrison N. E. O'Connor E. Gorman K. Timmermans S. Wright M. Kelly A. D. Hughes E. Capuzzo E. Capuzzo |
| author_sort | J. van der Molen |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | There is increasing interest in macroalgae farming in European waters for a
range of applications, including food, chemical extraction for biofuel
production. This study uses a 3-D numerical model of hydrodynamics and
biogeochemistry to investigate potential production and environmental effects
of macroalgae farming in UK and Dutch coastal waters. The model included four
experimental farms in different coastal settings in Strangford Lough
(Northern Ireland), in Sound of Kerrera and Lynn of Lorne (north-west
Scotland) and in the Rhine plume (the Netherlands), as well as a
hypothetical large-scale farm off the UK north Norfolk coast. The model could
not detect significant changes in biogeochemistry and plankton dynamics at
any of the farm sites averaged over the farming season. The results showed a
range of macroalgae growth behaviours in response to simulated environmental
conditions. These were then compared with in situ observations where
available, showing good correspondence for some farms and less good
correspondence for others. At the most basic level, macroalgae production
depended on prevailing nutrient concentrations and light conditions, with
higher levels of both resulting in higher macroalgae production. It is shown
that under non-elevated and interannually varying winter nutrient conditions,
farming success was modulated by the timings of the onset of increasing
nutrient concentrations in autumn and nutrient drawdown in spring. Macroalgae
carbohydrate content also depended on nutrient concentrations, with higher
nutrient concentrations leading to lower carbohydrate content at harvest.
This will reduce the energy density of the crop and thus affect its suitability
for conversion into biofuel. For the hypothetical large-scale macroalgae farm
off the UK north Norfolk coast, the model suggested high, stable farm yields
of macroalgae from year to year with substantial carbohydrate content and
limited environmental effects. |
| first_indexed | 2024-04-12T13:24:58Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-3f5649baeeef4464bdd4243f6ced5c61 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1726-4170 1726-4189 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-04-12T13:24:58Z |
| publishDate | 2018-02-01 |
| publisher | Copernicus Publications |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Biogeosciences |
| spelling | doaj.art-3f5649baeeef4464bdd4243f6ced5c612022-12-22T03:31:21ZengCopernicus PublicationsBiogeosciences1726-41701726-41892018-02-01151123114710.5194/bg-15-1123-2018Modelling potential production of macroalgae farms in UK and Dutch coastal watersJ. van der Molen0J. van der Molen1P. Ruardij2K. Mooney3P. Kerrison4N. E. O'Connor5E. Gorman6K. Timmermans7S. Wright8M. Kelly9A. D. Hughes10E. Capuzzo11E. Capuzzo12The Centre for Environment, Fisheries and Aquaculture Science (Cefas), Lowestoft, NR33 0HT, UKNIOZ Royal Netherlands Institute for Sea Research, Dept. of Coastal Systems and Utrecht University, Den Burg, 1797 SZ, the NetherlandsNIOZ Royal Netherlands Institute for Sea Research, Dept. of Coastal Systems and Utrecht University, Den Burg, 1797 SZ, the NetherlandsQueen's University, Belfast, BT7 1NN, UKThe Scottish Association for Marine Science (SAMS), Oban, PA37 1QA, UKQueen's University, Belfast, BT7 1NN, UKQueen's University, Belfast, BT7 1NN, UKNIOZ Royal Netherlands Institute for Sea Research, Dept. of Estuarine and Delta Systems and Utrecht University, Yerseke, 4401 NT, the NetherlandsThe Centre for Environment, Fisheries and Aquaculture Science (Cefas), Lowestoft, NR33 0HT, UKThe Scottish Association for Marine Science (SAMS), Oban, PA37 1QA, UKThe Scottish Association for Marine Science (SAMS), Oban, PA37 1QA, UKThe Centre for Environment, Fisheries and Aquaculture Science (Cefas), Lowestoft, NR33 0HT, UKnow at: The Centre for Environment, Fisheries and Aquaculture Science (Cefas), Weymouth, DT4 8UB, UKThere is increasing interest in macroalgae farming in European waters for a range of applications, including food, chemical extraction for biofuel production. This study uses a 3-D numerical model of hydrodynamics and biogeochemistry to investigate potential production and environmental effects of macroalgae farming in UK and Dutch coastal waters. The model included four experimental farms in different coastal settings in Strangford Lough (Northern Ireland), in Sound of Kerrera and Lynn of Lorne (north-west Scotland) and in the Rhine plume (the Netherlands), as well as a hypothetical large-scale farm off the UK north Norfolk coast. The model could not detect significant changes in biogeochemistry and plankton dynamics at any of the farm sites averaged over the farming season. The results showed a range of macroalgae growth behaviours in response to simulated environmental conditions. These were then compared with in situ observations where available, showing good correspondence for some farms and less good correspondence for others. At the most basic level, macroalgae production depended on prevailing nutrient concentrations and light conditions, with higher levels of both resulting in higher macroalgae production. It is shown that under non-elevated and interannually varying winter nutrient conditions, farming success was modulated by the timings of the onset of increasing nutrient concentrations in autumn and nutrient drawdown in spring. Macroalgae carbohydrate content also depended on nutrient concentrations, with higher nutrient concentrations leading to lower carbohydrate content at harvest. This will reduce the energy density of the crop and thus affect its suitability for conversion into biofuel. For the hypothetical large-scale macroalgae farm off the UK north Norfolk coast, the model suggested high, stable farm yields of macroalgae from year to year with substantial carbohydrate content and limited environmental effects.https://www.biogeosciences.net/15/1123/2018/bg-15-1123-2018.pdf |
| spellingShingle | J. van der Molen J. van der Molen P. Ruardij K. Mooney P. Kerrison N. E. O'Connor E. Gorman K. Timmermans S. Wright M. Kelly A. D. Hughes E. Capuzzo E. Capuzzo Modelling potential production of macroalgae farms in UK and Dutch coastal waters Biogeosciences |
| title | Modelling potential production of macroalgae farms in UK and Dutch coastal waters |
| title_full | Modelling potential production of macroalgae farms in UK and Dutch coastal waters |
| title_fullStr | Modelling potential production of macroalgae farms in UK and Dutch coastal waters |
| title_full_unstemmed | Modelling potential production of macroalgae farms in UK and Dutch coastal waters |
| title_short | Modelling potential production of macroalgae farms in UK and Dutch coastal waters |
| title_sort | modelling potential production of macroalgae farms in uk and dutch coastal waters |
| url | https://www.biogeosciences.net/15/1123/2018/bg-15-1123-2018.pdf |
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