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Updated: Jun 13, 2025

Field Collection and Laboratory Maintenance of Canopy-Forming Giant Kelp to Facilitate Restoration
Published on: June 7, 2024
Erosion of cultivated kelp facilitates dissolved organic carbon release
Zhihai Zhong1, Yan Huang1, Chengxiang Peng2
1Key Laboratory of Coastal Biology and Biological Resource Utilization, Yantai Institute of Coastal Zone Research, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Yantai, 264003, China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, China; Center for Ocean Mega-Science, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Qingdao, 266071, China.
Abstract:
Growing trend of interests for contributions of cultivation of kelp to carbon sequestration have been driven globally. Saccharina japonica is an important cultivated seaweed, with erosion phenomenon usually occurs at the distal part of the frond in S. japonica throughout the growth cycle. However, the dynamics of dissolved organic carbon (DOC) release induced by erosion of S. japonica are not well understood. This study revealed that erosion induced a substantial increase in DOC release, with a 14% increase under low light (LL) conditions and a 54% increase under high light (HL) conditions. A 10 cm of long slit cut into the distal part of S. japonica increased the rate of DOC release by 56% under LL conditions, and by 13% under HL conditions. Additionally, the epibiotic microorganisms facilitate the release of DOC, and the effects were even more pronounced in erosive S. japonica. Conversely, the proximal part of S. japonica exhibited a higher photosynthetic carbon fixation capacity, with a carbon-to-nitrogen (C/N) ratio approximately 1.76 times higher than that in distal part. During the growth of S. japonica, excess photosynthetic products were often transported from the proximal part into distal part, further facilitating DOC release. In summary, DOC released induced by erosion of S. japonica could make contributions to oceanic carbon sequestration.
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