As the effects of the Global Climate Changes on the costal regions of Central and South Americas advance, there is proportionally little research being made to understand such impacts. This commentary puts forward a series of propositions of strategies to improve performance of Central and South American science and policy making in order to cope with the future impacts of the Global Climate Changes in their coastal habitats.
Eleven in situ culture trials with the agarophyte Bryothamnion triquetrum were carried out during one year, using two fastening methods: rope fixation and free floating pieces inside net bags. Feasibility of farming this species has been shown when it is cultivated during short periods of time in summer. Polypropylene nets used as mechanical support restrain quite efficiently losses of seedling biomass. B. triquetrum can thrive inside hanging bags, reaching yields of up to 20.5 g m–1 day–1, with a mean sowing density of near 200 g m–1. Network opening, distance between the bags and size of the specimens suspended inside them, were factors that greatly influenced the harvestable crop. When seedlings were tied directly to the rope, specimen size and the thallus section used also influenced the final yield. Culture lapses were a determining factor in the yield with both methods.
The knowledge of the nutritional requirements and their relation to the physiology of marine algae growth is key to incorporate new species into aquaculture, whose dynamics tend to be largely unknown. The use of Alsidium triquetrum in the pharmacological industry depends on its availability in the natural environment, occasionally scarce. As macroalgae cultivation gains momentum worldwide, it is important to know how the effects of nutrients are modulated in the thallus during cultivation. The linking of the relative growth rates (RGR) of A. triquetrum and their relation with the macronutrients N (nitrogen), P (phosphorus) and K (potassium) at the tissue level under culture conditions constitutes the main contribution of this article. P levels tend to decrease as the plant completes its development. Both the concentration of N and P are higher in the stipe for the month of July, N (25.31 ± 0.26) vs P (0.846 ± 0.02) period when the highest vegetative development is reached. The N and P modulate the patterns of the species' development over the annual cycle, unlike K, which is not considered a limiting factor. When the temperature and lighting are not favorable for growth, the plant simply accumulates these compounds. As environmental conditions change, these stored compounds are actively used in their growth. The specimens with an initial weight of 50 g present the best accumulated biomass (RGR) throughout the annual cycle.
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