Seaweed Cultivation - Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution What is seaweed? Seaweed, or marine macrolagae, includes many different kinds of photosynthetic organisms Some, like kelp and sea lettuce, are found in coastal areas where they cling to the ocean floor in areas shallow enough to receive sufficient light for photosynthesis Others, like sargassum, float freely in the open ocean
Pressing and drying seaweed - Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution Pressing and drying seaweed To dry seaweed, simply arrange it on anything from trays to cookie sheets to screens You can also dry large kelp by hanging them over railings or on laundry lines Place them in a warm room, in the sun, or in a warm oven These dried seaweeds can later be re-submersed in salt water to be studied
Edible Seaweed - Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution Humans have eaten seaweed for centuries—pickled, dried, and raw—adding a deep savory flavor known as umami When farmed, seaweed improves water quality and absorbs excess carbon Some varieties provide as much protein as meat, eggs, dairy, and soy As global demand for food increases, here are some of the colorful…
Selective breeding seaweed - Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution Selective breeding seaweed Using a mix of rulers, calipers, and measuring tapes, a dozen scientists—an aquaculture geek squad of sorts—are sizing up thousands of individual kelp blades recently harvested from offshore seaweed farms in New England in order to find the best specimens for selective breeding
Make seaweed pudding! - Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution Make seaweed pudding! Irish moss is a good source of carageenan, a thickening agent used in ice cream, salad dressing, toothpaste, and paints It's also great for puddings Try out this recipe for Irish moss pudding: Ingredients 1 2 cup of dried Irish moss (or one cup fresh, washed Irish moss) Three cups of milk 1 3 cup of sugar 1 8 tsp of salt
Ocean Encounters: Seaweed Solutions - Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution Ocean Encounters: Seaweed Solutions How scientists, ocean farmers, and policymakers are looking to kelp as a sustainable solution to some of the toughest issues facing our world today As our climate continues to change and food insecurity grows worldwide, scientists and others are looking to solve these problems without harming marine ecosystems
A Slithery Ocean Mystery - Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution The mystery of the American eel starts and ends in the Sargasso Sea, the only sea in the world without a coastline The Sargasso Sea is surrounded by a clockwise-circulating system of ocean currents that together create the North Atlantic Subtropical Gyre It is named after seaweed of the genus Sargassum, which floats abundantly on its surface
Seaweed Solutions - Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution Learn how seaweed aquaculture has the potential to play a major role in creating climate-friendly food systems for a growing population and to produce new types of carbon-neutral animal feeds, fuels, and other products for a more sustainable future