Newsletter Issue 1:2 November 2011
Seaweed Species Profile
Seaweeds Australia Seaweeds Australia Editorial Theme: Cultivation Theme: Biotechnology Theme: Food & Nutrition Theme: Aquaculture & Agricultural
P.1 P.2 P.2 P.3 P.3
Welcome to the second newsletter for Seaweeds Australia. The release of the first newsletter saw a flurry of activity and interest both nationally and internationally with similar networks and commercial interests. This has delivered a strong network base for Seaweeds Australia to move forward with. It is evident that the value and need of the newsletter has been placed as a bridge between science and the ―real world‖; a gap that continues to widen. One Tasmanian network member who joined following the release of the newsletter summarised this well using a quote from a retiring Director of the Scottish Agricultural College; "starving people don't read "Nature". And nor, I think, do most potential beneficiaries of research. This second issue of the Seaweeds Australia newsletter follows the recent International SociThis thick, gelatinous spa- ety for Applied Phycology Congress (ISAP 2011) that was held in Halifax, Canada. This ghetti like genus belongs newsletter will outline some of the highlights to the Chordariacean from that event, although a report will be forthfamily and seems to pre- coming through the Rural Industries Research & Development project report website. One viously have been regreat piece of news following the Congress is corded in NSW and the win of Australia’s bid to host the next ISAP 2014 in Sydney. This bid was initiated through southern Australia as Cladosiphon filum. There Seaweeds Australia, sponsored by RIRDC, and was also backed by Dr. Susan Blackburn at the are therefore records CSIRO and Prof. Michael Borowitzka of Muraround southern Austra- doch University; both representatives of the lia that may be incorrect. Australian microalgal networks.
Myriogloea
If anyone has knowledge or samples of either of these taxa then that would help solve a confusing case of misidentification. The polysaccharides in this taxon are potentially good bioactive candidates.
As a warm up to ISAP 2014 in Sydney, Australia is also hosting the 8th Asia-Pacific Conference on Algal Biotechnology in Adelaide in 2012, ―Algae for the Future‖. Further details are provided in this newsletter and indicates that the opportunity for Australian seaweed R&D output and industries to make their mark on the international stage is nigh. Seaweeds Australia stakeholders will have a role in contributing to both conferences and we hope to profile some of the initiatives underway in Australia in the lead up to these events.
Theme: Natural Resource Management Australian Events 2011 ISAP 2011 and ISAP 2014 S. Australia communication strategy Events 2011 and Network Notice Board
P.4 P.4 P.5 P.5 P.6
In this issue we are highlighting some of the research planned from recent and substantial investment by the South Australian Government which seeks to establish South Australia as a national leader in seaweed cultivation. In the biotechnology section, a bit of a novel story brings together the fields and potential collaborative opportunities between applied seaweed chemical research and high-value hydrogel applications including groundbreaking bionics research. Following on from the story in the last newsletter, which highlighted the need for seaweed food standards, we bring to account some of the media scares linked to seaweed in food products. This deserves some attention to address issues that are clearly based on misinformation about seaweed species, a lack of commonly accepted standards for use and/or irresponsible use by manufacturers. Agricultural applications of seaweed in Australia and current trends by the manufacturers of Australian products are also highlighted and, finally, the theme for natural resource management features some Australian evidence for climate change effects on macroalgae. It is also time for the original research steering group to meet again and update the research and development plans and priorities for Seaweeds Australia. December 9. After returning from ISAP 2014 in Canada, it is inspiring to see increasing demand for seaweed products across the globe. The scale and diversity of the applications for seaweed imply that there will continue to be growth in demand for seaweed products, and Australia needs to stay aware of the opportunities and collaborations that can be established to take advantage of these opportunities; many of which are multidisciplinary. Pia Winberg (Executive Officer Seaweeds Australia)
Page 2
Southern Australia (SA) has one of the most diverse marine floras in the world with more than 1,150 species recorded of which many (~70%) are endemic to the region (Phillips 2001). This boastful biodiversity can be attributed to both the continental and marine bioregional isolation of the region as well as a legacy of productive phycologists active in South Australia. South Australia is also the second state in terms of production value in aquaculture of fish species. These two attributes combined lend themselves to diverse opportunities for South Australia to develop integrated multi-trophic aquaculture (IMTA) systems including the development of seaweed cultivation. Aquaculture in South Australia exceeds the value of wild seafood production and is of significant importance to regional economies and employment, particularly on Eyre Peninsula. However, aquaculture development has recently slowed and the Gross Value of Production from existing aquaculture industries has declined. Macroalgal aquaculture offers a new and potentially signifi-
cant regional development opportunity to Acknowledging that the development of add value to the infrastructure and in- such a new industry requires considervestments made in SA. able investment towards vertical integration and market development, SARDI’s Hence South Australia will now invest strategy encompasses a proof-of-concept approximately $1.5M into the SARDI land based macroalgal production facility strategy to establish South Australia as that can use nutrient enriched waste-water the leading state for macroalgal producstreams, use the biomass to contribute to tion and associated research and devela manufactured abalone feed, and deliver opment. This is in addition to a recent evidence of other value chains for the FRDC funded project to investigate the macroalgal biomass from animal feeds, potential of seabased algal cultivation at human food to bioactive extracts. Biosea that could offset nutrient inputs from economic modelling and appropriate polseacage farming of fish and provide bioicy development is expected to provide mass for other purposes. the basis for the development of a sustainSA is well suited for mass cultivation of able macroalgal aquaculture industry in macroalgae as it has large, shallow, ex- SA and will assist future investment decitensive bays and Gulf waters, a range of sions. coastal land sites and zonings in proxThe most recently funded research and imity to high nutrient, yet low contamidevelopment project focuses on developnated, waste-water discharges, large ing the culture of three taxa of macroalgae inland areas where saline groundwater with market potential, Gracilaria, Cladosican be sourced and is often well satu- phon and Ulva spp., to a proof-of-concept rated with CO2 and nutrients and suitable stage using nutrient enriched waste-water sunlight regimes for algal production. streams. The macroalgal biomass will be value-added and its performance and quality evaluated. The key outputs from the project will deliver: The physiological growth optima Culture performance and quality Bioremediation capacity Performance as abalone feeds The acceptance as human foods The types and quality of bioactives Bio-economic models & policy reviews Recommendations for government and industry participants.
There is nothing new about the rheological or gelling properties of seaweeds. Indeed global industries have been established on the gelling properties of seaweeds which are used to create texture and maintain form in many food and cosmetic products. In addition seaweed gels are used industrially as they provide a broad range of fluid and viscosity characteristics and are important in fluid products such as paints, fire retardants and ink jet printers. Technically, seaweed gels have different degrees of shear and strength properties and this depends on the seaweed species source in question as well as the processing of the gels.
work on novel applications for gels. huis, some of the most novel applications What is not appreciated here is the presented included the elusive search for source of the gel—the seaweed. a polymer that can provide the basis for artificial muscles. It seems that robotics This link in understanding is important as has come a long way but the remaining these seaweed gels differ markedly hurdle to the development of high tech across the life stages of the seaweed and robots is an artificial muscle. Similarly, especially across different species of seabionic body parts of the future require weed. Very few seaweed species have gelling materials that stretch and contract been investigated for their unique in response to chemical signals, and rheological properties; consequently spinal injury sufferers were one target many potentially important gelling properapplication for some of the physical gel ties are being missed. One could query as research using seaweed extracts. As to why there is interest in further gel types Prof. Paul Calvert articulated it, ―there is when the food and other industrial sectors a need for a dialogue between electronalready have suitable gels, however there ics and cells in tissue culture‖. It seems are very high technological applications that the bridge between soft wet cells that are emerging for these gels and small and hard wired electronics needs seadifferences in the strength or flexibility of weed gels. the gels at different temperatures and pH levels has huge consequences. In attending this workshop there was the opportunity to present a perspective from At the recent International Workshop on the field of seaweed research and highRheological and Mechanical Properties of lighted that there are potentially many Hydrogels, hosted at the University of more suitable seaweed gels in Australia’s Wollongong by ARC Centre of Excellence diverse and rich algal flora that could one for Electromaterials Science researchers day provide a solution and deliver the Profs Geoff Spinks and Marc in het Panworld an artificial muscle.
What is evident however, is a disciplinary or sectoral gap between seaweed knowledge (taxonomy and lifehistory) and the physical chemistry field of research. Seaweed gels from the commodity markets, such as carrageen, alginate and agar, have been processed and marketed on food and industry shelves for a long time now. This is purchased by researchers and industry in the fields of physical chemistry who go straight to their labs and
Page 3
Issue 1:2
Recent scares in the media regarding ―toxic levels of iodine‖ in soy milk products or ―seaweed killer‖ in hotel menus is a consequence of poor knowledge about seaweed species and suitable uses in foods. The former of these scares resulted from a lack of controls in concentrating iodine from seaweed, and there is now a class action against the international company responsible. The latter doesn’t seem to be linked to seaweed but rather poor food handling. Despite this, the media surrounding these events does nothing for the successful development of what could be a sustainable and important health and food industry for Australia. We need clear and hard evidence based claims for seaweeds as a food product to better challenge and avoid such media scares. The dichotomy of this issue is that seaweed as a food is worth the better part of $8B industry globally (FAO 2008 data), is eaten extensively throughout Asia, the biggest population on earth, and is accepted as important for good health, yet in the west it remains an elusive and poorly understood product with strong and conflicting im-
Australia has a range of agricultural and horticultural products both manufactured in Australia and imported, however this industry has to rely heavily on imports due to limited production in Australia to date. The common appreciation of seaweed as good for the garden is generally understood as a ―good fertilizer‖, however international research has delivered evidence that goes well beyond seaweed simply delivering macronutrients to soils and plants. In fact, contributions of nitrogen and phosphorous in seaweed products for land plants are sometimes nearly absent. The benefits for plants from seaweeds come from diverse and unique bioactive components in seaweed, and have diverse and interactive benefits in the plants (see insert). In some international studies, seaweed extracts have been shown to be nearly as effective as
ages portrayed by the media. Seaweed is not the only nutritionally important food that has had to deal with hyped up media scares and irresponsible practices. The partner seafood in fish and shellfish has dealt with extensive debate on issues regarding heavy metal loads, biotoxins, anti-biotics and sustainability. Seafood Services Australia and other advocates of the seafood industry have fought hard, promoted and supported research on the benefits of seafood, especially linked to omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids. An analogous approach for the seaweed food sector must go hand in hand with the development of a seaweed industry in Australia. Australia has a good reputation for food quality assurance and research in health and nutrition; two characteristics that lend themselves well to Australia contributing to the lead in the development of evidence based claims for seaweed foods; despite being a small producer globally. Because seaweed does belong within seafood, it may take advantage of an initiative that started at the International Seafood and Health Conference last year and that is coming to fruition. The intent is to proac-
pesticides without the toxic activity, but rather by a plant strengthening and resistance approach (Paulert et al. 2010 and Craigie 2010). Despite this international research, Australia and New Zealand remain sceptical to these results and articles have recently been published about the ―Snake Oil or Crop Insurance‖ divergent views on the issue (Good Fruit and Vegetables May 2011). Although crop application research has reached high levels of sophistication internationally, Australia has lagged in the scientific approach in demonstrating how and why seaweeds are beneficial to land plants and this will be essential to mainstreaming and increasing the development of this industry and the significant crop benefits that such applications can contribute to.
tively address some of the scares linked to seafood and establish what the key and important health benefits are through a website where people can have a onestop shop regarding seafood & health information. GILLS, or the Global Initiative for Life and Leadership through Seafood, website was launched last month at the IAFI World Seafood Congress in Washington. The website was established by Auburn University (USA), Tamil Nadu University (India) and Universidad de Cantabria (Spain) and can be viewed at www.gillseafood.com. Although in its early stages, the intent of GILLS is to provide a repository for all medical research related to seafood. A unique aspect of the seaweed health applications that can add to this knowledge base are the unique health benefits that have been demonstrated from seaweeds including the sulfated polysaccharides and other unique metabolites. Seaweed researchers in the field of food and health research will need collectively contribute to GILLS and similar communication tools to deliver a consistent message beyond the walls of science.
It is encouraging that some well accepted companies like Seasol are therefore embracing a scientific approach to delivering evidence for seaweed based applications in agriculture. Although Seasol has been manufactured in Australia since 1975, it did not gain significant notoriety until the late 1990’s but has still stayed on the fringe of mainstream horticulture and received much opposition from conventional agronomists. This was partly due to a general misunderstanding about its scope of action. For example, seaweed applications that protect plants during times of stress were too often confused as a ―fertiliser effect‖’. Products like Seasol however are now well established in grapes, almonds, vegetables, turf and ornamental horticulture and this has triggered investment in R&D on the functional links between seaweeds and crops. In 2010, Dr Tony Arioli was appointed as the director of R&D at Seasol to pursue this. Recruited from the Bayer Crop Sciences Cotton R&D Centre, an ultimate goal is to be the first Australian seaweed company to achieve the registration of a kelp product in agriculture.
Page 4
In the south east coast of Australia, a well documented hotspot for sea surface temperature rise (see figure), seaweeds are starting to feel the heat. A recently published study by seaweed researchers at the University of NSW found that Delisea pulchra, a common red seaweed in temperate south eastern Australia is more susceptible to bacterial infection that causes bleaching when exposed to higher temperatures. The study showed that warmer waters were consistently and positively correlated with higher frequencies of bleaching in seaweed populations, but that this was not linked to light levels. Temperature itself seemed to be the cause of bleaching, and bleached seaweeds had low levels of antibacterial chemical defences relative to healthy populations of this seaweed.
brominated furanones and these were also manipulated in the field to show that a lack of these furanones resulted in increased bleaching under elevated water temperatures. Considering the scale of this habitat forming species in South Eastern Australia, these findings can imply that there will be significant ecosystem effects from a decline in abundance of D. pulchra with consequences for the food chain and species such as sea urchins that are linked to chemical cues from this seaweed (Williamson et al. 2000). This paper was published by Campbell et al. in Global Change Biology (2011) 17, 2958–2970, doi: 10.1111/j.1365-2486.2011.02456.x . Photograph sourced at : http:// old.bees.unsw.edu.au/school/researchstudents/campbellalexandra.html
Sea Surface Temperature anomalies in the Tasman Sea as recorded over the last 30 years.
In support of the bacterial infection theory, microbial communities associated with bleached algae were distinct from those on the surfaces of healthy seaweeds, and direct field based tests showed the importance of algal chemical defences. The molecules associated with antibacterial activity in D. pulchra includes the
Seaweeds Australia was invited to present at the recent Transforming Australia conference at the Novotel in Wollongong. The conference was organised by the Regional Development Australia (RDA) Green Jobs Illawarra Project, and the theme was Jobs, Industry & the Green Economy Conference. There were many interesting presentations on sustainability opportunities and a particular focus on jobs creation. An impressive line up of speakers including Climate Commissioners Tim Flannery, and Will Steffen, as well as national, state and local government leaders and frontline local government initiatives. Waste re-use and sustainable building and materials industries dominated the presentations at the conference, and the massive gains that can be made by making the existing Australian frameworks more efficient was outlined very well by Ana Skarbeck of ClimateWorks who presented the Eureka award winning cost curve of where Australia can make gains.
future suite of new, sustainable, regional industries in Australia with net carbon reductions through both cultivation and applications in agriculture. Considering that agriculture is one of the existing Australian industries with low cost of carbon reduction gains as outlined by Ana Skarbeck, the macroalgal applications industries should embrace such an opportunity to engage with traditional agricultural indusIt was a great opportunity to showcase the tries. potential for algal industries to add to the
Ana Skarbeck’s presentation can be found at the Transforming Australia website, as can the presentation representing the potential role for seaweed industries in Transforming Australia: http://www.rdaillawarra.com.au/home/ our-priorities/green-jobs/green-jobsillawarra-project/transforming-australiajobs-industry-and-the-green-economyconference-and-smart-living-expo-24th26th-july-2011/
Issue 1:2
Page 5
presentations in this field were constructive and addressed a range of the limiting factors including strain selection, culture conditions and extraction processes to optimise the production of algae for biofuels. These sessions covered both microalgae and macroalgae.
Once again, the great potential for algal biofuels was a key focus of ISAP 2011. However in contrast to 2008, there was an emphasis on the grounding of true production rates and yields of algal biomass in scaled up conditions. There were fewer inflated claims of miracle production levels and culture systems for algae, however this did not imply that algal production for biofuels is off the radar. In contrast the
lected papers from the congress will be published in the scientific peer reviewed Journal of Applied Phycology. Another effort at ISAP 2011 by Seaweeds Australia, and supported by microalgae representatives Prof. Michael Borowitska of Murdoch University and Dr. Susan Blackburn of the CSIRO, was to bid to host ISAP 2014 in Sydney, Australia. After an ISAP Executive Committee voting process, Sydney Australia has won the bid. This means that in the next 3 years, Australia will be the host to two peak international conferences; APCAB in 2012 and ISAP in 2014 (see events on page 6).
Aligned with the conference theme of ―scaling up‖, there was an emphasis on identifying the barriers to moving research outcomes from the laboratory and demonstration plants to real world conditions. This included not only the technical challenges of going from a small culture vessel to large ones, but the need for multidisciplinary contributions in overcoming a As indicated in the previous newsletter, range of scaling up barriers from the cultiSeaweeds Australia stakeholders with an vation, engineering and processing to the interest in contributing to the organisation economics of production. of this event are encouraged, as are The application of algae in health and nu- members of the microalgal networks. Altrition was a key focus of ISAP 2011 and though the core organising committee has emphasized the need for delivering consis- been established, there are sure to be tent and reliable biomass or extracts with constructive inputs towards the developdemonstrated bioactivity. ment of themes, industries for exhibitions and sponsorship of the event. OpportuniAn expanded summary of ISAP 2011 has ties to contribute ideas to ISAP 2014 will been written for Seaweeds Australia and exist through the LinkedIn forum (see will be available through the Rural Indusbelow) as well as future editions of the tries Research & Development website in newsletter. the near future. In addition a range of se-
For the remainder of 2012 and into 2013, Seaweeds Australia will continue to operate as a stakeholder network under an organised yet informal structure. Already the interest in Seaweeds Australia has increased with the distribution of the newsletter to over 100 national stakeholders across all themes, as well as interested networks internationally including similar applied phycology networks, biotech companies, researchers, chefs, agriculture and aquaculture industries and energy companies. In addition there is a strong interest from the general public, most often in relation to the food and health properties of seaweed.
For this diverse group of stakeholders to most efficiently communicate without the hassle of alerts to items of low interest (a common feature of networks), stakeholders of Seaweeds Australia will be able to be included in the network to receive alerts and information that suits their level of interest (table below). The newsletter will be emailed out to everyone currently on the stakeholder list, and an additional email will be sent as an invitation to join the LinkedIn network. LinkedIn provides a pubic forum for stakeholders to discuss, promote and follow initiatives in their field of interest. The Seaweeds Australia LinkedIn group will be established with 6 key discus-
Communication & Extension
Seaweeds Australia Newsletter (email link for each newsletter released)
Seaweeds Australia LinkedIn
sions including Cultivation, Biotechnology, Food & Nutrition, Aquaculture and Agriculture Applications and Natural Resource management. In addition, further discussion groups can be established by network stakeholders and may range from seaweed art to high tech methodologies. In addition, a website has been established and is currently hosted by the University of Wollongong (http:// www.uow.edu.au/science/research/ smfc/seaweedsaustralia/index.html). It is envisaged that this website can grow to host lists of publications within the themes by stakeholders of Seaweeds Australia.
Stakeholder Categories Newsletter Only Stakeholders LinkedIn Stakeholders
(newsletter alerts, theme and general discussion groups online, promotions, jobs)
Seaweeds Australia LinkedIn R,D & I Sub-group (as for LinkedIn stakeholder but with access to Sub Group Discussions on Research, Development and Industry priorities and strategies for Seaweeds Australia)
LinkedIn R,D&I Sub-group Stakeholders
Page 6
“Strengthening strategic and successful algal industries for the future: key knowledge and skills gaps�
Ashmore Foods (Hobart, Tasmania - seafood specialists) are launching a new seaweed food product. In conjunction with Marinova (Hobart based Fucoidan manufacturer and supplier), Ashmores is supplying Undaria pinnatifida as Wakame (fronds) and Mekabu (sporophylls) to restuarants and wholesalers in Hobart, Melbourne, Sydney and Brisbane. This is a fresh blanched snap frozen product. You may be more familiar with the imported salted or dried wakame available generally throughout Australia. Now it is possible to buy Australian, clean and green, grown in Tasmania's pristine oceanic waters.
The Shoalhaven Marine & Freshwater Centre at the University of Wollongong is the host organization for Seaweeds Australia
Please send any ccomments, contributions or novel notes on seaweed to pia@uow.edu.au. Seaweeds Australia c/o Shoalhaven Marine & Freshwater Centre Shoalhaven Campus PO Box 5080 Nowra DC NSW 2541 Australia