Effects of season, depth and pre-cultivation fertilizing on Ulva growth dynamics offshore the Eastern Mediterranean Sea

Abstract

AbstractOffshore macroalgae production could provide an alternative source of biomass for food, materials and energy. However, the offshore environment in general, specifically the Eastern Mediterranean Sea (EMS) offshore, is a high energy and low nutrients environment, thus challenging for macroalgae farming. In this study, we experimentally investigated the impact of season, depth, and pre-cultivation fertilization duration on the growth rates and chemical composition of offshoreUlvabiomass, and developed a predictive model tailored to offshore conditions, capable of estimating both biomass growth rate and nitrogen content. Specifically, we measuredUlvabiomass growth rate and internal nitrogen in the nitrogen-poor EMS a few kilometers offshore the Israeli coast at various depths and on-shore pre-cultivation fertilization schedules. Based on these data, we constructed a predictive cultivation model ofUlvaoffshore growth, which allows for the optimization of fertilization requirements for offshore cultivation. This study provides new insights on the effects of seasonality, depth, and pre-cultivation fertilization duration on growth rates and chemical composition of offshoreUlvasp. biomass production.