Ulva rigida in the future ocean: potential for carbon capture, bioremediation and biomethane production

作者：Gao, Guang^*; Clare, Anthony S.; Rose, Craig; Caldwell, Gary S.^*

来源：Global Change Biology Bioenergy, 2018, 10(1): 39-51.

DOI：10.1111/gcbb.12465

• biofuel
• carbon capture
• chemical composition
• eutrophication
• green tide
• growth
• ocean acidification
• ocean warming
• reproduction
• Ulva

Ulva species have been considered as ideal candidates for carbon capture, bioremediation and biofuel production. However, little is known regarding the effects of simultaneous ocean warming, acidification and eutrophication on these capacities. In this study, Ulva rigida was cultivated under two levels of: temperature (14 degrees C (LT) and 18 degrees C (HT)); pH (8.10 and 7.70) by controlling pCO(2) (LC, HC respectively); and nutrients (low (LN) - 50m N and 2.5m P and high (HN) - 1000m N and 50m P) for 6weeks. During the first week of cultivation, HT, HC and HN increased biomass by 38.1%, 17.1% and 20.8%, respectively, while the higher temperature led to negative growth in weeks 2, 4 and 6 due to reproductive events. By the end of the cultivation, biomass under HTHCHN was 130.4% higher than the control (LTLCLN), contributing to a higher carbon capture capacity. Although the thalli at HT released nutrients to seawater in weeks 2, 4 and 6, the HTHCHN treatment increased the overall nitrate uptake rate over the cultivation period by 489.0%. The HTHCHN treatment also had an increased biochemical methane potential and methane yield (47.3% and 254.6%, respectively). Our findings demonstrate that the capacities for carbon and nutrient capture, and biomethane production of U.rigida in the future ocean may be enhanced, providing important insight into the interactions between global change and seaweeds.

• 出版日期2018-1