The seaweed holobiont: from microecology to biotechnological applications

[Subsea]

I just did read this article and am pondering on it. For certain, it reenforces the complexity of our captive ecosystems with the fact the seaweeds are ecology engineeers​

​

The seaweed holobiont: from microecology to biotechnological applications - PMC

In the ocean, seaweed and microorganisms have coexisted since the earliest stages of evolution and formed an inextricable relationship. Recently, seaweed has attracted extensive attention worldwide for ecological and industrial purposes, but the ...

pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Introduction​

“Seaweed, or macroalgae, is one of the most important organisms in the ocean. These abundant, diverse sessile multicellular photosynthetic eukaryotes provide important ecosystem services in coastal ecosystems; for example, they are ecosystem engineers that provide food, shelter and habitat for other organisms, and are responsible for a large amount of total primary productivity of temperate, arctic and tropical systems worldwide (Egan et al., 2013; van der Loos et al., 2019). Seaweeds, which include brown, red and green algae, produce numerous structural molecules, such as proteins, lipids, carbohydrates and other bioactive compounds that have various applications (e.g., agricultural, cosmeceutical, pharmaceutical and biotechnological) (Soria‐Mercado et al., 2012; Hay et al., 2013; Romano et al., 2017; Urtuvia et al., 2017; García‐Poza et al., 2020; Leandro et al., 2020a). “

The following is the reason that I don’t use herbicides or pesticides in my systems:


“The microbial communities of seaweed contain an abundant, diverse assembly of organisms (including archaea, bacteria, fungi, microalgae, protozoa and viruses) on their surface and tissues. These microorganisms often perform various functions related to host growth and development or stress defense, but can also yield detrimental effects, such as disease (van der Loos et al., 2019). Some microbiota can also contribute to seaweed survival by enabling the host to resist stress caused by rapid or extreme environmental changes (Rosenberg et al., 2010). Consequently, seaweed and associated microbial groups form a ‘holobiont’ (the host and its symbiont), which represents a single ecological unit with highly specialized symbiotic interactions that are important for the functioning of both the host and the symbiont (van der Loos et al., 2019”

 

[TangerineSpeedo]

In my temperate tank, I started to naturally grow this seaweed... I was so excited! Now it is a pest. Nothing want to eat it, not urchins, snails, my kelp crab might nibble on it if he doesn’t have the good kelp...
But back to your point. I do have to hand cull this seaweed and when I do it is full of life. Microbrittles, pods, eggs from what ever has been listening to Barry white...

 

[Subsea]

In my temperate tank, I started to naturally grow this seaweed... I was so excited! Now it is a pest. Nothing want to eat it, not urchins, snails, my kelp crab might nibble on it if he doesn’t have the good kelp...
But back to your point. I do have to hand cull this seaweed and when I do it is full of life. Microbrittles, pods, eggs from what ever has been listening to Barry white...

That looks quite attractive. Reminds me of Sargassum. Its matrix provides plenty of cover for diverse zooplankton. Neat.

Marine Plants in the Aquarium

macroalgae, marine plants, caulerpa, refugium substrate, marine macroalgae for sale

www.marineplantbook.com

“Species of the brown algae Sargassum are among the most prolific of all brown algae in the Caribbean. These include both the anchored and free floating varieties. As a group, they are highly variable in shape, size and distribution and can survive in much cooler water than other tropical macro algae. The anchored varieties are of the most interest to the hobbyists, as the free floating patches such as fluitans are not easily kept. Species of Sargassumhystrix feature large, dark brown leaves with a distinctive white mid rib. It grows in both shallow water and deeper habitats to about 45 feet. It grows attached to rocks or other hard surfaces by a single holdfast. Most anchored varieties have a very sturdy, thick upright, that is able to securely anchor itself in very turbulent environments. In the aquarium they require bright lighting and moderate to high flow rates for optimal growth.“

What temperature do you run your temperate tank? Do you collect in tide pools?

 

[TangerineSpeedo]

That looks quite attractive. Reminds me of Sargassum. Its matrix provides plenty of cover for diverse zooplankton. Neat.

Marine Plants in the Aquarium

macroalgae, marine plants, caulerpa, refugium substrate, marine macroalgae for sale

www.marineplantbook.com

“Species of the brown algae Sargassum are among the most prolific of all brown algae in the Caribbean. These include both the anchored and free floating varieties. As a group, they are highly variable in shape, size and distribution and can survive in much cooler water than other tropical macro algae. The anchored varieties are of the most interest to the hobbyists, as the free floating patches such as fluitans are not easily kept. Species of Sargassumhystrix feature large, dark brown leaves with a distinctive white mid rib. It grows in both shallow water and deeper habitats to about 45 feet. It grows attached to rocks or other hard surfaces by a single holdfast. Most anchored varieties have a very sturdy, thick upright, that is able to securely anchor itself in very turbulent environments. In the aquarium they require bright lighting and moderate to high flow rates for optimal growth.“

What temperature do you run your temperate tank? Do you collect in tide pools?

I run mine at 63F. Which is the average temp in our tide pool areas. I don't directly collect anymore. I have found that I get so much life off of fresh kelp that I need to feed some snails I have (large wavytop and some Norris top snails plus other small snalls). I do a bit of beach rescue of critters that have washed up. But I have a Bat star that came in on something that I never knew was in my tank until it was barely big enough to see, now she is the size of my hand. A serpent star that for the last couple years I only saw the tips sticking out from under a rock and last week she decided to go on a day walk and was 100 times the size I thought she was. It is one of my favorite tanks because it is in a constant state of discovery. We have some invasive sargassum here from Japan, It is easier to manually control when it finds its way into the tank. The seaweed I have in there now is a variant of Dictyota coriacea

 

[KrisReef]

I kind of laughed at the comparison with seaweed to engineers, but I do understand the concept of the impacts from the holobont in concert with the seaweed to their local environment.
Nice article, thanks for posting.

 

[KrisReef]

Beautiful cold water! @TangerineSpeedo

 

[TangerineSpeedo]

Beautiful cold water! @TangerineSpeedo

Thanks!... It does have it's moments...

 

[Subsea]

I run mine at 63F. Which is the average temp in our tide pool areas. I don't directly collect anymore. I have found that I get so much life off of fresh kelp that I need to feed some snails I have (large wavytop and some Norris top snails plus other small snalls). I do a bit of beach rescue of critters that have washed up. But I have a Bat star that came in on something that I never knew was in my tank until it was barely big enough to see, now she is the size of my hand. A serpent star that for the last couple years I only saw the tips sticking out from under a rock and last week she decided to go on a day walk and was 100 times the size I thought she was. It is one of my favorite tanks because it is in a constant state of discovery. We have some invasive sargassum here from Japan, It is easier to manually control when it finds its way into the tank. The seaweed I have in there now is a variant of Dictyota coriacea

Very nice.

In 1970, when I was a student at the Maritime Academy in Galveston, during the summer, Eddie currents from the Gulf Stream would pile up Sargassum Seaweed from the Sargassum Sea which is located in the Bermuda Triangle. As a sport fisherman, it was a perfect opportunity to combine two passions: ultra light tackle fishing and reef keeping. If the fish weren’t biting on the jetties, then I would wade into the water and collect “seaweed critters” to bring home.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

I just did read this article and am pondering on it. For certain, it reenforces the complexity of our captive ecosystems with the fact the seaweeds are ecology engineeers​

​

The seaweed holobiont: from microecology to biotechnological applications - PMC

In the ocean, seaweed and microorganisms have coexisted since the earliest stages of evolution and formed an inextricable relationship. Recently, seaweed has attracted extensive attention worldwide for ecological and industrial purposes, but the ...

pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Introduction​

“Seaweed, or macroalgae, is one of the most important organisms in the ocean. These abundant, diverse sessile multicellular photosynthetic eukaryotes provide important ecosystem services in coastal ecosystems; for example, they are ecosystem engineers that provide food, shelter and habitat for other organisms, and are responsible for a large amount of total primary productivity of temperate, arctic and tropical systems worldwide (Egan et al., 2013; van der Loos et al., 2019). Seaweeds, which include brown, red and green algae, produce numerous structural molecules, such as proteins, lipids, carbohydrates and other bioactive compounds that have various applications (e.g., agricultural, cosmeceutical, pharmaceutical and biotechnological) (Soria‐Mercado et al., 2012; Hay et al., 2013; Romano et al., 2017; Urtuvia et al., 2017; García‐Poza et al., 2020; Leandro et al., 2020a). “

The following is the reason that I don’t use herbicides or pesticides in my systems:


“The microbial communities of seaweed contain an abundant, diverse assembly of organisms (including archaea, bacteria, fungi, microalgae, protozoa and viruses) on their surface and tissues. These microorganisms often perform various functions related to host growth and development or stress defense, but can also yield detrimental effects, such as disease (van der Loos et al., 2019). Some microbiota can also contribute to seaweed survival by enabling the host to resist stress caused by rapid or extreme environmental changes (Rosenberg et al., 2010). Consequently, seaweed and associated microbial groups form a ‘holobiont’ (the host and its symbiont), which represents a single ecological unit with highly specialized symbiotic interactions that are important for the functioning of both the host and the symbiont (van der Loos et al., 2019”

Thanks for posting it. It surprises me that macroalgae are mostly relegated to refugia. I know some folks have macro based tanks, but they seem to be in a small minority.

I understand the problems of a tank either being overrun, or hair algae herbivores eating the algae, but this may be a solvable problem with slower growing, less palatable macro types that are still attractive.

 

[Subsea]

“I understand the problems of a tank either being overrun, or hair algae herbivores eating the algae, but this may be a solvable problem with slower growing, less palatable macro types that are still attractive.”

Randy,
It’s a “Question of Balance”. My favorite album by the Moody Blues and it’s how I attempt to balance an ecosystem that is in a state of “dynamic equilibrium”. I enjoy watching my tank and understanding bioindicators that instruct me on required TLC (animal husbandry).

@vlangel has a nicely balanced system that involves an extended sump in her basement two stories below her display tank.

Dawn,
Best I can tell from your post, some of your ornamental macro doubles in 14 days requiring pruning. I also find in my seaweed grow out tanks that biomass doubles every 10-14 days.

 

[Subsea]

“I understand the problems of a tank either being overrun, or hair algae herbivores eating the algae, but this may be a solvable problem with slower growing, less palatable macro types that are still attractive.”

Randy,
It’s a “Question of Balance”. My favorite album by the Moody Blues and it’s how I attempt to balance an ecosystem that is in a state of “dynamic equilibrium”. I enjoy watching my tank and understanding bioindicators that instruct me on required TLC (animal husbandry).

@vlangel has a nicely balanced system that involves an extended sump in her basement two stories below her display tank.

Dawn,
Best I can tell from your post, some of your ornamental macro doubles in 14 days requiring pruning. I also find in my seaweed grow out tanks that biomass doubles every 10-14 days.



For me, it’s a quest to find

 

[vlangel]

“I understand the problems of a tank either being overrun, or hair algae herbivores eating the algae, but this may be a solvable problem with slower growing, less palatable macro types that are still attractive.”

Randy,
It’s a “Question of Balance”. My favorite album by the Moody Blues and it’s how I attempt to balance an ecosystem that is in a state of “dynamic equilibrium”. I enjoy watching my tank and understanding bioindicators that instruct me on required TLC (animal husbandry).

@vlangel has a nicely balanced system that involves an extended sump in her basement two stories below her display tank.

Dawn,
Best I can tell from your post, some of your ornamental macro doubles in 14 days requiring pruning. I also find in my seaweed grow out tanks that biomass doubles every 10-14 days.

That is correct Patrick. My 2 fastest growing macroalgae are ulva and gracilaria hayi and I do end up pruning them about every 2 weeks. If I let them go til 3 weeks they are shading and infringing on the coral in the tank.
The codium is probably my next macroalgae in terms of growth. Last and slowest growing are the botrycladia and caulerpa cupressoides which is surprising to me. I guess they are not as competitive for the elements in the water column as their more aggressive counterparts. They do seem to get enough to survive however. Keeping multiple macros that grow at differing rates can be tricky, but like you said Patrick, it's all about balance.