A manual for the use of sustainable marine resources – Definition of the cultivation potential and commercially relevant compounds of Sea Lettuces (Ulva spp.) along the Swedish coastline

Our world is in need of sustainable and renewable resources that do not rely on fossil fuels!Sea Lettuces, or the genus Ulva, are economically and ecologically important green algae with a growing potential in seaweed aquaculture due to their high productivity, wide environmental tolerance as well as suitable nutritional properties.

Even though they are obtaining a rising interest from the European aquaculture sector, knowledge of their taxonomy, species diversity and thus species depending properties is still sparse. Their high morphological variability largely hampers species identification by classical morphological characters.

Until now, the Scandinavian species diversity remains unknown and species depending differences in high value compounds (e.g. proteins, fatty acids, carbohydrates) have never been investigated in detail. This information is crucial for the rapidly emerging Scandinavian seaweed aquaculture industry. In this project I propose to assess the species diversity by modern molecular methods e.g.

DNA barcoding, within the Baltic Sea, and to investigate species depending traits and how differences in high value compounds vary under changing cultivation conditions to facilitate strain selection of highly productive aquaculture strains.

All results will be communicated with authorities, databases and commercial partners to ensure a strong societal impact of this research which can clearly contribute to a more sustainable future blue economy.