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What Are Seaweeds ?
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Seaweeds are large algae
(macroalgae) that grow in a saltwater
or marine environment that contain photosynthetic
pigments(similar to chlorophyll) and use
sunlight to produce food and oxygen from
carbon dioxide and water. There are over
250 species of seaweeds in the Gulf of
Maine/Bay of Fundy region. As the market
for seaweed grows, plantation of seaweed
must overcome the problem to prevent the
effect balance of the echo system plant
and animal communities living there. EKOWAN
S/B had made a research in planting the
seaweeds for market export. We hope that
our company could give information for
those that intended to join venture in
this seaweed replanting and processing
as long as export & import market
for global use.
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Seaweeds
are large algae (macroalgae) that grow in
a saltwater or marine environment. Seaweeds
are plants, although they lack true stems,
roots, and leaves. However, they possess
a blade that is leaflike, a stipe that is
stemlike, and a holdfast that resembles
a root. Like land plants, seaweeds contain
photosynthetic pigments (similar to chlorophyll)
and use sunlight to produce food and oxygen
from carbon dioxide and water.
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Where
Do Seaweeds Live?
There are over 250 species of seaweeds in
the Gulf of Maine/Bay of Fundy region. Certain
seaweeds tend to group together in bands
or "stripes" that run roughly
parallel to the coast. Seaweeds live in
the region between the high and low tide
levels (intertidal zone) and belong the
low tide mark (subtidal zone). The intertidal
zone is alternately exposed and submerged
by the tides, while the subtidal zone is
always covered by water, except at the uppermost
level, which may be briefly exposed during
extreme low tides. The intertidal and subtidal
zones are further divided into bands. This
guide gives examples of common seaweeds
found in the upper, mid-, and lower intertidal
zones and below the low tide mark. Depending
upon local conditions, bands of seaweed
within these zones may be narrow or broad.
Many types of seaweed may also be found
in more than one band.
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SABAH
SEAWEED PLANTATION
Planting seaweed was newly cultivated here
in SABAH, MALAYSIA. Most of these plantation
farms were located in Kudat & Semporna.
Even though there were more than 250 species
of seaweeds, we only focus on planting seaweed
type Eucheuma Spinosum & Cottonii this
is because of the high value price in the
global market. The plantation projects in
Semporna were using the latest technology,
materials and skills in producing the high
quality of fresh seaweed for export. Most
of the 350 families farmers that are well
cultivated with the technique in planting
seaweed are from the people in nearby village
mainly fisherman.
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High
Quality Seaweed
We could get seaweed seed from the nearby
wild seaweed or farm. All the wild seaweed
seed must be transfer to the plantation
area as quick as possible and must be well
protected from direct sunlight, rain and
wind before it could be plant. If the seeds
were not transfer in a minimal of time it
must be put in a clean salt water sea. Choosing
the good quality of seaweed seeds are very
important. We could get the quality seeds
from the middle or at the end of the healthy
fresh seaweed.
To get a good seeds of seaweed we must have
a clean and sharp knife to cut the branch
of the seaweed. We could cut the branch
either straight or narrow. |
How
Are Seaweeds Grouped?
Most seaweeds are divided into three groups
according to their color. Generally
speaking, the green seaweeds (division Chlorophyta)
inhabit the shallowest zones
along the shore (upper intertidal), the
browns (Phaeophyta) are usually found in
the mid-intertidal and subtidal zones, and
the reds (Rhodophyta) inhabit the lower
intertidal zone and deeper waters. Some
dominant plants of protected rocky shores
are knotted wrack /rockweed (Ascophyllum/Fucus),
Irish moss (Chondrus l crispus), and the
kelps
(Laminaria / longicruris and L. saccharine).
The dense vegetative stands of rockweeds,
Irish moss, and kelp are ecologically very
important to other flora and fauna of the
rocky coast, providing food and shelter
for many marine organisms. Some animals,
such as green sea urchins (Strongylocentrotus
droebachiensis) and periwinkles (Littorina
littorea), use seaweed directly for food.
When seaweeds break down, they enrich waters
by adding dissolved and particulate organic
matter to it. This is used by a number of
microorganisms and many species of marine
invertebrates.
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