At the Pier: Seize Control of the Belch

At the Pier: Seize Control of the Belch

In a bid to address the growing concern of methane emissions from livestock, particularly dairy cows, scientists at the University of California (UC) are focusing on a unique species of red algae seaweed called Asparagopsis taxiformis.

Jennifer Smith, a marine ecologist at UC San Diego, is collaborating with Ermias Kebreab, an animal science professor at UC Davis, to grow Asparagopsis seaweed in the lab and on a larger scale. Smith's goal is to find the most efficient and carbon-negative method for moving from laboratory cultivation to open ocean cultivation.

The collaboration was initiated due to a recent California law requiring dairy farmers and other producers to cut methane emissions 40 percent by 2030. Smith plans to collect different populations of Asparagopsis from various locations off California for lab cultivation.

Smith is using initial samples of Asparagopsis seaweed from the Scripps' Experimental Aquarium to grow the seaweed, similar to the way succulents can be propagated from a single clipping. She is conducting experiments to understand how the seaweed's chemical composition and growth rates change under different laboratory conditions.

Agricultural scientists at UC Davis are also conducting ongoing research on the potential for growing Asparagopsis seaweed to meet the demands of the livestock industry. Adding a small amount of Asparagopsis seaweed to cattle feed can reduce methane emissions from dairy cows by more than 50 percent.

To cultivate Asparagopsis taxiformis seaweed on a large scale for mitigating methane emissions in livestock, the primary approach involves using controlled aquaculture systems such as specially designed seaweed farms or "biopods" in suitable coastal or marine environments that support optimal growth conditions. These systems focus on optimizing water quality, nutrient availability, and environmental parameters to enable scalable biomass production.

Key insights from recent research and trials include:

1. Site Selection and Environmental Assessment: Locate coastal or marine areas with suitable temperatures, water quality, and light conditions. Employ modelling to predict nutrient dynamics and growth potential.
2. Establishment of Cultivation Systems: Deploy biopods or similar modular seaweed farming structures to grow and protect Asparagopsis, ensuring control over growth parameters and ease of scaling.
3. Growth Optimization: Monitor and adjust nutrient input, light, water flow, and other environmental factors to maximize biomass yield and bioactive compound concentration important for methane reduction.
4. Harvesting and Processing: Develop efficient harvesting methods to collect seaweed biomass for use as livestock feed additive without damaging the ecosystem or reducing regrowth capacity.
5. Integration with Livestock Feeding Programs: Partner with livestock producers to incorporate Asparagopsis into diets at effective doses to achieve methane reduction goals.
6. Research and Monitoring: Continuously assess environmental impacts, bioactive compound stability (e.g., bromoform levels), and methane mitigation efficacy to optimize practices and ensure sustainability.

While efforts are underway globally, including projects funded by institutions like the Australian Seaweed Institute, scaling production to meet commercial livestock methane mitigation needs requires multi-disciplinary collaboration among marine scientists, aquaculturists, and the livestock industry.

Smith's current work on Asparagopsis cultivation is a one-woman show, but she plans to expand her research team soon. The Asparagopsis samples in her lab are currently in the sporophyte phase of growth, resembling tiny pink pom poms. The dried seaweed used for the UC Davis study was harvested in the wild from Australia.

Smith is well known for her research on coral reefs and is also involved with California Seaweed Company, a startup focused on sustainably cultivating culinary seaweeds. As the research progresses, Smith hopes to contribute significantly to reducing methane emissions from livestock, benefiting both the environment and the livestock industry.

1. The collaboration between marine and animal science professors at UC San Diego and UC Davis aims to apply the findings of environmental science and experimental aquaculture to address the effects of climate change, focusing on the role of marine biodiversity in mitigating medical-conditions related to methane emissions from livestock, which contributes to health-and-wellness concerns for both the environment and the livestock industry.
2. The study of Asparagopsis taxiformis seaweed's chemical composition and growth rates by marine ecologist Jennifer Smith, as part of her research on methane emissions from dairy cows, not only showcases the potential of environmental-science innovations for scientific advancements but also underscores the importance of integrating lab cultivation techniques with coastal or marine environments for large-scale production and long-term sustainability.
3. As Smith's research on Asparagopsis taxiformis seaweed progresses, the understanding of this unique species' potential as a means to mitigate methane emissions from livestock sets the stage for interdisciplinary collaboration involving marine scientists, aquaculturists, and the livestock industry. This collaboration will facilitate advancements in both the health-and-wellness sector (by reducing greenhouse gas emissions) and the medical-conditions domain (through the study of seaweed-based solutions) while promoting the growth of eco-friendly businesses such as the California Seaweed Company.

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