20.3.3.2 Environmental Conditions in Relation to Marine Microalgal
Production in the Alboran Sea
A relevant peculiarity of microalgal outdoor mass production concerns its specific
dependence on key environmental factors for photosynthetic production as are solar
irradiance and temperature. Most of the Alboran Sea coastline is characterized by
having very high annual solar radiation, thus satisfying one of the main requirements
for the phototrophic production of marine microalgae. The availability of such a
naturally elevated and widespread solar irradiance makes this essential parameter to
be less limiting than other factors. It has to be, nevertheless, stressed that daily
elevated fluctuations associated to solar irradiance in the area result in punctual
periods of extreme intensity that can lead to photoinhibition or even photodamage.
Microalgal production systems have therefore cope with this phenomenon by providing adequate solar protection when needed. Temperature in the Alboran Sea
coastline follows the typical seasonal pattern of the Mediterranean climate and that
implies marked variations throughout the year are expected to noticeably condition
microalgal production. This mostly temporal variability in temperature, with a minor
spatial variability component, is not supposed to exert a strong influence at the time
of site selection. Seasonal changes in temperature will significantly affect microalgal
biomass production yield and will likely recommend the use of a seasonal species
selectivity strategy. Evaporation is another important factor that needs special
attention when setting up a microalgal production plant since replenishing of daily
evaporative losses may represent an important cost due to the freshwater demanded,
especially by open systems like paddle-wheel tanks. Evaporation positively correlates with solar irradiance, and any additional spatial coincidence with strong winds
of different nature in some specific places may restrict the utilization of some open
systems for microalgal aquaculture.
The fact that microalgal production technology has been developed for both open
and closed systems enables this activity in adapting to diverse places with different
intensities and types of land use. This acquires special relevance in the Alboran Sea
where the north coast, characterized by a very high urban and agriculture pressure,
presents less space availability than the south coast. It seems thus reasonable
thinking that the more intensive and less space-demanding closed production systems will better adapt in the north coast. On the other hand, the more landdemanding open tank production systems would be apparently easier to set up
along the south coastline. This theoretical approximation can, in any instance, be
altered in the event that any specific association of microalgal production with any
other economic activity is carried out.
20 Aquaculture in the Alboran Sea
683
Production in the Alboran Sea
A relevant peculiarity of microalgal outdoor mass production concerns its specific
dependence on key environmental factors for photosynthetic production as are solar
irradiance and temperature. Most of the Alboran Sea coastline is characterized by
having very high annual solar radiation, thus satisfying one of the main requirements
for the phototrophic production of marine microalgae. The availability of such a
naturally elevated and widespread solar irradiance makes this essential parameter to
be less limiting than other factors. It has to be, nevertheless, stressed that daily
elevated fluctuations associated to solar irradiance in the area result in punctual
periods of extreme intensity that can lead to photoinhibition or even photodamage.
Microalgal production systems have therefore cope with this phenomenon by providing adequate solar protection when needed. Temperature in the Alboran Sea
coastline follows the typical seasonal pattern of the Mediterranean climate and that
implies marked variations throughout the year are expected to noticeably condition
microalgal production. This mostly temporal variability in temperature, with a minor
spatial variability component, is not supposed to exert a strong influence at the time
of site selection. Seasonal changes in temperature will significantly affect microalgal
biomass production yield and will likely recommend the use of a seasonal species
selectivity strategy. Evaporation is another important factor that needs special
attention when setting up a microalgal production plant since replenishing of daily
evaporative losses may represent an important cost due to the freshwater demanded,
especially by open systems like paddle-wheel tanks. Evaporation positively correlates with solar irradiance, and any additional spatial coincidence with strong winds
of different nature in some specific places may restrict the utilization of some open
systems for microalgal aquaculture.
The fact that microalgal production technology has been developed for both open
and closed systems enables this activity in adapting to diverse places with different
intensities and types of land use. This acquires special relevance in the Alboran Sea
where the north coast, characterized by a very high urban and agriculture pressure,
presents less space availability than the south coast. It seems thus reasonable
thinking that the more intensive and less space-demanding closed production systems will better adapt in the north coast. On the other hand, the more landdemanding open tank production systems would be apparently easier to set up
along the south coastline. This theoretical approximation can, in any instance, be
altered in the event that any specific association of microalgal production with any
other economic activity is carried out.
20 Aquaculture in the Alboran Sea
683