development as a new functional material. Production of extracellular polysaccharides from Porphyridium has almost reached the commercialization stage.
Development is also under way on marine microalgae containing large amounts of
polyunsaturated fatty acids such as EPA, DHA, and c-linoleic acid.
7.2 Screening and Culturing Marine Microalgae
Marine ecosystems can be broadly categorized into coastal and oceanic regions.
Each of these environments forms its own characteristic ecosystem. Marine environments also vary significantly by geographic location and site conditions. In the
case of coastal regions, brackish water basin form through the mixture of freshwater
and seawater at estuaries where inland water flows in, or at inland lagoons. Environments vary especially greatly by their linkage to the open sea (i.e., the inner or
outer portion of bays, warm or cold currents), the type or structure of seabed (reef,
pebble, sand, or mud), and the quantity and quality of industrial and living drainage
entering into them, among other factors. Microalgae distribution is subject to
influences from these environmental conditions and exhibits temporal and spatial
changes in the standing crop and component species due to variable environmental
factors on a diurnal and seasonal basis (Kellam and Walker 1989; Gerwick et al.
1994; Matsunaga et al. 1999; Doan et al. 2011).
Planktonic (floating) microalgae reported in seawater and brackish water basin
belong to categories such as dinoflagellates, diatoms, haptophytes, raphidophytes,
chrysophytes, xantophytes, eustigmatophytes, cryptophotes, euglenophytes,
chlorophytes, and cyanobacteria. Some varieties are benthic and survive by attaching
to organic or inorganic substrates, while others exist in symbiosis with other
organisms. While their distribution is thought to be confined to the euphotic zone,
numerous microalgae are distributed over a wide variety of marine environments
spanning both coastal and open sea regions. When these microalgae are used as
research material, they may be acquired pre-separated and pre-preserved from algae
banks. Screening of flora present in the natural world is another important and
effective means of acquiring and culturing strains suited to one’s research purpose.
This section will focus on explaining about the screening and culturing of marine
microalgae and examining their application to other marine microalgae.
Figure 7.2 shows the full manipulation stage and areas of consideration.
Microalgae handling is basically the same way as with other microbes (such as
bacterial) and requires manipulation under aseptic conditions (Borowitzka 1995;
Kumazawa 1991; Yamaguchi 1992).
7.2.1 Collecting Marine Blue-Green Algae
The choice of a collection site is based on a comparison and examination of the
physiological characteristics of the target blue-green alga (or other microalgae) and
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7 Microalgae, a Biological Resource for the Future
Development is also under way on marine microalgae containing large amounts of
polyunsaturated fatty acids such as EPA, DHA, and c-linoleic acid.
7.2 Screening and Culturing Marine Microalgae
Marine ecosystems can be broadly categorized into coastal and oceanic regions.
Each of these environments forms its own characteristic ecosystem. Marine environments also vary significantly by geographic location and site conditions. In the
case of coastal regions, brackish water basin form through the mixture of freshwater
and seawater at estuaries where inland water flows in, or at inland lagoons. Environments vary especially greatly by their linkage to the open sea (i.e., the inner or
outer portion of bays, warm or cold currents), the type or structure of seabed (reef,
pebble, sand, or mud), and the quantity and quality of industrial and living drainage
entering into them, among other factors. Microalgae distribution is subject to
influences from these environmental conditions and exhibits temporal and spatial
changes in the standing crop and component species due to variable environmental
factors on a diurnal and seasonal basis (Kellam and Walker 1989; Gerwick et al.
1994; Matsunaga et al. 1999; Doan et al. 2011).
Planktonic (floating) microalgae reported in seawater and brackish water basin
belong to categories such as dinoflagellates, diatoms, haptophytes, raphidophytes,
chrysophytes, xantophytes, eustigmatophytes, cryptophotes, euglenophytes,
chlorophytes, and cyanobacteria. Some varieties are benthic and survive by attaching
to organic or inorganic substrates, while others exist in symbiosis with other
organisms. While their distribution is thought to be confined to the euphotic zone,
numerous microalgae are distributed over a wide variety of marine environments
spanning both coastal and open sea regions. When these microalgae are used as
research material, they may be acquired pre-separated and pre-preserved from algae
banks. Screening of flora present in the natural world is another important and
effective means of acquiring and culturing strains suited to one’s research purpose.
This section will focus on explaining about the screening and culturing of marine
microalgae and examining their application to other marine microalgae.
Figure 7.2 shows the full manipulation stage and areas of consideration.
Microalgae handling is basically the same way as with other microbes (such as
bacterial) and requires manipulation under aseptic conditions (Borowitzka 1995;
Kumazawa 1991; Yamaguchi 1992).
7.2.1 Collecting Marine Blue-Green Algae
The choice of a collection site is based on a comparison and examination of the
physiological characteristics of the target blue-green alga (or other microalgae) and
202
7 Microalgae, a Biological Resource for the Future