Importance of Seaweed in the
Climate Change
Seaweed Solution
Ik Kyo Chung,
1,
* Jung Hyun Oak,
2
Jin Ae Lee,
3
Tae-Ho Seo,
4
Jong Gyu Kim
5
and Kwang-Seok Park
6
Introduction
Approximately 71% of the earth’s surface is covered by seawater. Because the sea plays a dominant role
in regulating climate, it also offers great potential for removing and fixing atmospheric carbon dioxide
(De Vooys 1979; Raven and Falkowski 1999; Falkowski et al. 2000; Pelejero et al. 2010). The estimated
contribution of marine vegetation, which covers less than 2% of the ocean surface, is about 210 to 244
Tg C yr
–1
, or almost half of the total carbon sequestered in the oceans (Duarte et al. 2005). In coastal
areas, mangroves, seagrasses, and salt marshes, large amounts of “blue” carbon are accumulated and
retained in sediments (Laffoley and Grimsditch 2009; Nellemann et al. 2009). Although they do not have
sedimentary substrates, these kelp forests and seaweed beds can be considered blue carbon (Smith 1981;
Ritschard 1992; Chung 2007; Chung et al. 2011, 2013, 2017; N’Yeurta et al. 2012; Duarte et al. 2017).
Although no complete survey has been done, the global standing kelp crop, allowing for seasonal and
spatial variances, is as much as 20 Tg C, with a biomass density of 500 g C m
–2
(Reed and Brzezinski 2009).
A conservative estimate of global net primary production is up to 39 Tg C yr
–1
for deep tropical kelp forests
2
1
Dept. of Oceanography, Pusan National University, Busan 46241, R. Korea.
2
Marine Research Institute, Pusan National University, Busan 46241, R. Korea.
Email: oakjh@pusan.ac.kr
3
School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Inje University, Gimhae 50834, R. Korea.
Email: envjal@inje.ac.kr
4
Coastal Production Institute, Yeosu 59699, R. Korea.
Email: eelis@hanmail.net
5
Response to Climate Change Co. Ltd., Pohang 37673, R. Korea.
Email: jkkim@rcc-posco.co.kr
6
Material Research Division, Research Institute of Industrial Science & Technology, Pohang 37673, R. Korea.
Email: kspark@rist.re.kr
* Corresponding author: ikchung@pusan.ac.kr
Climate Change
Seaweed Solution
Ik Kyo Chung,
1,
* Jung Hyun Oak,
2
Jin Ae Lee,
3
Tae-Ho Seo,
4
Jong Gyu Kim
5
and Kwang-Seok Park
6
Introduction
Approximately 71% of the earth’s surface is covered by seawater. Because the sea plays a dominant role
in regulating climate, it also offers great potential for removing and fixing atmospheric carbon dioxide
(De Vooys 1979; Raven and Falkowski 1999; Falkowski et al. 2000; Pelejero et al. 2010). The estimated
contribution of marine vegetation, which covers less than 2% of the ocean surface, is about 210 to 244
Tg C yr
–1
, or almost half of the total carbon sequestered in the oceans (Duarte et al. 2005). In coastal
areas, mangroves, seagrasses, and salt marshes, large amounts of “blue” carbon are accumulated and
retained in sediments (Laffoley and Grimsditch 2009; Nellemann et al. 2009). Although they do not have
sedimentary substrates, these kelp forests and seaweed beds can be considered blue carbon (Smith 1981;
Ritschard 1992; Chung 2007; Chung et al. 2011, 2013, 2017; N’Yeurta et al. 2012; Duarte et al. 2017).
Although no complete survey has been done, the global standing kelp crop, allowing for seasonal and
spatial variances, is as much as 20 Tg C, with a biomass density of 500 g C m
–2
(Reed and Brzezinski 2009).
A conservative estimate of global net primary production is up to 39 Tg C yr
–1
for deep tropical kelp forests
2
1
Dept. of Oceanography, Pusan National University, Busan 46241, R. Korea.
2
Marine Research Institute, Pusan National University, Busan 46241, R. Korea.
Email: oakjh@pusan.ac.kr
3
School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Inje University, Gimhae 50834, R. Korea.
Email: envjal@inje.ac.kr
4
Coastal Production Institute, Yeosu 59699, R. Korea.
Email: eelis@hanmail.net
5
Response to Climate Change Co. Ltd., Pohang 37673, R. Korea.
Email: jkkim@rcc-posco.co.kr
6
Material Research Division, Research Institute of Industrial Science & Technology, Pohang 37673, R. Korea.
Email: kspark@rist.re.kr
* Corresponding author: ikchung@pusan.ac.kr