New Type Seaweed Found In The Depth Of 100 Meters Of Antarctica Ocean

Professor Frithjof Kuepper of School of Biological Sciences at the University of Aberdeen, researches seaweed in Antarctica. (photo: linkedin

JAKARTA - The new type of seaweed has been discovered by researchers working in the Antarctic Ocean region. This plant lives at a depth of about 100 meters below sea level.

Found by a team working at Rothera Research Station on Adelaide Island, off the southwest Antarctic Peninsula, this seaweed is dubbed the Palmaria deccipient redbarine.

According to researchers, this discovery is important to advance knowledge of Antarctica. Using remotely operated vehicles (ROVs), the researchers managed to collect samples for further examination. DNA sequencing is then used to confirm the type of seaweed.

The research, funded by the UK Environmental Research Council (Nerc), is a collaboration involving the University of Aberdeen, University of Southampton, the UK Antarctic Survey and Thessaly University, Volos, Greece.

"We know that carbon capture will be critical to limiting global warming as we move forward, and seaweed absorbs CO2 in large quantities," said Professor Frithjof Kuepper of School of Biological Sciences at the University of Aberdeen.

Sea grasses have the potential to play a major role in protecting the environment by storing carbon on the ocean floor as they die and reducing marine equalization," he continued.

Launching the Evening Standard, Tuesday, November 29, Professor Kuepper added, seaweed is also an important source of food for many animals and fish, has also been consumed by people in many coastal communities around the world for centuries.

In addition, he also found that seaweed has been used in various cosmetic and pharmaceutical goods and with carbon neutralizing properties, this is a sustainable product.

"Finding Palmaria decipients at a depth of 100 meters is important to advance our knowledge of Antarctica, a very important continent to understand in order to address the environmental challenges facing the world today," explained Professor Kuepper.

Researchers have determined to clarify the maximum depth of seaweed can grow in Antarctica with Prof. Kuepper.

"We now know that seaweed can live at least up to a depth of 100 meters in Antarctica. That's quite a lot, but we can't rule out that they may live even deeper," said Professor Kuepper.