Morphological, Phyto-Physicochemical, and Nutritional Traits of Seaweeds in Cagayan | InformativeBD

Andy L. Catulin, from the institute of Philippines. Jerome U. Tamayao, from the institute of Philippines. and Culili Romel, from the institute of Philippines. wrote a Research Article about, Morphological, Phyto-Physicochemical, and Nutritional Traits of Seaweeds in Cagayan. Entitled, Morphological, phyto-physicochemical and nutritional characteristics of seaweeds in Cagayan. This research paper published by the International Journal of Biosciences (IJB). an open access scholarly research journal on Biosciences. under the affiliation of the International Network For Natural Sciences| INNSpub. an open access multidisciplinary research journal publisher.

Abstract

This study presents a comprehensive analysis of the morphological, phyto-physicochemical, and nutritional attributes of seaweed species found in the coastal waters of Cagayan, Philippines particularly in Barangay Sta Cruz, Gonzaga. Specifically six seaweeds were studied namely: Sea palm (Caulerpac taxifolia), Sea lettuce (Ulva lactuca linnaeus), Sea hair (Chaetamorpha crassa), Ar-arusip (Caulerpa  lentillifera), Guraman (Gracilaria blodgetti ) and Lab-labig (Glacilaria tertorii) were used in the study. These Seaweeds play a pivotal role in marine ecosystems and offer substantial economic potential. However, detailed characterization of local seaweed species is essential for informed resource management and industrial applications. Phytochemical analysis was performed to determine the presence and quantity of bioactive compounds. Additionally, physicochemical properties such as pH, salinity, and nutrient content of the surrounding seawater were measured both on site and laboratory test to provide context for the observed seaweed characteristics. Furthermore, nutritional profiling was carried out using proximate analysis to ascertain the content of essential nutrients and dietary fiber in the selected seaweed species. Results indicated significant variations in the secondary metabolites and nutrient composition among species, highlighting their potential as valuable dietary supplements and functional food ingredients. Secondary metabolites found among the seaweeds include flavonoids and terpenoids among five species, saponins in four species, alkaloids in two species while anthocyanin is found only in Ar-arusip and phenol in Guraman. On the other hand, proximate analysis showed that among the three edible seaweeds Ar-arusip has the highest crude protein, crude fiber and crude fat compared with Guraman and Lab-labig. Also, the physico-chemical analysis of soil and water habitat of the seaweeds corresponds with the normal standard for marine waters. On-site and laboratory test of the physicochemical analysis of seaweed water provides valuable information about the environmental conditions that influence seaweed growth and health. This data is crucial for making informed decisions regarding seaweed resource management, conservation efforts, and sustainable utilization in various industries. This comprehensive study offers valuable insights into the diversity and potential applications of seaweed resources in Cagayan. The data generated will be invaluable for local stakeholders, including aquaculturists, conservationists, and industrialists, in making informed decisions regarding sustainable resource utilization and development.

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Introduction

The Philippines is known for its rich flora, and its marine algae are significant and diversified natural vegetable production. There are 1,291 taxa of marine macrobenthic algae with 306 published names of taxa (including species, varieties, and forms) of greens, 234 names of browns, and 751 names reds currently listed respectively on the Philippines littoral zones (Ang et al., 2013). Many of these species (350 species) are of economic importance as food, sources of industrial products such as polysaccharides, bioactive and nutritional natural products, and growth-promoting substances. People from the Asian regions, especially the Philippines, have depended on their needs on the sea. Due to the fact, the coastal areas have a massive seaweed supply; thus, seaweed farming is one of the livelihoods a fisher can have for sustainable economic development in the countryside (Trono and Largo, 2019). However, about 5% of these are economically important; most have still to be developed (Trono, 1999).

Seaweeds are limited to their distribution from the lower intertidal to the shallow subtidal zones in the marine environment. In general, the large forms are mainly concentrated in areas at, or a few meters below the 0 datum level. The differences in their vertical and horizontal distribution are reflective of their adaptability to the ambient conditions in the habitats. Thus, some species are found only in the sheltered bays and coves while others may be limited to the rocky exposed along the shore or margins of the reef. Many other species are found in a variety of intergrading environments the presence or absence of species in a habitat is therefore, the result of the combined and synergistic effects of the various physicochemical factors on the distribution algae. These plants dominate the marine flora in wide ranging type of habitat associated with a high diverse form of animal life. Many of the rocky beaches, mudflats, estuaries, coral reefs and lagoons along the Philippines coast provide ideal habitats for the growth of seaweeds (Rao and Mantri 2006).

Seaweeds are an economically important food crop in the Philippines as they serve as both a food commodity and an income source for coastal communities. Aside from seaweed being a popular food domestically, seaweeds are also an important export commodity for the Philippines (Trono and Largo, 2019), with the industry second only to the tuna industry in terms of both export volume and value (DA-BFAR, 2020a). The limiting factor currently affecting the seaweed industry is outbreaks of diseases and pests (Critchley et al., 2004; Vairappan et al., 2008; Mateo et al., 2020.) To the fisherfolk particularly in the Cagayan community, the huge local and global demand, increased gathering pressure, and natural and man-made threats make it imperative for resource managers to seek ways to ensure continuous production. 

A fundamental problem hampering the rapid development of seaweeds resources in the Philippines and other tropical developing countries is the lack of information on the identity and diversity of economically important algal species. The most common problem in the development and utilization of natural resources for economically important algal species is the lack of information on the types of species, the amount of biomass available, where they occur and when it is most profitable to harvest.

Therefore, the results of the study will provide baseline information on the species composition, abundance and diversity of seaweeds and its Morphological and Chemical Characteristics of Seaweeds in Cagayan. It also beneficial as a baseline information for the further exploration of the potentials of locally available seaweeds. The result may also be used by policy as a basis for formulating good products out of the available species that are known to be edible.

Hence, this study was conducted to determine the species morphological, phyto-physico-chemical characteristics as well as nutrional analysis of seaweeds in Cagayan, Philippines.

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