JEAN-PAUL CADORET1, VITOR VERDELHO2
1. CSO Algama, Presidente EABA, Paris, France
2. General Manager EABA, Board Member A4F, Porto, Portugal

Abstract

Algae undeniably have a key role to play in the future, whether on a short, medium or long term. The power they offer in several key areas of application is now well documented, and at many levels, whether scientific, economic, or ecological. Algae will indeed offer unimaginable leverage effects in the fields of food, feed, energy, chemical industry, and cosmetics, their diversity being enormous They will come as a solid complement to the terrestrial plants already known and used. Paradoxically, the fantastic possibilities they offer have triggered opportunistic projects, to the most unwise allegations presenting unfounded hopes. In order to set the record straight, we are thus forced to remind a few principles of reality, at the risk of unfortunately creating harmful and unfair counter-publicity.

What are algae? Algae is a common name for a group of taxonomically unrelated organisms sharing a number of traits. Algae include cyanobacteria, eukaryotic microalgae and seaweeds. Common traits are: oxygenic photosynthesis (use of visible light to fix CO2 with O2 release); chlorophylls as main photosynthetic pigment; lack of differentiated tissues; primary producers in aquatics ecosystems. There are exceptions as some algae can grow in the dark using simple organic compounds while others do not possess photosynthetic organelles, being thereforeunable to perform photosynthesis (1). This definition includes a large range of organisms found in the oceans, from nanoplankton 100 times smaller than 1 millimeter to large kelp seaweed reaching 30 meters. Not forgetting extreme temperature organisms like Mastigocladus laminosus, which grow in hot springs at 64 °C, or Chloromonas typhlos, that can grow in the snow at 0 °C. (2).

The Past, the Present and the Future. The new era belongs to algae. Known for a long time and yet not studied and understood since a long time, the perseverance of a few groups of researchers, of a few seaweed fishermen, o ...