''Saccharina latissima'' is a
brown alga
Brown algae (singular: alga), comprising the class (biology), class Phaeophyceae, are a large group of multicellular algae, including many seaweeds located in colder waters within the Northern Hemisphere. Brown algae are the major seaweeds of the ...
(class Phaeophyceae), of the
family
Family (from la, familia) is a Social group, group of people related either by consanguinity (by recognized birth) or Affinity (law), affinity (by marriage or other relationship). The purpose of the family is to maintain the well-being of its ...
Laminariaceae
Laminariaceae is a family of brown algal seaweed
Seaweed, or macroalgae, refers to thousands of species of macroscopic, multicellular, marine algae. The term includes some types of '' Rhodophyta'' (red), ''Phaeophyta'' (brown) and ''Chlor ...
. It is known by the common names sugar kelp,
sea belt,
and Devil's apron,
and is one of the species known to
Japanese cuisine
Japanese cuisine encompasses the regional and traditional foods of Japan, which have developed through centuries of political, economic, and social changes. The traditional cuisine of Japan (Japanese: ) is based on rice with miso soup and other ...
as
kombu
''Konbu'' (from ja, 昆布, konbu or kombu) is edible kelp mostly from the family Laminariaceae and is widely eaten in East Asia. It may also be referred to as ''dasima'' ( ko, 다시마) or ''haidai'' ().
Kelp features in the diets of many c ...
. It is found in the north
Atlantic Ocean
The Atlantic Ocean is the second-largest of the world's five oceans, with an area of about . It covers approximately 20% of Earth's surface and about 29% of its water surface area. It is known to separate the " Old World" of Africa, Europe ...
,
Arctic Ocean
The Arctic Ocean is the smallest and shallowest of the world's five major oceans. It spans an area of approximately and is known as the coldest of all the oceans. The International Hydrographic Organization (IHO) recognizes it as an ocean, a ...
and north
Pacific Ocean
The Pacific Ocean is the largest and deepest of Earth's five oceanic divisions. It extends from the Arctic Ocean in the north to the Southern Ocean (or, depending on definition, to Antarctica) in the south, and is bounded by the continen ...
. It is common along the coast of Northern Europe as far south as
Galicia Spain, the coast of North America north of
and central California, and the coast of Asia south to
Korea
Korea ( ko, 한국, or , ) is a peninsular region in East Asia. Since 1945, it has been divided at or near the 38th parallel, with North Korea (Democratic People's Republic of Korea) comprising its northern half and South Korea (Republic o ...
and
Japan
Japan ( ja, 日本, or , and formally , ''Nihonkoku'') is an island country in East Asia. It is situated in the northwest Pacific Ocean, and is bordered on the west by the Sea of Japan, while extending from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north ...
.
Description
''Saccharina latissima'' is a yellowish brown colour with a long narrow, undivided blade that can grow to long and wide. The central band is dimpled while the margins are smoother with a wavy edge, this is to cause greater water movement around the blades to aid in gas exchange. The frond is attached to the rock by stout
rhizoids
Rhizoids are protuberances that extend from the lower epidermal cells of bryophytes and algae. They are similar in structure and function to the root hairs of vascular land plants. Similar structures are formed by some fungi. Rhizoids may be unic ...
about 5 mm in diameter
in the
intertidal
The intertidal zone, also known as the foreshore, is the area above water level at low tide and underwater at high tide (in other words, the area within the tidal range). This area can include several types of Marine habitat, habitats with var ...
and
sublittoral zone
The neritic zone (or sublittoral zone) is the relatively shallow part of the ocean above the drop-off of the continental shelf, approximately in depth.
From the point of view of marine biology it forms a relatively stable and well-illuminated ...
s by a claw-like
holdfast and a short, pliable, cylindrical stipe.
[Saccharina latissima (Linnaeus) J.V. Lamouroux](_blank)
The Seaweed Site. Retrieved 2011-09-20.
Ecology
''Saccharina latissima'' is an ecologically important system. It is a primary producer, delivering plant material to the coastal food web. The three-dimensional forests also serve as a habitat for animals, resulting in a high biodiversity. Fish, shellfish and other animals find food and hiding places within these forests.
It is a known host to the
pathogenic fungus Pathogenic fungi are fungi that cause disease in humans or other organisms. Approximately 300 fungi are known to be pathogenic to humans. Markedly more fungi are known to be pathogenic to plant life than those of the animal kingdom. The study of fu ...
''
Phycomelaina laminariae
''Phycomelaina'' is a genus of fungi in the family Phyllachoraceae. This is a monotypic genus, containing the single species ''Phycomelaina laminariae''.
In Iceland, it has been reported infecting ''Alaria esculenta'', ''Laminaria digitata'' and ...
''.
[Helgi Hallgrímsson & Guðríður Gyða Eyjólfsdóttir (2004)]
''Íslenskt sveppatal I - smásveppir'' [Checklist of Icelandic Fungi I - Microfungi
Fjölrit Náttúrufræðistofnunar. Náttúrufræðistofnun Íslands [Icelandic Institute of Natural History]. ISSN 1027-832X
Human use
Sugar kelp is used as a food in many places where it grows, one of many species often called Kombu. Sugar kelp can be used as a vegetable in salads but is most frequently used in soups and stocks where it provides savory flavors and is especially highly valued in vegetarian cooking. Kombu is a key component of
miso soup
is a traditional Japanese soup consisting of a dashi stock into which softened miso paste is mixed. In addition, there are many optional ingredients (various vegetables, tofu, ''abura-age'', etc.) that may be added depending on regional and sea ...
. The savory flavor of sugar kelp comes from free amino acids like
glutamate
Glutamic acid (symbol Glu or E; the ionic form is known as glutamate) is an α-amino acid that is used by almost all living beings in the biosynthesis of proteins. It is a non-essential nutrient for humans, meaning that the human body can syn ...
.
Monosodium glutamate
Monosodium glutamate (MSG), also known as sodium glutamate, is the sodium salt of glutamic acid. MSG is found naturally in some foods including tomatoes and cheese in this glutamic acid form. MSG is used in cooking as a flavor enhancer wit ...
was first isolated from ''Saccharina''. Sugar kelp gets its name due to it containing the sugar alcohol
mannitol
Mannitol is a type of sugar alcohol used as a sweetener and medication. It is used as a low calorie sweetener as it is poorly absorbed by the intestines. As a medication, it is used to decrease pressure in the eyes, as in glaucoma, and to lower ...
which is extracted from it to be used as a sugar substitute, especially for chewing gum.
Threats
In 2004, scientists reported a loss in sugar kelp of up to 80% at Skagerrak and 40% at the West coast of Norway.
The reasons for this loss are not fully understood, but the increase in ocean temperature, high levels of nutrients and the reduction in animal species feeding off the filamentous algae are suggested as the most likely reasons.
[Moy, F., Stålnacke, P., 2007. Sugar Kelp Project: Analyses of Climate and Environmental Data with Relevance for Sugar Kelp, SFT Report TA-2279/2007, NIVA Report 5454, 210 pp.]
Gallery
File:Alga Toco Saccharina latissima.jpg
File:Saccharina latissima NOAA.jpg, ''Saccharina latissima'' on a beach
File:Laminaria cukrowa - zatAwaczynska.jpg, ''Saccharina lattissima'' from Avacha Bay
Avacha Bay (russian: Авачинская губа, Авачинская бухта) is a Pacific Ocean bay on the southeastern coast of the Kamchatka Peninsula. It is long and wide (at the mouth), with a maximum depth of .
The Avacha River fl ...
References
{{Taxonbar, from=Q228105
Laminariaceae
Marine biota of Europe
Edible algae
Flora of France
Species described in 1753