The Chemical Composition and Technological Properties of Seagrasses a Basis for Their Use (A Review)

Abstract

Seagrasses (Zostera marina, Z. noltii, Ruppia cirrosa) and other higher marine plants (Potamogeton pectinatus, etc.) are widely distributed in the ocean, and they occupy large areas of shallow gulfs and bays of the Black Sea. The usage survey of sea grasses in agriculture, industry and pharma-cology has been completed, and the results of experiments on the uses of Black Sea sea grass in the diet of livestock are described, including the chemical composition. Zostera marina contains a signifi cant amount of organic matter and nutrients with valuable trace elements whose concentrations are higher than in most terrestrial food plants. However, its organic matter does not have a high nutritional value due to the low protein content , the imbalance of its amino-acid composition and poorly assimilated lignin. The potential for economic seagrass utilization is mainly based in aquaculture, because sea grasses are keystones of the coastal ecosystems, and many of them are protected by various conventions and agreements, and they are biological ocean "hot spots". Seagrass aquaculture can play a role in biodiversity conservation of the native communities and populations from their extraction for commercial use.