Roadmap to sustainably develop the European seaweed industry Alexander Jueterbock, Hindertje Hoarau-Heemstra, Karin Wigger, Bernardo Duarte, Christian Bruckner, et al. Npj Ocean Sustainability, 2025 How to build a sustainable seaweed industry is important in Europe’s quest to produce 8 million tons of seaweed by 2030. Based on interviews with industry representatives and an expert-workshop, we developed an interdisciplinary roadmap that addresses sustainable development holistically. We argue that sustainable practices must leverage synergies with existing industries (e.g. IMTA systems, offshore wind farms), as the industry develops beyond experimental cultivation towards economic viability.
Turning the Tide: A 2°C Increase in Heat Tolerance Can Halve Climate Change-Induced Losses in Four Cold-Adapted Kelp Species Griffin Hill, Clément Gauci, Jorge Assis, Alexander Jueterbock Ecology and Evolution, 2025 Kelp forests are susceptible to climate change, as their sessile nature and low dispersal capacity hinder tracking of suitable conditions. The emergence of a wide array of approaches to increasing thermal tolerance seeks to change the outlook of biodiversity in a changing climate but lacks clear targets of impactful thermal resilience. Here, we utilize species distribution models (SDMs) to evaluate the potential of enhanced thermal tolerance to buffer the effects of climate change on cold‐adapted kelp species: Saccharina latissima, Alaria esculenta, Laminaria hyperborea, and Laminaria digitata. For each species, we compared a baseline model—where the thermal niche remained unchanged—to models where the simulated maximum sea surface temperature tolerance was increased by 1°C–5°C. These models were projected into three climate change scenarios: sustainability (Shared Socioeconomic Pathway (SSP) 1‐1.9, Paris Agreement), regional rivalry (SSP3‐7.0), and fossil‐fuel development (SSP 5‐8.5). Our SDMs demonstrate that an increase of 1°C–2°C in thermal tolerance could recover over 50% of predicted losses of suitable habitat for cold‐adapted kelps. However, A. esculenta, a species of growing commercial interest, still faced persistent habitat contraction across all climate change scenarios and simulated tolerance increases, including up to 15% unrecovered losses under SSP5‐8.5, even with a simulated 5°C increase in thermal tolerance. Our findings highlight the need for a two‐pronged approach to conserve cold‐adapted kelp forests: stringent reductions in greenhouse gas emission reductions in line with the SSP1‐1.9 scenario, and strategies to boost kelp's thermal tolerance by at least 1°C–2°C. This dual approach is crucial to maintain 90% of the current suitable habitat of S. latissima and L. digitata, and 70% for A. esculenta and L. hyperborea. Relying on mitigation or adaptation alone will likely be insufficient to maintain their historic range under projected climate change.
Chloroplast DNA methylation in the kelp Saccharina latissima is determined by origin and possibly influenced by cultivation Lydia Scheschonk, Anne M. L. Nilsen, Kai Bischof, Alexander Jueterbock Evolutionary Applications, 2024 DNA cytosine methylation is an important epigenetic mechanism in genomic DNA. In most land plants, it is absent in the chloroplast DNA. We detected methylation in the chloroplast DNA of the kelp Saccharina latissima, a non‐model macroalgal species of high ecological and economic importance. Since the functional role of the chloroplast methylome is yet largely unknown, this fundamental research assessed the chloroplast DNA cytosine methylation in wild and laboratory raised kelp from different climatic origins (High‐Arctic at 79° N, and temperate at 54° N), and in laboratory samples from these origins raised at different temperatures (5, 10 and 15°C). Results suggest genome‐wide differences in methylated sites and methylation level between the origins, while rearing temperature had only weak effects on the chloroplast methylome. Our findings point at the importance of matching conditions to origin in restoration and cultivation processes to be valid even on plastid level.
The evolutionary consequences of interactions between the epigenome, the genome and the environment Pierre Baduel, Iris Sammarco, Rowan Barrett, Marta Coronado‐Zamora, Amélie Crespel, et al. Evolutionary Applications, 2024 The epigenome is the suite of interacting chemical marks and molecules that helps to shape patterns of development, phenotypic plasticity and gene regulation, in part due to its responsiveness to environmental stimuli. There is increasing interest in understanding the functional and evolutionary importance of this sensitivity under ecologically realistic conditions. Observations that epigenetic variation abounds in natural populations have prompted speculation that it may facilitate evolutionary responses to rapid environmental perturbations, such as those occurring under climate change. A frequent point of contention is whether epigenetic variants reflect genetic variation or are independent of it. The genome and epigenome often appear tightly linked and interdependent. While many epigenetic changes are genetically determined, the converse is also true, with DNA sequence changes influenced by the presence of epigenetic marks. Understanding how the epigenome, genome and environment interact with one another is therefore an essential step in explaining the broader evolutionary consequences of epigenomic variation. Drawing on results from experimental and comparative studies carried out in diverse plant and animal species, we synthesize our current understanding of how these factors interact to shape phenotypic variation in natural populations, with a focus on identifying similarities and differences between taxonomic groups. We describe the main components of the epigenome and how they vary within and between taxa. We review how variation in the epigenome interacts with genetic features and environmental determinants, with a focus on the role of transposable elements (TEs) in integrating the epigenome, genome and environment. And we look at recent studies investigating the functional and evolutionary consequences of these interactions. Although epigenetic differentiation in nature is likely often a result of drift or selection on stochastic epimutations, there is growing evidence that a significant fraction of it can be stably inherited and could therefore contribute to evolution independently of genetic change.
Kelp breeding in China: Challenges and opportunities for solutions Zi‐Min Hu, Ti‐Feng Shan, Quan‐Sheng Zhang, Fu‐Li Liu, Alexander Jueterbock, et al. Reviews in Aquaculture, 2024 Breeding has played an important role in the mariculture and industrialization of kelp in China. However, the current kelp breeding systems in China have encountered some problems relating to germplasm diversity, management, technological innovations, and regional co‐operation. This review summarizes the main challenges, such as top‐down and fragmented management of germplasm libraries, as well as private industry breeding without government regulations, inter‐cultivar accidental admixing and genetic erosion, loss of heterozygosity due to repeated selection and self‐crossing. We outline multiple potential approaches to breed cultivars with improved qualitative/quantitative traits which can be subjected to changing environments, for example: (i) establishing a national germplasm repository to enhance integrative collection and preservation of kelp resources; (ii) planning and implementing kelp breeding programmes according to strategic priorities and goal‐orientations; (iii) optimizing a hybridization‐based breeding pipeline to produce robust cultivars through the introgression of novel alleles and thus the expression of hybrid vigour; (iv) enriching the high‐quality annotated reference genomes and functional analysis of trait‐associated markers/loci to develop DNA‐based breeding technologies; (v) developing new priming‐based (e.g., thermal and disease resistance) bio‐engineering breeding strategies to meet future unpredictable climate change; and (vi) breeding towards an ecological kelp‐microbiome interaction‐based technique to produce cultivars with enhanced performance and adaptability to environmental scenarios. Collectively, the lessons learned from kelp breeding in China and the solutions proposed here may not only potentially improve or re‐invigorate the Chinese kelp industry, but will also assist other developing countries in taking corrective actions to develop a sustainable future kelp farming industry.
Thermal priming of Saccharina latissima: a promising strategy to improve seaweed production and restoration in future climates C Gauci, A Jueterbock, A Khatei, G Hoarau, I Bartsch Marine Ecology Progress Series, 2024 Saccharina latissima is a brown algal kelp species of ecological and economic importance. As the rise in sea surface temperature will threaten not only wild populations of S. latissima but also the productivity of kelp farms, crop enhancement techniques will become crucial to mitigate this threat. Priming is a common strategy in crop plants, in which seeds are pre-exposed to moderate stress to improve the performance and tolerance of plants when exposed to harsher conditions. We investigated the potential of thermal priming to improve growth and tolerance of S. latissima. Kelp gametophytes primed at 20°C for 2, 4 and 6 wk and then re-transferred to 5°C were compared to a naïve treatment maintained at 5°C. Gametophyte priming increased growth of subsequently formed sporophytes by up to 30% (for 4 wk priming) compared to the naïve treatment. Female gametophyte growth in the priming environment was positively correlated to offspring sporophyte growth, indicating a maternal effect. Sporophytes were exposed to heat stress of 20°, 22°, 23° and 24°C for 2 wk. Sporophytes from 4 and 6 wk primed gametophytes exhibited 11 d longer tolerance at 22°C, 7 d longer tolerance at 23°C and 1°C higher thermal tolerance over 7 d compared to naïve sporophytes and sporophytes from 2 wk priming. A priming time of 4 wk was optimal for both sporophyte growth and thermal tolerance. Our results suggest that priming is a promising crop enhancement technique that could improve yield for seaweed farmers and restoration of kelp forests threatened by warming climates.
Genomic resequencing provides new insights into ecological diversification of four Saccharina Japonica varieties J Zhang, N Yotsukura, SY Han, A Jueterbock, X Wang, DA Galanin, ... BMC genomics , 2026 2026
Comparative view of DNA methylation in stramenopiles and other eukaryotes: Focus on 5-methylcytosine A Khatei, L Tirichine, MJ Sidiq, JM Cock, A Juterbock Algal Research, 104551 , 2026 2026
Dietary inclusions of the brown macroalgae, Ascophyllum nodosum and Fucus vesiculosus, favourably modulate fat deposition and the caecal microbiome of obese mice D Pandey, AI Doncheva, R Sapkota, AO Jueterbock, V Kiron, KT Dalen, ... Food Bioscience 68, 106590 , 2025 2025 Citations: 4
Roadmap to sustainably develop the European seaweed industry A Jueterbock, H Hoarau-Heemstra, K Wigger, B Duarte, C Bruckner, ... npj Ocean Sustainability 4 (1), 22 , 2025 2025 Citations: 9
Turning the Tide: A 2° C Increase in Heat Tolerance Can Halve Climate Change‐Induced Losses in Four Cold‐Adapted Kelp Species G Hill, C Gauci, J Assis, A Jueterbock Ecology and evolution 15 (4), e71271 , 2025 2025 Citations: 2
The methylome of clonal seagrass shoots shows age-associated variation and differentiation of roots from other tissues AML Nilsen, G Hoarau, I Smolina, JA Coyer, C Boström, MEL Kopp, ... Biochimica et Biophysica Acta (BBA)-General Subjects 1869 (2), 130748 , 2025 2025
Application of the brown macroalga Saccharina latissima (Laminariales, Phaeophyceae) as a feed ingredient for livestock: A review S Dhakal, AO Jüterbock, X Lei, P Khanal Animal Nutrition 19, 153-165 , 2024 2024 Citations: 11
Evolutionary genomics of the emergence of brown algae as key components of coastal ecosystems F Denoeud, O Godfroy, C Cruaud, S Heesch, Z Nehr, N Tadrent, ... Cell 187 (24), 6943-6965. e39 , 2024 2024 Citations: 84
Thermal priming of Saccharina latissima: a promising strategy to improve seaweed production and restoration in future climates C Gauci, A Jueterbock, A Khatei, G Hoarau, I Bartsch Marine Ecology Progress Series 745, 59-71 , 2024 2024 Citations: 17
Future trends of marine fish biomass distributions from the North Sea to the Barents Sea C Gordó-Vilaseca, MJ Costello, M Coll, A Jüterbock, H Reiss, ... Nature Communications 15 (1), 5637 , 2024 2024 Citations: 37
The evolutionary consequences of interactions between the epigenome, the genome and the environment P Baduel, I Sammarco, R Barrett, M Coronado‐Zamora, A Crespel, ... Evolutionary Applications 17 (7), e13730 , 2024 2024 Citations: 22
Chloroplast DNA methylation in the kelp Saccharina latissima is determined by origin and possibly influenced by cultivation L Scheschonk, AML Nilsen, K Bischof, A Jueterbock Evolutionary Applications 17 (7), e13744 , 2024 2024 Citations: 5
Deep-ocean seaweed dumping for carbon sequestration: Questionable, risky, and not the best use of valuable biomass T Chopin, BA Costa-Pierce, M Troell, CL Hurd, MJ Costello, S Backman, ... One Earth 7 (3), 359-364 , 2024 2024 Citations: 37
Kelp breeding in China: Challenges and opportunities for solutions ZM Hu, TF Shan, QS Zhang, FL Liu, A Jueterbock, G Wang, ZM Sun, ... Reviews in Aquaculture 16 (2), 855-871 , 2024 2024 Citations: 42
Evolutionary genomics of the emergence of brown algae as key components of coastal ecosystems A Cormier, L Delage, E Rousselot, F Weinberger, É Drula, D Nègre, ... bioRxiv (Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory) , 2024 2024
Niche comparison and range shifts for two Kappaphycus species in the Indo-Pacific Ocean under climate change YQ Du, A Jueterbock, M Firdaus, AQ Hurtado, D Duan Ecological Indicators 154, 110900 , 2023 2023 Citations: 7
Over 20% of marine fishes shifting in the North and Barents Seas, but not in the Norwegian Sea C Gordó-Vilaseca, L Pecuchet, M Coll, H Reiss, A Jüterbock, MJ Costello PeerJ 11, e15801 , 2023 2023 Citations: 10
Range‐edge populations of seaweeds show niche unfilling and poor adaptation to increased temperatures S Hernández, AG García, F Arenas, MP Escribano, A Jueterbock, ... Journal of Biogeography 50 (4), 780-791 , 2023 2023 Citations: 15
Genome‐scale signatures of adaptive gene expression changes in an invasive seaweed Gracilaria vermiculophylla JX Xiang, M Saha, KL Zhong, QS Zhang, D Zhang, A Jueterbock, ... Molecular Ecology 32 (3), 613-627 , 2023 2023 Citations: 12
Modeling Aquaculture Suitability in a Climate Change Future JA Amy Leigh Mackintosh , Griffin Goldstein Hill, Mark John Costello ... Oceanography , 2023 2023 Citations: 9
MOST CITED SCHOLAR PUBLICATIONS
The genome of the seagrass Zostera marina reveals angiosperm adaptation to the sea JL Olsen, P Rouzé, B Verhelst, YC Lin, T Bayer, J Collen, E Dattolo, ... Nature 530 (7590), 331-335 , 2016 2016 Citations: 623
Calculations of population differentiation based on G ST and D : forget G ST but not all of statistics! G Gerlach, A Jueterbock, P Kraemer, J Deppermann, P Harmand Molecular ecology 19 (18), 3845-3852 , 2010 2010 Citations: 431
Climate change impacts on seagrass meadows and macroalgal forests: an integrative perspective on acclimation and adaptation potential B Duarte, I Martins, R Rosa, AR Matos, MY Roleda, TBH Reusch, ... Frontiers in Marine Science 5, 190 , 2018 2018 Citations: 272
Climate change impact on seaweed meadow distribution in the North Atlantic rocky intertidal A Jueterbock, L Tyberghein, H Verbruggen, JA Coyer, JL Olsen, ... Ecology and evolution 3 (5), 1356-1373 , 2013 2013 Citations: 262
The fate of the Arctic seaweed Fucus distichus under climate change: an ecological niche modeling approach A Jueterbock, I Smolina, JA Coyer, G Hoarau Ecology and Evolution 6 (6), 1712-1724 , 2016 2016 Citations: 169
Improving transferability of introduced species’ distribution models: new tools to forecast the spread of a highly invasive seaweed H Verbruggen, L Tyberghein, GS Belton, F Mineur, A Jueterbock, ... PLoS One 8 (6), e68337 , 2013 2013 Citations: 155
Thermal stress resistance of the brown alga Fucus serratus along the North-Atlantic coast: acclimatization potential to climate change A Jueterbock, S Kollias, I Smolina, JMO Fernandes, JA Coyer, JL Olsen, ... Marine Genomics 13, 27-36 , 2014 2014 Citations: 107
Bright spots as climate‐smart marine spatial planning tools for conservation and blue growth AM Queirós, E Talbot, NJ Beaumont, PJ Somerfield, S Kay, C Pascoe, ... Global Change Biology 27 (21), 5514-5531 , 2021 2021 Citations: 93
Evolutionary genomics of the emergence of brown algae as key components of coastal ecosystems F Denoeud, O Godfroy, C Cruaud, S Heesch, Z Nehr, N Tadrent, ... Cell 187 (24), 6943-6965. e39 , 2024 2024 Citations: 84
Genomic divergence between the migratory and stationary ecotypes of A tlantic cod BO Karlsen, K Klingan, Å Emblem, TE Jørgensen, A Jueterbock, ... Molecular ecology 22 (20), 5098-5111 , 2013 2013 Citations: 78
Phylogeographic differentiation versus transcriptomic adaptation to warm temperatures in Zostera marina , a globally important seagrass A Jüterbock, SU Franssen, N Bergmann, J Gu, JA Coyer, TBH Reusch, ... Molecular ecology 25 (21), 5396-5411 , 2016 2016 Citations: 73
Intraspecific genetic variation matters when predicting seagrass distribution under climate change ZM Hu, QS Zhang, J Zhang, JM Kass, S Mammola, P Fresia, ... Molecular Ecology 30 (15), 3840-3855 , 2021 2021 Citations: 60
The seagrass methylome is associated with variation in photosynthetic performance among clonal shoots A Jueterbock, C Boström, JA Coyer, JL Olsen, M Kopp, AKS Dhanasiri, ... Frontiers in plant science 11, 571646 , 2020 2020 Citations: 57
Priming of marine macrophytes for enhanced restoration success and food security in future oceans A Jueterbock, AJP Minne, JM Cock, MA Coleman, T Wernberg, ... Frontiers in Marine Science 8, 658485 , 2021 2021 Citations: 54
Variation in thermal stress response in two populations of the brown seaweed, Fucus distichus, from the Arctic and subarctic intertidal I Smolina, S Kollias, A Jueterbock, JA Coyer, G Hoarau Royal Society Open Science 3 (1) , 2016 2016 Citations: 46
Kelp breeding in China: Challenges and opportunities for solutions ZM Hu, TF Shan, QS Zhang, FL Liu, A Jueterbock, G Wang, ZM Sun, ... Reviews in Aquaculture 16 (2), 855-871 , 2024 2024 Citations: 42
Towards population genomics in non-model species with large genomes: a case study of the marine zooplankton Calanus finmarchicus M Choquet, I Smolina, AKS Dhanasiri, L Blanco-Bercial, M Kopp, ... Royal Society open science 6 (2) , 2019 2019 Citations: 38
Genomic scans detect signatures of selection along a salinity gradient in populations of the intertidal seaweed Fucus serratus on a 12 km scale JA Coyer, G Hoarau, G Pearson, C Mota, A Jüterbock, T Alpermann, ... Marine genomics 4 (1), 41-49 , 2011 2011 Citations: 38
Future trends of marine fish biomass distributions from the North Sea to the Barents Sea C Gordó-Vilaseca, MJ Costello, M Coll, A Jüterbock, H Reiss, ... Nature Communications 15 (1), 5637 , 2024 2024 Citations: 37
Deep-ocean seaweed dumping for carbon sequestration: Questionable, risky, and not the best use of valuable biomass T Chopin, BA Costa-Pierce, M Troell, CL Hurd, MJ Costello, S Backman, ... One Earth 7 (3), 359-364 , 2024 2024 Citations: 37
