2021年标志着完整的马尾藻十年(形态型马尾藻I和VIII,和SargassumfluitansIII)滞留在加勒比海和西非海岸。数百万吨马尾藻的搁浅对沿海生态系统产生了负面影响,经济,和人类健康。此外,LaSoufrière火山于2021年4月在马尾藻季节开始时在圣文森特爆发。我们调查了在牙买加收获的马尾藻的形态类型丰度和生物量组成的潜在每月变化,并评估了加工方法的影响(遮荫干燥与冷冻样品)和火山灰对生化和元素成分的暴露。S.FluitansIII是全年最丰富的形态类型。观察到关键的棕色藻类成分的每月变化有限(间氯宁,岩藻黄质,和藻酸盐)。阴凉干燥并没有显着改变蛋白质的含量,但影响了间氯宁的水平,岩藻黄质,甘露醇,和藻酸盐。对马尾藻和火山灰漂移的模拟结合年龄统计数据表明,马尾藻可能与灰共享表层约50d,在牙买加搁浅前大约100天。火山灰的综合元素分析,环境海水,和马尾藻生物量表明,从8月收获的藻类积累了P,Al,Fe,Mn,Zn,Ni,可能来自灰烬,并且包含更少的As。该灰分指纹证实了马尾藻的地理起源和漂移时间尺度。由于环境条件和加工方法影响生物质组成,应继续努力增进了解,预测,监测,并对马尾藻进行估价,尤其是马尾藻的搁浅没有减弱的迹象。
The year 2021 marked a decade of holopelagic sargassum (morphotypes Sargassum natans I and VIII, and Sargassum fluitans III) stranding on the Caribbean and West African coasts. Beaching of millions of tons of sargassum negatively impacts coastal ecosystems, economies, and human health. Additionally, the La Soufrière volcano erupted in St. Vincent in April 2021, at the start of the sargassum season. We investigated potential monthly variations in morphotype abundance and biomass composition of sargassum harvested in Jamaica and assessed the influence of processing methods (shade-drying vs. frozen samples) and of volcanic ash exposure on biochemical and elemental components. S. fluitans III was the most abundant morphotype across the year. Limited monthly variations were observed for key brown algal components (phlorotannins, fucoxanthin, and alginate). Shade-drying did not significantly alter the contents of proteins but affected levels of phlorotannins, fucoxanthin, mannitol, and alginate. Simulation of sargassum and volcanic ash drift combined with age statistics suggested that sargassum potentially shared the surface layer with ash for ~50 d, approximately 100 d before stranding in Jamaica. Integrated elemental analysis of volcanic ash, ambient seawater, and sargassum biomass showed that algae harvested from August had accumulated P, Al, Fe, Mn, Zn, and Ni, probably from the ash, and contained less As. This ash fingerprint confirmed the geographical origin and drift timescale of sargassum. Since environmental conditions and processing methods influence biomass composition, efforts should continue to improve understanding, forecasting, monitoring, and valorizing sargassum, particularly as strandings of sargassum show no sign of abating.