If you ask what is the largest marine animal in the world? You will definitely answer the blue whale. But what if you want to ask what is the largest marine creature in the world? I don’t know. Let us learn some knowledge in this area today, and let me introduce you to the largest marine life in the world.
The largest marine organism in the world
Macroalgae, which belong to brown algae, are the longest group in the algae kingdom. Most macroalgae can grow to tens of meters, and the longest ones can even reach 200 to 300 meters and weigh up to 200 kilograms. The algae are fixed on the reef with a fixture more than 1 meter long. The center of the giant algae is a main trunk, with more than 100 small branch-like stalks growing on it. There are small leaves on the stalks. Some leaves are more than 1 meter long and 6 to 17 centimeters wide. There are air sacs on the leaves, which can generate enough buoyancy to lift the leaves and even the entire algae body. These air sacs are regularly arranged on both sides of the main veins on the leaves. Where kelp grows abundantly, the layers of giant leaves can cover hundreds of square kilometers of sea surface. Kelp is one of the fastest growing plants in the world.
The largest marine organism - the amazing growth rate of kelp.
Under suitable conditions, each kelp can grow 30 to 60 centimeters in one day. In a year, a giant algae can grow to more than 50 meters. The kelp that grows in the tropics grows year-round, and fishermen on the coast who make a living by collecting kelp can harvest three to four times a year. The lifespan of macroalgae generally ranges from 4 to 8 years. The longest-lived macroalgae can grow for 12 years. If 1,000 macroalgae trees are planted per hectare of sea surface, 750 to 1,200 tons of fresh macroalgae can be harvested every year.
Distribution of macroalgae, the largest marine organism.
Distributed along the Pacific coast of the Americas, it is a cold-water algae. The sporophyte is tens to hundreds of meters long. The anchor is composed of several forked branches of rhizomes. It is cone-shaped. The stem is upright and cylindrical. It has several forked branches near the base. The leaves are arranged on one side. On the stem, it has a spiral shape due to twisting of the stem. Mature leaves are not divided and slightly raised. The edges are serrated; the petiole is short, and the base of the leaf has a subspherical or spindle-shaped air sac. The sporangia are born in the sporophylls at the base of the algae. The sporophylls are initially whole, and later split into two equal parts from the base to the top. After 4 to 5 divisions, they form narrow linear leaves. The sporangia are scattered throughout the sporophylls. entire surface. The gametophytes are tiny, and their life history is alternation of generations with highly developed sporophytes. There are three species distributed in western America and the coasts of Oceania and South Africa. It can be eaten or used as feed, and can extract algin, iodine, mannitol or produce methane. China introduced it from Mexico in 1978 and once cultivated it in the waters of Qingdao. From Alaska through Canada and the United States to Mexico, Australia, New Zealand, Chile, Peru and South Africa. China has only introduced one species of macroalgae, which has settled in Changdao County, Shandong Province.
The largest marine organism - the main value of kelp
80% of kelp is water and contains potassium and iodine, so it can extract a variety of chemical raw materials. After crushing the macroalgae plant body and adding microorganisms for fermentation for a few days, every 1,000 tons of raw materials can produce 4,000 cubic meters of flammable gas mainly composed of methane, with a conversion rate of more than 80%. This biogas can also be used as raw material to produce Alcohol, acetone, etc. The iodine content of high-iodine eggs produced by using macroalgae as a feed additive for laying hens can be increased by ten or dozens of times, and the effect is better than that of kelp. Its algin content is similar to that of kelp and has important industrial value. And because it contains amino acids and trace elements, American scholar SEIFERT G.L reported that using it to treat maternal anemia can increase hemoglobin to 12g, with an effective rate of 85%. It can also reduce the incidence of colds, and has a unique effect in shortening the course of the disease and alleviating symptoms. In addition, it can also play a good role in improving the physical strength and anti-fatigue of the elderly.