- A guide to common seaweeds, their biology and uses,
and those who study them

By Louis D. Druehl
Simon Fraser University at
The Bamfield Marine Station

Published by: Harbour Publishing, Madeira Park, BC Canada
www.harbourpublishing.com

Dedicated to Professor Robert Francis Scagel
who made possible my life with kelp and to my students
who taught me so much.

Seaweeds provide a vehicle to lose yourself in non-competitive natural wonder. This varied and polychrome plant group, delightfully situated along Earth’s coasts, will constantly thrill and entice you. You will quickly become expert but always remain a student of their multitudinous form and activity.

This book was written with the needs of the amateur marine biologist, the beginning marine botany student, botanically challenged zoologists, and those who are passingly curious in mind. The primary purpose of this book is to provide an up-to-date guide to common seaweeds (What seaweed is that?). In addition, I have included biological notes on unique aspects of the seaweeds (Why is it interesting?) and, in some instances, commented on those who have contributed to our seaweed knowledge (Who discovered that?). Enough basic biology of seaweeds is included to allow the reader to appreciate the various life strategies employed by these plants. For those who would pursue seaweeds further, I have provided a list of annotated selected readings and, my partner, Rae Hopkins, has provided some seaweed recipes.

Pacific Seaweeds contains 78 colour photographs and approximately 110 species are illustrated by line drawings. The 190 pages are fully indexed – two references to chocolate, one reference to Hirohito, Emperor of Japan.

CONTENTS

DEFINING SEAWEEDS
SEAWEED STRUCTURE
SEAWEED REPRODUCTION
NAMING SEAWEEDS
BEACH ETIQUETTE, COLLECTIONS, SAFETY
IDENTIFYING SEAWEEDS
DESCRIPTIONS AND NOTES FOR SEAWEEDS
Green Seaweeds and Seagrasses
Brown Seaweeds
Red Seaweeds
SEAWEED ECOLOGY
Seaweed Distributions
Seaweed Communities
Seaweed Productivity
CONSERVATION BIOLOGY OF SEAWEEDS
UTILIZATION AND CULTIVATION OF SEAWEEDS
Foods
Pharmaceuticals
Cosmetics
Fertilizers and Pesticides for Organic farming
Feeding Cultivated Marine Animals
Seaweed Gums
Biogas from Kelp
SEAWEED NUTRITION AND COOKING
ANNOTATED SELECTED READINGS
LIST OF SPECIES WITH AUTHORITIES
INDEX