Seaweed - Botanical Gardens, Sydney, NSW, Australia
S 33° 51.583 E 151° 13.362
56H E 335590 N 6251977
Near Lady Macquarie Chair is this 'Flora Sign' - about Seaweed!
Waymark Code: WMXRN5
Location: New South Wales, Australia
Date Posted: 02/20/2018
Views: 5
The sign, 'side-titled' "The Science We Do", has the following information about seaweed, by Alan Millar (Phycologist):
"Mmm … smell the seaweeds!
"My research work with the Botanic Gardens Trust has resulted in the discovery of more than 50 new species of seaweeds. Look over the wall and if it's low tide you may be able to spot the seaweeds below - especially one that looks like green fettucini, called Caulerpa filiformis, and also a brown kelp called Ecklonia radiata. These are just two of the 2000 different species of seaweeds we have in Australia - the continent with the richest flora on earth."
Did you know?
* Seaweeds are plants - they are marine algae.
* Seaweeds use sunshine to convert carbon dioxide into carbohydrates (photosynthesis).
* Seaweeds and their relatives (phytoplankton) produce more than half the world's oxygen.
* Without marine algae, the seas would be sterile and the would be no animals on land (even humans).
* Some seaweeds grow up to 30 cm a day.
* Kelp forests are more productive than rainforests.
* We use a by-product of seaweeds (called agar) every day - in toothpaste.
* Scientists who study seaweeds are called 'phycologists' from the Greek phykos for seaweed.
Visited: 1703, Thursday, 15 June, 2017