From laboratory cultivation to ecological restoration, the story of Gongolaria barbata shows how marine science can help protect biodiversity and unlock the sustainable potential of the Black Sea.
Beneath the Romanian Black Sea coast, underwater forests once provided essential habitats for marine life. Today, these ecosystems face increasing pressure from pollution, coastal development and environmental change. Through scientific research and sustainable cultivation, EX-AQUA is helping explore new ways to protect marine biodiversity and support the recovery of these valuable habitats.
Cultivating Gongolaria barbata: from lab to sea
If macroalgae already grow naturally in the sea, why cultivate them?
For species such as Gongolaria barbata, laboratory cultivation offers a way to support vulnerable early life stages that may otherwise struggle to survive under unfavourable environmental conditions.
It can also reduce the need to collect large quantities of material from natural populations, helping ensure that restoration activities do not create additional pressure on already degraded habitats. At the National Institute for Marine Research and Development “Grigore Antipa” (NIMRD) in Constanța, researchers cultivate Gongolaria barbata, a brown macroalga that forms underwater forests and provides shelter and nursery areas for fish and invertebrates.
In the laboratory, scientists carefully control light, temperature and water quality to support the development of young algae. By monitoring their growth and attachment to suitable substrates, researchers are developing knowledge and techniques that could help restore degraded marine habitats.
This approach also reduces pressure on vulnerable natural populations while advancing understanding of the species’ biology and environmental requirements.
Supporting a Sustainable Blue Economy
Beyond its ecological importance, macroalgae offers potential for sustainable applications in biotechnology, cosmetics, agriculture and biomaterials. Developing responsible cultivation methods can help connect marine research with new opportunities for innovation and the blue bioeconomy.
Through the Horizon Europe-funded EX-AQUA project, NIMRD is strengthening expertise in marine algae aquaculture and supporting the development of sustainable approaches for the Black Sea region.
Restoring underwater forests takes time, research and collaboration. Every successfully cultivated juvenile represents another step towards understanding how these valuable ecosystems can recover.
Science for the Black Sea.
Restoring today, protecting tomorrow.
Download the brochure below to have a deep dive into Macroalgae cultivation in the Black Sea:
