ALGAE, LIVESTOCK FEED AND THE IMPACT ON ENVIRONMENT.

A new study shows that widespread use of algae in animal feed could help limit the rise in global temperature to 2 degrees Celsius by 2100 and possibly even turn back the clock, bringing atmospheric carbon concentrations down to pre-industrial levels by the end of the century. The study, "New feed sources key to ambitious climate targets," published in the December 2015 issue of Carbon Balance and Management, details how the cultivation of algae for feed could free up millions of acres currently used to produce pasture and feed crops, reducing the tension that exists between food security and bioenergy crops. When combined with a modest application of carbon capture and sequestration (CCS) this approach can lead to dramatic reductions in atmospheric carbon. Algae's ability to consume waste CO2 from power plants, grow prolifically in waste or salt water and provide protein and oils makes it an incredible resource.The study shows that algae cultivation can play an outsized role in limiting greenhouse gas concentrations to levels that can avert the worst consequences of global warming, while also meeting the challenge of sustain ably feeding a growing world population. The findings show that alga culture adopted at any scale would have a direct effect on greenhouse gas emissions and that its promise exceeds that of other biomass solutions, which not only face competition for arable land, but could affect land that is currently acting as a carbon sink. Algae-based feeds have been proven to be equal to or better than other feed stocks in nutritional value and digestibility, and could free large swaths of arable land and simultaneously address food security issues in an era of rising demand for animal proteins. Research has already shown that algae can be used as a highly effective component of animal feed, and can be produced with much smaller land and water inputs. Algae feeding in livestock has demonstrated enormous benefits in terms of growth,productivity and cost of production. read more from ; previous posts.