New Red Seaweed Species Identified in Cornwall's Ancient Maerl Beds

Scientists working with Natural England have identified a previously unknown tiny red seaweed belonging to the Ceramium genus off Cornwall, England. The discovery was made during dive surveys of the maerl beds, a centuries‑old calcareous algae habitat that supports hundreds of marine species and sequesters carbon. Professor Christine Maggs, a seaweed taxonomist, confirmed the species by growing collected fragments in the laboratory and sequencing their DNA. The surveys also recorded other notable algae, including Ulva rigida and Bonnemaisonia clavata, the latter not seen in British waters since the 18th century.

Natural England senior marine officer Angie Gall highlighted the ecological importance of the maerl beds, noting they serve as nurseries for juvenile fish and shellfish. Since 2023 the agency and partners have been mapping and protecting these habitats to preserve their biodiversity and carbon‑storage functions.