Bio：
Ho-Sung Yoon was trained as a phycologist (algae specialist) during his Ph.D. studies at Texas A&M University in the United States. Since then, he has published more than 130 research papers, including first-author articles in Science and PNAS. He also holds 34 patents related to various concepts and technologies involving macroalgae (seaweeds) and microalgae.
After completing his postdoctoral fellowship at Harvard University and working as a research associate at the University of Wisconsin, he joined the Department of Biology at Kyungpook National University in 2005, where he has served as a professor ever since. With a strong background in molecular biology and marine ecology, he has been working on various aspects of CO₂ sequestration and carbon utilization for long-term storage.
Currently, he leads a research team dedicated to addressing Korea’s CO₂ mitigation challenges through the utilization of marine ecosystems. As a certified SCUBA instructor trainer, he continues to dive with his team to conduct underwater blue carbon research in Korean oceans and across the globe.
Abstract：
Macroalgae (seaweeds) are increasingly recognized as important contributors to blue carbon, capturing and storing carbon in the ocean. However, it remains unclear how much of this carbon is preserved long term in seafloor sediments. We study the carbon absorption and storage in Korean ocean as well as ocean beds in other important areas of the world. This question is particularly important in Antarctica, where rapid warming and declining sea ice are altering coastal ecosystems and may enhance the expansion of seaweed habitats and their carbon storage potential. Seafloor sediments act as natural archives, providing key insights into long term carbon storage over time. We traced macroalgae derived carbon by combining molecular techniques with geochemical analyses. Our results show that macroalgae material can be transported from shallow coastal habitats to deeper areas and preserved in sediments for more than a century. Macroalgae contributes a substantial proportion of carbon stored in Antarctic sediments, although this varies depending on local environmental conditions such as temperature, sea ice, and sediment dynamics. These findings suggest that Antarctic macroalgae play a larger role in long term carbon storage than previously recognized.
