Ukraine’s flag is often said to represent a wheat field under a blue sky. Yet the flag’s yellow field is also reminiscent of another important crop: the sunflower. Sunflowers are the national flower of Ukraine, a symbol of culture and identity, and Ukraine is the world’s biggest exporter of sunflower oil. This oil, used in cooking and for skincare, is often stored in massive tanks along the Black Sea coast and then shipped across the sea, destined for the world’s cabinets.
When scientists study the Black Sea’s coastal seaweed forests, they often dive beneath the surface to see them in person. Formed by two species of brown algae in the genus Cystoseira, these ecosystems can look dull from a distance. “But when you actually dive deeper, you can see the biodiversity, and these various interesting invertebrates and fish species which are moving there,” says marine biologist Sofia Sadogurska.
