Asian Pacific Phycology in the 21st Century: Prospects and Challenges

People from the Asian Pacific region were among the first in the world to utilize algae for various purposes. References to algae have been found in Chinese classic writings dating back some 2500 years ago. It is perhaps no surprise that the traditional focus on algae in the region has been on their potential as a resource. The Asian Pacific is now the world's largest algal production region. From freshwater to marine environments, from microalgae to macroalgae (seaweeds), through natural harvest or through farming or polyculture, in indoor tanks or outdoor ponds, algal biomass is being produced by the millions of tons annually. Not to mention all the other associated industries, from food manufacturing and chemical extraction to pharmaceutical, nutraceutical and industrial product development, the entire algae related industry is certainly one of the most vital in the region. There is a continued and sustained interest in the expanded use of algae and the application of algae as a tool in biotechnology. Not withstanding the focus on the economic potential of algae, there is also a greater focus on the role of algae in the environment, not simply as primary producers, but also as structuring forces in the community. There is the question of algae as sources of various toxins during algal blooms, as well as the potential of algae as scavengers of excess nutrients under eutrophication. More and more researchers have also turned to algae as a tool in experimental biology and as a model to understand biological phenomena. All this diversity in interests and focuses could only be linked together simply because they are all related to algae.
Collected in this special volume are 36 invited and contributed papers first presented at the Second Asian Pacific Phycological Forum held at the Chinese University of Hong Kong at the turn of the century. These papers were subsequently updated to bring to fore the latest development in algal research in the Asian Pacific Region. This volume thus provides one of the most comprehensive pictures of advances in algal research in this part of the world.

Klappentext

Collected in this special volume are 36 invited and contributed papers first presented at the Second Asian Pacific Phycological Forum held at the Chinese University of Hong Kong at the turn of the century. These papers were subsequently updated to bring to fore the latest development in algal research in the Asian Pacific Region. This volume thus provides one of the most comprehensive pictures of advances in algal research in this part of the world.

Inhalt

Introduction; P.O. Ang Jr. List of Reviewers. Invited Papers. The culture of marine ecology; R.E. deWreede. The past, present and future of psychology in China; C.K. Tseng. Molecular biotechnology of seaweeds in China; Song Qin, et al. Microalgal studies for the 21st century; N. Kurano, S. Miyachi. Principles for attaining maximal microalgal productivity in photobioreactors; A. Richmond. Mass production of Spirulina, an edible microalga; H. Shimamatsu. Current microalgal health food R & D activities in China; Shizhong Liang, et al. Contributed Papers. Ecology: Spatial pattern of intertidal macroalgal assemblages associated with tidal levels; Tae Seob Choi, Kwang Young Kim. A short-term response of macroalgae to potential competitor removal in a mid-intertidal habitat in Korea; Baek Jun Kim, et al. Seasonal occurrence and reproduction of Hypnea charoides (Rhodophyta) in Tung Ping Chau, Hong Kong SAR, China; C.S.L. Kong, P.O. Ang Jr. Biomass production of two Sargassum species at Cape Rachado, Malaysia; Chin-Lee Wong, Siew-Moi Phang. Cyanobacteria-dominated biofilms: a high quality food resource for intertidal grazers; S. Nagarkar, et al. Early stages of biofilm succession in a lentic freshwater environment; R. Sekar, et al. Laboratory studies on adhesion of microalgae on hard substrates; R. Sekar, et al. Seaweed Farming and Aquaculture. Growth and production of Thai agarophyte cultured in natural pond using the effluent seawater from shrimp culture; A. Chirapart, K. Lewmanomont. Seedling production using enzymatically isolated thallus cells and its application in Porphyra cultivation; Jixun Dai, et al. High monospore-producing mutants obtained by treatment with MNNG in Porphyra yezoensis Ueda (Bangiales, Rhodophyta); Xing-Hong Yan, et al. An improved chromosome preparation from male gametophyte of Laminaria japonica (Phaeophyta); Li Ran Zhou, et al. Solving the coastal eutrophication problem by large scale seaweed cultivation; Xiugeng Fei. Mass culture of Undaria gametophyte clones and their use in sporeling culture; Chaoyuan Wu, et al. Cell Biology, Morphology and Systematics. Karyology and sex determination in Aglathamnion oosumiense Itono (Ceramiaceae, Rhodophyta); Ok-Kyong Chah, et al. Cytological damage to the red algae Griffithsia pacifica from ultraviolet radiation; D.J. Garbary, et al. The first spindle formation in brown algal zygotes; T. Motomura, C. Nagasato. The generic delimitation of Rhodella (Porphyridiales, Rhodophyta) with emphasis on ultrastructure and molecular phylogeny; A. Yokoyama, et al. Four new species of genera Eudesme and Sphaerotrichia (Chordariales, Phaeophyta) from Chinese coast; Lanping Ding, Baoren Lu. Studies on four new species of the malacocarpic Sargassum (Sargassaceae, Phaeophyta) in China; Baoren Lu, C.K. Tseng. Studies on Chinese species of Gelidiella and Sphaerotrichia (Chordariales, Phaeophyta); Bang-Mei Xia, et al. Harmful Algal Blooms and Green Tide. Some observations on harmful algal bloom (HAB) events along the coast of Guangdong, Southern China in 1998; Yuzao Qi, et al. The effects of nutrients and their ratios on phytoplankton abundance in Junk Bay, Hong Kong; I.J. Hodgkiss, Songhui Liu. Harmful algal bloom causative Dinoflagellates collected from Hong Kong waters; Songhui Lu, I.J. Hodgkiss. Crossing test among floating Ulva thalli forming "green tide" in Japan; M. Hiraoka, et al. Taxonomic and ecological profile of "green tide" species of Ulva (Ulvales, Chlorophyta) in central Philippines; D.B. Largo, et al. Biochemistry, Pharmaceutical and Nutraceutical Applications. Inorganic ion compositions in brown algae, with special reference to sulfuric acid ion accumulations; H. Sasaki, et al. Preliminary studies on the chemical characterization and antihyperlipidemic activity of polysaccharide from brown algae Sargassum fusiforme; Wenjun Mao, et al. Hepatoprotective effect of seaweeds' methanol extract against carbon tetrachloride-induced poisoning in rats; Chun-Kwan Wong, et al. Nutritional evaluation of protein concentrates isolated from two red seaweeds: Hypnea charoides Lamouroux and Hypnea japonica Tanaka in growing rats; K.H. Wong, et al.