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Diversity
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Studies on Biodiversity and Ecology of Algae in China—2nd Edition
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Studies on Biodiversity and Ecology of Algae in China—2nd Edition

A special issue of Diversity (ISSN 1424-2818).

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 31 July 2025 | Viewed by 3784

Special Issue Editors

Prof. Dr. Renhui Li

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
School of Life and Environmental Sciences, Wenzhou University, Wenzhou 325035, China
Interests: genetic diversity; phylogenetic analysis; evolutionary analysis; cyanobacteria; aquatic microbial community
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Prof. Dr. Jia Feng

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
School of Life Science, Shanxi University, Taiyuan, China
Interests: surface water quality; freshwater ecology
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Dr. Wei Zhang
*
E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
College of Fisheries and Life Science, Shanghai Ocean University, Shanghai 201306, China
Interests: taxonomy and ecology of freshwater algae; assessment of aquatic ecosystem health; lake/reservoir restoration and re-establishment
* Assoc. Prof.
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Algae are important primary producers across the world, providing more than 40% of the oxygen content of the biosphere. Algae are rich in species; more than 50000 species have been recorded, making algae the largest category in the plant world. Algae are involved in many processes in nature, and they are closely related to human activities. Therefore, the research on their biodiversity and ecology is greatly significant for the development of human society. With a vast territory and diverse habitat types, China is one of the richest biodiversities of any country in the world. Although we have made great progress in studies on algal biodiversity and ecology, the development of new technologies has brought new opportunities for research in this field. Furthermore, environmental and ecological problems, such as water eutrophication and global climate change, have also brought new challenges to the study of algal diversity and ecology. In this context, we are planning to organize this Special Issue, entitled "Studies on Biodiversity and Ecology of Algae in China—2nd Edition", edited by Professor Renhui Li of Wenzhou University, Professor Jia Feng of Shanxi University and Dr. Wei Zhang of Shanghai Ocean University. We humbly invite scientists and researchers to submit original research or review papers on the latest progress and related approaches of algal diversity and ecology in China to this Special Issue. The research topics mainly include, but are not limited to, the following:

  • Taxonomy studies of algae;
  • The molecular diversity, phylogeny and evolution of algae;
  • Algal functions as ecological and environmental indicators;
  • Algal ecology in typical ecosystems;
  • The massive development/degradation of algae with regard to environmental factors.
  • Physio-ecology and eco-physiology of bloom-forming Algae

Prof. Dr. Renhui Li
Prof. Dr. Jia Feng
Dr. Wei Zhang
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Diversity is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2100 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • algae
  • biodiversity
  • ecology

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Related Special Issue

Published Papers (5 papers)

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Research

15 pages, 3278 KiB  
Article
How Does Extreme Drought Affect Phytoplankton Community Assembly in Aquatic Reserves? A Study from the Confluence of Poyang Lake and Yangtze River, China
by Yufei Jiang, Wenting Shen, Lei Fang, Bao Zhang, Chiping Kong, Wei Zhang and Qun Xu
Diversity 2025, 17(4), 301; https://doi.org/10.3390/d17040301 - 21 Apr 2025
Viewed by 354
Abstract
Extreme drought events, intensified by climate change, critically threaten aquatic ecosystem stability by restructuring phytoplankton communities. However, the mechanisms underlying drought-driven community assembly remain poorly understood. This study investigated the impacts of extreme drought on phytoplankton community dynamics in the aquatic reserves of [...] Read more.
Extreme drought events, intensified by climate change, critically threaten aquatic ecosystem stability by restructuring phytoplankton communities. However, the mechanisms underlying drought-driven community assembly remain poorly understood. This study investigated the impacts of extreme drought on phytoplankton community dynamics in the aquatic reserves of Jiujiang City, China, a critical ecotone of the Yangtze River and Poyang Lake. Through multi-temporal sampling (2022–2023) across 12 sites, we integrated taxonomic, functional group, and co-occurrence network analyses with environmental driver assessments. The results revealed that extreme drought significantly reduced phytoplankton species diversity and triggered a functional shift from disturbance-adapted (e.g., MP group) to pollution-tolerant taxa (e.g., W1 group). Deterministic processes dominated community assembly, driven by drought-induced environmental filtering through water temperature, dissolved oxygen, and nutrient fluctuations. Copper emerged as a key stressor, correlating with the abundance of Cryptophyta. Co-occurrence networks, cohesion, and robustness exhibited heightened complexity and stability under extreme drought, emphasizing stress-induced mutualistic interactions. Our findings elucidate how drought reshapes phytoplankton communities via nutrient dynamics and deterministic species interactions, offering critical insights for managing aquatic ecosystems under escalating climatic extremes. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Studies on Biodiversity and Ecology of Algae in China—2nd Edition)
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17 pages, 8165 KiB  
Article
Novel Species of Oculatellaceae (Oculatellales, Cyanobacteria) from Yunnan in China, Based on the Polyphasic Approach
by Jie Wang, Ting Zhang, Shanshan Guo, Jun Feng, Aili Wei, John Patrick Kociolek and Qi Liu
Diversity 2025, 17(3), 170; https://doi.org/10.3390/d17030170 - 27 Feb 2025
Viewed by 466
Abstract
Oculatellaceae is a family of cyanobacteria with orange spots in the apical cells and has a wide distribution in various living environments. The species of this family are widely distributed but relatively few in number. In order to enrich our knowledge of the [...] Read more.
Oculatellaceae is a family of cyanobacteria with orange spots in the apical cells and has a wide distribution in various living environments. The species of this family are widely distributed but relatively few in number. In order to enrich our knowledge of the species diversity of cyanobacteria in China, and further achieve the monophyletic development of modern cyanobacteria classification systems, we studied two algal strains, designated as SXACC0114 and SXACC0117, isolated from China and subjected to taxonomic studies using a multiphase approach. The colony of the strain SXACC0114 is bright blue-green in color and does not form a biofilm. The trichomes are yellow-green to bright blue-green. For the strain SXACC0117, no false branching is observed. It has wider filaments and more distinct sheaths, and lacks swollen cells. Based on 16S rRNA gene phylogenetic analysis, the results showed that these two algal strains clustered in Albertania and Tildeniella evolutionary branches, respectively, with high bootstrap support. In addition, the secondary structures, which are constructed based on the internal transcription spacer (ITS) of 16S-23S rRNA, exhibit differences, and the algal strain has unique D1-D1ʹ, Box-B, and V3 helix structures. These results support the establishment of two new species, described as Albertania yunnanense sp. nov. and Tildeniella yunnanense sp. nov. The discovery of these new species provides a scientific basis for the development and utilization of algae. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Studies on Biodiversity and Ecology of Algae in China—2nd Edition)
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14 pages, 2519 KiB  
Article
Effects of the Diurnal Light and Temperature Fluctuations on the Growth, Photosynthesis and Biochemical Composition of Terrestrial Oleaginous Microalga Vischeria sp. WL1 (Eustigmatophyceae)
by Xinhong Guo, Zhengke Li, Daxi Wang, Xiaolong Yuan, Xiaojiao Wang, Huidan Xue, Qiao Zeng and Xiang Gao
Diversity 2025, 17(2), 135; https://doi.org/10.3390/d17020135 - 16 Feb 2025
Viewed by 627
Abstract
Dynamic changes in diurnal light and temperature are a natural phenomenon, particularly pronounced in arid environments. However, it remains unclear whether the coupling of diurnal light and temperature fluctuations contributes to the capability and evolution of lipid accumulation in arid terrestrial microalgae. Here, [...] Read more.
Dynamic changes in diurnal light and temperature are a natural phenomenon, particularly pronounced in arid environments. However, it remains unclear whether the coupling of diurnal light and temperature fluctuations contributes to the capability and evolution of lipid accumulation in arid terrestrial microalgae. Here, we characterized the effects of diurnal light and temperature fluctuations on the growth, photosynthesis, lipids, carbohydrates, proteins and fatty acids in Vischeria sp. WL1, an oil-producing Eustigmatophyceae microalga sourced from an arid steppe. The photosynthetic activity parameters (Fv/Fm, PIabs, ψ0 and φE0) were the highest, while parameters of damage and energy dissipation (Wk and DIO/RC) were the lowest, under the diurnal light cycle (DLC) among all conditions and then followed by the diurnal light–temperature cycle (DLTC). DLTC led to reduced growth and biomass but enhanced lipid accumulation, with lipid content reaching a maximum of 54.7% on day 4. This observation may suggest a carbon reallocation from carbohydrates toward lipid synthesis. DLTC resulted in an increase in the saturated fatty acids (SFA) content on day 12 and only in C18:2 among polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA) on day 4 while lowering eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) concentration and content on day 12. Together, our findings will contribute to the understanding of the adaptive strategies of terrestrial microalgae to the arid environment, as well as the beneficial clues for exploring terrestrial microalgae for oil production. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Studies on Biodiversity and Ecology of Algae in China—2nd Edition)
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15 pages, 3397 KiB  
Article
Precipitation Regulates the Assembly Processes of Rare Species in Phytoplankton Communities in River Ecosystems
by Enze Xiao, Xiaofeng Liu, Tian Lou, Yimin Zhu, Yiou Wang, Xinxin Lu, Yawen Fan, Xiang Tan and Yan Liu
Diversity 2025, 17(1), 26; https://doi.org/10.3390/d17010026 - 30 Dec 2024
Viewed by 722
Abstract
Phytoplankton communities typically comprise a few dominant species and numerous rare ones, but their responses to seasonal precipitation changes remain poorly understood. To address this knowledge gap, investigations were conducted on the environmental conditions and phytoplankton communities in the Lalin River Basin during [...] Read more.
Phytoplankton communities typically comprise a few dominant species and numerous rare ones, but their responses to seasonal precipitation changes remain poorly understood. To address this knowledge gap, investigations were conducted on the environmental conditions and phytoplankton communities in the Lalin River Basin during the dry and rainy seasons. Structural equation modeling and co-occurrence network analysis were then utilized to explore the assembly processes of dominant and rare phytoplankton communities following a seasonal heavy rainfall event. Our results showed seasonal heavy rainfall events significantly altered the phytoplankton community composition and rare phytoplankton diversity (p < 0.05). Furthermore, the stochastic process was particularly pronounced for rare species (i.e., 4.44%, p < 0.01). Co-occurrence network analysis revealed that increasing precipitation enhances the complexity and stability of phytoplankton ecological networks. Additionally, the relative importance of dominant species decreases, while that of rare species increases. This phenomenon can be described as the seasonal heavy precipitation weakening the so-called “Matthew effect” in the ecosystem. In summary, our results shed light on the phytoplankton ecology of agricultural rivers and reveal how changes in precipitation influence the formation of phytoplankton sub-communities and the structure of their networks. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Studies on Biodiversity and Ecology of Algae in China—2nd Edition)
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16 pages, 4811 KiB  
Article
Discovery of a New Cyanobacterial Genus (Paludothrix gen. nov.) from the Sanyang Wetland in Eastern China, Reflecting the Latest Taxonomic Status in Coleofasciculaceae
by Yangyang Wu, Yao Cheng, He Zhang, Ruozhen Geng, Peng Xiao, Baiyu Cui and Renhui Li
Diversity 2025, 17(1), 15; https://doi.org/10.3390/d17010015 - 26 Dec 2024
Viewed by 1085
Abstract
As our comprehension of cyanobacterial classification in diverse ecosystems broadens, it becomes essential to explore the biodiversity of lesser-known areas for a thorough understanding of both global and local diversity. This research, which is part of a larger investigation into soil biocrust algae [...] Read more.
As our comprehension of cyanobacterial classification in diverse ecosystems broadens, it becomes essential to explore the biodiversity of lesser-known areas for a thorough understanding of both global and local diversity. This research, which is part of a larger investigation into soil biocrust algae diversity in the Sanyang Wetland located in Zhejiang Province, China, introduces a novel taxon of non-heterocystous filamentous cyanobacteria employing a polyphasic approach for cyanobacterial classification, integrating morphological, molecular, ecological, and biogeographical considerations. The findings from morphological analysis, 16S rRNA gene sequencing, and the identification of the 16S-23S ITS rRNA region have led to the discovery of a new genus, Paludothrix, which is categorized within the family Coleofasciculaceae. The proposed generic name and specific epithet of these new taxa adhere completely to the guidelines established by the International Code of Nomenclature for algae, fungi, and plants. The modern taxonomic system of cyanobacteria is constantly being updated and improved. The description of new taxa using the polyphasic approach can enrich the relevant knowledge in the field of cyanobacteria classification. The results of this study will increase our understanding of terrestrial cyanobacteria within wetland environments. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Studies on Biodiversity and Ecology of Algae in China—2nd Edition)
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