Algal Diversity and Its Importance in Ecological Processes
A special issue of Water (ISSN 2073-4441). This special issue belongs to the section "Biodiversity and Functionality of Aquatic Ecosystems".
Deadline for manuscript submissions: 30 April 2026 | Viewed by 14
Special Issue Editor
Interests: algal ecology; freshwater ecology; water pollution bioremediation; applied phycology; aquatic ecosystem
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Special Issue Information
Dear Colleagues,
As one of the oldest and most diverse groups of photosynthetic organisms on Earth, algae are found in a variety of ecosystems, from oceans and freshwater to wetlands and even extreme environments. They are major contributors to primary productivity, form the basis of aquatic food webs, and play a key role in global biogeochemical cycles (such as carbon, nitrogen, oxygen cycles). Algal diversity (including cyanobacteria, eukaryotic microalgae and macroalgae) is an important guarantee for ecosystem function and stability.
However, under the dual pressures of global climate change and human activities, algal communities are experiencing unprecedented changes, such as species distribution shifts, biological invasions, harmful algal blooms and biodiversity loss. These changes profoundly affect ecosystem processes and services. Therefore, a thorough understanding of the patterns, maintenance mechanisms, and ecological processes associated with algal diversity is critical to predicting ecosystem responses, driving biotechnology applications, and developing effective ecological conservation and restoration strategies.
This Special Issue aims to bring together the latest research on how algal diversity (from genetic to community levels) drives and responds to various ecological processes. We welcome original research papers, reviews and short communications to build a comprehensive knowledge framework that contributes to the basic theory and applied practice of algal ecology.
Prof. Dr. Yonghong Bi
Guest Editor
Manuscript Submission Information
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Keywords
- algal diversity
- ecological processes
- habitat
- primary productivity
- biogeochemical cycles
- cyanobacteria
- eukaryotic microalgae
- eukaryotic macroalgae
- multi-stress
- anthropogenic disturbance
- species distribution shifts
- biological invasions
- harmful algal blooms
- biodiversity loss
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