Asian Pacific Phycology in the 21st Century: Prospects and Challenges : Proceeding of The Second Asian Pacific Phycological Forum, Held in Hong Kong, China, 21–25 June 1999

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. Front Matter....Pages i-xvi The culture of marine ecology....Pages 1-10 The past, present and future of phycology in China....Pages 11-20 Molecular biotechnology of marine algae in China....Pages 21-26 Microalgal studies for the 21st Century....Pages 27-32 Principles for attaining maximal microalgal productivity in photobioreactors: an overview....Pages 33-37 Mass production of Spirulina , an edible microalga....Pages 39-44 Current microalgal health food R & D activities in China....Pages 45-48 Spatial pattern of intertidal macroalgal assemblages associated with tidal levels....Pages 49-56 A short-term response of macroalgae to potential competitor removal in a mid-intertidal habitat in Korea....Pages 57-62 Seasonal occurrence and reproduction of Hypnea charoides (Rhodophyta) in Tung Ping Chau, N.T., Hong Kong SAR, China....Pages 63-78 Biomass production of two Sargassum species at Cape Rachado, Malaysia....Pages 79-88 Cyanobacteria-dominated biofilms: a high quality food resource for intertidal grazers....Pages 89-95 Early stages of biofilm succession in a lentic freshwater environment....Pages 97-108 Laboratory studies on adhesion of microalgae to hard substrates....Pages 109-116 Growth and production of Thai agarophyte cultured in natural pond using the effluent seawater from shrimp culture....Pages 117-126 Seedling production using enzymatically isolated thallus cells and its application in Porphyra cultivation....Pages 127-131 High monospore-producing mutants obtained by treatment with MNNG in Porphyra yezoensis Ueda (Bangiales, Rhodophyta)....Pages 133-140 An improved chromosome preparation from male gametophyte of Laminaria japonica (Heterokontophyta)....Pages 141-144 Solving the coastal eutrophication problem by large scale seaweed cultivation....Pages 145-151 Mass culture of Undaria gametophyte clones and their use in sporeling culture....Pages 153-156 Karyology and sex determination in Aglaothamnion oosumiense Itono (Ceramiaceae, Rhodophyta)....Pages 157-164 Cytological damage to the red alga Griffithsia pacifica from ultraviolet radiation....Pages 165-170 The first spindle formation in brown algal zygotes....Pages 171-176 The generic delimitation of Rhodella (Porphyridiales, Rhodophyta) with emphasis on ultrastructure and molecular phylogeny....Pages 177-183 Four new species of the Genera Eudesme and Sphaerotrichia (Chordariaceae, Heterokontophyta) from the Chinese Coast....Pages 185-192 Studies on four new species of the malacocarpic Sargassum (Sargassaceae, Heterokontophyta) in China....Pages 193-199 Studies on Chinese species of Gelidiella and Pterocladiella (Gelidiales, Rhodophyta)....Pages 201-207 Some observations on harmful algal bloom (HAB) events along the coast of Guangdong, southern China in 1998....Pages 209-214 The effects of nutrients and their ratios on phytoplankton abundance in Junk Bay, Hong Kong....Pages 215-229 Harmful algal bloom causative collected from Hong Kong waters....Pages 231-238 Crossing test among floating Ulva thalli forming ‘green tide’ in Japan....Pages 239-245 Taxonomic and ecological profile of ‘green tide’ species of Ulva (Ulvales, Chlorophyta) in central Philippines....Pages 247-253 Inorganic ion compositions in brown algae, with special reference to sulfuric acid ion accumulations....Pages 255-262 Preliminary studies on the chemical characterization and antihyperlipidemic activity of Polysaccharide from the brown alga Sargassumfusiforme ....Pages 263-266 Hepatoprotective effect of seaweeds’ methanol extract against carbon tetrachloride-induced poisoning in rats....Pages 267-270 Nutritional evaluation of protein concentrates isolated from two red seaweeds: Hypnea charoides and Hypnea japonica in growing rats....Pages 271-278 Collects 36 invited and contributed papers presented at the Second Asian Pacific Phycological Forum held at the Chinese University of Hong Kong. This volume aims to provide a comprehensive picture of advances in algal research.