The genus Coolia A. Meunier 1919 has a global distribution and is a common member of epiphytic dinoflagellate assemblages in neritic ecosystems. Coolia monotis is the type species of the genus and was the only known species for 76 years. Over the past few decades, molecular characterization has unveiled two species complexes that group morphologically very similar species, so their limits are often unclear. To provide new knowledge on the biogeography and species composition of the genus Coolia, 16 strains were isolated from Bahía de La Paz, Gulf of California. The species were identified by applying morphological and molecular approaches. The morphometric characteristics of all isolated Coolia species were consistent with the original taxa descriptions. Phylogenetic analyses (large subunit [LSU] rDNA D1 / D2 and internal transcribed spacer [ITS] 1 / 5.8S / ITS2) revealed a species assemblage comprising Coolia malayensis, C. palmyrensis, C. tropicalis, and the C. cf. canariensis lineage. This is the first report of Coolia palmyrensis and C. cf. canariensis in Mexico and C. tropicalis in the Gulf of California. Our results strengthen the biogeographical understanding of these potentially harmful epiphytic dinoflagellate species.

The trend in naming genera based almost exclusively on molecular data, and not on morphological diagnostic characters, is increasing. In bifurcating phylogenetic trees generic cut-offs are arbitrary, but at the bare minimum nomenclatural changes should be supported by multiple phylogenetic methodologies using appropriate models for all the various gene partitions, strong support with all branch support methods, and should also result in adding to our knowledge of the interrelationships of taxa. We believe that a recent taxonomic treatment of the genus Pyropia (Yang et al. 2020) into several genera is unwarranted. We reanalysed the data presented in the recent article, using additional phylogenetic methods. Our results show that many of the newly established genera are not well supported by all methods, and the new circumscription of the genus Pyropia renders it unsupported. We also tested additional outgroups, which were previously suggested as sister to Pyropia, but this did not substantially change our conclusions. These generic nomenclatural changes of the previously strongly supported genus Pyropia, do not shed light on the evolution of this group and have serious consequences in these commercially important algae, that are also governed by a plethora of regulation and by-laws that now need to be amended. We suggest that the over-splitting of groups based only on poorly produced and modestly supported phylogenies should not be accepted and that the genus Pyropia sensu Sutherland et al. (2011) be restored.

Aquaculture is one of the fastest growing food producing sectors; however, intensive farming techniques of finfish have raised environmental concerns, especially through the release of excessive nutrients into surrounding waters. Biodiversity has been widely shown to enhance ecosystem functions and services, but there has been limited testing or application of this key ecological relationship in aquaculture. This study tested the applicability of the biodiversity-function relationship to integrated multi-trophic aquaculture (IMTA), asking whether species richness can enhance the efficiency of macroalgal bioremediation of wastewater from finfish aquaculture. Five macroalgal species (Chondrus crispus, Fucus serratus, Palmaria palmata, Porphyra dioica, and Ulva sp.) were cultivated in mono- and polyculture in water originating from a lumpfish (Cyclopterus lumpus) hatchery. Total seaweed biomass production, specific growth rates (SGR), and the removal of ammonium (NH₄⁺), total oxidised nitrogen (TON), and phosphate (PO₄^3-) from the wastewater were measured. Species richness increased total seaweed biomass production by 11% above the average component monoculture, driven by an increase in up to 5% in SGR of fast-growing macroalgal species in polycultures. Macroalgal species richness further enhanced ammonium uptake by 25%, and TON uptake by nearly 10%. Phosphate uptake was not improved by increased species richness. The increased uptake of NH₄⁺ and TON with increased macroalgal species richness suggests the complementary use of different nitrogen forms (NH₄⁺ vs. TON) in macroalgal polycultures. The results demonstrate enhanced bioremediation efficiency by increased macroalgal species richness and show the potential of integrating biodiversity-function research to improve aquaculture sustainability.

Knowledge on the seaweeds of eastern Sorsogon in the Philippines is uneven. Not only is eastern Sorsogon among the areas of high seaweed diversity but locals there have interacted with seaweeds for ages. Despite seaweeds' assumed importance to Sorsoganon, ethnobotanical records are missing. In this study, we documented the traditional knowledge on seaweed use and determined the rate of knowledge transmission among the locals of eastern Sorsogon. Vernacular names and modes of preparation were given of the 12 identified species bearing culinary and medicinal importance. Ten species were eaten while three were used therapeutically. Based on ethnobotanical indices, Caulerpa chemnitzia ecad turbinata and Gelidiella acerosa were the most important seaweeds. The least cited was Caulerpa racemosa. Our study demonstrated that most of the seaweed resources in eastern Sorsogon remain largely untapped, as the identified ethnotaxa were only about 5% of the total seaweed species diversity reported for the area. The seaweed knowledge in eastern Sorsogon appeared to be homogenous across age groups with primary sources of knowledge biased towards female relatives (mothers and grandmothers) and to children as inheritors. Cessation of seaweed knowledge may come at a potential cost, as a significant fraction of the population did not transmit their knowledge to others. Our study furthered the interest in providing sophisticated resource management recommendations that consider the relationships of traditional and scientific knowledge of seaweed selection and use in eastern Sorsogon and beyond.

Enzyme-assisted hydrolysis is frequently used as a cost-effective and efficient method to obtain functional ingredients from bioresources. This study involved the enzyme-assisted hydrolyzation and purification of fucoidan from Ecklonia maxima stipe and the investigation of its anti-inflammatory activity in lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced RAW 264.7 cells. Fucoidans of Viscozyme-assisted hydrolysate from E. maxima (EMSFs) harvested in Jeju, Korea. Structural and chemical characterizations were performed using fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, scanning electron microscope, and monosaccharide analysis. Among fucoidans, EMSF6 was rich in fucose and sulfate and had a similar structural character to commercial fucoidan. EMSF6 showed a strong inhibitory effect on nitric oxide generation in LPS-induced RAW 264.7 cells and significantly decreased the production of LPS-induced pro-inflammatory cytokines, including interleukin-6, interleukin-1β, and tumor necrosis factor α. The anti-inflammatory potential of EMSF6 was mediated through the downregulation of inducible nitric oxide synthase and cyclooxygenase-2 expression. Thus, fucoidans from E. maxima stipe are promising candidates for functional food products.