Sessions

1. Biodiversity and biogeography of algae and cyanobacteria

(PAVEL ŠKALOUD & BENTE EDVARDSSON)

  • New species discovery

  • Molecular techniques in algal taxonomy

  • Phylogenetic relationships among algal groups

  • Biodiversity

  • Biogeography

  • Life cycles

 

2. Harmful Algae and Cyanobacteria

(JUDITA KOREIVIENĖ & FREDRIK RYDERHEIM)

  • Ecophysiology

  • Toxins and other metabolites production, regulation and release

  • Blooms and their ecological impacts on the entire food web

  • Blooms and biogeochemistry

  • Blooms mitigation

 

3. Ecology 

(MARINA MONTRESOR & HENRIK PAVIA)

  • Algal interactions in ecosystems (terrestrial, freshwater, marine, and brackish)

  • Competition and succession

  • Predation & parasitism

  • Algal viruses

 

4. Climate change, anthropogenic effect and water management

(JASON HALL-SPENCER & THOMAS WERNBERG)

  • Algae as indicators of environmental changes

  • Human impact on algal diversity

  • Acidification, climate change

  • Invasive algae

  • Mitigation and restoration

  • Algae's role in carbon sequestration and biogeochemical cycles

  • Impact of rising temperatures and ocean acidification on algal populations

  • Algae as a tool for combating climate change

  • Kelp forests and their ecological importance

  • Seaweed farming and coastal restoration

 

5. Evolution

(ESTER SERRÃO)

  • Local adaptation

  • Phenotypic plasticity

  • Experimental evolution

  • Selection & mutation

  • Speciation

  • Multicellularity

 

6. Genes and genomes

(GWENAEL PIGANEAU & THOMAS MOCK)

  • Algal genomes

  • Genome architecture

  • Genetic engineering

  • Population genetics and genetic diversity

  • Population genetics structure

 

7. Applications and biotechnology 

(SOLÈNE CONAN & ELIN LINDEHOFF)

  • Algae as biofuels and renewable energy sources

  • Algae in food and pharmaceuticals

  • Production of valuable biochemicals (e.g., omega-3 fatty acids, pigments, and polysaccharides)

  • Circular economy models involving algae

 

8. Physiology and Metabolism

(PETER KROTH)

  • Photosynthesis and light utilization in algae

  • Stress responses and adaptation mechanisms in algae

  • Metabolic pathways in algae

  • Algal growth and productivity

  • Nutrition mode (mixotrophy)

  • Gene regulation

  • Genes expression

  • Epigenetics

 

9. Algae and society, algae in Art, Culture, and History

(CONNY SJÖQVIST & VESPA LAINE)

  • Citizen science projects

  • School projects

  • Algae as natural pigments in art and textiles

  • Historical uses of algae in medicine and nutrition

  • Cultural significance of seaweed and algae in various societies

 
10. Algal Cultures

(FILIP PNIEWSKI)