Species diversity and ecological roles of marine calcified macroalgae, with an emphasis on coralline algae in the western Pacific Ocean

Abstract

This special issue was initially conceived during a council meeting of the International Phycological Society in 2021, where the promotion of manuscript submissions focusing on regional research activities was suggested. The idea of a special issue on species diversity and ecology of calcified seaweeds from the Western Pacific Ocean, with topics related to warming and ocean acidification, was raised to complement a planned forum of the Asian Pacific Phycology Association to be held in Hokkaido. This special issue includes papers on species diversity and distribution of several coralline genera (Crustaphytum/Mesophyllum, Jania, Phymatolithon, Sporolithon), calcification, reproductive phenology, and responses to environmental factors (e.g. temperature, ocean acidification, nutrients, water flow) that are influencing the growth of coralline algae and shaping their community composition.