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IOC-UNESCO Taxonomic Reference List of Harmful Micro Algae- a product of the IOC Harmful Algal Bloom Programme and the World Register of Marine Species.Introduction | History | Citation | EditorsProblems pertaining to harmful microalgae are being worked on and discussed by many categories of researchers: ecologists, taxonomists, toxicologists, by persons involved in monitoring the environments for harmful effect of toxic algae, by politicians, journalists, etc. It is a source of confusion that the scientific ('Latin') names of the algae sometimes change when the organisms become available for more detailed studies due to improved methodology or after establishment of the organisms in pure cultures, and such changes may give rise to misunderstandings. This site has the following aims:
The list contains at the moment species producing toxins or toxic effects, and a few species suspected to form toxins. Note that a toxic species may not produce toxins everywhere it occurs. The list does not include species that cause harm due to biomass, mucus, morphology (spines etc), as these potentially represents a vast number of species. The names and data on all toxic species appear as WoRMS checked names (see www.marinespecies.org) whereas names of harmful species, which potentially can be any plankton species, are not necessarily checked but are always valid names. To provide sufficient expert knowledge for maintaining the list, we have formed an editorial committee to whom the queries on particular taxa should be addressed. The Committee hopes to extend the list during the coming years, to include additional information, including illustrations. History of the listAt the Fourth Session of the IOC Intergovernmental Panel on Harmful Algal Blooms, Vigo, Spain, 30 June-2 July 1997, it was decided to establish a Task Team on Algal Taxonomy with the aim of providing an agreed reference list of harmful algal species, including correct citation of the author(s), date of valid publication, and a list of synonyms. During the HAB 2000 Conference in Hobart, Tasmania, February 2000, the Committee met and discussed the contents and the format of the list. Following additional discussions over the e-mail, it was decided to prepare all entries in the list as follows:
The predecessor and basis for this list is the on-line version of the IOC Taxonomic Reference list of Toxic Plankton Algae, which was provided in cooperation with and hosted by the Department of Biology, University of Copenhagen and was completed in early 2002. The cyanobacteria (blue-green algae) are presently being added. CitationUsage of data from the IOC-UNESCO Taxonomic Reference List of Harmful Micro Algae in scientific publications should be acknowledged by citing as follows:
Individual pages are individually authored and dated. These can be cited separately: the proper citation is provided at the bottom of each page. EditorsIOC Taxonomic Reference List of Harmful Micro Algae Editorial Board:
Photographs of the banner by Jacob Larsen and Nina Lundholm. Suggestions for changes and additions to the list should be forwarded to hab@marinespecies.org |