In view of the current major environmental problems and national needs, the Research Group of Environmental Biology of Algae focuses on the research of algae physiology and ecology, and is committed to the research of environmental biology of algae and the restoration technology of deteriorated ecosystems.  

Major research directions:  

* Environmental biology of freshwater algae and terrestrial algae. The main research interests include: occurrence mechanism of cyanobacterial blooms; physiological ecology of phytoplankton, filamentous green algae and soil algae; environmental biology of algae in polluted soil; ecological effects of secondary metabolites of algae; and the role and mechanism of freshwater algal biofilm in biogeochemical cycle 

* Theory and technology of deteriorated ecosystem restoration. The main research interests include: pollution control of violent algal proliferation (including cyanobacterial blooms, filamentous green algal blooms and attached algae); ecological restoration based on algae control and application; and ecological restoration of degraded and polluted soils.      

* Application of algae in agricultural activities. The main research interests include: the mechanism and application of nitrogen fixing cyanobacteria in improving fertility of dysfunctional soils; the application of algal primary productivity regulation in ecological fishery. With the support of national and local government projects, this group has established several ecological restoration technology demonstration areas in Wuxi Taihu Lake, Hefei Chaohu Lake, Kunming Dianchi Lake, Dali Erhai Lake and the Kubuqi Desert in Inner Mongolia. 

Recent Publications: 

2014 

1.        Jinlu Hu, Liang Jin, Xiaojuan Wang, Wenkai Cai, Yongding Liu, Gaohong Wang*. Response of Photosynthetic Systems to Salinity Stress in the Desert Cyanobacterium Scytonema javanicum. Advances in Space Research, 2014, 53: 30-36. 

2.        Hua Li, Benqiang Rao, Gaohong Wang, Si Shen, Dunhai Li, Chunxiang Hu, Yongding Liu*. Spatial heterogeneity of cyanobacteria-inoculated sand dunes significantly influences artificial biological soil crusts in the Hopq Desert (China). Environmental Earth Sciences, 2014, 71: 245–253. 

3.        Hongjie Qin, Dunhai Li*. Enhanced resistance to UV-B radiation in in Anabaena sp. PCC 7120 (Cyanophyceae) by repeated exposure. Current Microbiology, 2014, 69:1–9. 

4.        Jing Dong, Kai Yang, Shuangshuang Li, Genbao Li*, Lirong Song. Submerged vegetation removal promotes shift of dominant phytoplankton functional groups in a eutrophic lake. Journal of Environmental Sciences, 2014, 26(8): 1699-1707. 

5.        Wenmin Huang, Dunhai Li*, Yongding Liu. Mitochondrial electron transport chain is involved in microcystin-RR induced tobacco BY-2 cells apoptosis. Journal of Environmental Sciences, 2014, 26 (9): 1930-1935. 

6.        Chengrong Peng, Lang Zhang, Hongjie Qin, Dunhai Li*. Revegetation in the water level fluctuation zone of reservoir: An ideal measure to reduce the nutrients and sediments input. Ecological Engineering, 2014, 71: 574–577. 

7.        Yanjun An, Suqin Wang, Zongjie Hao, Yiyong Zhou, Yongding Liu*. O₂ evolution and cyclic electron flow around photosystem I in long-term ground batch culture of Euglena gracilis. Advances in Space Research, 2014, 54: 2456–2465. 

8.        Jinlu Hu, Xuan Deng, Ning Shao, Gaohong Wang* and Kaiyao Huang*. Rapid construction and screening of artificial microRNA systems in Chlamydomonas reinhardtii. The Plant Journal , 2014, 79(6): 1052-1064. 

9.        Xing, W; Huang, WM; Liu, GH; Liu, YD*. Effects of temperature, light, nitrate and ammonium on growth and photosynthesis of Microcystis aeruginosa (cyanobacteria) under iron-limited and iron-replete conditions. Fresenius Environmental Bulletin, 2014, 23(8a): 1934-1941. 

10.    Giovanni Colica, Hua Li, Federico Rossi, Dunhai Li, Yongding Liu*, Roberto De Philippis*. Microbial secreted exopolysaccharides affect the hydrological behavior of induced biological soil crusts in desert sandy soils. Soil Biology & Biochemistry, 2014, 68: 62-70. 

11.    Hu Mingming; Zhou Huaidong; Wang Yuchun; Wang Yingcai; Wang Zhen; Wu Weiju; Zhao Gaofeng; Cheng Yao; Liu Yongding*. Ecological characteristics of plankton and aquatic vegetation in Lake Qiluhu. Water Science and Technology, 2014, 69 (8): 1620-1625. DOI: 10.2166/wst.2014.043.  

12.    A. Nasir; S. M. Strauch; I. Becker; A. Sperling; M. Schuster; P. R. Richter; M. Wei？kopf; M. Ntefidou; V. Daiker; Y. A. An; X. Y. Li; Y. D. Liu & M. Lebert. The influence of microgravity on Euglena gracilis as studied on Shenzhou 8. Plant Biology, 2014, 16 (Suppl. 1): 113–119.  

13.    Hong-Sheng Jiang, Xiao-Ni Qiu, Gen-Bao Li, Wei Li, Li-Yan Yin*. Silver nanoparticles induced accumulation of reactive oxygen species and alteration of antioxidant systems in the aquatic plant Spirodela polyrhiza. Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry, 2014, 33(6): 1398-1405. DOI: 10.1002/etc.2577. 

14.    Lanzhou Chen*, Federico Rossi, Songqiang Deng, Yongding Liu, Gaohong Wang, Alessandra Adessi, Roberto De Philippis. Macromolecular and chemical features of the excreted extracellular polysaccharides in induced biological soil crusts of different ages. Soil Biology & Biochemistry, 2014, 78: 1-9.  

15.    Zhicong Wang, Dunhai Li, Xiuyun Cao, Chunlei Song, Yiyong Zhou*. Photosynthetic adaptation mechanism of Microcystis related to the changes of colony sizes in eutrophic lake. Phycologia, 2014, 53 (6): 552–560.  

16.    De Lu Zhang, Jing Zhang, Chun Xiang Hu, Gao Hong Wang, Dun Hai Li, Yong Ding Liu. Morphological alterations and acetylcholinesterase and monoamineoxidase inhibition in liver of zebrafish exposed to Aphanizomenon flos-aquae DC-1 aphantoxins. Aquatic Toxicology, 2014, 157: 215–224. 

2015 

17.    Hongjie Qin, Shuangshuang Li, Dunhai Li*. Differential responses of different phenotypes of Microcystis (Cyanophyceae) to UV-B radiation. Phycologia, 2015, 54 (2), 118–129. 

18.    Zhicong Wang, Zhongjie Li, Yiyong Zhou, Dunhai Li*. Photosynthetic activity of Microcystis in fish guts and its implication for feasibility of bloom control by filter-feeding fishes. Fresenius Environmental Bulletin. 2015，24（7）：2384-2393. 

19.    Jing Dong, Weicheng Zhou, Lirong Song and Genbao Li*. Responses of phytoplankton functional groups to simulated winter warming. Annales de Limnologie - International Journal of Limnology, 2015, 51(3): 199-210. 

20.    Suqin Wang, Lin Zhu, Qi Li, Genbao Li^*, Lin Li, Lirong Song, Nanqin Gan^*. Distribution and population dynamics of potential anatoxin-a-producing cyanobacteria in Lake Dianchi, China. Harmful Algae, 48 (2015) 63–68. 

21.    Zhiquan Hu, Zhihua Chen, Genbao Li^,*, Xiaojuan Chen, Mian Hu, Mahmood Laghari, Xun Wang, Dabin Guo. Characteristics and kinetic studies of Hydrilla verticillata pyrolysis via thermogravimetric analysis. Bioresource Technology, 2015, 194: 364–372. 

22.    Giovanni Colica, Hua Li, Federico Rossi, Yongding Liu*, Roberto De Philippis*. Differentiation of the characteristics of excreted extracellular polysaccharides reveals the heterogeneous primary succession of induced biological soil crusts. Journal of Applied Phycology, 2015, 27: 1935–1944. 

2016

23.    Zhicong Wang, Yiyong Zhou, Dunhai Li*. The effect of gradient cooling on bloom decline in Microcystis (Cyanophyceae, Chroococcales). Phycologia, 2016, 55(2): 109-117. 

24.    Shuangshuang Li, Chun Wang, Hongjie Qin, Yinxia Li, Jiaoli Zheng, Chengrong Peng, Dunhai Li^*. Influence of phosphorus availability on the community structure and physiology of cultured biofilms. Journal of Environmental Sciences, 2016, 42: 19-31. 

25.    Xiao-Yan Li, Gen-Bao Li, Dun-Hai Li, Zong-Jie Hao, Gao-Hong Wang^*, Peter Richter, Martin Schuster, Michael Lebert, Yong-Ding Liu. Spaceflight microgravity reduced photosynthetical electron transport and altered energy distribution in Euglena gracilis. Progress in Biochemistry and Biophysics. 2016, 43(9): 887~894. 

26.    Xiang Gao, Fengge Zhang, Jinlu Hu, Wenkai Cai, Ge Shan, Dongsheng Dai, Kaiyao Huang, Gaohong Wang*. MicroRNAs modulate adaption to multiple abiotic stresses in Chlamydomonas reinhardtii. Scientific Reports. 2016, 6:38228 

27.    Wenkai Cai, Xiang Gao, Jinlu Hu, Lanzhou Chen, Xiaoyan Li, Yongding Liu, Gaohong Wang*. UV-B Radiation Inhibits the Photosynthetic Electron Transport Chain in Chlamydomonas Reinhardtii. Pakistan Journal of Botany. 2016, 48(6): 2587-2593.  

28.    Hua Li, Renhui Li, Federico Rossi, Dunhai Li, Roberto De Philippis, Chunxiang Hu, Yongding Liu^*. Differentiation of microbial activity and functional diversity between various biocrust elements in a heterogeneous crust community. Catena 147 (2016) 138-145. 

29.    Hongjie Qin, Zhiyong Zhang, Haiqin Liu, Dunhai Li, Xuezheng Wen, Yingying Zhang, Yan Wang¹, Shaohua Yan*. Fenced cultivation of water hyacinth for cyanobacterial bloom control. Environmental Science and Pollution Research, 2016, 23:17742–17752. 

2017

30.    Shuangshuang Li, Chengrong Peng, Chun Wang, Jiaoli Zheng, Yao Hu, Dunhai Li^*. Microbial succession and nitrogen cycling in cultured biofilms as affected by the combined nitrogen availability. Microbial Ecology. 2017, 73:1-15. 

31.    Xiaoyan Li, Martin Schuster, Yanjun An, Peter Richter, Yonding Liu, Ferdinand Haag, Sebastian Strauch, Zongjie Hao, Gonghong Wang, Michael Lebert, Dunhai Li*. Operation of an enclosed aquatic ecosystem in the Shenzhou-8 mission. Acta Astronautica. 2017, 134: 17-22. 

32.    Xiaoyan Li, Ralf Anken, Liyue Liu, Gaohong Wang, Yongding Liu. Effects of Simulated Microgravity on Otolith Growth of Larval Zebrafish using a Rotating-Wall Vessel: Appropriate Rotation Speed and Fish Developmental Stage. Microgravity Science and Technology,. 2017, 29:1–8. 

33.    Yinxia Li, Bibo Liu, Shuaixia Liu, Dunhai Li^*. The trophic state of lake water regulates spatial-temporal variations of bloom-forming Microcystis. Chinese Journal of Oceanology and Limnology. 2017, 35 (2): 415-422. 

34.    Chengrong Peng, Jiaoli Zheng, Shun Huang, Shuangshuang Li, Dunhai Li^*, Mingyu Cheng, Yongding Liu. Application of sodium alginate in the induced biological soil crusts: enhancing the sand stabilization in the early stage. Journal of Applied Phycology. 2017, 29:1421-1428. 

35.    Chengrong Peng, Shuangshuang Li, Jiaoli Zheng, Shun Huang, Dunhai Li*. Harvesting of oleaginous microalgae by flocculation with different sources of starch based cationic flocculants. Applied Biochemistry and Biotechnology. 2017, 181: 112–124. 

36.    Federico Rossi, Hua Li, Yongding Liu^,*, Roberto De Philippis^*. Cyanobacterial inoculation (cyanobacterisation): Perspectives for the development of a standardized multifunctional technology for soil fertilization and desertification reversal. Earth-Science Reviews 171 (2017) 28–43. 

37.    Feng-ge Zhang, Bo Wang, Xiao-Lin Wang, Xiao-Yan Li, Gen-Bao Li, Dun-Hai Li, Ge Shan, Gao-Hong Wang*. Cre-miR914 Regulates Heat Shock Adaptation in Chlamydomonas reinhardtii. Progress in Biochemistry and Biophysics, 2017, 44(6): 495-503. 

38.    Yinxia Li, Yiwen Wu, Bibo Liu, Dunhai Li*. Competition between toxic and non-toxic Microcystis (Cyanobacterium) under different temperature and light conditions. Science China Life Sciences. 2017, 60(6): 674-676. 

39.    Gaohong Wang, Songqiang Deng, Jiafeng Liu, Chaoran Ye, Xiangjun Zhou, Lanzhou Chen^*. Cell damage caused by ultraviolet B radiation in the desert cyanobacterium Phormidium tenue and its recovery process. Ecotoxicology and Environmental Safety. 2017, 144: 315–320. 

40.    Jiaoli Zheng, Shuangshuang Li, Chengrong Peng, Dunhai Li^*. The influence of desiccation on the recovery process of nitrogenase activity in restored biological soil crusts. Science China Life Sciences. 2017, 60(11): 1283–1285. 

2018

41.    Jiaoli Zheng, Chengrong Peng, Hua Li, Shuangshuang Li, Shun Huang, Yao Hu, Dunhai Li*. The role of non-rainfall water on physiological activation in desert biological soil crusts. Journal of Hydrology, 2018, 556:790-799. 

42.    Yun Zhang, Chengrong Peng, Zhicong Wang, Jinli Zhang, Lijie Li, Shun Huang, Dunhai Li*. The specific responses of freshwater diatoms to elevated temperatures are affected by interspecific interactions. Microorganisms 2018, 6, 82. 

43.    Yingcai Wang, Weibo Wang, Zhi Wang, Genbao Li*, Yongding Liu. Regime shift in Lake Dianchi (China) during the last 50 years. Journal of Oceanology and Limnology, 2018, 36(4): 1075-1090. 

44.    Jing Dong, Qichao Zhou, Yunni Gao, Qianhong Gu, Genbao Li* and Lirong Song. Long-term effects of temperature and nutrient concentrations on the phytoplankton biomass in three lakes with differing trophic statuses on the Yungui Plateau, China. Annales de Limnologie - International Journal of Limnology 54: 9. 

45.    Liangliang Guo, Liangliang Dai, Kai Yang, Dunhai Li, Genbao Li*. Physiological changes of submerged macrophytes in response to the floating filamentous green algae bloom in clear-water conditions. Journal of Oceanology and Limnology, In press. 

46.    Shuangshuang Li, Chengrong Peng, Taisheng Cheng, Chun Wang, Liangliang Guo, Dunhai Li*. Nitrogen-Cycling Microbial Community Functional Potential and Enzyme Activities in Cultured Biofilms with Response to Inorganic Nitrogen Availability. Journal of Environmental Sciences, In press. 

47.    Yun Zhang, Chengrong Peng, Jun Wang, Shun Huang, Yao Hu, Jinli Zhang, Dunhai Li*. Temperature and silicate are significant driving factors for the seasonal shift of dominant diatoms in a drinking water reservoir. Journal of Oceanology and Limnology, In press