International Workshop on Phytoplankton Community Integrity Index (PCII)｢浮游藻類群落完整性指數 (PCII) 國際學術工作坊及研討會｣
- Plankton Lab Hong Kong
- 36 minutes ago
- 2 min read
Program Period: 4th Nov,2025 - 6th Nov,2025
Venue: IAS auditorium of HKUST
Introduction of the Workshop
Anthropogenic activities in coastal regions can lead to nutrient overload, resulting in eutrophication and harmful algal blooms that alter the physicochemical and biological characteristics of coastal ecosystems. The Environmental Protection Department of Hong Kong (HKEPD) has implemented extensive water quality and phytoplankton monitoring programs since the mid-1980s. Currently, assessments of eutrophication and water quality primarily rely on Total Inorganic Nitrogen (TIN) and chlorophyll-a (Chl-a) concentrations. However, these indicators are insufficient to fully capture the floristic shifts that affect food webs and biogeochemical cycling.
A critical component—phytoplankton—has been underutilized in these assessments. Phytoplankton are crucial for global biogeochemical processes and responsible for approximately 50% of Earth's photosynthesis, making them key indicators for assessing water quality and managing nutrient enrichment.
In a collaborative study conducted by HKEPD, the SAMS, and the HKUST, researchers are investigating novel biological tools to enhance nutrient status assessments: the Phytoplankton Community Integrity Index (PCII) and the Plankton Index (PI). These tools focus on seasonal patterns in diatom and dinoflagellate abundance fluctuations. The study aims to identify reference conditions for calculating the PI by defining Type Specific Reference Conditions (TSRC) based on minimal nutrient loading, allowing for more accurate assessment of phytoplankton status in response to nutrient enrichment. This workshop aims to provide training on the advanced assessment tools to researchers and government officials.
Host: HKEPD (Contact person Dr. Kit Y.K. YUNG)
Co-Host: HKUST (Prof. Hongbin Liu, liuhb@ust.hk)
Invited guest speakers:
Prof. Paul Tett (SAMS)
Dr. Callum Whyte (SAMS)
All academic researchers, government administrators and technical officers, consultants and environmental activists in the field of water quality assessment and protection should attend. For technical and logistical questions please contact Winni Chan at hychancf@connect.ust.hk
