Macroalgae are essential primary producers in coastal ecosystems, yet their vulnerability to petroleum-derived contaminants is often underestimated, especially when compared to the attention typically given to fauna or plankton during oil spill events. This review synthesizes current knowledge on the physiological, biochemical, and ecological impacts of crude oil, aliphatic hydrocarbons, and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons on marine macroalgae. We examine the properties of these contaminants and the environmental pathways that determine their bioavailability, emphasizing how their hydrophobic and persistent nature promotes strong interactions with macroalgal surfaces. At the organismal level, hydrocarbon exposure reduces photosynthetic efficiency, accelerates pigment degradation, and induces oxidative stress through the excessive production of reactive oxygen species. These processes impair growth, reproductive success, and overall metabolic stability. At the community level, contamination leads to declines in canopy-forming species, shifts toward opportunistic taxa, and a loss of structural complexity that affects associated fauna and food-web dynamics. The resulting degradation of ecosystem services, including carbon sequestration, nutrient cycling, habitat provision, and coastal protection, contributes to reduced ecosystem resilience. The review also discusses mitigation measures, the potential of macroalgae and associated microbes in bioremediation, natural recovery dynamics, and the main knowledge gaps that still need to be addressed.
Lorenzo Maria Ruggeri, D. Spagnuolo· International Journal on Alg...· 0 citations
The genus Trichoderma comprises one of the most intensively studied groups of beneficial fungi in agriculture due to its ability to suppress plant pathogens while simultaneously promoting plant growth. In recent years, increasing restrictions on chemical pesticides, rising climate-related stresses, and the demand for sustainable food production have accelerated interest in Trichoderma-based solutions. Advances in molecular biology, genomics, and metabolomics have revealed extensive functional diversity among Trichoderma species and strains, expanding their perceived role beyond classical biocontrol to include plant nutrition, stress tolerance, crop quality, and food safety. The objective of this review is to critically synthesize recent research on Trichoderma spp. by integrating biocontrol mechanisms, plant growth promotion and biofortification, and emerging roles in food quality and safety, while explicitly addressing the sources of variability that limit their predictable application in agricultural systems. Despite the growing body of literature, major gaps remain in understanding why similar Trichoderma species or strains produce divergent outcomes across crops, environments, and experimental scales. In particular, strain-specific functional traits, plant genotype, soil properties, and interactions with native microbiomes contribute to inconsistent results between in vitro studies, greenhouse trials, and field applications. This review examines three interconnected dimensions: (i) the principal mechanisms of biocontrol and their ecological modulation; (ii) plant growth promotion and nutrient biofortification across major crop groups; and (iii) contributions to food quality and safety, including postharvest disease control and mycotoxin mitigation. By comparing evidence across experimental scales and agricultural contexts, this article identifies key knowledge gaps, explains contradictory findings in the literature, and highlights why overgeneralization of Trichoderma benefits should be avoided. The review concludes by outlining research priorities needed to improve strain selection, context-aware application strategies, and the reliability of Trichoderma-based technologies in sustainable agriculture and food systems.
D. Prisa, Aftab Jamal, D. Spagnuolo· Multidisciplinary Reviews· 0 citations
This review provides a comprehensive analysis of the phytohormonal landscape across Phaeophyceae, Rhodophyta, and Chlorophyta, and offers a comprehensive framework for utilizing macroalgal biochemistry in sustainable agricultural intensification.
Lorenzo Maria Ruggeri, D. Spagnuolo· 0 citations
We use cookies to run the site and, with your consent, for analytics and to show ads.
See our Cookie Policy.
