1. Marine algae : general aspects (biology, systematics, field and laboratory techniques) / Tomas Gallardo -- 2. Searching for ecological reference conditions of marine macroalgae / Rui Gaspar, Joao M. Neto and Leonel Pereira -- 3. Marine macroalgae and the assessment of ecological Conditions / Joao M. Neto, Jose A. Juanes, Are Pedersen and Clare Scanlan -- 4. Understanding biological invasions by seaweeds / Fatima Vaz-Pinto, Ivan F. Rodil, Frederic Mineur, Celia Olabarria and Francisco Arenas -- 5. Marine algae as carbon sinks and allies to combat global warming / Francisco Arenas and Fatima Vaz-Pinto -- 6. Review of marine algae as source of bioactive metabolites : a marine biotechnology approach / Loic G. Carvalho and Leonel Pereira -- 7. Analysis by vibrational spectroscopy of seaweed with potential use in food, pharmaceutical and cosmetic industries / Leonel Pereira and Paulo J.A. Ribeiro-Claro -- 8. Kappaphycus (rhodophyta) cultivation : problems and the impacts of Acadian marine plant extract powder / Anicia Q. Hurtado, Renata Perpetuo Reis, Rafael R. Loureiro and Alan T. Critchley -- 9. Marine algae and the global food industry / Maria Helena Abreu, Rui Pereira and Jean-Francois Sassi -- 10. Marine macroalgae and human health / Sarah Hotchkiss and Catherine Murphy -- 11. Internet information resources for marine algae / Michael D. Guiry and Liam Morrison.