Description: Verify accepted taxonomic nomenclature of phytoplankton species, assign
species to functional group classifications, and manipulate taxonomic and functional diversity
data. Possible functional classifications include Morpho-functional group (MFG;
Salmaso et al. 2015 <doi:10.1111/fwb.12520>) and CSR (Reynolds 1988; Functional morphology and
the adaptive strategies of phytoplankton. In C.D. Sandgren (ed). Growth and reproductive
strategies of freshwater phytoplankton, 388-433. Cambridge University Press, New York).
Version 1.2.0 also includes functions to query names using the algaebase online taxonomic
The algaeClassify package is a product of the GEISHA (Global Evaluation of the Impacts of
Storms on freshwater Habitat and Structure of phytoplankton Assemblages), funded by CESAB
(Centre for Synthesis and Analysis of Biodiversity) and the USGS John Wesley Powell Center for
Synthesis and Analysis, with data and other support provided by members of GLEON
(Global Lake Ecology Observation Network). This software is preliminary or provisional and
is subject to revision. It is being provided to meet the need for timely best science.
The software has not received final approval by the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS).
No warranty, expressed or implied, is made by the USGS or the U.S. Government as to the
functionality of the software and related material nor shall the fact of release constitute
any such warranty. The software is provided on the condition that neither the USGS nor the U.S.
Government shall be held liable for any damages resulting from the authorized or unauthorized
Imports: httr, lubridate, plyr, RCurl, rvest, taxize, XML, xml2

Description: Functions that facilitate the use of accepted taxonomic nomenclature, collection of
functional trait data, and assignment of functional group classifications to phytoplankton
species. Possible classifications include Morpho-functional group (MFG; Salmaso et al. 2015
<doi:10.1111/fwb.12520>) and CSR (Reynolds 1988; Functional morphology and the
adaptive strategies of phytoplankton. In C.D. Sandgren (ed). Growth and reproductive
Versions 1.3.0 and later no longer include the algae_search() function for querying the
algaebase online taxonomic database (www.algaebase.org). Users are advised to verify
taxonomic names directly using algaebase and cite the database in resulting publications.
Note that none of the algaeClassify authors are affiliated with algaebase in any way.