A Global Dataset on Nutrient Removal Capacity by Marine Macroalgae

This study presents the first comprehensive open-access global dataset on nutrients ecological effects in marine macroalgae aquaculture. The dataset comprises 2,011 records from 149 theses or peer-reviewed articles published between 1995 and 2024, covering 113 macroalgae species from 234 sampling sites across 23 countries on six continents. Each record includes publication details, geographic and taxonomic information, environmental parameters, and macroalgal nutrient removal performance (removal rates, efficiencies, and amounts). The dataset is organized into multiple worksheets, including subsets for nutrient-specific removal metrics and in situ experiments, thereby enabling tailored analyses. This resource provides the most extensive synthesis to date of macroalgal nutrient uptake capacity, and supports ecosystem-based functional macroalgal aquaculture planning, eutrophication management, and marine ecosystem restoration.