This is the first comprehensive study of an east African lake for thirty years. It represents the culmination of research expeditions which stretch back twenty years and is thus able to pick up long term changes which the individual research activities do not reveal. Lake Naivasha is a tropical lake whose natural fluctuations are now dwarfed by human impacts. Papers show how the irrigation for horticulture and power cooling has reduced the lake depth significantly; exotic arrivals have altered the plant community beyond recognition and its commercial value as a fishery and a tourist feature are reduced by over use. Despite this, the lake has considerable conservation value at present. It provides a different case study in the ever-growing library of the effects of human follies. Lake Naivasha has achieved global importance in the past ten years because its waters are used to sustain the largest horticultural industry in Africa. The book highlights its fragility under such pressure and points out the way towards sustainable use of the water and the ecosystem.

The southwestern Amazon basin, centering on the Territory of Rondoenia and the State of Acre, is symbolically if not exactly geographically, the Wild Wild West of Brazil's northern rainforest fron tier. In Brazil the name Rondoenia evokes exaggerated images of lawlessness, land feuding, and indigent peasants in search of a homestead. Despite the problems and the perception, the region has pushed ahead, in the view of the govern ment, with large-scale deforestation and the establishment of cattle ranches and agricultural farms raising manioc, rice, bananas, and other cash crops. The mining industry has been launched with the exploitation oftin stone, and the recent gold rush has attracted thousands of miners that are sifting alluvial deposits along the rivers for the precious ore. In an energy-short world, the region boasts of its large hydroelectric potential waiting development in the rivers falling off the Brazilian Shield and draining into the Rio Madeira. Planners are optimistic that Rondoenia's resources, once developed, will more than justify, at least in this corner of the rainforest frontier, the Economic Conquest ofthe Amazon. Sandwiched between the economic take-off and the dream, however, are the biological resources - the plants and animals - that must serve as sources of energy and food until human dominated ecosystems replace naturaiones. These resources are, ofnecessity, being heavily attacked to support the shaky economy of the region, but they are very poorly understood in terms of potential productivity and proper management.

This Workshop was organized to assess the status of knowledge on the behaviour of phosphorus in sediments and to define gaps and reassess research strategies, particularly with respect to prevalent methodology and future approach; and to define gaps and reassess research strategies for water management measures in aquatic ecosystems, especially in relation to the release of phosphorus from the sediments and its impact on the functioning of the whole system.

The recent progress achieved in aquatic genomics research has important implications in science and aquaculture. Researchers' success in genome sequencing of the fugu has provided a foundation not only for comparative fish genomics but also for genetic studies of other vertebrates. This volume, with contributions by leading scientists from around the world, provides the latest information on genomic studies of a variety of aquatic organisms including fish, crustaceans, and shellfish, with descriptions of such methodologies as genome analysis, gene mapping, DNA markers, and EST analysis. Other topics include regulation of gene expression, stress and immune responses, sex differentiation, hormonal control, and transgenic fish. This book is a valuable resource for all scientists whose work involves aquatic organisms, especially for those in the fields of aquatic genomics, fish immunology, and aquatic biotechnology.

The fourth international rotifer symposium was Wednesday afternoon a tour of Edinburgh, includ held in Edinburgh, Scotland, August 18 - 25, 1985, ing a visit to the Palace of Holyrood, was arranged. hosted by the Institute of Terrestrial Ecology. This This was followed by an evening banquet with meeting continued the tradition of holding rotifer traditional Scottish entertainment. On Thursday symposia at three-year intervals. The first an evening most participants attended a fireworks dis nouncement of the fourth meeting was circulated at play which was part of the Edinburgh Festival. Fi the end of 1983 to almost 300 people whose names nally, an excursion to Loch Lomond and the Tros appeared on the mailing list of the international sach hills was arranged for the Saturday after the newsletter, Rotifer News. In total, 68 people from meeting. 23 countries attended the meeting. It is interesting The organisers would like to thank Mr. C. J. to note that, of these 68 participants, 21 had at Place and colleagues at the Institute of Terrestrial tended the first meeting, held in Linz, Austria, Ecology for their invaluable help in organising the 1976, and 13 had attended all three previous meet meeting and preparing the symposium volume for ings. publication. We are also grateful for financial sup As in previous symposia, some research topics port from the Royal Society, the British Council were identified in advance of the meeting as being and British Petroleum (Scotland).

This book focuses on sediments as a pollutant in natural freshwater and marine habitats, and as a vector for the transfer of chemicals such as nutrients and contaminants. Sediment-water research is carried out all over the world within a variety of disciplines. The selected papers cover three main topics relating to assessment and/or restoration of disturbed watersheds, sediment-water linkages in terrestrial and aquatic environments and evaluation of sediment and ecological changes in marine and freshwater habitats. Innovative research in both developed and less developed countries is included. Both fundamental research, insight into applied research and system management are covered. The volume will also appeal to readers involved in sediment geochemistry and dynamics, aquatic habitats, water quality, aquatic ecology, river morphology, restoration techniques and catchment management.

While the reality of the taxon Turbellaria has been called into question lately, turbellarians are nevertheless the subject of active research by a sizable group of biologists. Turbellarians are relatives of the major groups of parasitic platyhelminthes - monogeneans, digeneans, and tapeworms - and most are free-living. Because the ancestors to the major parasitic groups would be classified as turbellarians, strict application of princi- ples of phylogenetic systematics dictates that the Turbellaria is not properly considered a separate taxon; i. e. , it is, in the parlance of systematics, a paraphyletic group. The relationships of turbellarians to other inver- tebrates are even more problematic than their relationships to other platyhelminthes; their relatively simple morphology has been variously interpreted as quintessentially primitive - meaning a turbellarian-like ances- tor would have given rise to most of the major groups of invertebrates - or as secondary simplification, meaning they would essentially be a dead-end group. Modern research on turbellarians covers a broad spectrum. Questions of phylogenetics have inspired ultrastructural studies; the simply structured nervous systems of turbellarians make them good subjects for neurophysiology; simplicity of their tissue structure and the limited number of cell types make them good subjects of embryological and regeneration studies; they are emerging as iIIJ. portant indicator species in ecolo- gy; and improvements in biochemical methodology have meant they are at last amenable - despite their small size - to molecular biological study.

Our understanding of the ecology of running waters has come a long way during the past few years. From being a largely descriptive subject, with a few under tones concerned with such things as fisheries, pollution or control of blackflies, it has evolved into a discipline with hypotheses, such as the River Continuum Concept (Vannote et a/. 1980), and even a book suggesting that it offers opportunity for the testing of ecological theory (Barnes & Minshall 1983). However, perusal of the literature reveals that, although some of the very early studies were concerned with large rivers (references in Hynes 1970), the great mass of the work that has been done on running water has been on streams and small rivers, and information on larger rivers is either on such limited topics as fisheries or plankton, scattered among the journals, or not available to the general limnologist. The only exceptions are a few books in this series of publications, such as those on the Nile (Rz6ska 1976), the Volga (Morduckai Boltovskoi 1979) and the Amazon {Sioli 1984), and the recent compendium by Whitton (1984) on European rivers, among which there are a few that rate as large."

Coastal and marine ecosystems, some severely degraded, other still pristine, control rich resources of inshore environments and coastal seas of Latin America's Pacific and Atlantic margins. Conflicts between the needs of the region's nations and diminishing revenues and environmental quality have induced awareness of coastal ecological problems and motivated financial support for restoration and management.
The volume provides a competent review on the structure, processes and function of 22 important Latin American coastal marine ecosystems. Each contribution describes the environmental settings, biotic components and structure of the system, considers trophic processes and energy flow, evaluates the modifying influence of natural and human perturbations, and suggests management needs. Although the focus of the book is on basic ecological research, the results have application for coastal managers.

Proceedings from a Symposium on Biology and Management of Sturgeon, held during the 113th Annual Meeting of American Fisheries Society at Milwaukee, Wisconsin, USA, August 16-20, 1983

Estuaries are highly dynamic systems subject to changes occurring over a spectrum of time scales ranging from very short periods (e. g. over a tidal cycle) to geologic time scales. The nature of an estuary reflects complex responses to many driving forces, each having a characteristic frequency (or frequencies) of change. For example, freshwater inflow to estuaries varies daily in response to short-term events such as storms, seasonally, and between years as a result of longer-term climatic variability. Other important components of weather, e. g. wind speed/ direction and daily insolation, also vary over time scales ranging from hours to years. Tidal amplitude changes continuously with dominant frequencies associated with the semi-diurnal cycle, the fortnightly neap-spring, and the semi-annual cycle. Temporal dynamics of these driving forces evoke responses in the form of changing (I) circulation patterns and mixing, (2) sediment composition and transport, (3) solute speciation and distribution, (4) composition and abundance of particulates, (5) biomass, species composition, and productivity of plant and animal communities, (6) rates of material exchange between the sediments, water column, and atmosphere, and (7) bioavailability of trace metals and other pollutants. The purpose of this book is to examine the temporal dynamics of these properties and processes in the San Francisco Bay estuary.

This volume contains the papers and abstracts of the posters given at the symposium on Long-term Changes in Coastal Benthic Communities organized by the Commission of the European Communities in Brussels, Belgium from 9 till 12 December 1985. The organization of this symposium came to conclude five years of activities in the COST 647 project on Coastal Benthic Ecology, the rationale of which is explained in the foreword by B. F. Keegan. The importance of this volume is that for the first time special attention is given to long-term data series of relevant biological variables collected in different marine benthic habitats. Many of the data presented here are the result of years of careful data collection by some of the leading scientists in the field of benthic ecology. Some of the series, such as the Macoma balthica data from the Wadden Sea or the macrofauna data from Loch Linnhe, to name just those two, are already classics in the marine biological literature. Other data were collected in the framework of a monitoring programme and are now analyzed for the first time in the different perspective of the COST 647 project. Several papers are from related fields where they represent well known case studies; they were chosen in order to see how problems have been tackled elsewhere.

During the last few years, lake acidification has become a topic of international interest because of the detrimental effects of this problem on lake ecosystems. The stratigraphic record of diatoms and other paleoindicators in lake sediments has been used increasingly to document past limnological conditions. Because many diatom taxa are sensitive indicators of lakewater pH, this approach is especially useful in assessing impacts of atmospheric pollutants and watershed land use on lake pH. The idea that a book be prepared on this subject originated at a workshop entitled 'Reconstructing pH from sedimentary diatom remains - recent insights and update on methods' organized by R.B. Davis and held at the XXII Congress of the International Association of Limnology at Lyon, France in August 1983. At this workshop, presentations were made by many of the authors in this volume. The rapid progress in this field was evident when a second workshop, this time organized by R.W. Battarbee and R.J. Flower, was held one year later at the VII International Symposium on Diatoms at Paris, France. Many individuals helped with the preparation of this volume, most notable were our referees, who thoughtfully reviewed the manuscripts and suggested many improvements. I would also like to thank my colleagues at Queen's University who helped in innumerable ways over the last two years. A special word of gratitude is due to Dr. M.M. Boucherle, Dr. S.R. Brown, Ms. T.C. Oliver, and Mr. P.R. Leavitt. J.

This volume presents selected contributions given to the 38th European Marine Biology Symposium, held in Aveiro, Portugal, in September 2003. Understanding the functioning of marine ecosystems is the first step towards measuring and predicting the influence of Man, and to find solutions for the enormous array of problems we face today. This volume is organised according to the four subthemes of the symposium and to issues commonly perceived as relevant by scientists concerned with the study, protection and management of Marine Biodiversity: patterns and processes, assessment, threats and management and conservation. The 32 papers that make up this book represent current research and concerns about Marine Biodiversity in Europe, and will have wide appeal to all those interested in understanding and preserving the marine ecosystems of the world's oceans.

Handbook of Methods in Aquatic Microbial Ecology is the first comprehensive compilation of 85 fundamental methods in modern aquatic microbial ecology. Each method is presented in a detailed, step-by-step format that allows readers to adopt new methods with little difficulty. The methods represent the state of the art, and many have become standard procedures in microbial research and environmental assessment. The book also presents practical advice on how to apply the methods. It will be an indispensable reference for marine and freshwater research laboratories, environmental assessment laboratories, and industrial research labs concerned with microbial measurements in water.

This book shows how the biological transport, bioaccumulation, disposition, and toxicity of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAH) in the aquatic environment are influenced by the ability or inability of organisms to metabolize these environmental pollutants. Written by leading scientists in the fields of PAH metabolism and toxicity in both aquatic and mammalian systems, this book discusses recent advances in the areas of PAH biogeochemistry and bioaccumulation, microbial degradation, enzymes of activation, and detoxication, metabolism of PAH, and laboratory and field studies on carcinogenic/toxic effects. Additionally, important similarities and differences in metabolism of PAH by aquatic and terrestrial organisms are featured. The discussion of bioavailability, metabolism, and subsequent toxic effects should aid in the assessment of the ecological consequences of PAH in the aquatic environment.

Ecology and Morphology of Copepods is organized under the following general topics: Behavior, Feeding, Genetics, Horizontal Variations, Morphology, Phylogeny, Reproduction, Seasonal Changes, Vertical Distribution, plus two special sessions on copepods of the genus Acartia and cyclopid/mosquito interactions. The Maxilliped Lecture, given by Dr. Arthur G. Humes of Boston University, clearly established the importance of copepods to the earth's organic diversity. The book consists of selected research articles from the different sections. The articles published here reflect the diverse research interests of copepodologists today, and are distinguished by their high quality. Their impact will ensure that this volume is consulted by a wide range of research biologists.

The world's oceans cover 70% of the earth's surface and are home to a myriad of amazing and beautiful creatures. However, the biodiversity of the oceans is incre- ingly coming under serious threat from many human activities including overfi- ing, use of destructive fishing methods, pollution and commercial aquaculture. In addition, climate change is already having an impact on some marine ecosystems. This book discusses some of the major threats facing marine ecosystems by cons- ering a range of topics, under chapters discussing biodiversity (Chapter 1), fisheries (Chapter 2), aquaculture (Chapter 3), pollution (Chapter 4) and the impacts of increasing greenhouse gas emissions (Chapter 5). It goes on to explore solutions to the problems by discussing equitable and sustainable management of the oceans (Chapter 6) and protecting marine ecosystems using marine reserves (Chapter 7). Presently, 76% of the oceans are fully or over-exploited with respect to fishing, and many species have been severely depleted. It is abundantly clear that, in general, current fisheries management regimes are to blame for much of the widespread degradation of the oceans. Many policy-makers and scientists now agree that we must adopt a radical new approach to managing the seas - one that is precautionary in nature and has protection of the whole marine ecosystem as its primary objective. This 'ecosystem-based approach' is vital if we are to ensure the health of our oceans for future generations.

Ecotones, or boundary zones between land and inland waters (such as lakes, streams and rivers), are the principal routes for transport of organic matter and nutrients across landscapes via physical and biological vectors. The ecotone is the place of cumulation and transformation of in situ production as well as of allochthonous material from adjacent aquatic and terrestrial systems. The ecotype functions as an important barrier or filter for principal nutrients, such as phosphorus and nitrogen, responsible for the eutrophication and degradation of surface waters. Intensive forest cutting, agriculture, pollution and bank regulation, urbanization and hydrotechnical constructions seriously endanger the ecotone systems and damage their protective function. It is vital to develop a scientific understanding of the behaviour of phosphorus and nitrogen in these transitional boundary habitats. Such an understanding is important for the rational protection, management and restoration of ecotones connected with lakes and rivers. The importance of nutrient cycling and retention is discussed from the point of view of ecotone function, management and reconstruction in order to sustain its protective role for water bodies. Various types of land/water transitory zones are discussed: wetlands, lake littoral systems, riparian zones of rivers, streams and brooks, the contact zones between groundwater and surface waters of lakes and rivers, air--water interfaces, and patch/ecotone structures in watersheds.

Tidal salt marshes are viewed as critical habitats for the production of fish and shellfish. As a result, considerable legislation has been promulgated to conserve and protect these habitats, and much of it is in effect today. The relatively young science of ecological engineering has also emerged, and there are now attempts to reverse centuries-old losses by encouraging sound wetland restoration practices. Today, tens of thousands of hectares of degraded or isolated coastal wetlands are being restored worldwide. Whether restored wetlands reach functional equivalency to natural' systems is a subject of heated debate. Equally debatable is the paradigm that depicts tidal salt marshes as the great engine' that drives much of the secondary production in coastal waters. This view was questioned in the early 1980s by investigators who noted that total carbon export, on the order of 100 to 200 g m-2 y-1 was of much lower magnitude than originally thought. These authors also recognized that some marshes were either net importers of carbon, or showed no net exchange. Thus, the notion of outwelling' has become but a single element in an evolving view of marsh function and the link between primary and secondary production. The revisionist' movement was launched in 1979 when stable isotopic ratios of macrophytes and animal tissues were found to be mismatched'. Some eighteen years later, the view of marsh function is still undergoing additional modification, and we are slowly unraveling the complexities of biogeochemical cycles, nutrient exchange, and the links between primary producers and the marsh/estuary fauna. Yet, since Teal's seminal paper nearly forty years ago, we are not much closer tounderstanding how marshes work. If anything, we have learned that the story is far more complicated than originally thought. Despite more than four decades of intense research, we do not yet know how salt marshes function as essential habitat, nor do we know the relative contributions to secondary production, both in situ or in the open waters of the estuary. The theme of this Symposium was to review the status of salt marsh research and revisit the existing paradigm(s) for salt marsh function. Challenge questions were designed to meet the controversy head on: Do marshes support the production of marine transient species? If so, how? Are any of these species marsh obligates? How much of the production takes place in situ versus in open waters of the estuary/coastal zone? Sessions were devoted to reviews of landmark studies, or current findings that advance our knowledge of salt marsh function. A day was also devoted to ecological engineering and wetland restoration papers addressing state-of-the-art methodology and specific case histories. Several challenge papers arguing for and against our ability to restore functional salt marshes led off each session. This volume is intended to serve as a synthesis of our current understanding of the ecological role of salt marshes, and will, it is hoped, pave the way for a new generation of research.

The Second International Conference on the Effects of Noise on Aquatic Life will take place in Ireland August 15-20, 2010. The main emphasis of the conference will be on defining the current state of knowledge. However, we will also assess progress in the three years since the First conference. The Second conference will place strong emphasis on recent research results, the sharing of ideas, discussion of experimental approaches, and analysis of regulatory issues.