This collection of essays is devoted to algae that are unexpectedly found in harsh habitats. The authors explain how these algae thrive in various temperature ranges, extreme pH values, salt solutions, UV radiation, dryness, heavy metals, anaerobic niches, various levels of illumination, and hydrostatic pressure. Not only do the essays provide clues about life on the edges of the Earth, but possibly elsewhere in the universe as well.

Handbook of Algal Science, Microbiology, Technology and Medicine provides a concise introduction to the science, biology, technology and medical use of algae that is structured on the major research fronts of the last four decades, such as algal structures and properties, algal biomedicine, algal genomics, algal toxicology, and algal bioremediation, algal photosystems, algal ecology, algal bioenergy and biofuels. It also covers algal production for biomedicine, algal biomaterials, and algal medicinal foods within these primary sections. All chapters are authored by the leading researchers in their respective research fields. Our society currently faces insurmountable challenges in the areas of biomedicine and energy in the face of increasing global population and diminishing natural resources as well as the growing environmental and economic concerns, such as global warming, greenhouse gas emissions and climate change. Algae offer a way to deal with these challenges and concerns for both sustainable and environment friendly bioenergy production and in biomedicine through the development of crucial biotechnology.

This volume contains the lectures and seminars given at the NATO Advanced Study Institute on "Sensor Systems for Biological Threads: The Algal Toxins Case," held in Pisa, Italy in October, 2007. The Institute was sponsored and funded by the Scientific Affairs Division of NATO. It is my pleasant duty to thank this institution. This ASI offered updated information on how far the research on algal toxins has gone in the exploration of structures, biosynthesis and regulation of toxins, and the development of technology for bio-monitoring these c- pounds. Algae can form heavy growths in ponds, lakes, reservoirs and sl- moving rivers throughout the world; algae can house toxins which are - ually released into water when the cells rupture or die. Hundreds of toxins have been identified so far. Detection methods, including rapid screening, have been developed to help us learning more about them, especially to find out which toxins are a real threat for people and what conditions encourage their production and accumulation. Early detection of algal toxins is an - portant aspect for public safety and natural environment, and significant efforts are underway to develop effective and reliable tools that can be used for this purpose.

Owing to their importance as primary producers of energy and nutrition, algae and cyanobacteria are found as symbiotic partners across diverse lineages of prokaryotic and eukaryotic kingdoms.Algal and Cyanobacteria Symbioses presents a compilation of recent, updated research in fields of diverse symbioses, including in marine, freshwater, and terrestrial habitats. It gives a comprehensive overview of algal and cyanobacteria symbioses, including reviews on their diversity and information on symbiotic specificity and stress tolerance. Also covered is a review of regulatory mechanisms in the communication between symbiotic partners.The highly interdisciplinary character of this book is demonstrated through the range of algae and cyanobacteria as energy-providing symbionts in organismal lineages which are discussed. It is a valuable source of knowledge for researchers, university lecturers, professors and students of biology and life sciences, specifically biochemistry, mycology, cell biology and plant-microbe interactions.

This handbook is devoted to the mass production of microalgae, and in my part, is based on some 10 years of experience in growing and studying microalgal cultures maintained at high polulation densities under laboratory conditions and in outdoor ponds

Nanomaterials in Plants, Algae and Microorganisms: Concepts and Controversies: Volume One discusses the vast amount of nanomaterials that have been released into the environment in a relatively short amount of time. There is a need to understand what the implications to the health of our biota and ecosystems are as the earth is increasingly inundated with these materials. Not all of the effects are negative, but their impacts are increasing exponentially due to their size, quantity and other factors.

Identifying Marine Phytoplankton is an accurate and authoritative guide to the identification of marine diatoms and dinoflagellates, meant to be used with tools as simple as a light microscope. The book compiles the latest taxonomic names, an extensive bibliography (referencing historical as well as up-to-date literature), synthesis and criteria in one indispensable source. Techniques for preparing samples and containing are included as well as hundreds of detailed, helpful information. Identifying Marine Phytoplankton is a combined paperback edition made available by popular demand of two influential books published earlier--Marine Phytoplankton and Identifying Marine Diatoms and Dinoflagellates.
Key Features
* Contains hundreds of illustrations showing critical characteristics necessary for proper identification, plus keys and other guides
* Provides up-to-date taxonomic revisions
* Includes species from around the world
* Updates synthesis of modern and historical literature presented by active researchers in the field
* Compiles literature from around the world into one handy source

Microalgae are a diverse set of eukaryotic photosynthetic organisms with great potential for being used to produce various high-value molecules. Using synthetic biology to manipulate and control the metabolic processes of microalgae, scientists hope to find economical and sustainable alternatives for commercial production of high value biochemicals and other metabolites for diverse applications. Highlighting the immense potential of microalgae as a renewable and sustainable source of commercially important, high-value biomolecules, this book covers the recent advances in the resources, tools, and techniques used for genetic engineering of microalgae. Also discussed are the legislative challenges associated with genetically engineered microalgae, their derived products and their uses, as well as socio-economic and environmental acceptance. Written to be accessible to a wide audience, this book will be a useful reference to students and researchers from both academia and industry, as well as policy makers, for understanding the current status, trends and future possibilities of using microalgae for biotechnological applications.

In 1974, John R. Vallentyne predicted that by the year 2000 we would be living in an environmental disaster he called the Algal Bowl. Just as the Dust Bowl of the 1930s was created by misusing western farmland, he forecast that the continuing miuse of lakes could only lead to water degradation. In the first edition of The Algal Bowl: Lakes and Man, he explained how the biology of lakes is changed by an overload of nutrients - a process known as eutrophication. Vallentyne demonstrated that human activity was the primary cause of eutrophicationand therefore responsible for the explosive growth of algae. His efforts helped move policy makers in North America to action regarding the dangers of phosphates in fresh water. Witnessing the escalation of eutrophication, Vallentyne invited his colleague, David W. Schindler, to substantially revise this groundbreaking book. Along with updates to the scientific data, Schindler added five chapters of new research, including the effect of eutrophication on ocean estuaries. Two of North America's leading water scientists joined forces to explain the science and strategies that are essential to understanding and protecting whole water systems from eutrophication and massive algae blooms. Scientists, opinion leaders, policy makers, and concerned citizens will find this fully revised and expanded second edition an unambiguous diagnosis and prescription for change.

The flagellates are a diverse assemblage of organisms unified by the so-called "flagellate condition". They are ubiquitous and may be, for example, free-living and autotrophic or heterotrophic; symbiotic or parasitic; and aerobic or anaerobic. They are of great phylogenetic significance since, on one hand, some of their representatives are among the most primitive eukaryotes living and, on the other, they are ancestral to animals and plants. The aim of this book is to present a multidisciplinary view of the flagellates exploring both their unity, in terms of their structure, mechanisms and processes, and their diversity in terms of biogeography, niche colonization, and adaptations to their environment. In addition, evolutionary relationships amongst flagellates are explored.

This book is concerned with the most devastating fungal diseases in history. These are the plagues of trees and crop plants, caused by invisible spores that have reshaped entire landscapes and decimated human populations. The Triumph of the Fungi focuses on the fascinating biology of the well- and lesser-known diseases, and also tells the stories of the scientists involved in their study, and of the people directly impacted by the loss of forest trees like the chestnut, and cash crops such as coffee and cacao. In a surprisingly brief time, human knowledge of the fungi that infect plants has evolved from Biblical superstition, to the recognition of the true nature of plant disease, and, more recently, to a sense of awe for the sophistication of these microbes. The crucial issue of human culpability in these fungal epidemics is addressed in the books closing chapter.

Seaweeds around the World: State of Art and Perspectives, Volume 95, includes discussions on current research conducted in the field of algae. Specific chapters cover Isotopic Labeling of Cultured Macroalgae and Isolation of 13C-labeled Cell Wall Polysaccharides for Trophic Investigations, Selected Red Seaweeds from the Philippines with Emerging High-Value Applications, Challenges to the Future Domestication of Seaweed Cultivated Species: Understanding Individual Needs and Physiological Processes for Large-Scale Production, The Importance of Mucilage in Dispersion and Efficiency of Fertilization of Male Gametes, The Application of Seaweeds in Environmental Biotechnology, Indonesian Sargassum Species Prospecting: Potential Applications of Bioactive Compounds, and much more.

Acting as titans in global control of the biosphere and colonizing virtually all corners of the earth, algae, extremely diverse and numerous oxygenic, photosynthetic organisms, can be major players in and drivers of environmental change. For hundreds of years, since their evolutionary origins by endosymbiosis, when a protozoan enslaved a cyanobacterium, fascinated scientists strove to uncover the mysteries of their diversity, interactions, taxonomy, and classification. Today, new molecular tools and technologies like chromatography and genetic fingerprinting reveal the innermost secrets of algal ancestry and phylogeny and open new possibilities to answering age-old questions.

Unravelling the algae: the past, present, and future of algal systematics brings together the most respected minds in the field to review the state-of-the-science and assess the impact of molecular tools on the taxonomy of algal groups. Emphasizing that a range of traditional and molecular approaches are required, along with other techniques such as transmission electron microscopy, to support full interpretation of the data, the book discusses the extent to which these tools broaden our understanding of the immense diversity of algae and revolutionize ideas of taxonomy and classification. Divided into three parts, the book introduces the very latest ideas on the evolution of algae and the concept of classification and illustrates contrasting viewpoints. The second section addresses systematics and covers virtually all algal groups ranging from microalgae to ultraplankton with individual chapters devoted to each. The final section explores the impact of genomics on algal systematics and concludes with adiscussion of future directions for research.

As the most up-to-date, authoritative source for classifying algae, this bookprovides unparalleled access to the encyclopedic information revealed by the use of the latest in molecular tools.

Algal Culturing Techniques is a comprehensive reference on all aspects of the isolation and cultivation of marine and freshwater algae, including seaweeds. It is divided into seven parts that cover history, media preparation, isolation and purification techniques, mass culturing techniques, cell counting and growth measurement techniques, and reviews on topics and applications of algal culture techniques for environmental investigations.
Algal Culturing Techniques was developed to serve as both a new textbook and key reference for phycologists and others studying aquatic systems, aquaculture and environmental sciences. Students of algal ecology, marine botany, marine phycology, and microbial ecology will enjoy the hands-on methodology for culturing a variety of algae from fresh and marine waters. Researchers in industry, such as aquaculture, pharmaceutical, foodstuffs, and biotechnology companies will find an authoritative and comprehensive reference.

* Sponsored by the Phycological Society of America
* Features color photographs and illustrations throughout
* Describes culturing methods ranging from the test tube to outdoor ponds and coastal seaweed farms
* Details isolation techniques ranging from traditional micropipette to automated flow cytometeric methods
* Includes purification, growth, maintenance, and cryopreservation techniques
* Highlights methods for estimating algal populations, growth rates, isolating and measuring algal pigments, and detecting and culturing algal viruses
* Features a comprehensive appendix of nearly 50 algal culture medium recipes
* Includes a glossary of phycological terms

Harmful Algal Blooms: A Compendium Desk Reference erlautert die Grundlagen der schadlichen Algenblute (HAB) und bietet die notwendigen technischen Informationen, wenn es um unerwartete oder unbekannte schadliche Ereignisse in Zusammenhang mit Algen geht. Dieses Fachbuch behandelt die Grunde fur die schadliche Algenblute, erfolgreiche Management- und Monitoring-Programme, Kontroll-, Praventions- und Minderungsstrategien, die wirtschaftlichen Folgen, Gesundheitsrisiken sowie die Folgen fur die Nahrungskette und OEkosysteme. Daruber hinaus bietet es ausfuhrliche Informationen zu den haufigsten HAB-Arten. Harmful Algal Blooms: A Compendium Desk Reference ist ein unschatzbares Referenzwerk fur Manager, Einsteiger in das Fachgebiet, Praktiker mit eingeschrankten Zugang zu wissenschaftlicher Literatur und alle, die schnell Zugriff auf Informationen benoetigen, insbesondere vor dem Hintergrund neuartiger oder unerwarteter HAB-Ereignisse. Die drei Herausgeber gehoeren zu den weltweit fuhrenden Forschern auf dem Fachgebiet. Fuhrende Experten haben ebenfalls zu diesem Fachbuch beigetragen, das sich zu einem wichtigen Referenzwerk des Fachgebiets entwickeln wird, zumal das Thema immer mehr an Bedeutung gewinnt.

Building on the success of the first edition and featuring contributions from leading experts in the field, this expanded and thoroughly revised second edition provides an indispensable guide to the freshwater and terrestrial algae of the British Isles. It is an up-to-date account of and identification tool for more than 2400 algal species (excluding diatoms), highlighting their wider distribution around the world. Detailed descriptions are fully illustrated with clear line drawings and photographs including 190 full-page plates, eight of which are full colour. In addition, user-friendly keys enable the accurate identification of specimens to the level of genus and species. This edition includes expanded information on ecology and the implications of recent molecular research, along with coverage of 200 extra species. The accompanying online material provides a colour photo catalogue, highly illustrated articles and video clips, making this the comprehensive reference tool for both researchers and professionals in the field.

A fully revised and completely redesigned edition of the first photographic identification guide to New Zealand's unique marine algae, by the country's pre-eminent seaweed expert Wendy Nelson. Across three main sections covering green, brown and red algae, over 150 genera and 250 key species are described. Each species entry includes up-to-date information on nomenclature, type locality, morphology, habitat, distribution and notes on identification and key characteristics. New Zealand Seaweeds: An Illustrated Guide has over 500 illustrations, with each entry illustrated by either underwater or coastal photographs and supplemented by herbarium scans, microscopic photographs or reproductions of celebrated botanical artist Nancy Adams' paintings.

Say 'algae' and most people think of pond scum. What they don't know is that without algae, none of us would exist.; There are as many algae on earth as stars in the universe, and they have been essential to life on our planet for aeons. Algae created our oxygen-rich atmosphere, abundant oceans and coral reefs. Crude oil is made of dead algae, and algae are the ancestors of all plants.; Today, seaweed production is a multi-billion-dollar industry, with algae hard at work to make your sushi, beer, paint, toothpaste, shampoo and so much more. Delving into science and history, in this revelatory book Ruth Kassinger takes readers on an around-the-world, behind-the-scenes, and into-the-kitchen tour. We'll meet the algae innovators working towards a sustainable future: from seaweed farmers in South Korea, to scientists using it to clean the dead zones in our waterways, to the entrepreneurs fighting to bring algae fuel and plastics to market.; Bloom will overturn everything you thought you knew about algae and the immense power that they hold. This could be the future of our rapidly changing world.

This Microbiology Monographs volume covers the current and most recent advances in genomics and genetics, biochemistry, physiology, and molecular biology of C. reinhardtii. Expert international scientists contribute with reviews on the genome, post-genomic techniques, the genetic toolbox development as well as new insights in regulation of photosynthesis and acclimation strategies towards environmental stresses and other structural and genetic aspects, including applicable aspects in biotechnology and biomedicine. Advancement in Chlamydomonas biology allowed new understandings in biotechnological and biomedical related aspects.

This book presents a wide range of tested and proven protocols relevant to a number of fields within biotechnology used in laboratory experiments in everyday phycological (seaweed) research. A major focus will be on bioenergy related aspects of this emerging technology. These protocols will be written in a clear and concise manner using simple language permitting even nonspecialist to adequately understand the significance of this research. It will also contain all necesssary notes and guidelines for successful execution of these experiments.

The book , 'An Introduction to Phytoplanktons - Diversity and Ecology' is very useful as it covers wide aspects of phytoplankton study including the general idea about cyanobacteria and algal kingdom. It contains different topics related to very basic idea of phytoplanktons such as, types ,taxonomic description and the key for identification etc. Together with it, very modern aspects of phytoplankton study including different methodologies needed for research students of botany, ecology, limnology and environmental biology are also included. The first chapter is very basic and informative and describes algal and phytoplankton classification, algal pigments, algal bloom and their control, algal toxins, wetlands algae, ecological significance of phytoplanktons etc. A general key for identification of common phytoplankton genera is also included for students who will be able to identify these genera based on the light microscopic characters. In Chapters 2-4, different aspects of phytoplankton research like primary productivity, community pattern analysis and their ecological parameter analysis have been discussed with detailed procedures. Statistical analysis is also discussed in detail. Chapter 5 includes case studies related to review, phytoplankton diversity and dynamics.

In this thesis, Matthias Heydt applies digital in-line holography to achieve for the first time a complete three dimensional and real time motion analysis of Ulva zoospores, both in solution and in the vicinity of different surfaces. These results provide previously unknown information about the behavior and mechanism spores use to select a suitable site for settlement. This work gives deeper insight into biofouling algae and stimulates new design strategies for antifouling coatings. Furthermore, the tracking system developed during this research could be used as a new system for assessing the antifouling performance on different surfaces at very early points in time, allowing disentanglement of surface conditioning and interaction of spores with pristine chemistries.

The Saccharinae clade of the Poaceae (grass) family of flowering plants includes several important crops with a rich history of contributions to humanity and the promise of still-greater contributions, as a result of some of the highest biomass productivity levels known, resilience to drought and other environmental challenges that are likely to increase, amenability to production systems that may mitigate or even reverse losses of ecological capital such as topsoil erosion, and the recent blossoming of sorghum as a botanical and genomic model for the clade. In Genomics of the Saccharinae, advances of the past decade and earlier are summarized and synthesized to elucidate the current state of knowledge of the structure, function, and evolution of the Sorghum, Saccharum, and Miscanthus genera, and progress in the application of this knowledge to crop improvement. As a backdrop, it is important to understand the naturally occurring diversity in each genus, its organization and distribution, and its evolutionary history. Genomic tools and methods for Saccharinae biology and improvement have improved dramatically in the past few years - a detailed summary of these tools and their applications is a central element of this book. Application of genomic tools to priorities in crop improvement, including understanding and manipulating plant growth and development, composition, and defense, as well as increasing the quality and productivity of seed/grain, sugar, biomass, and other value-added products under a range of conditions and inputs, are addressed. In particular, as the first native African crop to emerge as a genomic model, sorghum offers an excellent case study of challenges and opportunities in linking new advances in biosciences to solving some of Africa's major agricultural problems. Several members of the clade, exemplified by Sorghum halepense (Johnsongrass) offer insights into weediness and invasion biology. The first sequence for a member of the clade, sorghum, as well as progress and challenges toward sequencing of additional members and the new opportunities that this will create, are also explored. Indeed, the very complexities that have hindered study of some clade members also offer intriguing opportunities to gain insight into fundamental questions such as roles of polyploidy in agricultural productivity and post-polyploidy evolution.

Diatom biology, genomics and ecology are becoming more relevant to the human species. While there have been recent compilations of some of the applied aspects of diatoms, and the dizzying pace of taxonomic revisions, this new volume bring us up to date on their classification, biology and ecology, as well as covering the topics of genomics and applied uses. In this collection, some of the leaders in diatom research present either new information or summarize recent research efforts on a wide range of topics, including the tree of life of diatoms, their classifications, the wide habitats and ecological spectra the group exploits, as well as the beauty of their form. This volume celebrates the diversity, emerging areas of research and fascinating ecology of the diatoms bringing this group of world-renown and emerging research leaders together. 'The Diatom World' will foster greater appreciation and research contributions on this incredibly diverse and fascinating group of organisms.

The algae are a diverse group of organisms with forms that range in size from less than a micron in diameter to over ten meters in length. Small " 1 JLm diam) unicellular forms dominate the open waters of the oceans and large lakes. Large multicellular forms often form a large component of the autotrophic biomass of shallow waters at the periphery of lakes and oceans but have also been found on seamounts in clear open ocean waters at depths up to several hundred meters (Littler and Littler, 1985). Phytoplankton in the sea probably account for more than 50% of global photosynthesis, although there is considerable uncertainty about this estimate. In addition, many symbiotic associations between unicellu- lar algae and heterotrophic or autotrophic organisms have been identi- fied, and algae can be found in a diverse range of terrestrial environ- ments, ranging from polar to desert regions. The most important common biochemical attribute that unites the algae is their ability to split water, producing molecular oxygen during photosynthesis and concomi- tantly assimilating carbon dioxide. This attribute is shared with the terres- trial plants, cyanobacteria and chloroxybacteria. Although vascular plants are excluded from this review, we employ a broad definition of algae that includes the photosynthetic, oxygenic procaryotes. Measurements of gas exchange are fundamental to most biochemical, physiological and ecological investigations of the algae.