Collected in this special volume are 36 invited and contributed papers first presented at the Second Asian Pacific Phycological Forum held at the Chinese University of Hong Kong at the turn of the century. These papers were subsequently updated to bring to fore the latest development in algal research in the Asian Pacific Region. This volume, thus, provides one of the most comprehensive pictures of advances in algal research in this part of the world.

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.

"Read this book and you will learn how photosynthesis was discovered, how it works, and how we can produce more food to feed the world." - PAUL NURSE, Nobel Prize winner and author of What is Life? In Light to Life, biologist Raffael Jovine takes us on a journey of discovery into the intricate, beautiful and often surprising processes that convert energy from the sun into life and how all-important these are to our survival. Despite the unprecedented challenges the Earth faces from global warming, habitat loss, air pollution and population growth; Jovine shows us that there is hope to be found. Photosynthesis is the very source of life: it has the power not just to produce food, but to reshape continents, drive biogeochemical cycles, stabilise the climate and regulate weather. In this exciting, revelatory book, Jovine unveils a blueprint for the future: greening the desert, bringing the ocean on land, planting mangrove forests and oyster banks, growing algae for animal feed, human food and soil carbon... He demonstrates how by harnessing photosynthesis we can regenerate the planet and revise the way we human beings interact with it. This book will help you to see the world in a different way, in all its wonderful detail - through the photosynthetic pigments in your eyes.

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.

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.

Originally published in 1946, this book presents an account of the practical conclusions reached by the author during many years of experimentation with algae, drawing attention to the possibilities opened up by algae cultures. The text provides a guide to the methodology behind growing algae and the treatment and utilization of cultures. References are also included. This book will be of value to anyone with an interest in algae and the history of science.

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.

This much revised and expanded edition provides a valuable and detailed summary of the many uses of diatoms in a wide range of applications in the environmental and earth sciences. Particular emphasis is placed on the use of diatoms in analysing ecological problems related to climate change, acidification, eutrophication, and other pollution issues. The chapters are divided into sections for easy reference, with separate sections covering indicators in different aquatic environments. A final section explores diatom use in other fields of study such as forensics, oil and gas exploration, nanotechnology, and archaeology. Sixteen new chapters have been added since the first edition, including introductory chapters on diatom biology and the numerical approaches used by diatomists. The extensive glossary has also been expanded and now includes over 1,000 detailed entries, which will help non-specialists to use the book effectively.

Originally published in 1941, this book was written to provide an elementary textbook on phycology suitable for university students and schools including visits to marine biological stations as part of their curriculum. Relatively few types are selected from each algae group; some are described in considerable detail whilst others are mentioned to illustrate the course of development in either the vegetative or reproductive organs. Illustrative figures are included throughout. This book will be of value to anyone with an interest in phycology and the history of science.

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.

In the past fifteen years, research on the red algae has greatly advanced and diversified; new technologies have extended the range of questions being studied and have yielded findings that would have been previously unobtainable. The first comprehensive monograph concerning the rhodophyta in over fifteen years, this volume presents an authoritative review on the current state of knowledge on the biology of the red algae. The eighteen chapters range from molecular and cellular to biochemical, physiological, organismal and ecological aspects of this important group of algae. This is a much needed reference text for students, researchers and teachers concerned with aquatic biology, phycology, limnology, oceanography and plant evolution.

George Stephen West (1876 1919) was a prominent British botanist specialising in freshwater algae. In 1906 he became a lecturer in botany at the University of Birmingham and was later appointed the Mason Professor of Botany. This volume was first published in 1916 as the first of the Cambridge Botanical Handbooks series and provides a description of both marine and freshwater algae in the Myxophyceae, Peridinieae, Bacillarieae and Chlorophyceae classes. West describes the habitat, biological conditions, distribution, internal and external structures and life history of these algae in great detail, with a bibliography concluding each chapter. The book provided the first detailed description of the Myxophyceae (or blue-green) class of algae, and provides an insight into knowledge and classification of algae at the time of publication. A second volume containing a full taxonomic account of freshwater algae was planned, but not published owing to the author's death in 1919.

Chrysophytes are beautiful and delicate organisms living mostly in freshwater. They are pivotal for studies of protistan evolution, studies of food web dynamics in oligotrophic freshwater ecosystems, and for assessment of environmental degradation resulting from eutrophication and acid rain. They also represent excellent model cellular systems for studying processes inherent in basic metabolism, biomineralization, endo- and exocytosis and macro-assembly of cell surface layers. This book gives a broad overview of chrysophytes and contains chapters by leading experts organized under the themes of phylogeny, systematics and evolution; development, physiology, and nutrition; and ecology, paleoecology, and reproduction. The book contains major contributions towards a reorganization of chrysophyte systematics, plus comprehensive reviews of chrysophyte basic metabolism, biomineralization and siliceous scale deposition, ecology, paleoecology, and a history of chrysophyte research. Contributors present reviews of the literature in their particular area and also present ideas for future research.

This fourth volume of the Handbook of Phycological Methods, with its field-oriented perspective, is a comprehensive treatment of recently developed methodologies in the rapidly advancing field of marine benthic algal ecology. Both traditional and modern methods are presented along with the limitations of various projectspecific examples. References and discussions include how procedures may be adapted to suit different habitats, diverse algal systems, or other conditions. This book contains sufficient detail to be valuable to a wide audience, including both advanced and student researchers and educators throughout the academic and technical community.

Microalgae are an invaluable biomass source with potential uses that could lead to environmental and economic benefits for society. Biotechnological Applications of Microalgae: Biodiesel and Value Added Products presents the latest developments and recent research trends with a focus on potential biotechnologically related uses of microalgae. It gives an analysis of microalgal biology, ecology, biotechnology, and biofuel production capacity as well as a thorough discussion on the value added products that can be generated from diverse microalgae. The book provides a detailed discussion of microalgal strain selection for biodiesel production, a key factor in successful microalgal cultivation and generation of desired biofuel products. It also describes microalagal enumeration methods, harvesting and dewatering techniques, and the design, and the pros and cons, of the two most common methods for cultivation-open raceway ponds and photobioreactors. Chapters cover lipid extraction and identification, chemical and biological methods for transesterification of microalgal lipids, and procedures involved in life cycle analysis of microalgae. They also examine the importance of microalgal cultivation for climate change abatement through CO2 sequestration and microalgae involvement in phycoremediation of domestic and industrial wastewaters. The book concludes with a general discussion of microalgal biotechnology and its potential as a modern "green gold rush." The final chapter provides an overview of advanced techniques such as genetic engineering of microalgae to increase lipid yield. This book provides a one-stop benchmark reference on microalgal biotechnology, considering all aspects, from microalgal screening to production of biofuels and other value added products.

The contributors include some of the most eminent specialists in the field of phycology. This volume focuses on cytological and developmental methods, each method already has been applied successfully to algae, and practical examples are given.

The 1939-45 war forced the Allied countries to seek alternative sources of raw materials and, as in the First World War, attention was paid by all belligerents to the marine algae or seaweeds. These occur in considerable quantities in various parts of the world, and attempts to make use of this cheap and readily accessible, though not so readily harvestable, raw material have been made almost from time immemorial. Much of the work on the economic utilization of seaweeds has been published only in scientific journals and has never been collected within the compass of a single book. Tressler's work on The Marine Products of Commerce contains three useful chapters on this subject, whilst Sauvageau's book, Les utilisations des Algues Marines, is a mine of valuable information, especially as regards the use of seaweeds in France. Both these volumes are, however, somewhat out of date, Tressler's being published in 1923 and Sauvageau's in 1920. Furthermore there is no book wholly on this subject in the English language, and so the present volume has been undertaken in order to fill this gap. The opportunity has also been taken to incorporate the results of researches carried out since 1920. In certain aspects of the subject it will be found that considerable advances have been made, and in the present volume particular reference to such advances will be found in the chapters on agar and alginic acid.

Algae and Human Affairs provides the only current comprehensive survey of the major roles of algae in present and future human life. This detailed, up-to-date synthesis is divided into four sections. The first reviews the natural roles of algae as sources of oxygen, organic carbon compounds, and as bases of food-chains for higher trophic levels. The second group of chapters deals with the commercial and economic value of algae to industry, energy, waste treatment, and agriculture (i.e. algae as an important source of food and food additives, such as the carageenan used in dairy products). The third section discusses the detrimental, sometimes disastrous, effects of algae in the form of red-tide organisms, weeds, producers of freshwater toxins, and marine biofouling. The final section considers current applications and future potential of algae to industry, in general, and, in particular, to space exploration and genetic engineering.

Ralph A. LewiQand Lanna Cheng In physics, the discovery of new (more properly, hitherto undetected) particles has often resulted from a search: like the discovery of America, their existence had been postulated but their actual existence awaited confirmation. In biology, new discoveries are rarely made in this way. The existence of an alga like Prochloron, as a putative ancestor of chloro plasts, had been postulated, but in fact its discovery was a consequence of fortuitous events. Green algal symbionts in didemnid ascidians had been known for decades to a few marine zoologists who had worked in coral reef areas, but nobody had bothered much about them. When we happened to find them, under boulders on a seashore in Baja California, Mexico, where we were taking part in a student expedition, we didn't bother much either at first, though they worried us a little. With our portable microscope we could see no nuclei in the cells, which, according to the dogma accepted at the time, indicated that they were blue-green algae-yet they didn't look blue-green. They were leaf-green, like green algae and higher plants. We made desultory attempts to grow them in culture, in variously enriched seawater media, but failed. (This proved to be a frustrating experience, all too frequently repeated on subsequent expeditions. ) We collected enough for electron microscopy, though, and transmission electron microscopy (TEM) studies indicated that the cells were unequivocally prokaryotic."

Eilif Dahl, who died in 1993, had one of the most original and creative minds in plant geography. His approach went far beyond the description of distribution patterns and the establishment of correlations between distributions and particular climatic variables. His understanding of physiological mechanisms that influenced and controlled the observed distributional patterns was a key feature of his numerous ideas and hypotheses. He was also aware of the importance of history as an influence on present-day plant distribution, especially in arctic plants. In The Phytogeography of Northern Europe Dahl brings to bear his wide range of interests in physics, chemistry, geology, climatology, meteorology and mathematics, as well as plant ecology and plant systematics, to analyse and explain the distribution of individual plant taxa across north-western Europe. This book will stand as a testament to the ideas and inspiration of a fine scientist.

The central thesis of this book is that Volvox and its unicellular and colonial relatives provide a wholly unrivalled opportunity to explore the proximate and ultimate causes underlying the evolution, from unicellular ancestors, of multicellular organisms with fully differentiated cell types. A major portion of the book is devoted to reviewing what is known about the genetic, cellular and molecular basis of development in the most extensively studied species of Volvox: V. cateri, which exhibits a complete division of labour between mortal somatic cells and immortal germ cells. However, this topic has been put in context by first considering the ecological conditions and cytological preconditions that appear to have fostered the evolution of organisms of progressively increasing size and with progressively increasing tendency to produce terminally differentiated somatic cells. The book concludes by raising the question of whether the germensoma dichotomy may have evolved by similar or different genetic pathways in different species of Volvox. Biologists and phycologists interested in development, genetics and cellular evolution will find this a fascinating work.

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.

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 a discussion 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.

Microalgae are an invaluable biomass source with potential uses that could lead to environmental and economic benefits for society. Biotechnological Applications of Microalgae: Biodiesel and Value Added Products presents the latest developments and recent research trends with a focus on potential biotechnologically related uses of microalgae. It gives an analysis of microalgal biology, ecology, biotechnology, and biofuel production capacity as well as a thorough discussion on the value added products that can be generated from diverse microalgae. The book provides a detailed discussion of microalgal strain selection for biodiesel production, a key factor in successful microalgal cultivation and generation of desired biofuel products. It also describes microalagal enumeration methods, harvesting and dewatering techniques, and the design, and the pros and cons, of the two most common methods for cultivation-open raceway ponds and photobioreactors. Chapters cover lipid extraction and identification, chemical and biological methods for transesterification of microalgal lipids, and procedures involved in life cycle analysis of microalgae. They also examine the importance of microalgal cultivation for climate change abatement through CO2 sequestration and microalgae involvement in phycoremediation of domestic and industrial wastewaters. The book concludes with a general discussion of microalgal biotechnology and its potential as a modern "green gold rush." The final chapter provides an overview of advanced techniques such as genetic engineering of microalgae to increase lipid yield. This book provides a one-stop benchmark reference on microalgal biotechnology, considering all aspects, from microalgal screening to production of biofuels and other value added products.