This new edition of Fungal Associations focuses on mycorrhizas, lichens and fungal-bacterial symbioses. It has been completely revised, updated and expanded. Renowned experts present thorough reviews and discuss the most recent findings on molecular interactions between fungi and plants or bacteria that lead to morphological alterations and novel properties in the symbionts. New insights into the beneficial impact of fungal associations on ecosystem health are provided and documented with striking examples.

This book reflects the current knowledge and trends in the field of biosensors for environmental monitoring. Biosensors combine the power of microelectronics with the selectivity and sensitivity of biological components to detect individual substances or groups of substances in the environment. Biosensors can also be used for recognizing biological effects such as genotoxicity, immunotoxicity and endocrine responses. For this purpose, components of biological origin such as microorganisms, enzymes, receptors or specific nucleic acid sequences are applied for the recognition and combined with a transducer system to provide toxicologic or pharmacologic data within seconds. This approach is expected not only to provide a significant contribution to measurement technology but also a basis for competent political decisions.