|
Showing 1 - 1 of
1 matches in All Departments
This book presents the latest topics in ecological and evolutionary
research on aquatic biodiversity from bacteria to fishes, with
special reference to Lake Biwa, an ancient lake in western Japan.
With a geological history of 4 million years, Lake Biwa is the
third oldest lake in the world. It is considered a biodiversity
hotspot, where 1,769 aquatic species including 61 endemics are
recorded, providing a rare opportunity to study the evolutionary
diversification of aquatic biota and its ecological consequences.
The first chapter introduces the evolutionary history of
biodiversity, especially of fish in this lake. In the second
chapter, some examples of trophic polymorphism in fish are
described. Fish are keystone predators in lake ecosystems, and they
can be a major driver for altering biological communities through
their top-down trophic cascading effects. An excellent laboratory
experiment is presented, demonstrating that functional diversity of
fish feeding morphology alters food web properties of plankton prey
communities. The third chapter focuses on aquatic microbes, whose
abundance and diversity may also be influenced by the diversity of
fish through top-down trophic cascades. Aquatic microbes can have a
strong impact on ecosystem functioning in lakes, and in this
chapter, the latest molecular techniques used to examine genetic
and functional diversity of microbial communities are introduced.
The final chapter presents theoretical frameworks for predicting
how biodiversity has the potential to control the incidence and
intensity of human-induced regime shifts. While respecting the
precious nature of biodiversity in lakes, it is essential to be
aware that modern human activities have brought a crisis of
biodiversity loss in lakes worldwide. Throughout this book, readers
will learn why biodiversity must be conserved at all levels, from
genes to ecosystems.
|
You may like...
Gloria
Sam Smith
CD
R238
R195
Discovery Miles 1 950
Loot
Nadine Gordimer
Paperback
(2)
R398
R330
Discovery Miles 3 300
|
Email address subscribed successfully.
A activation email has been sent to you.
Please click the link in that email to activate your subscription.