The coastal and ocean ecosystem is a significant feature of our planet and provides a source of food for much of life on Earth. Millions of species have been, and are still being discovered in the world's oceans. Among these zooplankton serve as secondary producers and are significant as they form pelagic food links and act as indicators of water masses. They constitute the largest and most reliable source of protein for most of the ocean's fishes. As such, their absence or depletion often affects fishery. In many countries, the decline in fishery has been attributed to reduced plankton populations. Furthermore, trillions of tiny copepods produce countless faecal pellets contributing greatly to the marine snow and therefore accelerating the flow of nutrients and minerals from the surface waters to the seabed. They are phylogenetically highly successful groups in terms of phylogenetic age, number of living species and success of adaptive radiation. A study of the basic and applied aspects of zooplankton would provide an index of the fishery potential and applications, offering insights into ocean ecology to safeguard food supplies and livelihoods of the millions of people living in coastal areas. For this reason, we need to understand all the facets of zooplankton as well as their interactions with atmosphere and other life forms, including human. In this context, this book discusses the basic and applied aspects of zooplankton, especially taxonomy, mosquitocidal activity, culture, analysis of nutritional, pigments and enzyme profile, preservation of copepods eggs, bioenrichment of zooplankton and application of zooplankton in sustainable aquaculture production, focusing on novel biofloc-copefloc technologies, and the impact of acidification and microplastics on zooplankton. Offering a comprehensive overview of the current issues and developments in the field of environmental and commercial applications, this book is a valuable resource for researchers, aquaculturists, environmental mangers wanting to understand the importance of zooplankton and develop technologies for the sustainable production of fish and other commodities to provide food and livelihoods for mankind.

This book compiles the latest findings in the field of marine and brackishwater aquaculture. It covers significant topics such as techniques of culture of live feeds (microalgae, rotifer, Artemia, marine copepod & polychaetes), while also highlighting vital themes like the culture and applications of free and marine sponge associated microbial probiotics, controlled breeding, seed production and culture of commercially important fin and shell fishes. Moreover, the book focuses on the breeding and culture of marine ornamental fishes, sea cucumber and sea urchin and discusses seaweeds culture, aqua feed formulation and nutrition, water quality management in hatchery and grow-out culture systems, fish disease diagnosis and health management and cryopreservation of fish gametes for sustainable aquaculture practices, all from a multidimensional perspective. The global fish production was 154 million tonnes in 2011 which more or less consisted of capture and culture fisheries (FAO, 2012). Roughly 80% of this is from inland-freshwater aquaculture and the remainder from capture fisheries in the marine and brackishwater sector. However, marine and brackishwater catches have recently begun to diminish due to overexploitation, climate change and pollution. The UNEP report affirmed that if the world remains on its current course of overfishing, by 2050, the ocean fish stock could become extinct or no longer commercially viable to exploit. In these circumstances, aquaculture is considered to be a promising sector to fulfill our future protein requirement. However, brackishwater and marine fish production now face serious challenges due to e.g. lack of quality fish seeds, feeds, poor water quality management and diseases. Fisheries and aquaculture sectors play a vital role as potential sources of nutritional security and food safety around the globe. Fish food is rich in protein, vitamins, phosphorous, calcium, zinc, selenium etc. In addition, fish contains omega-3 fatty acids, which help to prevent cardiovascular diseases. Fish food can also provide several health benefits to consumers. The omega 3 fatty acids found in fish can reduce the levels of LDL cholesterol (the "bad" cholesterol) and increase the HDL levels (the "good" cholesterol). Research conducted in Australia has proved that fish consumption can be used to cure hypertension and obesity. It is also reported that people who ate more fish were less prone to asthma and were able to breathe more easily. Omega 3 fish oil or fish consumption can help to prevent three of the most common forms of cancer: breast cancer, colon and prostate cancer. The omega 3 fatty acids present in fish or fish oil induce faster hair growth and prevent hair loss. Since most varieties of fish are rich in protein, eating fish helps to keep hair healthy. Furthermore, fish or fish oil helps in improving the condition of dry skin, giving it a healthy glow. It is useful in treating various skin problems such as eczema, psoriasis, itching, redness of skin, skin lesions and rashes. It is well known that eating fish improves vision and prevents Alzheimer's and type-2 diabetes, and can combat arthritis. Further, fish oil or fish is good for pregnant women, as the DHA present in it helps in the development of the baby's eyes and brain. It helps to avoid premature births, low birth weights and miscarriages. In addition, it is widely known that fish can be a good substitute for pulses in cereal-based diets for the poor. The global fish production was roughly 154 million tonnes in 2011 (FAO, 2012). It is estimated that by 2020 global fish requirements will be over 200 million tonnes; as such, innovative technological improvements are called for in order to improve the production and productivity in fisheries. In this context, this book provides valuable information for academics, scientists, researchers, government officials and farmers on innovative technological advances for sustainable fish production using aquaculture methods. The book identifies the main issues and trends in marine and brackishwater aquaculture from a global perspective in general and in the Indian context in particular. It includes 23 chapters written by prominent researchers from various institutes and universities across India, who address the latest aquaculture technologies with distinctive approaches to support academics, researchers and graduates in the fields of Fisheries, Aquaculture, Marine Science, Marine Biology, Marine Biotechnology, Zoology and Agricultural Sciences. Our thanks go to our contributors; we are confident that all readers will immensely benefit from their valued expertise in the field of marine and brackishwater aquaculture.

This book presents the latest developments and recent research trends in the field of plankton, highlighting the potential ecological and biotechnological applications. It critically and comprehensively discusses strain selection, growth characteristics, large-scale culturing, and biomass harvesting, focusing on the screening and production of high-value products from algae, and evaluating carbon dioxide sequestration from fuel gas as a climate change mitigation strategy. The latter areas of research are clearly central to the sustainable development approach that is currently attracting global attention. Over the decades, much of the literature on has focused on the biological and ecological aspects of phytoplankton found in freshwater, marine and brackish water environments. However, these organisms are known to also inhabit various other environments. More recently, there has been a substantial shift toward the concept of sustainable development and the "green economy" with emphasis on exploiting biological systems for the benefit of mankind. The significance of these plankton cannot be underestimated as they contribute approximately 40% of the oxygen in the atmosphere. Therefore, there is potential for exploitation of this invaluable biomass source that could lead to significant environmental and economic benefits for man. Providing a comprehensive outline of the most recent developments and advances in the field of industrial applications of these plankton, this book is an excellent reference resource for researchers and practitioners.

The coastal and ocean ecosystem is a significant feature of our planet and provides a source of food for much of life on Earth. Millions of species have been, and are still being discovered in the world's oceans. Among these zooplankton serve as secondary producers and are significant as they form pelagic food links and act as indicators of water masses. They constitute the largest and most reliable source of protein for most of the ocean's fishes. As such, their absence or depletion often affects fishery. In many countries, the decline in fishery has been attributed to reduced plankton populations. Furthermore, trillions of tiny copepods produce countless faecal pellets contributing greatly to the marine snow and therefore accelerating the flow of nutrients and minerals from the surface waters to the seabed. They are phylogenetically highly successful groups in terms of phylogenetic age, number of living species and success of adaptive radiation. A study of the basic and applied aspects of zooplankton would provide an index of the fishery potential and applications, offering insights into ocean ecology to safeguard food supplies and livelihoods of the millions of people living in coastal areas. For this reason, we need to understand all the facets of zooplankton as well as their interactions with atmosphere and other life forms, including human. In this context, this book discusses the basic and applied aspects of zooplankton, especially taxonomy, mosquitocidal activity, culture, analysis of nutritional, pigments and enzyme profile, preservation of copepods eggs, bioenrichment of zooplankton and application of zooplankton in sustainable aquaculture production, focusing on novel biofloc-copefloc technologies, and the impact of acidification and microplastics on zooplankton. Offering a comprehensive overview of the current issues and developments in the field of environmental and commercial applications, this book is a valuable resource for researchers, aquaculturists, environmental mangers wanting to understand the importance of zooplankton and develop technologies for the sustainable production of fish and other commodities to provide food and livelihoods for mankind.

This book presents the latest developments and recent research trends in the field of plankton, highlighting the potential ecological and biotechnological applications. It critically and comprehensively discusses strain selection, growth characteristics, large-scale culturing, and biomass harvesting, focusing on the screening and production of high-value products from algae, and evaluating carbon dioxide sequestration from fuel gas as a climate change mitigation strategy. The latter areas of research are clearly central to the sustainable development approach that is currently attracting global attention. Over the decades, much of the literature on has focused on the biological and ecological aspects of phytoplankton found in freshwater, marine and brackish water environments. However, these organisms are known to also inhabit various other environments. More recently, there has been a substantial shift toward the concept of sustainable development and the "green economy" with emphasis on exploiting biological systems for the benefit of mankind. The significance of these plankton cannot be underestimated as they contribute approximately 40% of the oxygen in the atmosphere. Therefore, there is potential for exploitation of this invaluable biomass source that could lead to significant environmental and economic benefits for man. Providing a comprehensive outline of the most recent developments and advances in the field of industrial applications of these plankton, this book is an excellent reference resource for researchers and practitioners.