Environmental Microbiology Research Trends

This new book presents the latest research in environmental microbiology which is area of interaction that studies the interaction of microorganisms with the environment. It includes the structure, activities and communal behaviour of microbial communities, microbial interactions and interactions with plants, animals and non-living environmental factors, population biology and clonal structure microbes and surfaces, adhesion and biofouling responses to environmental signals and stress factors growth and survival, modelling and theory development, microbial community genetics and evolutionary processes, microbial physiological, metabolic and structural diversity, pollution microbiology, extremophiles and life in extreme and unusual little-explored habitats, primary and secondary production, element cycles and biogeochemical processes and microbially-influenced global changes.

Microbial ecology is the relationship of microorganisms with one another and with their environment. It concerns the three major domains of life -- Eukaryota, Archaea, and Bacteria -- as well as viruses. Microorganisms, by their omnipresence, impact the entire biosphere. They are present in virtually all of our planet's environments, including some of the most extreme, from acidic lakes to the deepest ocean, and from frozen environments to hydrothermal vents. Microbes, especially bacteria, often engage in symbiotic relationships (either positive or negative) with other organisms, and these relationships affect the ecosystem. One example of these fundamental symbioses are chloroplasts, which allow eukaryotes to conduct photosynthesis. Chloroplasts are considered to be endosymbiotic cyanobacteria, a group of bacteria that are thought to be the origins of aerobic photosynthesis. Some theories state that this invention coincides with a major shift in the early earth's atmosphere, from a reducing atmosphere to an oxygen-rich atmosphere. This book presents new and important research in the field.

Environmental Microbiology: Advanced Research and Multidisciplinary Applications focus on the current research on microorganisms in the environment. Contributions in the volume cover several aspects of applied microbial research, basic research on microbial ecology and molecular genetics. The reader will find a collection of topics with theoretical and practical value, allowing them to connect environmental microbiology to a variety of subjects in life sciences, ecology, and environmental science topics. Advanced topics including biogeochemical cycling, microbial biosensors, bioremediation, application of microbial biofilms in bioremediation, application of microbial surfactants, microbes for mining and metallurgical operations, valorization of waste, and biodegradation of aromatic waste, microbial communication, nutrient cycling and biotransformation are also covered. The content is designed for advanced undergraduate students, graduate students, and environmental professionals, with a comprehensive and up-to-date discussion of environmental microbiology as a discipline that has greatly expanded in scope and interest over the past several decades.

This book contains a compilation of papers presented at the II International Conference on Environmental, Industrial and Applied Microbiology (BioMicroWorld2007) held in Seville, Spain on 28 November 1 December 2007, where over 550 researchers from about 60 countries attended and presented their cutting-edge research. The main goals of this book are to: (1) identify new approaches and research opportunities in applied microbiology, presenting works that link microbiology with research areas usually related to other scientific and engineering disciplines; and (2) communicate current research priorities and progress in the field. The contents of this book mirror this focus. Microbiologists interested in environmental, industrial and applied microbiology and, in general, scientists whose research fields are related to applied microbiology can find an overview of the current state of the art in the topic. In addition to the more general topic, some chapters are devoted to specific branches of microbiology research, such as bioremediation; biosurfactants; microbial factories; biotechnologically relevant enzymes and proteins; microbial physiology, metabolism and gene expression; and future bioindustries.

This book presents new and important research in the field of food microbiology. Included in the scope are the following: physiology, genetics, biochemistry, and behaviour of micro-organisms; effects of preservatives, processes, and packaging systems on the microbiology of foods; methods for detection, identification and enumeration of food-borne micro-organisms or microbial toxins; microbiology of food fermentations; predictive microbiology; microbial ecology of foods; microbiological aspects of food safety and microbiological aspects of food spoilage and quality.

This book provides an overview of ecological aspects of the metabolism and behavior of microbes, microbial habitats, biogeochemical cycles, and biotechnology. It was designed by selecting relevant chapters from the comprehensive Encyclopedia of Microbiology, 3rd edn., and inviting the original authors to update their material to include key developments and advances in the field.