Insights Into The World Of Diatoms From Essentials To Applications

This edited book provides a comprehensive and a reliable source of information on all major areas of diatom research. It addresses research advances in the key areas of diatom biology, morphology, systematics, phylogeny and ecology along with their interdisciplinary applications. Diatoms are the world’s most diverse group of algae populating the freshwater and marine ecosystems of the world. They are unicellular, photosynthetic, eukaryotes having ornate silicified cell walls. Diatoms contribute around 25% of annual global carbon fixation, which is more than all of the terrestrial rainforests combined. Diatoms underpin major aquatic food webs and drive global biogeochemical cycles and have several ecological and interdisciplinary applications. This book targets a wide range of audience including researchers, academicians, teachers and students of varied disciplines such as biology, environmental sciences, ecology, evolution, nanotechnology and other related disciplines. It is useful read for beginners as well as advanced researchers.

The aim of this new book series (Diatoms: Biology and Applications) is to provide a comprehensive and reliable source of information on diatom biology and applications. The first book of the series, Diatoms Fundamentals & Applications, is wide ranging, starting with the contributions of amateurs and the beauty of diatoms, to details of how their shells are made, how they bend light to their advantage and ours, and major aspects of their biochemistry (photosynthesis and iron metabolism). The book then delves into the ecology of diatoms living in a wide range of habitats, and look at those few that can kill or harm us. The book concludes with a wide range of applications of diatoms, in forensics, manufacturing, medicine, biofuel and agriculture. The contributors are leading international experts on diatoms. This book is for a wide audience researchers, academics, students, and teachers of biology and related disciplines, written to both act as an introduction to diatoms and to present some of the most advanced research on them.

Diatoms are the most species rich group of algae, and they contribute about 20% of annual global carbon fixation. They play major roles in ocean food webs and global biogeochemical cycles. They are also a target of the biotechnology industry because of their nano-patterned silica cell wall and high lipid content. Diatoms have received increasing attention as more genomes became available and because of the development of genome editing tools such as the CRISPR/Cas9 technology, which has made diatoms as genetically tractable as well-established biological model species. This book provides an overview on diatom molecular biology. It brings together international leading experts in the field to discuss the latest data and developments from genes to ecosystems. As the understanding of diatoms is currently experiencing a step change, it is critical to allow for synergistic approaches on diverse aspects of diatom biology and evolution. The books offers fundamental insights into the molecular life of diatoms; at the same time new scientific concepts are developed based on the application of the latest molecular tools and genomic information to explore the fascinating lifestyle of diatoms.

Ocean plays a significant role in energy production, human health and economy. Seawater, seaweed, microalgae, yeast, bacteria act as feedstock for biofuels and bioproducts. This book focuses on the application of marine biomass for production of energy, fertilizers, nutraceuticals, pharmaceuticals, cosmetics, bioplastics and other value-added products. It presents technological advancements and optimization strategies for enhancing process efficiency, overcoming challenges and maximizing the potential of marine-based biorefinery. It also describes how marine resources can be applied to wastewater treatment, eco-restoration, environment protection and sustainable development.

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.

High-resolution images of phytoplankton cells such as diatoms or desmids, which are useful for monitoring water quality, can now be provided by digital microscopes, facilitating the automated analysis and identification of specimens. Conventional approaches are based on optical microscopy; however, manual image analysis is impractical due to the huge diversity of this group of microalgae and its great morphological plasticity. As such, there is a need for automated recognition techniques for diagnostic tools (e.g. environmental monitoring networks, early warning systems) to improve the management of water resources and decision-making processes. Describing the entire workflow of a bioindicator system, from capture, analysis and identification to the determination of quality indices, this book provides insights into the current state-of-the-art in automatic identification systems in microscopy.

Diatom biology, genomics and ecology are becoming more relevant to the human species. While there have been recent compilations of some of the applied aspects of diatoms, and the dizzying pace of taxonomic revisions, this new volume bring us up to date on their classification, biology and ecology, as well as covering the topics of genomics and applied uses. In this collection, some of the leaders in diatom research present either new information or summarize recent research efforts on a wide range of topics, including the tree of life of diatoms, their classifications, the wide habitats and ecological spectra the group exploits, as well as the beauty of their form. This volume celebrates the diversity, emerging areas of research and fascinating ecology of the diatoms bringing this group of world-renown and emerging research leaders together. 'The Diatom World' will foster greater appreciation and research contributions on this incredibly diverse and fascinating group of organisms.

In this book, the authors present current research in the study of the diversity and distribution, role in biotechnology and environmental impacts of diatoms. Topics discussed in this compilation include the determination of biogenic aluminium and rare earth element composition in diatom opal and its implication for marine chemistry of diatom frustule, an impure entity; diatom flora of fresh and brackish water bodies in the Far East of Russia; paleoceanogaphy since the warm pliocene epoch in the mid-latitudes of the Northwestern Pacific Ocean; the analysis of lake ecosystems transformation by taxonomic structure of diatom assemblages; and microphytobenthic community dynamics in the intertidal flats of the Nakdong River Estuary in South Korea.