The Diatoms

This book is an introduction to diatom biology. It emphasizes the cell cycle, sexual reproduction, and ontogeny. The authors have provided a system of classification with many new taxa described at the family level together with 17 new genera.

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.

Timely synopsis of applications in environment and industry using ubiquitous microscopic algae.

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.

DIATOM MORPHOGENESIS A unique book presenting the range of silica structures formed by diatoms, theories and hypotheses of how they are made, and applications to nanotechnology by use or imitation of diatom morphogenesis. There are up to 200,000 species of diatoms, each species of these algal cells bearing an ornate, amorphous silica glass shell. The silica is structured at 7 orders of magnitude size range and is thus the most complex multiscalar solid structure known. Recent research is beginning to unravel how a single cell marshals chemical, physical, biochemical, genetic, and cytoskeletal processes to produce these single-cell marvels. The field of diatom nanotechnology is advancing as this understanding matures. Diatoms have been actively studied over the recent 10-20 years with various modern equipment, experimental and computer simulation approaches, including molecular biology, fluorescence-based methods, electron, confocal, and AFM microscopy. This has resulted in a huge amount of information but the key stages of their silica morphogenesis are still not clear. This is the time to reconsider and consolidate the work performed so far and to understand how we can go ahead. The main objective of this book is to describe the actual situation in the science of diatom morphogenesis, to specify the most important unresolved questions, and to present the corresponding hypotheses. The following areas are discussed: A tutorial chapter, with a glossary for newcomers to the field, who are often from outside of biology, let alone phycology; Diatom Morphogenesis: general issues, including symmetry and size issues; Diatom Morphogenesis: simulation, including analytical and numerical methods for description of the diatom valve shape and pore structure; Diatom Morphogenesis: physiology, biochemistry, and applications, including the relationship between taxonomy and physiology, biosilicification hypotheses, and ideas about applications of diatoms. Audience Researchers, scientists, and graduate students in the fields of phycology, general biology, marine sciences, the chemistry of silica, materials science, and ecology.

Identifying Marine Diatoms and Dinoflagellates is the second identification manual created from the literature developed for the Advanced International Phytoplankton Course. This version, enlarged and modified from the earlier literature, deals with the identification of marine diatoms and dinoflagellates. The data and references presented here should allow the researcher to pursue the question of valid species and how they can be verified. This volume comprises three chapters, beginning with an introductory chapter discussing the subject's historical background. The next chapter focuses on marine diatoms, providing an introduction that describes their general characteristics, life cycles, morphology and terminology, and classification. It is followed by a discussion of genera represented in marine plankton, a description of taxa, and methodology. The third and final chapter focuses on dinoflagellates, beginning with an introduction that describes their general characteristics and eukaryotic unicells. The discussion continues with terminology and morphology, identification of species, techniques for preparation of dinoflagellates for identification, common dinoflagellate synonyms, and an index of dinoflagellate taxa. This book will be of interest to practitioners in the fields of biology, zoology, and environmental protection.

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.