The Ecology Of Phytoplankton

This important new book by Colin Reynolds covers the adaptations, physiology and population dynamics of phytoplankton communities. It provides basic information on composition, morphology and physiology of the main phyletic groups represented in marine and freshwater systems and in addition reviews recent advances in community ecology.

This describes the lifestyles of planktons and their adaptation for living independently of solid surfaces.

Phytoplankton ecology has developed from an understanding of taxonomy, species dynamics and functional roles, and species interactions with the surrounding environment. New and emerging technologies enable a paradigm shift in the ways we monitor and understand phytoplankton in a range of environments. Advances in Phytoplankton Ecology: Applications of Emerging Technologies is a practical guide to these new technologies and explores their application with case studies to show how recent advances have changed our understanding of phytoplankton ecology. Part one of this book explores how traditional taxonomy and species identification has changed, moving from morphological to molecular techniques. Part two explores the new technologies for remote and automatic monitoring and sensor technology and applications for management. Part three explores the explosion of omics techniques and their application in species identification, functional populations, trait characterization, interspecific interactions, and interaction with their environment. This book is an invaluable guide for marine and freshwater ecology researchers to how new technologies can enhance our understanding of ecology. Combines traditional techniques with new technologies and methods Explores the influence of new technology on our understanding of phytoplankton ecology Provides practical applications of each technique through case studies in each chapter

All relevant ecological aspects of plankton, especially seasonal changes in the species composition, the role of competition for limiting resources in species replacements, the role of parasitism, predation and competition in seasonal succession are treated in detail considering phytoplankton, zooplankton and bacteroplankton. In addition to its use as a valid reference book for plankton ecology, this monograph may well be used as a model for other kinds of ecological communities.

Healthy waterways and oceans are essential for our increasingly urbanised world. Yet monitoring water quality in aquatic environments is a challenge, as it varies from hour to hour due to stormwater and currents. Being at the base of the aquatic food web and present in huge numbers, plankton are strongly influenced by changes in environment and provide an indication of water quality integrated over days and weeks. Plankton are the aquatic version of a canary in a coal mine. They are also vital for our existence, providing not only food for fish, seabirds, seals and sharks, but producing oxygen, cycling nutrients, processing pollutants, and removing carbon dioxide from our atmosphere. This Second Edition of Plankton is a fully updated introduction to the biology, ecology and identification of plankton and their use in monitoring water quality. It includes expanded, illustrated descriptions of all major groups of freshwater, coastal and marine phytoplankton and zooplankton and a new chapter on teaching science using plankton. Best practice methods for plankton sampling and monitoring programs are presented using case studies, along with explanations of how to analyse and interpret sampling data. Plankton is an invaluable reference for teachers and students, environmental managers, ecologists, estuary and catchment management committees, and coastal engineers.

The book , ‘An Introduction to Phytoplanktons - Diversity and Ecology’ is very useful as it covers wide aspects of phytoplankton study including the general idea about cyanobacteria and algal kingdom. It contains different topics related to very basic idea of phytoplanktons such as, types ,taxonomic description and the key for identification etc. Together with it, very modern aspects of phytoplankton study including different methodologies needed for research students of botany, ecology, limnology and environmental biology are also included. The first chapter is very basic and informative and describes algal and phytoplankton classification, algal pigments, algal bloom and their control, algal toxins, wetlands algae, ecological significance of phytoplanktons etc. A general key for identification of common phytoplankton genera is also included for students who will be able to identify these genera based on the light microscopic characters. In Chapters 2-4, different aspects of phytoplankton research like primary productivity, community pattern analysis and their ecological parameter analysis have been discussed with detailed procedures. Statistical analysis is also discussed in detail. Chapter 5 includes case studies related to review, phytoplankton diversity and dynamics.