Synopses & Reviews
Marine micro-organisms play a vital role in the maintenance of our planet, a fact which will have great bearing on our ability to respond to problems such as population increase, over-exploitation of fisheries, climate change and population. Powerful new tools, especially in molecular biology, remote sensing and deep-sea exploration, have led to astonishing discoveries of the abundance and diversity of marine microbial life and its role in global ecology.
New tools and an increased interest in ecological factors have caused an upsurge of interest in this field of study. The book aims to convey the fascinating discoveries and great importance of this fast moving discipline to the student. Marine Microbiology is divided into three sections: the first reviews the main features of the marine environment and key aspects of marine microbial life; the second looks at the role of marine microorganisms in ecology, and the final section considers some of the applications of this knowledge, looking into areas such as disease and biodegradation.
Synopsis
Marine Microbiology brings together microbial biology and ecology to create an integrated approach that addresses environmental management, human health, and economic concerns. The Second Edition takes into account many new discoveries in the field including the role of microbes in ocean processes and nutrient cycles, the importance of viruses, the beneficial role of marine microbes in biotechnology, biofuels, metagenomics and synthetic biology, and new research on the impact of climate change and ocean acidification.
The first three sections review the main features of the marine environment and key aspects of marine microbial life; the second section examines the role of marine microorganisms in ecology; and the final section considers some of the applications of this knowledge in areas such as disease and biodegradation.
Marine Microbiology is ideally suited for upper level undergraduate and graduate students, and researchers.