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This manual provides general information about molecular techniques relevant to molecular ecological research. Attention is paid to the use of molecular methods for studying the fate of genetically modified and native micro-organisms in the environment. ... Read more

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With the application of new analytical techniques, the field of food fermentation has grown over last few years. Because of this, the approach to study bacteria in food has changed. Consequently new information is available on the structure and dynamics of microbial populations during fermented food production.

Molecular Techniques in the Microbial Ecology of Fermented Foods provides the latest information and relevant advances on the microbial ecology of fermented foods and the application of molecular methods. This book serves as a guide for students and researchers on the most advanced techniques to identify bacteria and helps in choosing the most appropriate tools to study fermented food from a microbiological point of view.

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Fundamental Processes in Ecology presents a way to study ecosystems that is not yet available in ecology textbooks but is resonant with current thinking in the emerging fields of geobiology and Earth System Science. It provides an alternative, process-based classification of ecology and proposes a truly planetary view of ecological science. To achieve this, it asks (and endeavours to answer) the question, "what are the fundamental ecological processes which would be found on any planet with Earth-like, carbon based, life?"

The author demonstrates how the idea of fundamental ecological processes can be developed at the systems level, specifically their involvement in control and feedback mechanisms. This approach allows us to reconsider basic ecological ideas such as energy flow, guilds, trade-offs, carbon cycling and photosynthesis; and to put these in a global context. In doing so, the book puts a much stronger emphasis on microorganisms than has traditionally been the case.

The integration of Earth System Science with ecology is vitally important if ecological science is to successfully contribute to the massive problems and future challenges associated with global change. Although the approach is heavily influenced by Lovelock's Gaia hypothesis, this is not a popular science book about Gaian theory. Instead it is written as an accessible text for graduate student seminar courses and researchers in the fields of ecology, earth system science, evolutionary biology, palaeontology, history of life, astrobiology, geology and physical geography. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

Global thought-experiments
Despite lacking any formal background in ecology, I really enjoyed this book. It uses what physicists might characterize as very Fermi-esque, back-of-the-envelope arguments to suggest, among other things, why biodiversity shouldn't be a surprise; why life, if it's present at all on a planet, is more likely to be widespread than isolated; and why the notion of the rain forests as the "lungs of the earth" is wrong. (Our real benefactors: marine phytoplankton, especially because they die and sink; see @88.)

When I first began the book I thought I'd be like an outsider intruding on some family argument: the author is at pains to distinguish his approach from the traditional one in ecology textbooks. Rather than approaching the topic through entities such as genes, individuals, populations, David Wilkinson (DMW) approaches it through processes such as the Second Law of thermodynamics, tradeoffs, hypercycles and photosynthesis (check @13 or see the chapter titles for Chaps. 2-8 for the complete list). I needn't have worried, since the presentation is quite transparent to an outsider to the field (certainly so if you're coming from a physical sciences or engineering background). Although the level of argumentation is sophisticated (more like a perspective piece in Science or Nature than a popularization), the level of biology and chemistry background necessary to follow the argument is probably around freshman level. There's also an extensive glossary at the end, if you can't tell your Archaean from your Phanerozoic.

An organizing concept is thought-experiments about what processes would be necessary for life on a planet not necessarily the earth. But it's far from abstract -- DMW's day job is as an empirical scientist rather than theoretician, and there are plenty of empirical papers cited. (Pace another reviewer, however, the book expressly and repeatedly disclaims being about "applied ecology," and makes no pretence of addressing management issues.) He's also quite up-front when he feels there isn't enough data to figure out whether, e.g., some process might accelerate or mitigate global warming (see @108).

Many of the results are quite counter-intuitive, at least if one's intuition is shaped by cable TV "Planet in Peril" extravaganzas. In terms of their effects on regulating the planetary environment so that it remains habitable, DMW suggests that prokaryotes are far more important than polar bears or pandas, and parasites than predators. (Admittedly, he doesn't address the issue of species charisma, which makes pandas better than any Prochlorococcus as poster-organisms for changing human behavior.) But the real fun of the book is the simple, common-sense way in which these results are derived.

The list of references at the end is excellent, and comprises more than 20 pages (the main text is only about 140). I also admire an author who cites one of his own papers only to mention that he was wrong (see discussion of dark pigments in leaves @105).

My one gripe is that the copy editor for this book (or the more senior Oxford UP editor who perhaps chose to forego one) should be summarily fired. There are numerous typos, run-on sentences and non sequiturs, and sentences missing commas where one is necessary in order to make sense. One should not have to waste time puzzling over statements like "As the sun's energy has increased [cite], the CO2 greenhouse has decreased helping [sic] to regulate the Earth's surface temperature," @ 103. (Should be "decreased, helping", with quite the opposite meaning from the original.) The net effect is like eating a very tasty lunch in the company of dozens of persistent flies. I read the hardcover edition, but from Amazon's "look inside" feature the paperback seems to preserve these irritations. But don't let that deter you from reading this very clever and intriguing book.

Certainly not mind-blowing
Although it presents a useful approach to determining ecosystems, from a management perspective, there are better approaches. ... Read more

Product Description

This book provides information about microbial mats, from early fossils to modern mats located in marine and terrestrial environments. Microbial mats – layered biofilms containing different types of cells – are most complex systems in which representatives of various groups of organisms are found together. Among them are cyanobacteria and eukaryotic phototrophs, aerobic heterotrophic and chemoautotrophic bacteria, protozoa, anoxygenic photosynthetic bacteria, and other types of microorganisms.

These mats are perfect models for biogeochemical processes, such as the cycles of chemical elements, in which a variety of microorganisms cooperate and interact in complex ways. They are often found under extreme conditions and their study contributes to our understanding of extremophilic life. Moreover, microbial mats are models for Precambrian stromatolites; the study of modern microbial mats may provide information on the processes that may have occurred on Earth when prokaryotic life began to spread.

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"Bioremediation: Applied Microbial Solutions for Real-World Environmental Cleanup" is a fascinating examination of research and its real-world application. Intended for both academics and practitioners, this book presents information on the legal, scientific, and engineering principles behind bioremediation for cleaning up contaminated soil and groundwater sources. This book: Provides a global perspective in coverage of a broad range of bioremediation technologies including bioinjection, bioaugmentation, and phytoremediation; offers viewpoints from contributors who are recognized leaders in their fields; presents over 130 figures including high-quality line drawings; examines practical examples of bioremediation application, including relevant case studies; and, discusses the interactions of legal, scientific, and engineering principles behind use of bioremediation for cleanup of contaminated land and aquifers. ... Read more

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In 2002, sixty international specialists met to discuss problems of high P-unavailability as a soil nutrient for crops, and the hazards of increased phosphate input to aquatic habitats from industrial and mining activities, sewage disposal, detergents, and other sources. Among the presentations were updated solutions to enhance P-uptake by plants, bioremediation potential in the rehabilitation of ecosystems, taxonomic characterization interactions with mycorrizae, the physiological and molecular basis of PSM, and more.

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Algae are an important component of aquatic benthic ecosystems because they reflect the health of their environment through their density, abundance, and diversity. This comprehensive and authoritative text is divided into three sections to offer complete coverage of the discussion in this field. The first section introduces the locations of benthic algae in different ecosystems, like streams, large rivers, lakes, and other aquatic habitats. The second section is devoted to the various factors, both biotic and abiotic, that affect benthic freshwater algae. The final section of the book focuses on the role played by algae in a variety of complex freshwater ecosystems. As concern over environmental health escalates, the keystone and pivotal role played by algae is becoming more apparent. This volume in the Aquatic Ecology Series represents an important compilation of the latest research on the crucial niche occupied by algae in aquatic ecosystems.

Key Features
* Presents algae as the important player in relation to environmental health
* Prepared by leading authorities in the field
* Includes comprehensive treatment of the functions of benthic algae as well as the factors that affect these important aquatic organisms
* Acts as an important reference for anyone interested in understanding and managing freshwater ecosystems ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

The Ecologist's Bible of Periphyton
I have used this book so much during my MSc Project on Algal Communities, that it became my personal bible for all aspects of benthic algal ecology. It's a very comprehensive book, that is both interesting and relevant rightfrom the start till the very end. All topics are well designed andillustrated and all in all it is very nice to read - not only forEcologists like me.

The Ecologist's Bible for Periphyton
I used that book so much during the writing up of my MSc thesis that it became my personal bible for all periphyton related issues. I've never seen so much excelent and relevant information on this topic in just one book.The figures are well placed, and all in all it's very nice to read (notonly for Algal Ecologists like me). ... Read more

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The Ecology of Mycobacteria principally emphasizes the ecological characteristics of the environmental mycobacteria. It is now well understood that the incidence and prevalence of potentially pathogenic mycobacteria is increasing in humans and animals. Further, proof that mycobacteria are normal inhabitants of drinking water distribution systems and household water systems, indicates that humans and animals are surrounded by mycobacteria and thus at risk. It is anticipated that the emphasis on ecology and routes of infection will result in a text of widespread use for clinicians and for research scientists in medicine, academia, and industry. In addition to identifying habitats and thereby sources of mycobacteria infecting humans and animals, the text identifies those mycobacterial characteristics that determine its range of habitats. Additionally, the text comments critically on the available methods to identify those protocols with values in mycobacterial research. In that manner, although there are no chapters specifically devoted to methods, superior methods for mycobacteria will be identified.

Product Description
This book will respond to the growing need to assess non-target impacts of biological pest control methods. So far, no review - let alone a handbook - exists on how to carry out the required assessments in practice, and what a particular outcome from an assessment might imply in terms of environmental risk or registration requirements. This book is intended to fill that gap. It should be of interest to many professional groups, including the scientific community involved in integrated pest management, crop protection, biological pest control, and ecology; regulatory authorities in countries around the world; ministries of agriculture; commercial companies developing biopesticides and firms carrying out environmental impact assessments; and universities with curricula in biological pest control and environmental sciences. ... Read more

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This book presents the multidisciplinary nature and the many fascinating aspects of microbiological approaches for crop improvement in both conventional and stressed soils where quality and safety are the key concerns. The major goal is to provide a cross-section of the latest accomplishments and envisaged future directions in these areas. It gives a holistic view of the basic concepts and practical utility of microbes and thus presents an all-inclusive contemporary treatise on strategic aspects of the diverse microbial communities providing solutions to oodles of customary agronomic problems. This book benefits people working in the area of agronomy, biotechnology, environmental biology, microbiology, plant physiology, plant protection and soil science. The contributions by eminent academicians and professionals ensure a good equilibrium between theory and practice without compromising the basic conceptual framework of the concerned subject.

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When a parasite invades an ant, does the ant behave like other ants? Maybe not-and if it doesn't,who, if anyone, benefits from the altered behaviors?The parasite?The ant?Parasites and the Behavior of Animals shows that parasite-induced behavioral alterations are more common than we might realize, and it places these alterations in an evolutionary and ecological context.Emphasizing eukaryotic parasites, the book examines the adaptive nature of behavioral changes associated with parasitism, exploring the effects of these changes on parasite transmission, parasite avoidance, and the fitness of both host and parasite. The behavioral changes and their effects are not always straightforward.To the extent that virulence, for instance, is linked to parasite transmission, the evolutionary interests of parasite and host will diverge, and the current winner of the contest to maximize reproductive rates may not be clear, or, for that matter, inevitable.Nonetheless, by affecting susceptibility, host/parasite lifespan and fecundity, and transmission itself, host behavior influences parameters that are basic to our comprehension of how parasites invade host populations, and fundamentally, how parasites evolve. Such an understanding is important for a wide range of scientists, from ecologists and parasitologists to evolutionary, conservation andbehavioral biologists:The behavioral alterations that parasites induce can subtly and profoundly affect the distribution and abundance of animals. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Who's in charge here? Parasites, of course.
Moore's book was written for professional biologists but the writing is so good and the subject matter so, um, interesting that I can recommend it for lay readers as well. If you don't know much about invertebrate zoology you can breeze past a lot of the taxonomic terms and focus on the juicy stuff - of which there is plenty (and the parasites love it!).

Most of us don't spend a lot of time thinking about the critters that share our bodies with us. In the case of humans they are mostly on a scale between benign and beneficial, but sometimes they are nasty and even fatal. Elsewhere in the animal kingdom it is much worse. Organisms unlucky enough to get infected are often completely at the mercy of their parasites.

Moore's focus is on the behavioral changes that parasites induce in their hosts, some of which are spectacularly gross. My favorite is the marine isopod (related to those grey pill bugs found under rocks) that sucks the blood from a fish's tongue until the tongue shrivels away, at which time the isopod happily lives in the fish's mouth, attaches itself to the stub of the tongue muscles, and functions in place of the tongue. (It's Cymothoa exigua if you must know.)

There are plenty of "eww, that's disgusting" moments in Moore's book, but its real beauty is the insight it provides into the variety of life on Earth and the incredibly detailed and sophisticated ways in which organisms have learned to take advantage of each other. And she's a funny writer.

Unfortunately this is a very expensive book and no one is likely to buy it for casual reading. This is too bad, but maybe the interested lay reader can find it at a library. ... Read more

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Predatory Prokaryotes examines the ecology of predation at the microbial level. It aims to increase the awareness of the great possibilities that predation between microbes offer for studying and discussing basic ecological and general biological concepts.

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This revealing book details recent developments in the study of the relationship between sulfur and the microbial agents that affect its metabolism. In recent years, new methods have been applied to study the biochemistry and molecular biology of reactions of the global sulfur cycle, the microorganisms involved and their physiology, metabolism and ecology. These activities have uncovered fascinating new insights for the understanding of aerobic and anaerobic sulfur metabolism.

Product Description
This volume is the first publication of its kind to provide a fully comprehensive and detailed approach to the survey of microbial associations in soil: their structure and function in relation to soil fertility and environment protection.The problems covered by this title are presented on various levels of the ecological system; from subcellular phenomena occurring in the microbial cell (genetic and enzyme regulation), to processes taking place in the flow of mass and energy in the agroecosystem.

The aim of this monograph is to contribute to the understanding of the laws of formation and function of microbial associations in natural and agricultural soils, and to build a scientific basis for the control of soil biological processes.Using a contemporary approach to some fields of soil microbiology, the book highlights the possibility of utilizing certain microorganisms and microbial processes to increase soil fertility and protect the environment.These critically evaluated and selected results were obtained at the Institute of Microbiology and the Institute of Experimental Phytotechnics of the Czechoslovak Academy of Sciences, in cooperation with the Institute of Microbiology of the Academy of Sciences of the USSR.

... Read more

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Microbial pathogen contamination of aquifers and the possible spread of infectious diseases is a serious problem with significance for global public health. Considering human population growth and increasing demands for safe drinking water, there is a need to manage groundwater resources effectively. This book is targeted at professionals, academics and students interested in the microbial characterization of aquifers. It supplies fundamental facts on hydrogeology and groundwater contamination. The main focus is on sampling methodologies; detection of bacterial, protozoan, viral and other microbial pathogens; microbial modeling and transport; DNA fingerprinting and other microbial characterization approaches; and microbial risk assessment groundwater applications. ... Read more

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This book presents a compendium of molecular biologyapplications for the study of aquatic community ecology. Thecollection presents the diversity of approaches that have been used,and provides future directions for the study of `molecular ecology' ofaquatic communities, from viruses to fish, and in aquatic systemsranging from freshwater streams and lakes to estuaries and oceans.This collection of papers will provide a useful text and resource forupper-level undergraduate and graduate students in ecology, as well asfor the researcher and educator. ... Read more

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Microbial mats are benthic communities of a variety of microorganisms. Their investigation requires multidisciplinary studies and close cooperation between microbiologists, biogeochemists, and geologists.
Reported here are recent advances in the study of structure, development and ecological relationships. The methodology described includes microsensors as well as new molecular techniques for the detection and identification of microorganisms. Increasing interest exists for applied aspects, e.g. the possibility to use natural or constructed microbial mats for the degradation of xenobiotics, for site remediation, etc. ... Read more

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Provided here is an up-to-date survey of gene transfers inthe main natural habitats, with a special reference togenetically engineered microorganisms.In the first of fivesections technical approaches of gene transfer inthenatural environment are developed. These emphasize the useof modernmethodologies for the detection of recombinantbacteria in natural waters and soil, using DNA or rRNAprobes and PCR technology. The three followingsections dealwith various aspects of gene transfer inaquaticenvironments, terrestrial habitats and human and animal gut.These include transfer of plasmidic or chromosomal markersthrough either conjugation, mobilization, transformation ortransduction processes. Also covered are factors influencingsurvival of cells harbouring the transferred genes in theseenvironments. The last section is devoted to anexaminationof scientific and ethical problems related to the release ofgenetically engineered microorganisms. ... Read more