This book provides an introduction to recent analytical and experimental studies of plant growth in the sea. The physiology and ecology of marine plants are, therefore, emphasized.

This textbook examines selected groups of marine organisms within a framework of basic biological principles and processes. With attention to taxonomic, evolutionary, ecological, behavioral, and physiological aspects of biological study, the book contains chapters on habitat, patterns of association, phytoplankton, marine plants, protozoans and inv

The most respected reference in the field--and a fascinating tourof the world's largest underwater greenhouse . . . MARINE BOTANY Second Edition Unmatched in detail and breadth, this Second Edition of MarineBotany explores the startling diversity and environmental dynamicsof the hundreds of micro- and macroalgae, seagrasses, mangroves,and salt marshes as well as phytoplankton (minute, free-floatingphotosynthetic plants) and benthic communities (attached plants)that comprise the flourishing botanical garden submerged in andaround the surface of our vast oceans. Reflecting the latest in research since the original 1981 edition,long considered the classic reference on marine plant life, thisnew edition's enhanced ecological perspective details the ongoingenvironmental challenges endured by these fragile life-forms.Viewing the structure and function of marine plant communities inthe context of abiotic (light, temperature, water movement,nutrients), biotic (photosynthesis, carbon fixation, competition,predation, symbiosis), and anthropogenic influences, the book moveslayer by layer through the ocean, capturing their photosyntheticand adaptive mechanisms. Pollution in the form of oil spills, heavyand radioactive metals, biological damage wrought from harvestingand aquaculture, and the harmful effects of ozone depletion andUV-B rays are detailed, along with the impact of environmentalfactors on morphological and anatomical adaptations. The book alsodescribes the anthropogenic stresses endured by salt marshes,mangals, seagrass communities, and marine plants of coral reefs,concluding with possible management and restorativetechniques. Marine Botany, Second Edition is both a vivid global map andcomprehensive guide to all of the flourishing forms of plant lifeat our oceans' surface, shores, and depths and the dynamics oftheir survival.

Marine plants such as algae (blue-green algae and seaweeds), seagrasses, mangrove plants, salt-tolerant or salt-loving plants (halophytes) and coastal sand dune plants are known to generate approximately 70% of oxygen on earth, and help regulate oxygen in the atmosphere. These plants are potential sources of nutrients and are also considered valuable for the development of new drugs owing to their unique bioactive compounds. This book provides the taxonomy, common name, global distribution, habitat, diagnostic features and pharmaceutical compounds (along with their activities) of 400 species of marine plants, accompanied by high quality illustrations. Biology and Ecology of Pharmaceutical Marine Plants is the first comprehensive book of its kind written by scientists from both the Marine Biology and Pharmacy disciplines to fill the long-felt need for a marine natural products book devoted exclusively to plants. It should be a standard reference for students, researchers and teachers of disciplines such as Pharmacy, Fisheries Science, Marine Biology, Life Sciences, Biotechnology and Biochemistry, as well as a valuable guide for pharmaceutical companies involved in the development of new drugs from marine plants.

"Marine photosynthesis provides for at least half of the primary production worldwide..." Photosynthesis in the Marine Environment constitutes a comprehensive explanation of photosynthetic processes as related to the special environment in which marine plants live. The first part of the book introduces the different photosynthesising organisms of the various marine habitats: the phytoplankton (both cyanobacteria and eukaryotes) in open waters, and macroalgae, marine angiosperms and photosymbiont-containing invertebrates in those benthic environments where there is enough light for photosynthesis to support growth, and describes how these organisms evolved. The special properties of seawater for sustaining primary production are then considered, and the two main differences between terrestrial and marine environments in supporting photosynthesis and plant growth are examined, namely irradiance and inorganic carbon. The second part of the book outlines the general mechanisms of photosynthesis, and then points towards the differences in light-capturing and carbon acquisition between terrestrial and marine plants. This is followed by discussing the need for a CO2 concentrating mechanism in most of the latter, and a description of how such mechanisms function in different marine plants. Part three deals with the various ways in which photosynthesis can be measured for marine plants, with an emphasis on novel in situ measurements, including discussions of the extent to which such measurements can serve as a proxy for plant growth and productivity. The final chapters of the book are devoted to ecological aspects of marine plant photosynthesis and growth, including predictions for the future.

"Marine plants such as algae (blue-green algae and seaweeds), seagrasses, mangrove plants, salt-tolerant or salt-loving plants (halophytes) and coastal sand dune plants are known to generate approximately 70% of oxygen on earth, and help regulate oxygen in the atmosphere. These plants are potential sources of nutrients and are also considered valuable for the development of new drugs owing to their unique bioactive compounds. This book provides the taxonomy, common name, global distribution, habitat, diagnostic features and pharmaceutical compounds (along with their activities) of 400 species of marine plants, accompanied by high quality illustrations.Biology and Ecology of Pharmaceutical Marine Plants is the first comprehensive book of its kind written by scientists from both the Marine Biology and Pharmacy disciplines to fill the long-felt need for a marine natural products book devoted exclusively to plants. It should be a standard reference for students, researchers and teachers of disciplines such as Pharmacy, Fisheries Science, Marine Biology, Life Sciences, Biotechnology and Biochemistry, as well as a valuable guide for pharmaceutical companies involved in the development of new drugs from marine plants."--Provided by publisher.