Algae and Cyanobacteria in Extreme Environments (Cellular Origin, Life in Extreme Habitats and Astrobiology (11))

ALGAE AND CYANOBACTRIA IN EXTREME ENVIRONMENTS is a unique collection of essays, contributed by leading scientists from around the world, devoted to algae – and some related microbes – observed in unexpected harsh habits, which it seems are an oasis or Garden of Eden for these organisms. This timely book on Extremophilic alga, including its especially impressive micrographs, may provide clues about the edges of life on Earth and possibly elsewhere in the universe. Defining locations from the anthropomorphic point of view, the environments explored ranges from severe and distant to "normal" places. The algae discussed, microbial oxygenic phototrophs, are classified into various categories according to their habitats. They thrive in various temperature ranges, at the limits of pH values, in salt solutions, under UV radiation, dryness, heavy metals, anaerobic niches, under various levels of illuminations, and under hydrostatic pressure. Authors discuss bio-diversely algal territories ecologically – the hot springs with the thermophiles or acido-thermophiles; Antarctica, the Artic, and permafrost zones with their cold lovers (Psychrophiles); soda lakes with the alkaliphiles, saltine areas with halophiles. In addition to general essays, Algal species discussed in detail include diatoms, __Cyanidium, Galdieria, Dunaliella__, and __Chroococcidiopsis__. This volume is a must for students of the field of biodiversity, as well as those in Phycology, ecology and general biological research. Front Matter....Pages i-xxxiv Front Matter....Pages 2-2 Oxygenic Photosynthetic Microorganisms in Extreme Environments....Pages 3-25 Front Matter....Pages 28-28 Effects of Ultraviolet Radiation on Cyanobacteria and their Protective Mechanisms....Pages 29-45 The Hidden Life of Algae Underground....Pages 47-58 Meromictic Lakes as Habitats for Protists....Pages 59-78 Marine Phototrophs in the Twilight Zone....Pages 79-97 Front Matter....Pages 100-100 Biology of the Chlorophyll D-Containing Cyanobacterium Acaryochloris Marina....Pages 101-123 Phylogenetics, Molecular Biology and Ecological Impacts of a Group of Highly Unusual Protists....Pages 125-140 Diatoms....Pages 141-172 The Margin of the Sea....Pages 173-191 Seaweeds on the Abrasion Platforms of the Intertidal Zone of Eastern Mediterranean Shores....Pages 193-207 Status of Mangrove Ecosystem....Pages 209-224 Intertidal Sandy Beaches as a Habitat Where Plastid Acquisition Processes are Ongoing....Pages 225-237 Hydrochemical Key to the Genesis of Calcareous Nonlaminated and Laminated Cyanobacterial Microbialites....Pages 239-264 Soil and Freshwater Micro-Algae as a Food Source for Invertebrates in Extreme Environments....Pages 265-284 Front Matter....Pages 286-286 Cold Tolerance in Cyanobacteria and Life in the Cryosphere....Pages 287-301 Cyanobacteria in Antarctic Lake Environments....Pages 303-320 Green Cryosestic Algae....Pages 321-342 Psychrophilic Diatoms....Pages 343-364 Algae at Extreme Low Temperatures....Pages 365-383 Front Matter....Pages 386-386 Cyanidiophyceae....Pages 387-397 Front Matter....Pages 386-386 Diversity of the Cosmopolitan Thermophile Mastigocladus laminosus at Global, Regional and Local Scales....Pages 399-410 The Thermophilic Cyanobacteria of the Zerka Ma'in Thermal Springs in Jordan....Pages 411-424 Iron-Tolerant Cyanobacteria....Pages 425-442 Extreme Acidophiles....Pages 443-463 Eukaryotic Community Structure from Río Tinto (SW, Spain), a Highly Acidic River....Pages 465-485 Species Composition of Cyanidiales Assemblages in Pisciarelli (Campi Flegrei, Italy) and Description of Galdieria Phlegrea SP. NOV....Pages 487-502 A Genomics Approach to Understanding the Biology of Thermo-Acidophilic Red Algae....Pages 503-518 Enigmatic Archaeal and Eukaryotic Life at Hydrothermal Vents and in Marine Subsurface Sediments....Pages 519-533 Front Matter....Pages 536-536 North American Desert Microbiotic Soil Crust Communities....Pages 537-551 Chroococcidiopsis from Desert to Mars....Pages 553-568 Chlorophyta on Land....Pages 569-582 Aeroterrestrial Algae Growing on Man-Made Surfaces....Pages 583-597 The Systematics of Subaerial Algae....Pages 599-617 Diversity, Distribution and Ecology of Green Algae and Cyanobacteria in Urban Habitats....Pages 619-638 Diversity of Organic Osmotic Compounds and Osmotic Adaptation in Cyanobacteria and Algae....Pages 639-655 Front Matter....Pages 658-658 Cyanobacteria....Pages 659-680 Life in a Hypervariable Environment....Pages 681-694 Front Matter....Pages 696-696 The Fate of Biological Materials in Acidic Environments of the Río Tinto, Southwestern Spain....Pages 697-710 Deep-Sea Microbial Eukaryotes in Anoxic, Microoxic, and Sulfidic Environments....Pages 711-734 Fungal Associations at the Cold Edge of Life....Pages 735-757 Front Matter....Pages 696-696 The Early Earth's Record of Supposed Extremophilic Bacteria and Cyanobacteria, at 3.8 to 2.5 GA....Pages 759-778 Front Matter....Pages 780-780 Algae and Cyanobacteria Under Environmental Extremes....Pages 781-786 Back Matter....Pages 787-811 Algae and Cyanobacteria in Extreme Environments is a unique collection of essays, contributed by leading scientists from around the world, devoted to algae – and some related microbes – observed in unexpected harsh habitats, which it seems are an oasis or Garden of Eden for these organisms. This timely book on Extremophilic algae, including its especially impressive micrographs, may provide clues about the edges of life on Earth and possibly elsewhere in the universe. Defining locations from the anthropomorphic point of view, the environments explored ranges from severe and distant to “normal” places. The algae discussed, microbial oxygenic phototrophs, are classified into various categories according to their habitats. They thrive in various temperature ranges, at the limits of pH values, in salt solutions, under UV radiation, dryness, heavy metals, anaerobic niches, under various levels of illuminations, and under hydrostatic pressure. Authors discuss bio-diversely algal territories ecologically – the hot springs with the thermophiles or acido-thermophiles; Antarctica, the Arctic, and permafrost zones with their cold lovers (Psychrophiles); soda lakes with the alkaliphiles, saltine areas with halophiles. In addition to general essays, Algal species discussed in detail include diatoms, Cyanidium, Galdieria, Dunaliella, and Chroococcidiopsis. This volume is a must for students of the field of biodiversity, as well as those in phycology, ecology and general biological research. This collection of essays is devoted to algae that are unexpectedly found in harsh habitats. The authors explain how these algae thrive in various temperature ranges, extreme pH values, salt solutions, UV radiation, dryness, heavy metals, anaerobic niches, various levels of illumination, and hydrostatic pressure. Not only do the essays provide clues about life on the edges of the Earth, but possibly elsewhere in the universe as well.