Book Description

Derived from an unprecedented research effort covering over 70 field years of field data in a series of studies, Trophic Organization in Coastal Systems represents an alternative approach to coastal research that has been successfully applied to coastal resource management issues. This unique book is based upon a sequence of long-term, interdisciplinary studies of a series of coastal regions in the NE Gulf of Mexico that include nutrient loading, habitat definition, quantified collections of organisms from microbes to fishes, and the determination of the trophic organization that defines the processes that shape the productivity of these areas.A multidisciplinary team of marine scientists, chemists, physical oceanographers, geologists, hydrologists, engineers, experimental biologists, and taxonomists have created a singular database of changes in a series of Gulf of Mexico coastal systems. This field information, together with field and laboratory experimentation, is integrated with the scientific literature to advance our understanding of how coastal food webs work. The central focus is on the relationship of primary production in the form of species-specific phytoplankton communities with associated food webs of coastal systems and the relationship of tropho-dynamic processes to long-term changes (natural and polluted) in such areas. The impacts of phytoplankton blooms on trophic organization is elucidated.The author, a renowned marine scientist, provides detailed knowledge of the processes that drive coastal ecosystems. He presents an in-depth discussion on how there is a hierarchy of cycles of differing periods that is associated with the formation and development of aquatic food webs. Trophic Organization in Coastal Systems will be particularly useful to those involved in research related to the importance of aquatic food webs to an understanding of how aquatic systems function. The principles and processes of trophic organization presented here can serve as a valuable model for research in other regions of the world. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

Dr. Livingston I Presume?
Here I depart from my haiku form, but only for a moment. This is a subject dear to my heart. And how I earn my daily fish. Dr.
Livingston assembled one of the most important books to anyone working with coastal habitat solutions can have in their library.

The result is a facile compendeum of vast data arrays transformed into useful information and then wedded to the efforts of research teams who spanned the usual studies of plankton counts, water gases analysis, up to advanced biotic interactions structuring of communities.

The good doctor was not content to study the effects, but sought root causes by comparing the disparate environments--polluted versus clean--estuary results found in the biome of the Gulf Coast. His research combined with the case studies offer an excellent approach to expanding the awareness of researchers to the polymorphisms of food webs within coastal habitations. The entire section on phytoplankton environment analysis; ecology, primary productivity, and physiology ties generously into the studies as demonstrated by the effects for figuring the development rates and production growth due to photosynthetic patterns in relationship to spatial and temporal distribution.

Ultimately the work is a boon to researchers and I wouldn't be found on the coast without it.

Persistent memory
Harmony - Ocean and Earth
Life's birthplace ... Read more

Book Description

Bioassays are among the ecotoxicologist's most effective weapons in the evaluation of water quality and the assessment of ecological impacts of effluents, chemicals, discharges, and emissions on the aquatic environment. Information on these assessment aids is needed throughout the international scientific and environmental management community. This comprehensive reference provides an excellent overview of the small-scale aquatic bioassay techniques and applications currently in use around the world.This special volume is the result of several years of collaboration between Environment Canada and Fisheries and Oceans Canada. Internationally recognized research scientists at many institutions have contributed to this state-of-the-art examination of the exciting, environmentally important field of microscale testing in aquatic toxicology.Microscale Testing in Aquatic Toxicology contains over forty chapters covering relevant principles, new techniques and recent advancements, and applications in scientific research, environmental management, academia, and the private sector. ... Read more

Book Description

Part of a three-volume series, this book focuses largely on finfish and considers non-infectious disorders of development, growth, and physiology in wild and captive species. Topics include tumorigenesis, stress physiology and the effects of stressors on particular processes, and the effect of environmental factors on fish health. ... Read more

Book Description

This volume presents contributions given at the international symposium on The Vertebrate Gas Transport Cascade: Adaptations to Environment and Mode of Life, held in São Sebastião, São Paulo, Brazil from September 10-15, 1991. Recent developments in the field and the unifying principles of basic respiratory mechanisms are covered, and reviews in major areas of respiratory physiology are complemented by recent experimental data. Principal topics discussed include conditions for gas exchange in selected special environments, ventilation of the gas exchanger, diffusing capacity and exchange between respired medium and blood, respiratory pigments and oxygen transport by blood, cardiovascular function and oxygen transport by blood, oxygen delivery to tissue, and transition to anaerobic metabolism. The Vertebrate Gas Transport Cascade: Adaptations to Environment and Mode of Life will be a useful addition to the reference collections of respiratory physiologists, comparative physiologists, cardiovascular physiologists, experimental biologists, students, and others interested in the topic. ... Read more

Book Description

No matter where one casts a fly in Canada, the fishing is rivaled by few places in the world. The country’s tens of thousands of miles of ocean coastline, hundreds of thousands of miles of streams and over one million lakes make knowing the whole of it an impossible dream for the single enthusiast. So 33 members of the Outdoor Writers of Canada pooled their 1,200 years of experience to produce this first comprehensive guide to fly fishing the whole of Canada. Collectively, they have authored over 30 books and over 15,000 articles in newspapers and sporting journals across North America. Now they share their knowledge and expertise about how, where and when to go fly fishing for over 70 species from the Arctic to the Pacific to the Atlantic. ... Read more

Book Description

Little attention has been paid to the techniques for aquatic sediment sampling in the scientific literature dealing with environmental issues. With increasing interest in aquatic sediments as a sink source of contaminants in aquatic ecosystems, it has been recognized that sediment sampling is a complex and poorly documented discipline. No standardized methods exist to preserve the integrity of sediment and, particularly, sediment pore water, during sampling for different analyses and biological testing for assessment of sediment quality. A practical guide presenting the various methods available would prove extremely valuable. This is that guide.The book begins with a description of the objectives of sediment sampling for different purposes and planning of sampling programs. Most commonly used and readily available samplers and sampling techniques are explained for routine monitoring of sediment contamination and studies of sediment quality. Sample handling, transport, and storage are outlined relevant to the subsequent use of the collected sediments in physico-chemical analysis and biological testing. Measurements and notes of observations in the field during collection of sediments are described. Methods and equipment for collection of sediment pore water are detailed, and the efficiency, cost, and safety involved in sediment sampling are considered. The Manual of Aquatic Sediment Sampling contains examples, figures, and tables to enhance the reader's understanding of the material and of the importance of choosing proper techniques in sediment sampling programs.For each topic, recent citations are included from specialized literature. The Manual of Aquatic Sediment Sampling contains many examples, figures, and tables which will help the reader to understand the importance of choosing proper techniques in sediment sampling programs, and will provide a guide to preparation and execution of such programs. ... Read more

Book Description

People from the Asian Pacific region were among the first in the world to utilize algae for various purposes. References to algae have been found in Chinese classic writings dating back some 2500 years ago. It is perhaps no surprise that the traditional focus on algae in the region has been on their potential as a resource. The Asian Pacific is now the world's largest algal production region. From freshwater to marine environments, from microalgae to macroalgae (seaweeds), through natural harvest or through farming or polyculture, in indoor tanks or outdoor ponds, algal biomass is being produced by the millions of tons annually. Not to mention all the other associated industries, from food manufacturing and chemical extraction to pharmaceutical, nutraceutical and industrial product development, the entire algae related industry is certainly one of the most vital in the region. There is a continued and sustained interest in the expanded use of algae and the application of algae as a tool in biotechnology. Not withstanding the focus on the economic potential of algae, there is also a greater focus on the role of algae in the environment, not simply as primary producers, but also as structuring forces in the community. There is the question of algae as sources of various toxins during algal blooms, as well as the potential of algae as scavengers of excess nutrients under eutrophication. More and more researchers have also turned to algae as a tool in experimental biology and as a model to understand biological phenomena. All this diversity in interests and focuses could only be linked together simply because they are all related to algae.Collected in this special volume are 36 invited and contributed papers first presented at the Second Asian Pacific Phycological Forum held at the Chinese University of Hong Kong at the turn of the century. These papers were subsequently updated to bring to fore the latest development in algal research in the Asian Pacific Region. This volume thus provides one of the most comprehensive pictures of advances in algal research in this part of the world. ... Read more

Book Description

The introduction and rapid spread of the zebra mussel in North American waters has caused great concern among industrial and recreational users of these waters. This bivalve mollusk is a biofouler that attaches to any firm substrate (e.g. rocks, piers, water intake pipes, boat hulls) and has already created significant problems for raw water users such as water treatment plants and power plants.Zebra Mussels: Biology, Impacts and Control provides essential information regarding the biology of the zebra mussel in North America and Europe, presents case studies of environmental and industrial impacts, and outlines control strategies. Summary articles detail its life history, origins, and morphology. The book also examines techniques used to culture and maintain this organism in the laboratory. Thirty-two color plates illustrate some of the dramatic problems created by the explosive population growth of this species. Zebra Mussels: Biology, Impacts, and Control is an important resource for ecologists, conservationists, environmental consultants, water quality engineers, regulatory officials, power utilities, and libraries. ... Read more