This book provides an introduction to photosynthesis in the marine environment. It was written by three experienced marine biologists who have extensively researched photosynthesis and carbon fixation by marine organisms. The book emphasizes how marine photosynthetic processes differ from terrestrial plants. It serves as an excellent introduction to photosynthesis in the ocean for graduate students, undergraduates, and even advanced high school students. The book describes photosynthesis in context of the planet's evolutionary history and environmental changes. It also examines various types of photosynthetic marine organisms.
High scientific demand, sustainable management of sea
resources, assessment and monitoring of pollution sources and of
their environmental impact, urgency to understand how does the
biologic processes link to the Carbon cycle and how do they
impact climate: oceanic biologic parameters (primary production,
biomass, and pelagic populations) are in the depths of vital stakes
for our society sustainable development.
Today, Mercator-Ocean is strongly involved in producing
operational bulletins of the physical “blue” ocean. To use new
requirements, it is going to integrate the forecasting of the living
world seas’ component and become more “green”. A first quasireal
time demonstration phase will be launched in the beginning of
2006. LOBSTER biologic model will be integrated in the Mercator
operational chain. This new stage was made possible thanks to
the Bionuts research/operational collaboration. Five structures
contribute to this project: LEGOS (Toulouse), LEGI (Grenoble),
IPSL/OCEAN and IPSL/LSCE (Paris) and the GIP Mercator-
Ocean. In the News, Patrick Monfray & al. present us this project,
its stakes, as well as some recent results.
The three other Newsletter’s articles present an overview of the
Mercator associated research works on the “biology” thematic.
François Royer & al. are interested on the pelagic species’ spatial
dynamic, unavoidable stage for a better management of the sea
resources.
A toxic bloom of the cyanobacteria, Nodularia
spumigena has been reported in the Baltic Sea. On
July 24, 2003, SeaWiFS captured this view of the
blooming Baltic. (credits NASA)
In the scope of the Bionuts project, Leo Berline & al. have studied the assimilation impact (temperature, salinity, sea level)
on the biologic parameters of coupled biology/physical model. In fact, the confrontation of physical models to biology
constraints has revealed some negative effects of the assimilation scheme on the vertical processes performance. So,
improve them is a crucial stake for the biology/physical coupling.
At last, coupling between biologic and physical models is a great opportunity for Scientists to investigate how does the
dynamic impact the biology. Isabelle Dadou & al. have looked at the Rossby waves influence on the primary production.
Have a very good read!
High scientific demand, sustainable management of sea
resources, assessment and monitoring of pollution sources and of
their environmental impact, urgency to understand how does the
biologic processes link to the Carbon cycle and how do they
impact climate: oceanic biologic parameters (primary production,
biomass, and pelagic populations) are in the depths of vital stakes
for our society sustainable development.
Today, Mercator-Ocean is strongly involved in producing
operational bulletins of the physical “blue” ocean. To use new
requirements, it is going to integrate the forecasting of the living
world seas’ component and become more “green”. A first quasireal
time demonstration phase will be launched in the beginning of
2006. LOBSTER biologic model will be integrated in the Mercator
operational chain. This new stage was made possible thanks to
the Bionuts research/operational collaboration. Five structures
contribute to this project: LEGOS (Toulouse), LEGI (Grenoble),
IPSL/OCEAN and IPSL/LSCE (Paris) and the GIP Mercator-
Ocean. In the News, Patrick Monfray & al. present us this project,
its stakes, as well as some recent results.
The three other Newsletter’s articles present an overview of the
Mercator associated research works on the “biology” thematic.
François Royer & al. are interested on the pelagic species’ spatial
dynamic, unavoidable stage for a better management of the sea
resources.
A toxic bloom of the cyanobacteria, Nodularia
spumigena has been reported in the Baltic Sea. On
July 24, 2003, SeaWiFS captured this view of the
blooming Baltic. (credits NASA)
In the scope of the Bionuts project, Leo Berline & al. have studied the assimilation impact (temperature, salinity, sea level)
on the biologic parameters of coupled biology/physical model. In fact, the confrontation of physical models to biology
constraints has revealed some negative effects of the assimilation scheme on the vertical processes performance. So,
improve them is a crucial stake for the biology/physical coupling.
At last, coupling between biologic and physical models is a great opportunity for Scientists to investigate how does the
dynamic impact the biology. Isabelle Dadou & al. have looked at the Rossby waves influence on the primary production.
Have a very good read!
FLORAL DIVERSITY OF MANGROVE ECOSYSTEM FROM COASTAL ENVIRONMENT OF URAN (RAIG...Prabhakar Pawar
Mangrove forests are among the world’s most productive ecosystems and are the only forests situated at the confluence of land and sea in tropical and subtropical latitudes.Mangroves are one of the biologically diverse ecosystems in the world, rich in organic matter and nutrients and support very large biomass of flora and fauna. With continuing degradation and destruction ofmangroves, there is a critical need to understand the biodiversity of the mangrove ecosystems.Mangroves represent spirit of Mumbai and NaviMumbai - they are plucky survivors. Each day, millions of citizens in Mumbai pass these hardy plants imaging they are little more than dirty, muddy weeds growing pointlessly along the shoreline. Overexploitation and unsustainable demand has resulted in considerable degradation of mangrove areas and it is feared that the area under mangroves around Mumbai areas has dwindled by 35% in the last 25 years and only about 20 Km2 of mangroves exist today. During this study, 4 species of true
mangroves representing 3 genera and 3 families, 10 species of mangrove associates belonging to 8 genera and 6 families and 1 species of non-mangrove halophytes were recorded from the mangrove ecosystems of Uran (Raigad), Navi Mumbai,Maharashtra.At present, coastal environment of Uran shows moderate mangrove density but in coming few years, area around Uran coast will be dominated by intense industrialization and urbanization. In such circumstances, pollution of Uran coast cannot be ignored. Therefore, data presented in this paper can be taken as a base line data for better management of these natural resources.
Key words: Mangroves diversity, Uran, Navi Mumbai,Maharashtra
Aspects of the Geomorphology and Limnology of some molluscinhabited freshwate...iosrjce
IOSR Journal of Environmental Science, Toxicology and Food Technology (IOSR-JESTFT) multidisciplinary peer-reviewed Journal with reputable academics and experts as board member. IOSR-JESTFT is designed for the prompt publication of peer-reviewed articles in all areas of subject. The journal articles will be accessed freely online
Study of Temporal Trends of Pollution in the Russian Coastal Areas of the Bla...CrimsonPublishersACSR
Study of Temporal Trends of Pollution in the Russian Coastal Areas of the Black Sea by Nuclear and Related Analytical Techniques by Frontasyeva MV in Annals of Chemical Science Research
Macrobenthic Invertebrate assemblage along gradients of the river Basantar (J...Agriculture Journal IJOEAR
Abstract— A limnological investigation was carried out in River Basantar in the Jammu province of Jammu & Kashmir (India) during the period from December, 2009 to November, 2011 in order to analyse the effect of industrial pollution on the diversity and population density of Macrobenthic invertebrate fauna along the longitudinal profile of the river. A total of 27 macrobenthic invertebrate taxa inhabited the river; among these Arthropoda dominated the macrobenthic community (81.48%, 22 species) followed by Annelida (11.11%, 3 species) and Mollusca (7.41%, 2 species). The Discharge Zone (St II) had the highest mean standing crop of macrobenthic population while the lowest species number. Oligochaetes (Annelida) and Dipterans (Arthropoda) exhibited their abundance at polluted sites whereas Odonates, Ephemeropterans, Hemipterans, Coleopterans (Arthropoda) and Molluscs were abundant at least polluted sites. Tubifex tubifex, Branchiura sowerbyi, Limnodrillus hoffmeisteri, Chironomus, Tubifera, Psychoda and Physa acuta were identified as pollution indicator taxa while Progomphus, Cloeon, Baetis and Gyraulus as sensitive taxa.
Physico-chemical parameters and macrobenthic invertebrates of the intertidal ...Angelo Mark Walag
Physico-chemical parameters and macrobenthic invertebrates of the intertidal zone of Gusa, Cagayan de Oro City, Philippines were assessed from March to May 2014. Water temperature, pH, salinity, dissolved oxygen, biological oxygen demand, and type of substrate were determined in the study were within the normal range. A modified transect-quadrat method was used in an approximately 14,000 m2 of study area. Seven hundred twenty seven individuals belonging to 15 species were found in the area. These organisms belong to four phyla namely: Mollusca, Arthropoda, Echinodermata, and Annelida. The three most abundant organisms found were Coenobita clypeatus, Ophiothrix longipeda, and Cypraea poraria with relative abundance of 73.86%, 4.13% and 3.71% respectively. Most of the macrobenthic fauna identified exhibited a clumped pattern of distribution, while the rest are randomly distributed. The species diversity of the area is 1.19 which is very low compared to reports from related studies.
Mars exploration has been guided by the search for water. The more complex quest by Mars Science
Laboratory for habitable environments should illuminate the Martian environmental history, and
possibly deliver insights into extraterrestrial life.
The Marine Board provides a pan-European platform
for its member organisations to develop common priorities,
to advance marine research, and to bridge the
gap between science and policy in order to meet future
marine science challenges and opportunities.
The Marine Board was established in 1995 to facilitate
enhanced cooperation between European marine science
organisations (both research institutes and research
funding agencies) towards the development of a common
vision on the research priorities and strategies for
marine science in Europe. In 2012, the Marine Board
represents 34 Member Organisations from 20 countries.
The marine Board provides the essential components for
transferring knowledge for leadership in marine research
in Europe. Adopting a strategic role, the Marine Board
serves its member organisations by providing a forum
within which marine research policy advice to national
agencies and to the European Commission is developed,
with the objective of promoting the establishment of the
European Marine Research Area.
Treatment by alternative methods of regression gas chromatographic retention ...ijics
The study treated two closer alternative methods of which the principal characteristic: a non-parametric
method (the least absolute deviation (LAD)) and a traditional method of diagnosis OLS.This was applied to
model, separately, the indices of retention of the same whole of 35 pyrazines (27 pyrazines with 8 other
pyrazines in the same unit) eluted to the columns OV-101 and Carbowax-20M, by using theoretical
molecular descriptors calculated using the software DRAGON. The detection of influential observations for
non-parametric method (LAD) is a problem which has been extensively studied and offers alternative
dicapproaches whose main feature is the robustness .here is presented and compared with the standard
least squares regression .The comparison between methods LAD and OLS is based on the equation of the
hyperplane, in order to confirm the robustness thus to detect by the meaningless statements and the points
of lever and validated results in the state approached by the tests statistics: Test of Anderson-Darling,
shapiro-wilk, Agostino, Jarque-Bera, graphic test (histogram of frequency) and the confidence interval
thanks to the concept of robustness to check if the distribution of the errors is really approximate.
FLORAL DIVERSITY OF MANGROVE ECOSYSTEM FROM COASTAL ENVIRONMENT OF URAN (RAIG...Prabhakar Pawar
Mangrove forests are among the world’s most productive ecosystems and are the only forests situated at the confluence of land and sea in tropical and subtropical latitudes.Mangroves are one of the biologically diverse ecosystems in the world, rich in organic matter and nutrients and support very large biomass of flora and fauna. With continuing degradation and destruction ofmangroves, there is a critical need to understand the biodiversity of the mangrove ecosystems.Mangroves represent spirit of Mumbai and NaviMumbai - they are plucky survivors. Each day, millions of citizens in Mumbai pass these hardy plants imaging they are little more than dirty, muddy weeds growing pointlessly along the shoreline. Overexploitation and unsustainable demand has resulted in considerable degradation of mangrove areas and it is feared that the area under mangroves around Mumbai areas has dwindled by 35% in the last 25 years and only about 20 Km2 of mangroves exist today. During this study, 4 species of true
mangroves representing 3 genera and 3 families, 10 species of mangrove associates belonging to 8 genera and 6 families and 1 species of non-mangrove halophytes were recorded from the mangrove ecosystems of Uran (Raigad), Navi Mumbai,Maharashtra.At present, coastal environment of Uran shows moderate mangrove density but in coming few years, area around Uran coast will be dominated by intense industrialization and urbanization. In such circumstances, pollution of Uran coast cannot be ignored. Therefore, data presented in this paper can be taken as a base line data for better management of these natural resources.
Key words: Mangroves diversity, Uran, Navi Mumbai,Maharashtra
Aspects of the Geomorphology and Limnology of some molluscinhabited freshwate...iosrjce
IOSR Journal of Environmental Science, Toxicology and Food Technology (IOSR-JESTFT) multidisciplinary peer-reviewed Journal with reputable academics and experts as board member. IOSR-JESTFT is designed for the prompt publication of peer-reviewed articles in all areas of subject. The journal articles will be accessed freely online
Study of Temporal Trends of Pollution in the Russian Coastal Areas of the Bla...CrimsonPublishersACSR
Study of Temporal Trends of Pollution in the Russian Coastal Areas of the Black Sea by Nuclear and Related Analytical Techniques by Frontasyeva MV in Annals of Chemical Science Research
Macrobenthic Invertebrate assemblage along gradients of the river Basantar (J...Agriculture Journal IJOEAR
Abstract— A limnological investigation was carried out in River Basantar in the Jammu province of Jammu & Kashmir (India) during the period from December, 2009 to November, 2011 in order to analyse the effect of industrial pollution on the diversity and population density of Macrobenthic invertebrate fauna along the longitudinal profile of the river. A total of 27 macrobenthic invertebrate taxa inhabited the river; among these Arthropoda dominated the macrobenthic community (81.48%, 22 species) followed by Annelida (11.11%, 3 species) and Mollusca (7.41%, 2 species). The Discharge Zone (St II) had the highest mean standing crop of macrobenthic population while the lowest species number. Oligochaetes (Annelida) and Dipterans (Arthropoda) exhibited their abundance at polluted sites whereas Odonates, Ephemeropterans, Hemipterans, Coleopterans (Arthropoda) and Molluscs were abundant at least polluted sites. Tubifex tubifex, Branchiura sowerbyi, Limnodrillus hoffmeisteri, Chironomus, Tubifera, Psychoda and Physa acuta were identified as pollution indicator taxa while Progomphus, Cloeon, Baetis and Gyraulus as sensitive taxa.
Physico-chemical parameters and macrobenthic invertebrates of the intertidal ...Angelo Mark Walag
Physico-chemical parameters and macrobenthic invertebrates of the intertidal zone of Gusa, Cagayan de Oro City, Philippines were assessed from March to May 2014. Water temperature, pH, salinity, dissolved oxygen, biological oxygen demand, and type of substrate were determined in the study were within the normal range. A modified transect-quadrat method was used in an approximately 14,000 m2 of study area. Seven hundred twenty seven individuals belonging to 15 species were found in the area. These organisms belong to four phyla namely: Mollusca, Arthropoda, Echinodermata, and Annelida. The three most abundant organisms found were Coenobita clypeatus, Ophiothrix longipeda, and Cypraea poraria with relative abundance of 73.86%, 4.13% and 3.71% respectively. Most of the macrobenthic fauna identified exhibited a clumped pattern of distribution, while the rest are randomly distributed. The species diversity of the area is 1.19 which is very low compared to reports from related studies.
Mars exploration has been guided by the search for water. The more complex quest by Mars Science
Laboratory for habitable environments should illuminate the Martian environmental history, and
possibly deliver insights into extraterrestrial life.
The Marine Board provides a pan-European platform
for its member organisations to develop common priorities,
to advance marine research, and to bridge the
gap between science and policy in order to meet future
marine science challenges and opportunities.
The Marine Board was established in 1995 to facilitate
enhanced cooperation between European marine science
organisations (both research institutes and research
funding agencies) towards the development of a common
vision on the research priorities and strategies for
marine science in Europe. In 2012, the Marine Board
represents 34 Member Organisations from 20 countries.
The marine Board provides the essential components for
transferring knowledge for leadership in marine research
in Europe. Adopting a strategic role, the Marine Board
serves its member organisations by providing a forum
within which marine research policy advice to national
agencies and to the European Commission is developed,
with the objective of promoting the establishment of the
European Marine Research Area.
Treatment by alternative methods of regression gas chromatographic retention ...ijics
The study treated two closer alternative methods of which the principal characteristic: a non-parametric
method (the least absolute deviation (LAD)) and a traditional method of diagnosis OLS.This was applied to
model, separately, the indices of retention of the same whole of 35 pyrazines (27 pyrazines with 8 other
pyrazines in the same unit) eluted to the columns OV-101 and Carbowax-20M, by using theoretical
molecular descriptors calculated using the software DRAGON. The detection of influential observations for
non-parametric method (LAD) is a problem which has been extensively studied and offers alternative
dicapproaches whose main feature is the robustness .here is presented and compared with the standard
least squares regression .The comparison between methods LAD and OLS is based on the equation of the
hyperplane, in order to confirm the robustness thus to detect by the meaningless statements and the points
of lever and validated results in the state approached by the tests statistics: Test of Anderson-Darling,
shapiro-wilk, Agostino, Jarque-Bera, graphic test (histogram of frequency) and the confidence interval
thanks to the concept of robustness to check if the distribution of the errors is really approximate.
Coral Reefs: Challenges, Opportunities and Evolutionary Strategies for Surviv...rsmahabir
Coral reefs are one of the most diverse marine ecosystems on Earth. They are renowned hotspots of species biodiversity and provide home to a large array of marine plants and animals. Over the past 100 years, many tropical regions’ sea surface temperatures have increased by almost 1 °C and are currently increasing at about 1–2 °C per century. Corals have very specific thermal thresholds beyond which their temperature sensitive symbiont Zooxanthellae becomes affected and causes corals to bleach. Mass bleaching has already caused significant losses to live coral in many parts of the world. In the Caribbean, the problem of coral bleaching has especially been problematic, with as much as 90% bleaching in some parts of the Caribbean due to thermal anomalies in some instances. This paper looks at the key role that temperature plays in the health and spatial distribution of coral in the Caribbean. The relationship between coral and symbiont is examined along with some evolutionary strategies necessary to ensure the future survival of coral with the changing climate.
Mercury in the Global OceanPURPOSE USE THE NEWS The followinAbramMartino96
Mercury in the Global Ocean
PURPOSE: USE THE NEWS: The following assignment uses real world data and news sources. Check your understanding of the material and then offer a well-supported response.- 25 pts
Although the days of odd behavior among hat makers are a thing of the past, the dangers mercury poses to humans and the environment persist today.
Mercury is a naturally occurring element as well as a by-product of such distinctly human enterprises as burning coal and making cement. Estimates of “bioavailable” mercury—forms of the element that can be taken up by animals and humans—play an important role in everything from drafting an international treaty designed to protect humans and the environment from mercury emissions, to establishing public policies behind warnings about seafood consumption.
Yet surprisingly little is known about how much mercury in the environment is the result of human activity, or even how much bioavailable mercury exists in the global ocean. Until now.
A new paper by a group that includes researchers from the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution (WHOI), Wright State University, Observatoire Midi-Pyréneés in France, and the Royal Netherlands Institute for Sea Research appears in this week’s edition of the journal Nature and provides the first direct calculation of mercury in the global ocean from pollution based on data obtained from 12 sampling cruises over the past 8 years. The work, which was funded by the U.S. National Science Foundation and the European Research Council and led by WHOI marine chemist Carl Lamborg, also provides a look at the global distribution of mercury in the marine environment.
“It would seem that, if we want to regulate the mercury emissions into the environment and in the food we eat, then we should first know how much is there and how much human activity is adding every year,” said Lamborg, who has been studying mercury for 24 years. “At the moment, however, there is no way to look at a water sample and tell the difference between mercury that came from pollution and mercury that came from natural sources. Now we have a way to at least separate the bulk contributions of natural and human sources over time.”
The group started by looking at data sets that offer detail about oceanic levels of phosphate, a substance that is both better studied than mercury and that behaves in much the same way in the ocean. Phosphate is a nutrient that, like mercury, is taken up into the marine food web by binding with organic material. By determining the ratio of phosphate to mercury in water deeper than 1,000 meters (3,300 feet) that has not been in contact with Earth’s atmosphere since the Industrial Revolution, the group was able to estimate mercury in the ocean that originated from natural sources such as the breakdown, or “weathering,” of rocks on land.
Their findings agreed with what they would expect to see given the known pattern of global ocean circulation. North Atlantic waters, for example, s ...
Photosynthesis in the Marine Environment BOOK REVIEW
1. ~ BOOK REVIEWS
Photosyn1ties1s.
ta nia Marlne EnVironmen1
h na P, Mata Björk IQd
J bn lelPQ!t
Photosynthesis in the Marine
Environment was wrillen by Lhree
experienced marine biologisls, Sven Beer,
Mals Björk, and John Beardall, who have
all worked for many years on pholo-
synthesis and Lhe ulilizalion of inor-
ganic carbon in lhe marine environmenl.
'föey have published numerous papers
dealing with photosynthesis and Lhe fix-
alion of inorganic carbon by various
marine organisms, induding seagrasses,
macroalgae, and microalgae, and how
Lhe environmenl impacts their pholosyn-
thelic aclivily. 'lhis book emphasizes how
marine photosynthelic processes differ
from those of lerreslrial planls, and while
il has seclions thal mighl be valuable for
specialists, ils slrenglh is lhal il serves
as an excellent inlroduclion Lo photo-
synthesis in lhe ocean for graduale stu-
dents and undergraduales, and even for
advanced high school students. When
describing pholosynthesis in the ocean,
the aulhors place il inlo lhe conlext of
Lhe evolulionary history of lhe planel/
almosphere and lhe massive changes in
0 2, C02, and UV lighl thal have occurred
over Lhe lasl Lhree billion years. 'föe book
also provides a glimpse inlo the various
Lypes of pholosynlhetic organisms, from
Lhe macrophytic algae such as Porphyra
and Ulva, lo lhe coccolilhophore-
producing algae responsible for creat-
ing the calcium carbonale deposits of
Lhe white diffs of Dover, lo diatoms and
264 Ocen1-wr;rn11hJ I Vol.28, No.2
PHOTOSYNTHESIS IN THE MARINE ENVIRONMENT
By Sven Beer, Mats Björk, and John Beardall, 2014 , Wiley-Blackwell, 224 pages,
ISBN 978-1-119-97957-9, Hardcover: $149.95 US, Paperback: $89 .95 US,
e-book: $71.99 US
Reviewed by Arthur Grossman
lheir silica fruslules, mode! green algae
such as Chlamydomonas, and prokary-
otic cyanobacleria with their abilily Lo ftx
nitrogen and synthesize pholoprolective
UV absorbing compounds.
'lhe text provides a menu of lop-
ics, slories, and lhoughls thal commu-
nicale scope and insights Lhat will inler-
esl lhe young and lhe curious reader, and
il provides new possibilities for research
direclions for scienlisl al all levels.
Furlhermore, the book benefils from a
number ofconlribulors who convey ideas
and lessons lhey have learned by work-
ing wilh marine pholosynlhelic organ-
isms (conlained wilhin boxed seclions
of lhe texl) lhal add bolh deplh and per-
sonalily lo the discussion. For example,
John Raven muses on life on olher planets
and Lhe possibilily of the transfer of thal
life lo Earlh, Laura Steindler discusses lhe
undersludied pholosymbiolic associa-
tion lhal supports lhe growlh of sponges,
Stuart Larsen describes Lhe measuremenl
of ocean chlorophyll levets from salel-
liles and how it may be used to monilor
changes in the global ocean environmenl,
and Lennarl Axelsson discusses carbon
ulilizalion in macrophylic algae.
'lhe illuslralions are dearly presenled,
providing Lhe reader with images of
important oceanic organisms and pri-
mary data, graphs, and charts that empha-
size many of the points being made in the
text. Indeed, the figures and tables, which
would be very useful props when teach-
ing a dass or a section ofa dass on photo-
synthesis (oron algae), are provided with
the book as downloads obtained from the
Wiley-Blackwell website.
There are some sections ofthe text that
do not provide a lot of detail on specific
aspects of photosynthetic activities in the
ocean (light use and the various mecha-
nisms used by the photosynthetic organ-
isms for quenching excess absorbed light
energy), and the book doesn't really
deal with molecular aspects of photo-
synthetic processes, induding new data
obtained using genomics, transcriptomes
(both chloroplast and nudear gene), and
recombinant DNA technology. Although
some of these areas are covered in other
books in the field (e.g., Falkowski and
Raven's Aquatic Plzotosynthcsis and
Blankenship's Molccular Meclzanisms of
Photosynthesis), many molecular break-
throughs are relatively new, and the
information is rapidly changing; these
molecular subjects would benefit from a
separate, more focused volume.
A major strength of Photosynthcsis in
thc Marine Environment is found in the
many sections that deal with the utili-
zation of inorganic carbon, a subject on
which the authors have spent much of
their working lives. This area is explained
in significant detail with discussions of
the equilibrium of the different forms of
inorganic carbon (in dosed and open sys-
tems), the role of carbonic anhydrase in
bringing those forms to equilibrium, and
the strong impact that carbonic anhy-
drase has on the ways in which organisms
concentrate inorganic carbon (both bicar-
bonate and C02) lo overcome Lhe poor
affinily of Lhe ribulose l,5-bisphosphale
carboxylase (inilial activily involved in
Lhe fixation of inorganic carbon) for C02
and Lhe low leve! of soluble C02 in lhe
ocean (and the much higher concenlra-
Lion ofbicarbonale).
Various mechanisms/models are pre-
sented Lhal <lescribe how inorganic carbon
...
--....Qµiag.5
.... ..............
2. is concentrated in both marine organisms
and land planls. 'lbe authors also pro-
vide importanl insights into the symbioUc
associations crilical for life in the oligo-
lrophic oceans, the physiological charac-
leristicsofseagrassesandhow theyevolved
lo be diiferenl from land planls once they
migrated from the lerrestrial environ-
ment back into the ocean 90 million years
ago, Lhe growth ofepiphytes on algae, the
rugged life that occurs in the intertidal
zone, and the calcification of many of the
algae and how that will be impacted by
elevated atmospheric C02• A very valu-
able chapter describes many of the basic
photosynthetic parameters that research-
ers measure and the various instru-
ments and Lechnologies they use, includ-
ing Pulse Amplitude ModulaLed (PAM)
Fluorometry, Fast Repetition Rale (FRR)
Fluorometry, and 11
C02 isolope labeling.
Overall, the book provides a concise
and very readable excursion into the hab-
ilat of marine photosynthetic organisms,
guided by the exlensive research, leach-
ing experience, and thoughtfulness of
the three aulhors. It conveys the scope
of many of the issues concerning photo-
synthesis, the degrading health of the
marine environment, and our impact on
Lhat health ("We mess with the oceans
al our own peril"), and provides practi-
cal insights into Lhe ways in which photo-
synthesis in the ocean is measured (and
the advantages and !imitations associated
with the dilferenl procedures). Extensive
images of marine organisms and graphs
and figures showing real data help clar-
ify the discussions for both students and
teachers, while the text also provides
some lighter moments and highlights
areas that would immediately benefiL
--..~~
from additional work. 'lhis attempt lo give
direction lo young scientisls is evident in
various seclions of the text and enunci-
ated when the authors say, in a somewhat
wry statemenl, "Since we, the authors of
this book are aging oul of science (but
still remain good hearted) we will try lo
point out where progress can be made by
others, and possibly how:' When speak-
ing of desiccation and our lack of under-
standing of mechanisms by which inler-
tidal macroalgae survive desiccalion and
rapidly regain their ability to photosyn-
thesize upon rehydration, they simply
recommend "Young scientists: go for it!"
I think that the same exclamation could
be applied to the purchase ofthis book. ~
AUTHOR. Arthur Grossman (arthurg@stanford.
edu) Is Staff Member, Department of Plant Blology,
The Carnegle Institution, Stanford, CA, USA.