Biodiversity and Ecophysiology of Yeasts

Book excerpt: In the last few decades more and more yeast habitats have been explored, spanning cold climates to tropical regions and dry deserts to rainforests. As a result, a large body of ecological data has been accumulated and the number of known yeast species has increased rapidly. This book provides an overview of the biodiversity of yeasts in different habitats. Recent advances achieved by the application of molecular biological methods in the field of yeast taxonomy and ecology are also incorporated in the book. Wherever possible, the interaction between yeasts and the surrounding environment is discussed.