Freshwater Algae of North America

Book excerpt: Freshwater algae are among the most diverse and ubiquitous organisms on earth. They occupy an enormous range of ecological conditions from lakes and rivers to acidic peat swamps, inland saline lakes, snow and ice, damp soils, wetlands, desert soils, wastewater treatment plants, and are symbionts in and on many plants, fungi, and animals. In North America, the variety of freshwater habitats colonized by algae is very rich, and offers an enormous and fascinating range of environments for their study. They form the base of most aquatic food webs and are critical to studies of ecosystem health. Algal ecologists and taxonomists play an important role in the understanding of aquatic ecosystems: their biodiversity, productivity, interactions with other organisms, and water quality. This book provides in one volume a practical and comprehensive guide to the genera of freshwater algae known from North America. The format combines the necessary ecological, taxonomic and methodological information for all scientists working in aquatic environments, whether their specialty is in environmental monitoring and water quality assessment, biological composition, ecology, evolution, or molecular biology.Key Features* The first complete accounting of North America's freshwater algal genera in more than 50 years* Includes a guide to the current literature on species identification in each group of algae* High-quality photographs and drawings of more than 770 genera* A clear, easy-to-use introductory key to the diagnostic chapters* Synthetic chapters on freshwater habitats, use of algae in environmental assessment, and control of nuisance algae* Contributions from 27 experts in all areas of freshwater algae* Extensive literature citations* Companion volume of Ecology and Classification of North American Freshwater Invertebrates 2nd edition, edited by Throp and Covich