Algal Adaptation to Environmental Stresses, Softcover reprint of the original 1st ed. 2001 Physiological, Biochemical and Molecular Mechanisms

Algae, generally held as the principal primary producers of aquatic systems, inhabit all conceivable habitats. They have great ability to cope with a harsh environment, e.g. extremely high and low temperatures, suboptimal and supraoptimal light intensities, low availability of essential nutrients and other resources, and high concentrations of toxic chemicals, etc. A multitude of physiological, biochemical, and molecular strategies enable them to survive and grow in stressful habitats. This book presents a critical account of various mechanisms of stress tolerance in algae, many of which may occur in microbes and plants as well.

1 Algal Adaptation to Stress — Some General Remarks.- 2 Carbon Limitation.- 3 Nitrogen Limitation.- 4 Phosphate Limitation.- 5 Trace Metal Constraints on Carbon, Nitrogen and Phosphorus Acquisition and Assimilation by Phytoplankton.- 6 Acclimation of Photosynthetic Light Energy Conversion to the Light Environments.- 7 Adaptation to UV Stress in Algae.- 8 Temperature Stress and Basic Bioenergetic Strategies for Stress Defence.- 9 Acidophilic and Acidotolerant Algae.- 10 Alkaliphilic and Alkali Tolerant Algae.- 11 Salt Acclimation of Algae and Cyanobacteria: A Comparison.- 12 Heavy Metal Tolerance in Algae.- 13 Eukaryotic Algae, Cyanobacteria and Pesticides.