Light and Photosynthesis in Aquatic Ecosystems

Description

Beginning systematically with the fundamentals, the fully-updated third edition of this popular graduate textbook provides an understanding of all the essential elements of marine optics. It explains the key role of light as a major factor in determining the operation and biological composition of aquatic ecosystems, and its scope ranges from the physics of light transmission within water, through the biochemistry and physiology of aquatic photosynthesis, to the ecological relationships that depend on the underwater light climate. This book also provides a valuable introduction to the remote sensing of the ocean from space, which is now recognized to be of great environmental significance due to its direct relevance to global warming. An important resource for graduate courses on marine optics, aquatic photosynthesis, or ocean remote sensing; and for aquatic scientists, both oceanographers and limnologists.

John Kirk began his research into ocean optics in the early 1970s in the Division of Plant Industry of the Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organization (CSIRO), Canberra, Australia, where he was a Chief Research Scientist, and continued it from 1997 in Kirk Marine Optics. He was awarded the Australian Society for Limnology Medal (1981), and besides the two successful previous editions of this book, has also co-authored The Plastids: Their Chemistry, Structure, Growth and Inheritance (Elsevier, 1978), which became the standard text in its field. Beyond his own scientific research interests, he has always been interested in the broader implications of science for human existence, and has published a book on this and other issues, Science and Certainty (CSIRO Publishing, 2007).

Praise for the first edition: '... excellent ... Definitely the mastery of the plan, the extreme clarity of the writing, the exhaustiveness of the information, together with constant attention to the reader (so many authors seem to write for themselves) make this book surprising. Another characteristic lies in its being authentically interdisciplinary: it is both physical and biological; it deals with plankton as well as benthos; microphytes as well as macrophytes; freshwaters as well as oceans.' Limnology and Oceanography Praise for the first edition: 'The book is well produced, well indexed, pleasant to handle and read.' Journal of Applied Ecology ' ...indispensable for any science library and for anyone interested in photosynthesis in aquatic organisms. ... it is well organized and provides a historical perspective, a high level of complexity, relevant figures, detailed and updated references, and a comprehensive index.' Plant Science Bulletin