Christon J. Hurst, PhD, is a consulting microbiologist based in Cincinnati, Ohio, USA. He is also a Lifetime Visiting Professor at Universidad del Valle, Cali, Columbia.

• List of Contributors ixPreface xi 1 Ecosystems Function Like Interlocking Puzzles: Visually Interpreting the Concept of Niche Space Plus a Brief Tour Through Genetic Hyperspace 1Christon J. Hurst2 Human and Climatic Drivers of Harmful Cyanobacterial Blooms (CyanoHABs) 31Hans W. Paerl3 Biodegradation of Environmental Pollutants by Autochthonous Microorganisms – A Precious Service for the Restoration of Impacted Ecosystems 49Joana P. Fernandes, Diogo A. M. Alexandrino, Ana P. Mucha, C. Marisa R. Almeida, and Maria F. Carvalho4 Early Biofilm Accumulation in Freshwater Environments on Different Types of Plastic 83Rene Hoover, Carlos De León, and Mark A. Gallo5 Identification of Sentinel Microbial Communities in Cold Environments 107Eva García- López, Paula Alcázar, Marina Alcázar, and Cristina Cid6 Analyzing Microbial Core Communities, Rare Species, and Interspecies Interactions Can Help Identify Core Microbial Functions in Anaerobic Degradation 127Tong Liu, Xavier Goux, Magdalena Calusinska, and Maria Westerholm Copyrighted Material7 Role of Microbial Communities in Methane and Nitrous Oxide Fluxes and the Impact of Soil Management 159Alessandra Lagomarsino and Roberta Pastorelli8 Impact of Microbial Symbionts on Fungus- Farming Termites and Their Derived Ecosystem Functions 185Robert Murphy, Veronica M. Sinotte, Suzanne Schmidt, Guangshuo Li, Justinn Renelies- Hamilton, N’Golo A. Koné, and Michael Poulsen9 The Ecosystem Role of Viruses Affecting Eukaryotes 211Christon J. HurstIndex 269

Christon J. Hurst, PhD, is a consulting microbiologist based in Cincinnati, Ohio, USA. He is also a Lifetime Visiting Professor at Universidad del Valle, Cali, Columbia.

• List of Contributors ixPreface xi 1 Ecosystems Function Like Interlocking Puzzles: Visually Interpreting the Concept of Niche Space Plus a Brief Tour Through Genetic Hyperspace 1Christon J. Hurst2 Human and Climatic Drivers of Harmful Cyanobacterial Blooms (CyanoHABs) 31Hans W. Paerl3 Biodegradation of Environmental Pollutants by Autochthonous Microorganisms – A Precious Service for the Restoration of Impacted Ecosystems 49Joana P. Fernandes, Diogo A. M. Alexandrino, Ana P. Mucha, C. Marisa R. Almeida, and Maria F. Carvalho4 Early Biofilm Accumulation in Freshwater Environments on Different Types of Plastic 83Rene Hoover, Carlos De León, and Mark A. Gallo5 Identification of Sentinel Microbial Communities in Cold Environments 107Eva García- López, Paula Alcázar, Marina Alcázar, and Cristina Cid6 Analyzing Microbial Core Communities, Rare Species, and Interspecies Interactions Can Help Identify Core Microbial Functions in Anaerobic Degradation 127Tong Liu, Xavier Goux, Magdalena Calusinska, and Maria Westerholm Copyrighted Material7 Role of Microbial Communities in Methane and Nitrous Oxide Fluxes and the Impact of Soil Management 159Alessandra Lagomarsino and Roberta Pastorelli8 Impact of Microbial Symbionts on Fungus- Farming Termites and Their Derived Ecosystem Functions 185Robert Murphy, Veronica M. Sinotte, Suzanne Schmidt, Guangshuo Li, Justinn Renelies- Hamilton, N’Golo A. Koné, and Michael Poulsen9 The Ecosystem Role of Viruses Affecting Eukaryotes 211Christon J. HurstIndex 269

Christon J. Hurst, PhD, is a consulting microbiologist based in Cincinnati, Ohio, USA. He is also a Lifetime Visiting Professor at Universidad del Valle, Cali, Columbia.

• List of Contributors ixPreface xi 1 Ecosystems Function Like Interlocking Puzzles: Visually Interpreting the Concept of Niche Space Plus a Brief Tour Through Genetic Hyperspace 1Christon J. Hurst2 Human and Climatic Drivers of Harmful Cyanobacterial Blooms (CyanoHABs) 31Hans W. Paerl3 Biodegradation of Environmental Pollutants by Autochthonous Microorganisms – A Precious Service for the Restoration of Impacted Ecosystems 49Joana P. Fernandes, Diogo A. M. Alexandrino, Ana P. Mucha, C. Marisa R. Almeida, and Maria F. Carvalho4 Early Biofilm Accumulation in Freshwater Environments on Different Types of Plastic 83Rene Hoover, Carlos De León, and Mark A. Gallo5 Identification of Sentinel Microbial Communities in Cold Environments 107Eva García- López, Paula Alcázar, Marina Alcázar, and Cristina Cid6 Analyzing Microbial Core Communities, Rare Species, and Interspecies Interactions Can Help Identify Core Microbial Functions in Anaerobic Degradation 127Tong Liu, Xavier Goux, Magdalena Calusinska, and Maria Westerholm Copyrighted Material7 Role of Microbial Communities in Methane and Nitrous Oxide Fluxes and the Impact of Soil Management 159Alessandra Lagomarsino and Roberta Pastorelli8 Impact of Microbial Symbionts on Fungus- Farming Termites and Their Derived Ecosystem Functions 185Robert Murphy, Veronica M. Sinotte, Suzanne Schmidt, Guangshuo Li, Justinn Renelies- Hamilton, N’Golo A. Koné, and Michael Poulsen9 The Ecosystem Role of Viruses Affecting Eukaryotes 211Christon J. HurstIndex 269