Diatoms: Biology and Applications – serie

DIATOM MORPHOGENESIS A unique book presenting the range of silica structures formed by diatoms, theories and hypotheses of how they are made, and applications to nanotechnology by use or imitation of diatom morphogenesis. There are up to 200,000 species of diatoms, each species of these algal cells bearing an ornate, amorphous silica glass shell. The silica is structured at 7 orders of magnitude size range and is thus the most complex multiscalar solid structure known. Recent research is beginning to unravel how a single cell marshals chemical, physical, biochemical, genetic, and cytoskeletal processes to produce these single-cell marvels. The field of diatom nanotechnology is advancing as this understanding matures. Diatoms have been actively studied over the recent 10-20 years with various modern equipment, experimental and computer simulation approaches, including molecular biology, fluorescence-based methods, electron, confocal, and AFM microscopy. This has resulted in a huge amount of information but the key stages of their silica morphogenesis are still not clear. This is the time to reconsider and consolidate the work performed so far and to understand how we can go ahead. The main objective of this book is to describe the actual situation in the science of diatom morphogenesis, to specify the most important unresolved questions, and to present the corresponding hypotheses. The following areas are discussed: A tutorial chapter, with a glossary for newcomers to the field, who are often from outside of biology, let alone phycology;Diatom Morphogenesis: general issues, including symmetry and size issues;Diatom Morphogenesis: simulation, including analytical and numerical methods for description of the diatom valve shape and pore structure;Diatom Morphogenesis: physiology, biochemistry, and applications, including the relationship between taxonomy and physiology, biosilicification hypotheses, and ideas about applications of diatoms.Audience Researchers, scientists, and graduate students in the fields of phycology, general biology, marine sciences, the chemistry of silica, materials science, and ecology.

DIATOM MICROSCOPY The main goal of the book is to demonstrate the wide variety of microscopy methods being used to investigate natural and altered diatom structures. This book on Diatom Microscopy gives an introduction to the wide panoply of microscopy methods being used to investigate diatom structure and biology, marking considerable advances in recent technology including optical, fluorescence, confocal and electron microscopy, surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS), atomic force microscopy (AFM) and spectroscopy as applied to diatoms. Each chapter includes a tutorial on a microscopy technique and reviews its applications in diatom nanotechnology and diatom research. The number of diatomists, diatom research, and their publications are increasing rapidly. Although many books have dealt with various aspects of diatom biotechnology, nanotechnology, and morphology, to our knowledge, no volume exists that summarizes advanced microscopic approaches to diatoms. Audience The intended audience is academic and industry researchers as well as graduate students working on diatoms and diatom nanotechnology, including biosensors, biomedical engineering, solar panels, batteries, drug delivery, insect control, and biofuels.

MATHEMATICAL MACROEVOLUTION IN DIATOM RESEARCH Buy this book to learn how to use mathematics in macroevolution research and apply mathematics to study complex biological problems. This book contains recent research in mathematical and analytical studies on diatoms. These studies reflect the complex and intricate nature of the problems being analyzed and the need to use mathematics as an aid in finding solutions. Diatoms are important components of marine food webs, the silica and carbon cycles, primary productivity, and carbon sequestration. Their uniqueness as glass-encased unicells and their presence throughout geologic history exemplifies the need to better understand such organisms. Explicating the role of diatoms in the biological world is no more urgent than their role as environmental and climate indicators, and as such, is aided by the mathematical studies in this book. The volume contains twelve original research papers as chapters. Macroevolutionary science topics covered are morphological analysis, morphospace analysis, adaptation, food web dynamics, origination-extinction and diversity, biogeography, life cycle dynamics, complexity, symmetry, and evolvability. Mathematics used in the chapters include stochastic and delay differential and partial differential equations, differential geometry, probability theory, ergodic theory, group theory, knot theory, statistical distributions, chaos theory, and combinatorics. Applied sciences used in the chapters include networks, machine learning, robotics, computer vision, image processing, pattern recognition, and dynamical systems. The volume covers a diverse range of mathematical treatments of topics in diatom research. Audience Diatom researchers, mathematical biologists, evolutionary and macroevolutionary biologists, paleontologists, paleobiologists, theoretical biologists, as well as researchers in applied mathematics, algorithm sciences, complex systems science, computational sciences, informatics, computer vision and image processing sciences, nanoscience, the biofuels industry, and applied engineering.

THE MATHEMATICAL BIOLOGY OF DIATOMS This book contains unique, advanced applications using mathematics, algorithmic techniques, geometric analysis, and other computational methods in diatom research. Historically, diatom research has centered on taxonomy and systematics. While these topics are of the utmost importance, other aspects of this important group of unicells have been increasingly explored in the biological sciences. While mathematical applications are still rare, they are starting take hold and provide an extensive avenue of new diatom research, including applications in multidisciplinary fields. The work contained in this volume is an eclectic mix of analytical studies on diatoms. Mathematical treatment of the various biological disciplines covered in this book range from implicit, but succinct studies to more elaborate detailed computational studies. Topics include growth models, nanostructure, nanoengineering, cell growth, araphid diatoms, valve ontogeny, diatom metabolism, diatom motility, synchronization, diatom kinematics, photonics, biogenic sensors, photochemistry, diatom light response, colony growth, siliceous unicells, algal kinetics, diatom structure, diatom imaging, functional morphology, geometric structure, biomineralization, high-resolution imaging, non-destructive imaging, and 3D structure. This wide-ranging volume provides an introductory as well as an advanced treatment of recent interests in diatom research. The mathematical research in this volume may be applicable to studies of other unicells, biomechanics, biological processes, physio-chemical analyses, or nanoscience.

This comprehensive guide is designed for researchers, professionals, and students looking to deepen their knowledge of diatoms, including detailed information on diatom photosynthesis regulation at the molecular scale, as well as their significant ecological roles, all aimed at promoting sustainable advancements and the safeguarding of aquatic ecosystems. Diatoms exert an immense influence on the ecosystem of Earth due to their remarkable abundance and species diversity. Thriving in diverse habitats spanning the oceans, intertidal benthic zones, saline and freshwater environments, and even terrestrial niches like moist soil, forests, and caves, they play an integral role. Diatoms alone account for around 20% of the oxygen generated by photosynthesis, comparable to the combined productivity of tropical rainforests worldwide, while their primary production can reach 40–45% in marine ecosystems. Nevertheless, in contrast to the extensive research on macroscopic photosynthetic organisms, investigations in this domain remain comparatively limited, despite the role of diatoms in global biogeochemical processes. This book presents an exhaustive review of the subject matter, encompassing a wide spectrum of topics ranging from the intricate molecular mechanisms of diatom photosynthesis and light absorption to the dominant role of diatoms as primary producers within ecological frameworks. Beyond this, the book delves into the practical implications stemming from diatoms and their photosynthetic productivity. A strong emphasis is placed on the importance of fundamental research in deepening our understanding of the natural world around us. Diatoms Photosynthesis provides readers with a comprehensive guide to understanding the fundamentals of diatom photosynthesis and their ecological significance in aquatic ecosystems;a guide to the potential of diatom-derived products for sustainable technologies;a roadmap from diatom photosynthesis to implications in applied sciences;a bridge to span the gap between fundamental research on diatoms and their practical applications.Audience This book caters to academic professionals, students, and researchers in the fields of marine biology, ecology, microbiology, and biochemistry. It offers insights and benefits into diatom photosynthesis, diatom physiology, biodiversity, ecosystem health, and sustainable technological advancements.

This book offers a comprehensive, unique and up-to-date exploration of diatom ecology spanning from fundamental molecular aspects to the intricate dynamics of metacommunities. In recent years there has been a considerable increase in the amount of research devoted to diatom ecology, with a wide spectrum of approaches. This large amount of information, published in many different journals and books, makes it very difficult to keep up to date, both for the trained researcher and for students. Eduardo A. Morales (d. May 2023) had the original idea to assemble chapters on various subjects within diatom ecology. The questions he posed to potential contributors framed the current book consisting of 12 chapters. Are diatoms suitable tools for ecological restoration? What would be the features that make them reliable in this context?What makes diatoms ecologically successful?In an ecological sense, why is there such variability in diatom reproductive strategies and why are they worth considering?What do new approaches in ecological synthesis provide to diatom ecology, biogeography and metacommunities?Are all diatoms widely spread and each species uniquely characterized by its own, unaltered phenotype?Can we really make any ecological consideration without knowing (with a high degree of certainty) the identity of taxa?Are urban ecosystems important repositories of biodiversity?What are the benefits and the progress in diatom ecology made by the diatom guild perspective? Why, how and when are soil diatoms used in bioindication and what are the benefits of such an approach?Are diatoms bona fide indicators of climate change?Are diatom communities in temporary rivers important for these lotic ecosystems as they are subjected to the effects of climate change? Do diatoms in peatlands behave differently from their terrestrial and aquatic (rivers, lakes, others) counterparts?AudienceThe book is intended primarily for professionals in the fields of diatom research, algal research (phycology), organismal, population and community ecology, limnology, microbiology, organismal biology, paleoecology and paleolimnology. The book will also serve as a reference for graduate students seeking guidance on terminology, techniques, and current methods in diatom research.

This unique book examines the techno-economic prospects of diatom cultivation, the design and implementation of algal reactors, and the potential of diatoms as a source of biofuel and other value-added products. Diatom Cultivation for Biofuel, Food and High-Value Products covers the scientific, economic, and practical aspects of using diatoms for multiple purposes. It explores an integrated approach to diatom cultivation, including discussions on techniques, harvesting methods, and innovative technologies. The book discusses the potential of these techniques for improving the efficiency and yield of diatom-based biofuels, as well as the challenges and ethical considerations associated with genetic engineering. Readers of the book will discover a wealth of information including: The adaptation of chitosan-based harvesting methods for microalgae flocculation; the trends, scope, and techno-economic prospects of diatom cultivation, including the design and implementation of algal reactors and the potential of diatoms as a source of biofuel and other value-added products.Advanced applications and innovative techniques in the field of diatoms and microalgae such as an in-depth analysis of the pigments and proteins found in Phaeodactylum tricornutum; the nature and applications of diatom cell walls, including their purification processes and industrial uses; the biochemical engineering of diatoms for health and biorefinery concepts, highlighting the potential of diatoms in producing biofuels and other high-value products; the metabolic and transcriptomic stress and engineering of diatoms to enhance lipid production, exploring the stress conditions that can increase oil yield; explores the genetic engineering techniques, such as CRISPRCas9 and RNA interference.The environmental and industrial applications of diatoms for low-value products, such as diatom as a prospective green anode material; diatom cell disruption and milking via a nano biorefinery for biofuel production, utilizing techniques like pulsed electric fields, high-pressure homogenization, ultrasonication, etc; genetic engineering and metabolic engineering in diatoms for oil production; the use of diatoms for heavy metal bioremediation, exploring the mechanisms of heavy metal uptake by diatoms, including biosorption and bioaccumulation; the transesterification of diatom oil and parameters for optimization; diatom harvesting for lipid production like bubble wrap (Bubble Farming). Audience The book serves as a guide for researchers and scientists in phycology, biology, ecology, environmental science, biofuels, bioengineering as well as nutritionists and dieticians who design functional foods and nutraceutical products.