Freshwater Algae of North America

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.

"Freshwater phycologists and aquatic microscopists will welcome this book as the first comprehensive, single-volume treatment of the freshwater algae in over half a century...The Editors and their Contributors have done an outstanding job in synthesizing this mass of data, and there is no doubt that this work will be a standard reference, to be followed by up-dated editions."—MODERN MICROSCOPY JOURNAL (2005)

"This is an excellent book that provides extensive taxonomic information that has previously been difficult to access by any but taxonomic specialists. ...Any student, researcher, or environmental management professional who routinely works with freshwater ecology should have access to this authoritative and thorough book."—Walter Doods, Kansas State University (August 2002)

"This will be a welcome addition to the shelf of phycological researchers and teachers. The coverage is comprehensive both taxonomically in the range of ecological topics. For those of us specializing in freshwater algae, whether it be identifying them or studying their ecology, this kind of text will be an invaluable reference work."—Richard M. McCourt, Associate Curator of Botany, The Academy of Natural Sciences (2002)

"...finally after half a century we freshwater phycologists have a single, comprehensive volume that updates G.M. Smith's Freshwater Algae of the United States. It is truly impressive work...Students, water management types and experienced phycologists will all feel the need to dig out heir plankton nets and scum scrapers, resurrect their hip boots and make some wet mounts just to get a chance to use this book."—James Wee, Loyola University (2002)