Diatoms E-Book

• Herausgeber: John Wiley & Sons
• Kategorie: Wissenschaft und neue Technologien
• Sprache: Englisch

Seitenzahl: 1386

Veröffentlichungsjahr: 2019

Beschreibung

The aim of this new book series (Diatoms: Biology and Applications) is to provide a comprehensive and reliable source of information on diatom biology and applications. The first book of the series, Diatoms Fundamentals & Applications, is wide ranging, starting with the contributions of amateurs and the beauty of diatoms, to details of how their shells are made, how they bend light to their advantage and ours, and major aspects of their biochemistry (photosynthesis and iron metabolism). The book then delves into the ecology of diatoms living in a wide range of habitats, and look at those few that can kill or harm us. The book concludes with a wide range of applications of diatoms, in forensics, manufacturing, medicine, biofuel and agriculture. The contributors are leading international experts on diatoms. This book is for a wide audience researchers, academics, students, and teachers of biology and related disciplines, written to both act as an introduction to diatoms and to present some of the most advanced research on them.

Leseprobe

Contents

Cover

Foreword

References

Introduction to Diatoms: Fundamentals and Applications

The Topics Covered in This Volume are Varied

Acknowledgment

Chapter 1: A Memorial to Frithjof Sterrenburg: The Importance of the Amateur Diatomist

1.1 Introduction

1.2 Background and Interests

1.3 The Personality of an Amateur Diatomist

1.4 The Amateur Diatomist and the Importance of Collections

1.5 The Amateur Diatomist as Expert in the Tools of the Trade

1.6 The Amateur Diatomist as Peer-Reviewed Scientific Contributor

1.7 Concluding Remarks

Acknowledgments

References

Chapter 2: Alex Altenbach – In Memoriam of a Friend

References

Chapter 3: The Beauty of Diatoms

3.1 Early History of Observations of Diatoms

3.2 Live Diatoms

3.3 Shapes and Structures

3.4 Diatom Beauty at Various Scales

3.5 Valves During Morphogenesis

3.6 Jamin-Lebedeff Interference Contrast Microscopy

3.7 Conclusions

Acknowledgments

References

Chapter 4: Current Diatom Research in China

4.1 Diatoms for Energy Conversion and Storage

4.2 Diatoms for Water Treatment

4.3 Study of Tribological Performances of Compound Dimples Based on Diatoms Shell Structures

References

Chapter 5: Cellular Mechanisms of Diatom Valve Morphogenesis

5.1 Introduction

5.2 Valve Symmetry

5.3 Valve Silification Order

5.4 Silica Within SDV

5.5 Macromorphogenesis Control

5.6 Cytoskeletal Control of Morphogenesis

5.7 The Role of Vesicles in Morphogenesis

5.8 Valve Exocytosis and the SDV Origin

5.9 Conclusion

References

Chapter 6: Application of Focused Ion Beam Technique in Taxonomy-Oriented Research on Ultrastructure of Diatoms

6.1 Introduction

6.2 Material and Methods

6.3 Results

6.4 Discussion

6.5 Conclusions

Acknowledgments

References

Chapter 7: On Light and Diatoms: A Photonics and Photobiology Review

7.1 Introduction

7.2 The Unique Multiscale Structure of the Diatom Frustules

7.3 Optical Properties of Diatom Frustules

7.4 Diatom Photobiology

7.5 Diatom and Light Applications

7.6 Conclusion

Acknowledgement

Glossary

References

Chapter 8: Photosynthesis in Diatoms

8.1 Introduction

8.2 The Chloroplast Structure Reflects the Two Steps Endosymbiosis

8.3 Photosynthetic Pigments

8.4 The Organization of the Photosynthetic Apparatus

8.5 Non-Photochemical Quenching (NPQ)

8.6 Carbon Uptake and Fixation

8.7 Conclusions and Perspectives

Acknowledgement

References

Chapter 9: Iron in Diatoms

9.1 Introduction

9.2 Fe Acquisition by Diatoms

9.3 Fe-Containing Proteins in Diatoms and Economy of Fe Use

9.4 Iron Storage

9.5 Conclusions and Prospects

Acknowledgements

References

Chapter 10: Diatom Symbioses with Other Photoautotroph

10.1 Introduction

10.2 Diatoms with a N

2

-Fixing Coccoid Cyanobacterial Endosymbiont

10.3 Diatoms with N

2

-Fixing Filamentous Heterocytous Cyanobacterial Endosymbionts

10.4 Epiphytic, Endogloeic and Endophytic Diatoms

10.5 Diatom Endosymbionts in Dinoflagellates

Acknowledgements

References

Chapter 11: Diatom Sexual Reproduction and Life Cycles

11.1 Introduction

11.2 Centric Diatoms

11.3 Pennate Diatom Life Cycles and Reproduction

11.4 Auxospore Development and Structure

11.5 Induction of Sexual Reproduction

Acknowledgments

References

Chapter 12: Ecophysiology, Cell Biology and Ultrastructure of a Benthic Diatom Isolated in the Arctic

12.1 Introduction

12.2 Environmental Settings in the Arctic

12.3 Growth as Function of Temperature

12.4 Growth After Long-Term Dark Incubation

12.5 Cell Biological Traits After Long-Term Dark Incubation

12.6 Ultrastructural Traits

12.7 Conclusions

Acknowledgements

References

Chapter 13: Ecology of Freshwater Diatoms – Current Trends and Applications

13.1 Introduction

13.2 Diatom Distribution

13.3 Diatom Dispersal Ability

13.4 Functional Classification in Diatom Ecology

13.5 Spatial Ecology and Metacommunities

13.6 Aquatic Ecosystems Biomonitoring

13.7 Conclusions

References

Chapter 14: Diatoms from Hot Springs of the Kamchatka Peninsula (Russia)

14.1 Introduction

14.2 Materials and Methods

14.3 Description of Sampling Sites

14.4 Results

14.5 Summary

References

Chapter 15: Biodiversity of High Mountain Lakes in Europe with Special Regards to Rila Mountains (Bulgaria) and Tatra Mountains (Poland)

15.1 Introduction

15.2 Recent Datom Biodiversity in High Mountain Lakes in Bulgaria and Poland

15.3 Diatom Community Changes in High-Mountain Lakes in Bulgaria and Poland from Pre-Industrial Times to Present Day

15.4 Monitoring Data ‘2015’ and Correlations Between the Data Sets of the Rila Mts. and the Tatra Mts.

15.5 Red-List Data:

Cirque “Sedemte Ezera”,

Rila Mts. and Tatra Mts.

15.6 Summary

Acknowledgements

References

Chapter 16: Diatoms of the Southern Part of the Russian Far East

16.1 History of the Study of Freshwater Algae of the Southern Part of the Russian Far East

16.2 Diatom Flora of the Southern Part of the Russian Far East

References

Chapter 17: Toxic and Harmful Marine Diatoms

17.1 Introduction

17.2 Harmful Diatoms

17.3 Toxic Diatoms

17.4 Gaps in Knowledge and Thoughts for Future Directions

References

Chapter 18: Diatoms in Forensics: A Molecular Approach to Diatom Testing in Forensic Science

18.1 Introduction

18.2 Postmortem Forensic Counter Measures

18.3 Differences in Drowned Victims vs Those that Die of Other Causes

18.4 Techniques to Identify Diatoms in Biological Sample

18.5 Case Studies

18.6 Identification of Diatom Using Molecular Tools in Tissue and Water Samples

18.7 Differentiation of Diatom DNA in the Tissue of a Drowned Victim

18.8 Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR)

18.9 Diatom DNA Extraction from Biological Samples of a Drowned Victim

18.10 Best Barcode Markers for Diatoms to Diagnose Drowning

18.11 DNA Sequencing

18.12 Advancement in Sequencing Leads to Advancement of Data Interpretation

18.13 Conclusion and Future Perspectives

Acknowledgements

List of Abbreviations Used

References

Chapter 19: Diatomite in Use: Nature, Modifications, Commercial Applications and Prospective Trends

19.1 The Nature of Diatomite

19.2 The History of Discovery and Ancient Applications

19.3 Diatomite Occurrence and Distribution

19.4 Diatomite Mining and Processing

19.5 Diatomite Characterization

19.6 Diatom Frustules Modifications

19.7 Diatomite in Use

19.8 Diatomite Fabrication and Future Aspects

19.9 Conclusion

Acknowledgements

References

Chapter 20: Diatom Silica for Biomedical Applications

20.1 Introduction

20.2 Diatoms: Natural Silica Microcapsules for Therapeutics Delivery

20.3 Conclusions

Acknowledgements

References

Chapter 21: Diafuel™ (Diatom Biofuel) vs Electric Vehicles, a Basic Comparison: A High Potential Renewable Energy Source to Make India Energy Independent

21.1 Introduction

21.2 Debate on Relation of Green House Gas Emissions (GHG) with CO

2

and Temperature

21.3 Outcomes of Paris Agreement 2015

21.4 Energy Demands for India

21.5 Critics Talking About Entry of EV in Market

21.6 Comparison Between Electric Vehicles vs Vehicles with Diafuel™ at Large

21.7 Source for Generation of Electricity to Drive EVs

21.8 CO

2

Emissions by Electric Vehicle vs Gasoline Driven Vehicles

21.9 Depletion of Earth Metals to Run EV’s vs Abundant Resources for Diafuel™

21.10 Current Status

21.11 Conclusions

Acknowledgement

List of Abbreviations Used

References

Chapter 22: Bubble Farming: Scalable Microcosms for Diatom Biofuel and the Next Green Revolution

22.1 Introduction

22.2 Mechanical Properties

22.3 Optical Properties

22.4 Surface Properties

22.5 Toxicity Restrictions

22.6 Biofilms

22.7 Bacterial Symbionts

22.8 Demand

22.9 Exponential Growth vs Stationary Phase

22.10 Carbon Recycling

22.11 Packaging

22.12 Summary

Acknowledgements

References

Index

End User License Agreement

Guide

Cover

Table of Contents

Begin Reading

List of Tables

Chapter 4

Table 4.1

Studies on the energy-related application of diatom biosilicastructures-based de…

Table 4.2

Comparison of the electrochemical properties of MnO

2

diatom based sup…

Table 4.3

Melting point and latent heat of PCMs and PCM/diatomite composites.

Chapter 7

Table 7.1

Features and periodicities in and of diatoms, ranked by minimum size reported. F…

Table 7.2

Ranges of colonial diatom chain lengths. “Cell spacing along chain”…

Chapter 8

Table 8.1

Nonexhaustive summary of the main differences in photosynthesis in diatoms and g…

Chapter 9

Table 9.1

Fe per protein or protein complex in photosynthetic linear electron flow in diat…

Table 9.2

Fe per protein or protein complex in respiratory electron flow in diatoms.…

Table 9.3

Comparison of the ratios of Fe-containing photosynthetic complexes in

Thalass

…

Chapter 10

Table 10.1

Cyanobacterial Endosymbionts in Rhopalodiacea Documented in the Literature. Abbr…

Chapter 14

Table 14.1

The main characteristics of hot springs at the sampling sites.

Table 14.2

Taxonomic Composition of Diatoms From Hot Springs of Kamchatka Peninsula.

Table 14.3

Species Composition of Dominants in Hot Springs of Kamchatka Peninsula.

Table 14.4

Distribution of Diatoms from Hot Springs of Kamchatka Peninsula into Ecological…

Chapter 15

Table 15.1

Morphometric and Catchment Characteristics of the Investigated High-Mountain Lak…

Chapter 16

Table 16.1

Taxonomic composition of diatoms in the southern Russian Far East.

Table 16.2

The number of species and intraspecific taxa in the diatom floras in the five re…

Chapter 17

Table 17.1

Examples of non-toxic diatoms and their harmful effects. Older primary refere…

Table 17.2

Species of diatoms shown to produce polyunsaturated aldehydes (PUAs) during stat…

Table 17.3

Diatom species that produce polyunsaturated aldehydes (PUAs) that affect the rep…

Table 17.4

Diatoms reported to produce ß-

N

-Methylamino-L-alanine (BMAA).

Table 17.5

List of described species of

Pseudo-nitzschia

and their toxicity in cultu…

Chapter 18

Table 18.1

Different Parameter Scheme in PCR Parameters for Varied Gene Locus.

Table 18.2

Detailed List of Primers Used for Barcoding Diatoms and Other Phytoplanktons.

Chapter 21

Table 21.1

Axenic culture of diatom genera/species collected from different water bodies of…

Table 21.2

Common functional groups and their corresponding FTIR vibration frequencies, pre…

Table 21.3

Comparison of sources of three generation of biofuel. (Chisti 2007)

Table 21.4

Comparison between two potent energy sources diafuel™ (Vinayak, 2018) and…

Chapter 22

Table 22.1

Examples of algal high value products that could be produced via bubble farming.…

Table 22.2

Dimensional parameters for commercial offerings of sheets of bubble wrap and rel…

Table 22.3

Diffusion coefficients [cm

2

/s] of carbon dioxide, oxygen and water in…

Table 22.4

Comparison of the photobioreactor based AlgaFarm in Pataias, Portugal (Allmicroa…

Table 22.5

Ordinary hydroponics crop yields versus agricultural averages per hectare, shown…

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Scrivener Publishing100 Cummings Center, Suite 541JBeverly, MA 01915-6106

Publishers at ScrivenerMartin Scrivener ([email protected])Phillip Carmical ([email protected])

Diatoms: Fundamentals and Applications

Edited by

Joseph Seckbach

and

Richard Gordon

This edition first published 2019 by John Wiley & Sons, Inc., 111 River Street, Hoboken, NJ 07030, USA and Scrivener Publishing LLC, 100 Cummings Center, Suite 541J, Beverly, MA 01915, USA © 2019 Scrivener Publishing LLC For more information about Scrivener publications please visit www.scrivenerpublishing.com.

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Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data

Names: Seckbach, J. (Joseph), editor. Title: Diatoms : fundamentals and applications / edited by Joseph Seckbach and Richard Gordon. Description: Hoboken, New Jersey : Wiley; Salem, Massachusetts : Scrivener, [2019] | Includes bibliographical references and index. | Identifiers: LCCN 2019003170 (print) | LCCN 2019003908 (ebook) | ISBN 9781119370734 (ePDF) | ISBN 9781119370727 (ePub) | ISBN 9781119370215 (hardcover) Subjects: LCSH: Diatoms. Classification: LCC QK569.D54 (ebook) | LCC QK569.D54 D54 2019 (print) | DDC 579.8/5–dc23 LC record available at https://lccn.loc.gov/2019003170

Dedication to Lawrence Bogorad

Lawrence Bogorad, born on August 21, 1921 in Tashkent, Uzbekistan, came to the USA at the age of two and passed away on December 28, 2003. He served as a professor in the Botany Department at the University of Chicago for 14 years (from 1953 to 1967) and in the Biology Department at Harvard University for 34 years.

At the University of Chicago he pioneered the molecular biology of chloroplast biogenesis, and investigated the photosynthetic pigments. He studied (after the discovery and publication of DNA in chloroplasts), the endosymbiotic ancestor from cyanobacteria as the contributors of the chloroplast DNA. At Harvard, he continued his investigation on the molecular biology of the photosynthetic apparatus.

Laurie (his nickname among his colleagues, although I preferred to always approach him by his University title,) was involved in many scientific societies, among them the American Academy of Arts and Sciences (where he served a term as President) and the National Academy of Sciences (Merchant, 2009), and served on the editorial board of Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. Bogorad received many awards for his studies.

In the personal sphere, he was warm and friendly, full of optimism. His lab was home to five decades of graduate students, postdoctoral fellows, and visiting scientists—all benefiting from his training of them.

Here are some recollections of the four years I spent under the ‘wings’ of Professor Lawrence Bogorad at the University of Chicago. He was my mentor for my MSc and PhD (Seckbach, Bogorad and McIlrath, 1966; Rodermel, Viret and Krebbers, 2005). He welcomed me to the Botany Department at the end of 1961 when I first appeared at the gates of the University. During that interview, we planned my first-year program as a graduate student. Later on, he organized a research assistantship for me so I could continue with my graduate work. As a supportive professor close to his students, he shared with me the latest news on scientific updates in botany and even astrobiology.

Later on, when I was involved in a project on the possibilities of “Life on Venus” at UCLA in 1968 with Professor W. F. Libby (Seckbach and Libby, 1970), I approached him, among others, for advice on growing algae under high CO2 and elevated temperatures. Bogorad suggested that I try the red alga Cyanidium caldarium (his “favorite alga”) for my Venus project, and his advice worked very well. Therefore, I have to give him great credit for his guidance and for my finally changing my focus from plant physiology to the new field of astrobiology, and asked him to write the foreword for a book on Cyanidium (Bogorad, 1994).

During the subsequent years, I visited him at his lab in Harvard and he hosted evenings in his home in Lexington, Massachusetts. Sometimes he even waited for my arrival at the train station and took me to his home. When he visited Israel and presented a seminar at The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, he introduced me to his mother, and I drove his wife Rosalyn on a tour of Jerusalem. I had warm feelings toward Bogorad and his family, considered him a colleague and a dear friend and dedicate this volume to his memory.

Joseph Seckbach, PhD University of Chicago, 1965; currently retired from The Hebrew University of Jerusalem; home address: P.O.B. 1132, Efrat, 90435, Israel [[email protected]].

References

Bogorad, L. (1994) Foreword. In: Evolutionary Pathways and Enigmatic Algae: Cyanidium caldarium (Rhodophyta) and Related Cells. J. Seckbach, (ed.) Springer Science +Business Media, B.V., Dordrecht: pp. ix–x.

Merchant, S.S. (2009) Lawrence Bogorad, 1921-2003, A Biographical Memoir. U.S. National Academy of Science, Washington, DC, USA.

Rodermel, S., Viret, J.-F. and Krebbers, E. (2005) Lawrence Bogorad (1921–2003), a pioneer in photosynthesis research: a tribute. Photosynthesis Research 83(1), 17–24.

Seckbach, J., Bogorad, L. and McIlrath, W.J. (1966) Xanthinin deacylase: A new enzyme from xanthium. In: Plant Physiology. American Society of Plant Physiologists, Rockville, MD, USA: p. R67.

Seckbach, J. and Libby, W.F. (1970) Vegetative life on Venus? Or investigations with algae which grow under pure CO2 in hot acid media at elevated pressures. Space Life Sciences 2(2), 121–143.

Foreword

Prof. Dr. Andrzej Witkowski Palaeoceanology Unit University of Szczecin Mickiewicza 16a PL-70-383 Szczecin, Polandhttp://www.marinebenthicdiatoms.univ.szczecin.pl tel. +48 91 [email protected]

Already seven years have passed since the publication of The Diatom World, a review of progress in the field of diatom research, edited by Joseph Seckbach and John P. Kociolek (Seckbach & Kociolek 2011). Needless to say, this period was marked further with significant progress in studies on diatoms. In all certainty, the wealth of data acquired over this justifies the publication of this new book, “Diatoms: Fundamentals and Applications”. In addition to fundamental issues of diatom biology including valve morphogenesis, sexual reproduction and cell cycle, ecology and biodiversity, it includes numerous contributions on applied aspects of diatom research.

The section on applied aspects begins with a review of diatomite applications, including commercial use and future trends (Ghobara 2019). A related chapter discusses photonic properties of biogenic silica brought into the intricate patterns of diatom valves, an inspiration for numerous generations of professional and self-taught diatomists, but also chemists and physicists (Ghobara et al. 2019). Progress in biomedical applications research is presented in chapters on drug delivery with diatomaceous silica as a potentially biodegradable drug carrier, for tissue engineering and hemorrhage control on the one hand (Maher, Aw & Losic 2019), and on the use of molecular methods in forensic science on the other (Vinayak & Gautama 2019). The latter chapter is a leap forward as it may spare the diatomists performing forensic examinations the burden of processing drowning victims’ internal organs. The application of metabarcoding will not solve the problem of the physical presence of diatoms, e.g., in lungs, but will support the identification of diatoms and thus facilitate the identification of the habitat where the victim drowned. This may be another sign of metabarcoding outcompeting the classic light microscope (LM) examination and counting of processed diatom valves on slides. To remind the reader, the United Kingdom gave up the use of LM-based diatom valve counting in water quality assessment in 2017 (Mann et al. 2017). Metabarcoding became the preferred alternative, let us hope, successfully. This hope is expressed on behalf of all skeptical practitioners of classic diatom indices in river and lake monitoring.

Although diatom lipids are considered a very good source of biodiesel, and some species are even named as oleaginous forms (see Fistulifera solaris for an example), other microalgae are still preferred in large scale biomass growth and oil production. The present book introduces a new term, and a corresponding trade mark, of Diafuel with Fistulifera saprophila valve graphics playing a central part (Vinayak, Joshi & Sharma 2019). Unlike other microalgae, diatom organelles and lipid drops are encased in a siliceous box-like frustule. Unlike the “soft bodied” microalgae, diatoms go undamaged unless the pressure applied to squeeze oil exceeds a critical strength. Shall this allow the process of milking diatoms? Let us wait and see. So far, however, a splendid field of research on nanoindentation is seeking to obtain a milking pressure that will not kill diatoms, and allow them to restore their lipid droplets. Considering human energy use forecasts, this shall be required within the time span of several human generations. A unique opportunity presented by the “diafuel” project is that the secondary product or “waste” of the technological process is the biogenic silica that - owing to its photonic properties – can be “recycled” in further production of energy, for instance in solar panels or as a component of new valuable materials with unique photonic properties (Ghobara et al. 2019). One drawback of using diatom mass cultures for biofuel production purposes is the necessity of choosing between open race ponds which can be contaminated with airborne mineral and microbial waste, and closed photobioreactors which are more expensive to maintain. Culturing diatoms in bubble wrap, proposed in the chapter by Gordon et al. (2019), could be an alternative to these two solutions. If successfully implemented, upon certain conditions, with “bubble farming” biofuel production costs could be lower than those of mineral fuels.

In line with this is the review of the enormous scale of applied ongoing research on diatoms in China (Zhang 2019). Discussed in this latter chapter are examples of applied research involving diatoms in materials and biomaterials science, energy production and storage, waste water treatment, composites, diatom-based ceramics, etc. Given that numerous laboratories in China also work on fundamental aspects in diatom research including ecology, biology, taxonomy and phylogeny, the overall impression is tremendous.

Framed prints of beautiful diatoms can generate substantial sums of money. However, it seems that the beauty of diatoms unspoiled with any commercial issues is a value in itself. It is quite common that professional diatomists maintain friendly relations with diatom enthusiasts who are experts in light microscopy, often using very sophisticated systems. Perhaps surprisingly, with the changing technologies there is also an increase in the number of non-professional diatomists who own scanning electron microscopes. I know at least a few in Europe. The diatom beauty chapter definitely hosts images that should rank within fine arts (Tiffany & Nagy 2019). Morphogenesis of the diatom frustule is the subject of another chapter (Bedoshvili & Likhoshway 2019). Despite the progress in our understanding of the cellular mechanism of valve formation, its genetic controls remain largely unknown.

Fundamental aspects of diatom research are represented by such highlights as a review of sexual reproduction and life cycle, with the latest perspective on these issues (Poulíčková & Mann 2019). This research, which involves experiments for scientists of Benedictine patience, is crucial for understanding numerous aspects in diatom taxonomy and systematics. However, despite its splendid reputation and importance, few young scholars are willing to learn the techniques and spend days, months and years at an inverted microscope isolating clonal cultures of similar strains to discover their sexual compatibility and perform successful crossing experiments. Certainly the use of molecular tools makes the search for potentially compatible clones easier, but does not guarantee offspring. Research on diatom symbiosis is less common. Fortunately, a chapter on endosymbionts in diatom cells (cyanobacteria), and on diatoms as endosymbionts (in dinoflagellates) is published in this book (Stancheva & Lowe 2019). Any attempt to define a diatom usually involves a phrase like: diatoms are unicellular, photosynthetic organisms present in all habitats providing enough ambient light and a minimum of moisture. Diatom life and valve morphogenesis are intertwined with photosynthesis. Despite the fact that diatoms play such an important role in aquatic and terrestrial ecosystems, their photosynthesis at the organellar level, as emphasized by the authors of the chapter on diatom photosynthesis diatoms, is rather poorly known (Scarsini et al., 2019).

A series of chapters presents reviews on biodiversity and comparisons of diatoms living in freshwater habitats including rivers and freshwater mountainous habitats on one hand and potentially toxic marine diatoms on the other. Research on inland diatom assemblages of the Russian Far East (Nikulina & Medvedeva 2019) and on those from hot springs in Kamchatka (Nikulina et al. 2019) is presented in two chapters. Included are also chapters on freshwater diatoms of the South and Central European Mountain Ranges, including Tatra (Poland) and Rila (Bulgaria) (Ognjanova-Rumenova et al. 2019). The review of freshwater diatom ecology provides a link between fundamental and applied aspects of diatom research (Poulíčková & Manoylov, 2019). Covered in this review are the most recent aspects of freshwater diatom ecology, dispersal, biodiversity and biogeography, with an emphasis on practical aspects of using freshwater diatoms, i.e., in biomonitoring of freshwater habitats. As in the chapter on Kamchatka hot springs, another extreme habitat is presented in a review on ecophysiology of the Arctic fjord diatom strain Navicula directa (Karsten & Holzinger, 2019). The adaptation of this species to harsh environmental conditions related to low temperatures and lack of light during the long polar night has been proven in a series of experiments. The role of iron (Fe) in diatom physiology is reviewed by (Raven 2019). Despite the importance of iron, the existing knowledge is scarce and mostly limited to marine planktonic taxa. This book is crowned with the most up to date review on diatoms as potential producers of toxins dangerous to humans and other living organisms (not only domoic acid). Aside from fairly numerous representatives of Pseudo-nitzschia, only two marine Nitzschia species have been detected as toxin producers. However, we should expect the list of toxins and their producers to increase. It is not always the case that bloom forming toxin producers appear in strongly human impacted environments (e.g. shrimp aquaculture). Some inhabit Arctic and Antarctic marine waters or cold oceanic currents. The chapter by Bates et al. (2019) presents the complex biology of toxic diatoms, their distribution, and detection methods.

The present book is unique as it provides also an emotional component: it includes several chapters that commemorate those of our diatomist colleagues who recently passed away. Joseph Seckbach commemorates his friend Lawrence Bogorad, a late professor at the University of Chicago and dedicates the whole volume to his memory (Seckbach 2019). This is a tribute to Joseph Seckbach’s MSc and PhD mentor at the University of Chicago. They remained in very friendly contact after Joseph’s graduation. Lawrence Bogorad’s research on photosynthetic pigments made a considerable impact on our understanding of chloroplast origin and photosynthesis. Further, Wladyslaw Altermann summarizes the life and scientific career of Alex Altenbach, a renowned palaeontologist and protistologist (Altermann 2019). The third, touching text by Janice Pappas is dedicated to Frithjof Sterrenburg, a diatom enthusiast with whom many of us had collaborated in the past (Pappas 2019). Personally, I met Frithjof in Frankfurt am Main during his visit to Horst Lange-Bertalot. We spent a memorable few days with Frithjof. I cherish the memory of countless phone calls I made that were answered by Frithjof, when an answer to an urgent taxonomic issue was past due. It is a pity that our two joint efforts to get the Kinker collection project funded failed. One special recollection that I have is Frithjof’s pride when he published a joint paper with his father (Sterrenburg & Sterrenburg 1990). Probably few diatomists know that Nitzschia nienhuisii Sterrenburg F.A.S. & Sterrenburg F.J.G. 1990 from the coast of Mauritania was described by son and father Sterrenburgs. This distinctive and beautiful diatom, common around African coasts of Atlantic and Indian Oceans, seems to require a transfer to a new (as yet unnamed) genus. Years after witnessing Frithjof’s pride, I found myself moved by similar feelings when publishing a joint paper with my son (Dabek et al. 2015).

This book will definitely be a connection between the fundamental and applied research on diatoms, and a connection between two scientific communities. Personally, I consider my professional contacts with materials science community and use of their tools, i.e. Focused Ion Beam (FIB, Witkowski (2019)) as very inspiring and fruitful in my own, principally fundamental, diatom research.

References

Altermann, W. (2019) Alex Altenbach – in memoriam of a friend. In: Diatoms: Fundamentals & Applications [DIFA, Volume 1 in the series: Diatoms: Biology & Applications, series editors: Richard Gordon & Joseph Seckbach]. J. Seckbach and R. Gordon, (eds.) Wiley-Scrivener, Beverly, MA, USA: pp. 27–30.

Bates, S.S., Lundholm, N., Hubbard, K.A., Montresor, M. and Leaw, C.P. (2019) Toxic and harmful marine diatoms. In: Diatoms: Fundamentals & Applications [DIFA, Volume 1 in the series: Diatoms: Biology & Applications, series editors: Richard Gordon & Joseph Seckbach]. J. Seckbach and R. Gordon, (eds.) Wiley-Scrivener, Beverly, MA, USA: pp. 388–434.

Bedoshvili, Y.D. and Likhoshway, Y.V. (2019) Cellular mechanisms of diatom valve morphogenesis. In: Diatoms: Fundamentals & Applications [DIFA, Volume 1 in the series: Diatoms: Biology & Applications, series editors: Richard Gordon & Joseph Seckbach]. J. Seckbach and R. Gordon, (eds.) Wiley-Scrivener, Beverly, MA, USA: pp. 97–112.

Dabek, P., Witkowski, J., Witkowski, A. and Riaux-Gobin, C. (2015) Morphology of Biddulphia seychellensis (Grunow in Van Heurck) FW Mills and the generic limits of Biddulphia Gray. Nova Hedwigia 144(Supplement), 97-105.

Ghobara, M.M. and Mohamed, A. (2019) Diatomite in use: Occurrence, characterization, modification, and prospective trends. In: Diatoms: Fundamentals & Applications [DIFA, Volume 1 in the series: Diatoms: Biology & Applications, series editors: Richard Gordon & Joseph Seckbach]. J. Seckbach and R. Gordon, (eds.) Wiley-Scrivener, Beverly, MA, USA: pp. 471–510.

Ghobara, M.M., Mazumder, N., Vinayak, V., Reissig, L., Gebeshuber, I.C., Tiffany, M.A. and Gordon, R. (2019) On light and diatoms: A photonics and photobiology review. In: Diatoms: Fundamentals & Applications [DIFA, Volume 1 in the series: Diatoms: Biology & Applications, series editors: Richard Gordon & Joseph Seckbach]. J. Seckbach and R. Gordon, (eds.) Wiley-Scrivener, Beverly, MA, USA: pp. 127–188.

Gordon, R., Merz, C.R., Gurke, S. and Schoefs, B. (2019) Bubble farming: Scalable microcosms for diatom biofuel and the next Green Revolution. In: Diatoms: Fundamentals & Applications [DIFA, Volume 1 in the series: Diatoms: Biology & Applications, series editors: Richard Gordon & Joseph Seckbach]. J. Seckbach and R. Gordon, (eds.) Wiley-Scrivener, Beverly, MA, USA: pp. 583.

Karsten, U., Schumann, R., and Holzinger, A. (2019) Ecophysiology, cell biology and ultrastructural anatomy of a benthic diatom isolated in the Arctic. In: Diatoms: Fundamentals & Applications [DIFA, Volume 1 in the series: Diatoms: Biology & Applications, series editors: Richard Gordon & Joseph Seckbach]. J. Seckbach and R. Gordon, (eds.) Wiley-Scrivener, Beverly, MA, USA: pp. 271–286.

Maher, S., Aw, M.S. and Losic, D. (2019) Diatom silica for biomedical applications. In: Diatoms: Fundamentals & Applications [DIFA, Volume 1 in the series: Diatoms: Biology & Applications, series editors: Richard Gordon & Joseph Seckbach]. J. Seckbach and R. Gordon, (eds.) Wiley-Scrivener, Beverly, MA, USA: pp. 511–536.

Mann, D.G., Kelly, M.G., Walsh, K., Glover, R., Juggins, S., Sato, S., Boonham, N. and Jones, T. (2017) Development and adoption of a next-generation-sequencing approach to diatom-based ecological assessments in the UK [Abstract]. Phycologia56(4, Supplement), 125-126.

Nikulina, T.V., Kalitina, E.G., Kharitonova, N.A., Chelnokov, G.A., Vakh, E.A. and Grishchenko, O.V. (2019) Diatoms from hot springs of the Kamchatka Peninsula (Russia). In: Diatoms: Fundamentals & Applications [DIFA, Volume 1 in the series: Diatoms: Biology & Applications, series editors: Richard Gordon & Joseph Seckbach]. J. Seckbach and R. Gordon, (eds.) Wiley-Scrivener, Beverly, MA, USA: pp. 309–332.

Nikulina, T.V. and Medvedeva, L.A. (2019) Diatoms of the southern part of the Russian Far East. In: Diatoms: Fundamentals & Applications [DIFA, Volume 1 in the series: Diatoms: Biology & Applications, series editors: Richard Gordon & Joseph Seckbach]. J. Seckbach and R. Gordon, (eds.) Wiley-Scrivener, Beverly, MA, USA: pp. 353–386.

Ognjanova-Rumenova, N., Wojtal, A.Z., Sienkiewicz, E., Botev, I. and Trichkova, T. (2019) Biodiversity of high mountain lakes in Europe with special regards to Rila Mountains (Bulgaria) and Tatra Mountains (Poland) In: Diatoms: Fundamentals & Applications [DIFA, Volume 1 in the series: Diatoms: Biology & Applications, series editors: Richard Gordon & Joseph Seckbach]. J. Seckbach and R. Gordon, (eds.) Wiley-Scrivener, Beverly, MA, USA: pp. 333–352.

Pappas, J.L. (2019) A memorial to Frithjof Sterrenburg: The importance of the amateur diatomist. In: Diatoms: Fundamentals & Applications [DIFA, Volume 1 in the series: Diatoms: Biology & Applications, series editors: Richard Gordon & Joseph Seckbach]. J. Seckbach and R. Gordon, (eds.) Wiley-Scrivener, Beverly, MA, USA: pp. 1–26.

Poulíčková, A. and Mann, D.G. (2019) Diatom sexual reproduction and life cycles. In: Diatoms: Fundamentals & Applications [DIFA, Volume 1 in the series: Diatoms: Biology & Applications, series editors: Richard Gordon & Joseph Seckbach]. J. Seckbach and R. Gordon, (eds.) Wiley-Scrivener, Beverly, MA, USA: pp. 243–270.

Poulíčková, A. and Manoylov, K.M. (2019) Ecology of freshwater diatoms – current trends and applications. In: Diatoms: Fundamentals & Applications [DIFA, Volume 1 in the series: Diatoms: Biology & Applications, series editors: Richard Gordon & Joseph Seckbach]. J. Seckbach and R. Gordon, (eds.) Wiley-Scrivener, Beverly, MA, USA: pp. 287–308.

Raven, J.A. (2019) Iron and ferritin in diatoms. In: Diatoms: Fundamentals & Applications [DIFA, Volume 1 in the series: Diatoms: Biology & Applications, series editors: Richard Gordon & Joseph Seckbach]. J. Seckbach and R. Gordon, (eds.) Wiley-Scrivener, Beverly, MA, USA: pp. 211–222.

Scarsini, M., Marchand, J., Manoylov, K.M. and Schoefs, B. (2019) Photosynthesis in diatoms. In: Diatoms: Fundamentals & Applications [DIFA, Volume 1 in the series: Diatoms: Biology & Applications, series editors: Richard Gordon & Joseph Seckbach]. J. Seckbach and R. Gordon, (eds.) Wiley-Scrivener, Beverly, MA, USA: pp. 189–210.