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Herausgeber: Wiley-VCH
Kategorie: Wissenschaft und neue Technologien
Sprache: Englisch

Beschreibung

The first stand-alone textbook for at least ten years on this increasingly hot topic in times of global climate change and sustainability in ecosystems.

Ecological biochemistry refers to the interaction of organisms with their abiotic environment and other organisms by chemical means. Biotic and abiotic factors determine the biochemical flexibility of organisms, which otherwise easily adapt to environmental changes by altering their metabolism. Sessile plants, in particular, have evolved intricate biochemical response mechanisms to fit into a changing environment. This book covers the chemistry behind these interactions, bottom up from the atomic to the system's level.

An introductory part explains the physico-chemical basis and biochemical roots of living cells, leading to secondary metabolites as crucial bridges between organisms and the respective ecosystem. The focus then shifts to the biochemical interactions of plants, fungi and bacteria within terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems with the aim of linking biochemical insights to ecological research, also in human-influenced habitats.

A section is devoted to methodology, which allows network-based analyses of molecular processes underlying systems phenomena.

A companion website offering an extended version of the introductory chapter on Basic Biochemical Roots is available at
http://www.wiley.com/go/Krauss/Nies/EcologicalBiochemistry

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Leseprobe

Cover

Related Titles

Title Page

Dedication

List of Contributors

Foreword

Preface

Companion Website

s1: Basic Biochemical Roots

s1.1 Chemistry and Physics of Life

s01.2 Energy and Transport

s1.3 Basic Biochemistry

References

Further Reading

Part I: Basics of Life

Chapter 1: Basic Biochemical Roots

1.1 Chemistry and Physics of Life

1.2 Energy and Transport

1.3 Basic Biochemistry

Chapter 2: Specialized Plant Metabolites: Diversity and Biosynthesis

2.1 Metabolite Diversity

2.2 Major Classes of Plant Specialized Compounds

2.3 Sites of Biosynthesis and Accumulation

2.4 Evolution of Specialized Pathway Genes

References

Further Reading

Chapter 3: Evolution of Secondary Metabolism in Plants

3.1 Origins of Plant Secondary Metabolism

3.2 Evolutionary Alternatives

3.3 Endophytes, Symbiotic, and Ectomycorrhizal Fungi

References

Part II: Ecological Signatures of Life

Chapter 4: Systematics of Life, Its Early Evolution, and Ecological Diversity

4.1 Cellular Life Forms and Subcellular Parasites

4.2 Superkingdom Archaea

4.3 Superkingdom Bacteria

4.4 Superkingdom Eukaryota

Acknowledgment

References

Further Reading

Chapter 5: Communities and Ecosystem Functioning

5.1 Competition for, and Distribution of, Limiting Resources as a Means of Ecosystem Functioning

5.2 Joint Exploitation of Limiting Resources by Symbioses

5.3 Avoidance of Competition

5.4 Facilitation Mechanisms in Communities and Ecosystem Functioning

References

Further Reading

Chapter 6: Food Chains and Nutrient Cycles

6.1 Basic Concepts

6.2 Aquatic Systems

6.3 Terrestrial Systems

References

Further Reading

Part III: Biochemical Response to Physiochemical Stress (Abiotic Stress)

Chapter 7: Information Processing and Survival Strategies

7.1 The Stress Concept – Plants and Their Environment

7.2 Plant Signal Transduction and the Induction of Stress Responses

7.3 Phytohormones

7.4 Other Signaling Molecules

7.5 Signal Transduction by Protein Phosphorylation

7.6 The Calcium Signaling Network

7.7 Stress-Induced Modulation of Gene Expression by microRNAs

References

Further Reading

Chapter 8: Oxygen

8.1 Chemical Nature of Oxygen and Reactive Oxygen Species

8.2 Oxygen Metabolism

8.3 Oxygen Sensing

8.4 Antioxidant Defense

8.5 Reactive Oxygen Species in Abiotic Stresses

8.6 Reactive Oxygen Species in Biotic Interactions

8.7 Cell Signaling Function of Reactive Oxygen Species

References

Further Reading

Chapter 9: Light

9.1 Principles of Light Detection and Photoreceptor Function

9.2 Sensing of UV-B Light

9.3 The LOV Domain: A Variable Molecular Building Block of Many Blue and UV-A Light Sensors

9.4 Cryptochromes

9.5 Phytochromes

9.6 Other Photoreceptor Systems

9.7 Flavonoid Biosynthesis in Plants – a Model for a Light-Regulated Adaptation Process

References

Further Reading

Chapter 10: Water

10.1 Water: the Essence of Life

10.2 Water Balance in Plants

10.3 Drought Stress

10.4 Cold Stress and Freezing

10.5 Salinity

10.6 Flooding Stress

References

Further Reading

Chapter 11: Mineral Deficiencies

11.1 Mineral Requirement and Insufficiencies

11.2. Carnivorous Plants and Fungi

References

Further Reading

Chapter 12: Excess of Metals

12.1 Properties of Transition Metals

12.2 Metal Transport through Cell Membranes

12.3 Biochemistry of the Minor Biometals: Essential, Desired, but Also Toxic

12.4 Biochemistry of Chemical Elements Without Known Biological Functions

12.5 Metal-Binding Peptides and Proteins Involved in Transition Metal Homeostasis

12.6 Interaction of Plants and Fungi with Metals

References

Further Reading

Chapter 13: Xenobiotics from Human Impacts

13.1 Xenobiotics: from Emission to Cellular Uptake

13.2 Adverse Effects of Xenobiotics: from Cells to Ecosystems

13.3 Organismal Responses: Biochemical Elimination of Xenobiotics

References

Further Reading

Part IV: Organismal Interactions (Biotic Stress)

Chapter 14: The Biofilm Mode of Life

14.1 What are Biofilms?

14.2 Environmental Roles of Biofilms

14.3 Life Cycle of Biofilms

14.4 Investigation of Biofilms

14.5 The Matrix: Extracellular Polymeric Substances

14.6 Communication in Biofilms

14.7 Enhanced Resistance of Biofilm Organisms

14.8 Emergent Properties of the Biofilm Mode of Life

References

Further Reading

Chapter 15: Rhizosphere Interactions

15.1 Bacterial Communities in the Rhizosphere

15.2 Fungi of the Rhizosphere

15.3 Plant–Plant Interactions

References

Further Reading

Chapter 16: Plant-Animal Dialogues

16.1 The Flower Pollinator System

16.2 Ant–Plant–Fungus Mutualism, a Three-Way Interaction

16.3 Phenolics in the Interaction between Plant and Animals

16.4 Alkaloids in the Interaction between Plants and Animals

16.5 Terpenes in Plant Defense

References

Further Reading

Part V: The Methodological Platform

Chapter 17: Sensing of Pollutant Effects and Bioremediation

17.1 Pollutant Effect and Approaches to Characterize Exposure

17.2 Ecological Restoration and Bioremediation

References

Further Reading

Chapter 18: The -Omics Tool Box

18.1 Genomics

18.2 Transcriptomics

18.3 Proteomics

18.4 Metabolomics

18.5 Metallomics

References

Further Reading

Chapter 19: Microscope Techniques and Single Cell Analysis

19.1 Visualization Principles

19.2 Preparation of Biological Materials

19.3 Detection Methods – from Macromolecules to Ions

19.4 Single Cell Technologies

References

Further Reading

Glossary

Index

End User License Agreement

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Guide

Cover

Table of Contents

Foreword

Preface

Part I: Basics of Life

Chapter 1: Basic Biochemical Roots

List of Illustrations

Figure 1.1

Figure 1.2

Figure 1.3

Figure 1.4

Figure 1.5

Figure 1.13

Figure 2.1

Figure 2.2

Figure 2.3

Figure 2.4

Figure 2.5

Figure 2.6

Figure 2.7

Figure 2.8

Figure 2.10

Figure 2.9

Figure 2.11

Figure 2.12

Figure 2.13

Figure 2.14

Figure 2.15

Figure 2.16

Figure 3.1

Figure 3.2

Figure 3.3

Figure 3.4

Figure 3.5

Figure 3.6

Figure 3.7

Figure 3.8

Figure 4.1

Figure 4.2

Figure 4.3

Figure 4.4

Figure 4.5

Figure 4.6

Figure 4.7

Figure 4.8

Figure 4.9

Figure 4.10

Figure 4.11

Figure 4.12

Figure 4.13

Figure 4.14

Figure 4.15

Figure 4.16

Figure 4.17

Figure 5.1

Figure 5.2

Figure 5.3

Figure 5.4

Figure 5.5

Figure 5.6

Figure 5.7

Figure 5.8

Figure 5.9

Figure 5.10

Figure 5.11

Figure 5.12

Figure 6.1

Figure 6.2

Figure 6.3

Figure 6.4

Figure 6.5

Figure 6.6

Figure 6.7

Figure 6.8

Figure 6.9

Figure 6.10

Figure 6.11

Figure 6.12

Figure 6.13

Figure 6.14

Figure 6.15

Figure 6.16

Figure 6.17

Figure 6.18

Figure 6.19

Figure 6.20

Figure 6.21

Figure 6.22

Figure 6.23

Figure 7.1

Figure 7.2

Figure 7.3

Figure 7.4

Figure 7.5

Figure 7.6

Figure 7.7

Figure 7.8

Figure 7.9

Figure 7.10

Figure 7.11

Figure 7.12

Figure 7.13

Figure 7.14

Figure 7.15

Figure 7.16

Figure 7.17

Figure 7.18

Figure 7.19

Figure 7.20

Figure 7.21

Figure 7.22

Figure 7.23

Figure 7.24

Figure 7.25

Figure 7.26

Figure 7.27

Figure 7.28

Figure 8.1

Figure 8.2

Figure 8.3

Figure 8.4

Figure 8.5

Figure 8.6

Figure 8.7

Figure 8.8

Figure 8.9

Figure 8.10

Figure 8.11

Figure 8.12

Figure 8.13

Figure 8.14

Figure 9.1

Figure 9.2

Figure 9.3

Figure 9.4

Figure 9.5

Figure 9.6

Figure 9.7

Figure 9.8

Figure 9.9

Figure 9.10

Figure 9.11

Figure 9.12

Figure 10.1

Figure 10.3

Figure 10.2

Figure 10.4

Figure 10.5

Figure 10.6

Figure 10.7

Figure 10.8

Figure 10.9

Figure 10.10

Figure 10.11

Figure 10.12

Figure 10.13

Figure 10.14

Figure 10.15

Figure 10.16

Figure 10.17

Figure 10.18

Figure 11.1

Figure 11.2

Figure 11.3

Figure 11.4

Figure 11.5

Figure 11.6

Figure 11.7

Figure 11.8

Figure 11.9

Figure 11.10

Figure 11.11

Figure 11.12

Figure 11.13

Figure 11.14

Figure 11.15

Figure 11.16

Figure 11.17

Figure 11.18

Figure 11.19

Figure 11.20

Figure 12.1

Figure 12.2

Figure 12.3

Figure 12.4

Figure 12.5

Figure 12.6

Figure 12.7

Figure 12.8

Figure 12.11

Figure 12.9

Figure 12.10

Figure 12.12

Figure 13.1

Figure 13.2

Figure 13.3

Figure 14.1

Figure 14.2

Figure 14.3

Figure 14.4

Figure 14.5

Figure 14.6

Figure 15.1

Figure 15.2

Figure 15.3

Figure 15.4

Figure 15.5

Figure 15.6

Figure 15.7

Figure 15.8

Figure 15.9

Figure 15.10

Figure 15.11

Figure 15.12

Figure 15.13

Figure 15.14

Figure 15.15

Figure 16.1

Figure 16.2

Figure 16.3

Figure 16.4

Figure 16.5

Figure 16.6

Figure 16.7

Figure 16.8

Figure 16.9

Figure 16.10

Figure 16.11

Figure 16.12

Figure 16.13

Figure 16.14

Figure 16.15

Figure 16.16

Figure 16.17

Figure 16.18

Figure 16.19

Figure 17.1

Figure 18.1

Figure 18.2

Figure 18.3

Figure 18.4

Figure 18.5

Figure 18.6

Figure 18.7

Figure 18.8

Figure 18.9

Figure 18.10

Figure 18.11

Figure 18.12

Figure 18.13

Figure 18.14

Figure 18.16

Figure 18.15

Figure 18.17

Figure 19.1

Figure 19.2

Figure 19.3

Figure 19.4

Figure 19.5

Figure 19.6

Figure S1.1

Figure S1.2

Figure S1.3

Figure S1.4

Figure S1.5

Figure S1.6

Figure S1.7

Figure S1.8

Figure S1.9

Figure S1.10

Figure S1.11

Figure S1.12

Figure S1.13

Figure S1.14

Figure S1.15

Figure S1.16

Figure S1.17

Figure S1.18

Figure S1.19

Figure S1.20

Figure S1.21

Figure S1.22

Figure S1.23

Figure S1.24

Figure S1.25

Figure S1.26

Figure S1.27

List of Tables

Table 2.1

Table 4.1

Table 4.2

Table 4.3

Table 4.4

Table 4.6

Table 4.5

Table 6.1

Table 11.1

Table 11.2

Table 11.3

Table 11.4

Table 13.1

Table 13.2

Table 13.3

Table 14.1

Table 14.2

Table 15.1

Table 16.1

Table 17.1

Table 17.2

Table 17.3

Table 17.4

Table 18.1

Table 19.3

Table 19.1

Table 19.2

Table 19.4

Table S1.1

Table S1.2

Table S1.3

Table S1.4

Table S1.5

Table S1.6

Table S1.7

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Edited by Gerd-Joachim Krauss and Dietrich H. Nies

Ecological Biochemistry

Environmental and Interspecies Interactions

Editors

Prof. Gerd-Joachim Krauss

Martin-Luther-University Halle-Wittenberg

Institute of Biochemistry and Biotechnology

Kurt-Mothes-Strasse 3

06099 Halle/Saale

Germany

Prof. Dietrich H. Nies

Martin-Luther-University Halle-Wittenberg

Institute of Biology/Molecular Microbiology

Kurt-Mothes-Strasse 3

06099 Halle/Saale

Germany

Cover

All books published by Wiley-VCH are carefully produced. Nevertheless, authors, editors, and publisher do not warrant the information contained in these books, including this book, to be free of errors. Readers are advised to keep in mind that statements, data, illustrations, procedural details or other items may inadvertently be inaccurate.

Library of Congress Card No.: applied for

British Library Cataloguing-in-Publication Data

A catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library.

Bibliographic information published by the Deutsche Nationalbibliothek

The Deutsche Nationalbibliothek lists this publication in the Deutsche Nationalbibliografie; detailed bibliographic data are available on the Internet at <http://dnb.d-nb.de>.

All rights reserved (including those of translation into other languages). No part of this book may be reproduced in any form – by photoprinting, microfilm, or any other means – nor transmitted or translated into a machine language without written permission from the publishers. Registered names, trademarks, etc. used in this book, even when not specifically marked as such, are not to be considered unprotected by law.

Print ISBN: 978-3-527-31650-2

ePDF ISBN: 978-3-527-68599-8

ePub ISBN: 978-3-527-68600-1

Mobi ISBN: 978-3-527-68598-1

oBook ISBN: 978-3-527-68606-3

“It is interesting to contemplate an entangled bank, clothed with many plants of many kinds, with birds singing on the bushes, with various insects flitting about, and with worms crawling through the damp earth, and to reflect that these elaborately constructed forms, so different from each other, and dependent on each other in so complex a manner, have all been produced by laws acting around us.”

Charles Darwin, The Origin of the Species (1859), John Murray, London

List of Contributors

Felix Bärlocher

Mount Allison University

Department of Biology

Sackville

63B York Street

E4L 1G7, NB

Canada

Jörg Degenhardt

Martin-Luther-University Halle-Wittenberg

Institute of Pharmacy/Pharmaceutical Biotechnology

Hoher Weg 8

Halle/Saale

Germany

Karl-Josef Dietz

Bielefeld University

Biochemistry and Physiology of Plants

Faculty of Biology

University Strasse 25

Bielefeld

Germany

Dirk Dobritzsch

Institute of Biochemistry and Biotechnology

Department of Plant Biochemistry

Kurt-Mothes-Strasse 3

Halle/Saale

Germany

Hans-Curt Flemming

University of Duisburg-Essen

Biofilm Centre

Universitätsstrasse 5

Essen

Germany

Eva Freisinger

University of Zurich

Department of Chemistry

Winterthurerstrasse 190

Zürich

Switzerland

Jonathan Gershenzon

Max Planck Institute of Chemical Ecology

Department of Biochemistry

Hans-Knöll-Strasse 8

Jena

Germany

Rüdiger Hampp

University of Tübingen

IMIT, Department of Physiological Ecology of Plants

Auf der Morgenstelle 1

Tübingen

Germany

Anton Hartmann

Helmholtz Centre Munich

German Research Centre for Environmental Health

Research Unit Microbe-Plant Interactions

Ingolstädter Landstr. 1

Neuherberg

Germany

Bettina Hause

Leibniz Institute of Plant Biochemistry

Department of Cell and Metabolic Biology

Weinberg 3

Halle/Saale

Germany

Gerd Hause

Martin-Luther-University Halle-Wittenberg

Biocentre, Microscopy Unit

Weinbergweg 22

Halle/Saale

Germany

Ingo Heilmann

Martin-Luther-University Halle-Wittenberg

Institute of Biochemistry and Biotechnology

Department for Cellular Biochemistry

Kurt-Mothes-Strasse 3

Halle/Saale

Germany

Klaus Humbeck

Martin-Luther-University Halle-Wittenberg

Institute of Biology/Plant Physiology

Weinbergweg 10

Halle/Saale

Germany

Gerd-Joachim Krauss

Martin-Luther-University Halle-Wittenberg

Institute of Biochemistry and Biotechnology

Kurt-Mothes-Strasse 3

Halle/Saale

Germany

Gudrun Krauss

Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research - UFZ

Department of Environmental Microbiology

Permoserstrasse 15

Leipzig

Germany

Thomas Kretsch

Albert-Ludwigs-University of Freiburg

Institute of Biology/Botany

Schänzlestr 1

Freiburg

Germany

Dietrich H. Nies

Martin-Luther-University Halle-Wittenberg

Institute of Biology/Molecular Microbiology

Kurt-Mothes-Strasse 3

Halle/Saale

Germany

Edgar Peiter

Martin-Luther-University Halle-Wittenberg

Institute of Agricultural and Nutritional Sciences/Plant Nutrition

Betty-Heimann-Strasse 3

Halle/Saale

Germany

Anke Poltermann

Communication Design Anke Poltermann

Rosenstr 21

Halle/Saale

Germany

Susanne Preiß

Martin-Luther-University Halle-Wittenberg

Institute of Pharmacy/Pharmaceutical Biotechnology

Hoher Weg 8

Halle/Saale

Germany

Heinz Rennenberg

Albert-Ludwigs-University of Freiburg

Institute of Forest Sciences

Georges-Köhler-Allee 53/54

Freiburg

Germany

Dirk Schaumlöffel

Université de Pau et des Pays de l'Adour/CNRS

Institut des Sciences Analytiques et de Physico-Chimie pour l'Environnement et les Matériaux (IPREM) UMR 5254

2, Avenue Pierre Angot

Pau

France

Dietmar Schlosser

Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research - UFZ

Department of Environmental Microbiology

Permoserstrasse 15

Leipzig

Germany

Susanne Schmidt

School of Agriculture and Food Sciences Faculty of Science

The University of Queensland

Building 62, Room 329

St Lucia Queensland 4072

Australia

Silvia D. Schrey

University of Tübingen

Department of Physiological Ecology of Plants

IMIT, Physiological Ecology of Plants

Auf der Morgenstelle 1

Tübingen

Germany

Magali Solè

Federal Environment Agency

Ecotoxicology and Environmental Risk Assessment

Department IV 1.3: Pesticides

Wörlitzer Platz 1

Dessau-Roßlau

Germany

Alain Tissier

Leibniz Institute of Plant Biochemistry

Department of Cell and Metabolic Biology

Weinberg 3

Halle/Saale

Germany

Thomas Vogt

Leibniz Institute of Plant Biochemistry

Department of Cell and Metabolic Biology

Weinberg 3

Halle/Saale

Germany

Michael Wink

Heidelberg University

Institute of Pharmacy and Molecular Biotechnology

Department of Biology

Im Neuenheimer Feld 364

Heidelberg

Germany

Jörg Ziegler

Leibniz Institute of Plant Biochemistry

Department of Molecular Signal Processing

Weinberg 3

Halle/Saale

Germany

Wiebke Zschiesche

Leibniz Institute of Plant Biochemistry

Department of Cell and Metabolic Biology

Weinbergweg 10

Halle/Saale

Germany

Foreword

Ecological Biochemistry takes centre stage in modern biology. From fundamentals of secondary metabolism to resultant survival, this book gives a comprehensive view of the organisms that shape our planet, their evolution, and their biotic and abiotic interactions.

Most of the functions of organisms are expressed in their ecological biochemistry. Knowledge of their signal perception, information processing, generation of chemicals for communication, and adaptation informs about our future as organisms are exposed to environmental conditions that range from long-experienced to those that have not existed before.

Plants and microbes, which are the main focus, are experiencing a multitude of environments from soils containing salts, limiting nutrients, metal contaminants, or xenobiotics to exposure to drought, UV radiation, and temperature extremes. In natural and humanmade environments, organisms are confronted with abiotic and biotic settings, and adaptations pivot around biochemical competence.

The unifying basis of life of bacteria, Archaea, fungi, and plants is presented from a microscopic scale to a large scale and from single cells to forest ecosystems. This book provides the reader with an insight into food webs, organism interactions, and ecosystem function across biomes. Complex communities such as those experienced at the interface of soil, microbes, and roots are presented with new views of beneficial and detrimental interactions. The dialog between plants and animals, driven by biochemical signals, is presented in the context of multipartner mutualisms.

With methodological advances and new opportunities enabled by “omics” tools and latest microscopy techniques, this book bring us a modern view of biology, unifying life, and the challenges ahead.

Prof. Susanne Schmidt (PhD, MSc)

School of Agriculture and Food Sciences

The University of Queensland, Brisbane, Australia

Preface

Ecological Biochemistry refers to the interaction of organisms with their abiotic environment and other organisms by chemical means. Abiotic and biotic factors challenge the biochemical flexibility of organisms, which are usually able to adapt easily to environmental changes by alterations in their metabolism. This book covers the biochemistry behind these interactions, with a bottom-up approach from the atomic level to the systemic level.

The introductory part of the book deals with the physicochemical basis and biochemical roots of living cells, leading to secondary metabolites as crucial bridges between organisms and their respective ecosystem. These specialized compounds illustrate the heterogeneity and multitude of ecological habitats and niches that organisms have colonized so far. The metabolite diversity shows tremendous plasticity and evolutionary potential.

This book concerns the link between biochemical insights and ecological research. The study of ecosystems requires an understanding of general characteristics of ecosystem functionality. This includes knowledge about the biochemistry, biodiversity, and the dynamics of biological components (e.g., individual organisms, populations, communities) under stress, and the related capacities of ecosystems (e.g., with respect to resilience and functional redundancy) that respond to the changing environment. Furthermore, environmental research can help to maintain ecosystem health or, if necessary, to restore ecosystems. Functioning of ecosystems and communities depends highly on the interplay of its different biota in acquisition and distribution of resources required for maintenance, growth and development, adaptation to stress, and competitive and symbiotic interactions.

Our book is focused on interactions of plants, bacteria, and fungi with their environment. Plants are the fundamental constituents of terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems, which are responsible for the majority of biomass produced in our planet. Sessile plants have especially evolved intricate biochemical response mechanisms to fit into a changing environment. They employ numerous signaling molecules to perceive their environment by many sensory systems. The information is transduced toward appropriate responses via parallel signal transduction pathways, which transform environmental stimuli into the biochemical “language” of the cell.

Environmental stress factors can be classified into abiotic and biotic factors. Abiotic stress factors are variable physicochemical parameters of the surroundings, such as oxygen, light, water, minerals, and transition metals, and also xenobiotics from human impact. These parameters are interlinked with biotic stress factors, which represent influences originating from other organisms that live as coinhabitants within the habitat. Microorganisms living in biofilms or symbiotic associations may frequently alter parameters of soil and water. Specific environmental conditions may attract and favor certain microorganisms and animals in the proximity of plants. Secondary metabolites enable plants to interact with pollinators, herbivors, and animals of higher trophic level.

The last part of the book deals with methodology, which allows network-based analysis of molecular processes underlying systems phenomena. Modern techniques provide new tools for answering a range of multidisciplinary questions from the molecular basis of evolutionary adaptation to mechanisms of phenotypic plasticity, interspecies relationships, biochemical communication, and sensing of xenobiotic compounds in human-influenced ecosystems. The “omic” technologies, microscope techniques, and single cell analysis have the ambitious aim to integrate genome, transcriptome, proteome, and metabolome data, and to expand the knowledge of organisms living in and interacting with their environment.

This book is primarily designed for use by advanced undergraduate and graduate students studying biochemistry, plant physiology, ecology, microbiology, pharmacy, agriculture, and forestry. The teachers receive a compendium, allowing a feasible setup of interdisciplinary courses in life sciences. We hope that this book might be of interest to postgraduates, scientists, and those working in different disciplines in applied sciences.

We are very grateful to all contributing authors and colleagues for their excellent and timely work. We would like to thank Anke Poltermann for her extremely resourceful preparation of figures in a homogeneous design, and Dirk Dobritzsch for his excellent intention to develop various graphics of high scientific significance.

Many thanks are due to members of the editorial team of WILEY-VCH, Gregor Cicchetti, and Andreas Sendtko for their editing support, and Anne du Guerny for her patience and excellent assistance throughout the publication process.

Our aim is to enable the reader to develop an understanding of Ecological Biochemistry as an integrative scientific field. We welcome comments, suggestions, and feedback from readers of this textbook.

Halle/Saale

June 2014

Gerd-Joachim Krauss

Dietrich H. Nies

Companion Website

This book spans a multitude of systems levels from atoms to ecosystems. It builds on knowledge of some essential basics in the field which might need refreshing for a better access to “Ecological Biochemistry”. Professor Nies, co-editor of the book, offers a thorough presentation of these essentials, based on the latest state of knowledge, in Chapter S1 “Basic Biochemical Roots” on the companion website of the book:http://www.wiley.com/go/Krauss/Nies/EcologicalBiochemistry

In the print and e-book versions of the book you will find a summary of these essentials including the most important figures. All references to the website are marked by an “S”.

Dietrich H. Nies

s1.1 Chemistry and Physics of Life

s1.1.1 Thermodynamics of Life

s1.1.2 The Three Levels of Energy Transformation in Living Cells

s1.1.3 Macromolecules

s1.1.4 Necessity of a Semipermeable Membrane

s1.1.5 Chemical Elements Available for Life

s1.1.6 Solvents of Life

S1.2 Energy and Transport

s1.2.1 Energy, Chemical Elements, and Macromolecules

s1.2.2 Atoms and Orbitals

s1.2.3 Redox Energy and Electronegativity