River Algae

287 Pages·2016·14.16 MB·English

by  Orlando Necchi JR (eds.)

Orlando Necchi Jr. Editor
River Algae
River Algae

Orlando Necchi Jr.
Editor
River Algae
Editor
Orlando Necchi Jr.
Department of Zoology and Botany
São Paulo State University
São José do Rio Preto , SP , Brazil
ISBN 978-3-319-31983-4 ISBN 978-3-319-31984-1 (eBook)
DOI 10.1007/978-3-319-31984-1
Library of Congress Control Number: 2016939587
© Springer International Publishing Switzerland 2016
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The registered company is Springer International Publishing AG Switzerland
I dedicated this book to my wife Vânia,
my daughter Lisandra and my son Cauê,
for the support, understanding and love
along our journey that made
my personal and professional life plenty
of joy and accomplishments.

Foreword
C omments about algae in fl owing waters have appeared in the scientifi c literature
for at least a hundred and fi fty years, with true scientifi c papers appearing towards
the end of the nineteenth century and a rapid increase over the past 60 years. No
journal has, however, dealt only with river algae, and the literature is scattered in
many different types of publications, not just journals.
River Algae provides overviews of all the main groups of algae to be found in
fl owing waters, including the taxonomy of characteristic species, physiological and
descriptive ecology and the contribution of algae to river ecosystem processes. The
book provides readers not only with an easy way of fi nding out about the many stud-
ies, but also how this information relates to topics such as pollution and environ-
mental monitoring. A broad knowledge of the literature is especially important
when dealing with practical matters. For instance, in the case of river algae causing
nuisance problems, their control has sometimes been hindered by researchers fail-
ing to read relevant information published in the past.
A s discussed for diatom indices in the fi nal chapter, the use of river algae for
monitoring purposes has greatly increased over the past quarter of a century.
However, monitoring with algae has often relied on correlations between occur-
rence and particular environmental variables. A broad knowledge of the literature
should give researchers a much better understanding of the real drivers infl uencing
the occurrence and abundance of the species involved.
A lthough having a problem to solve is often essential for getting funds for research,
those with a wider understanding of river algae can also get great enjoyment from
visiting a stream or river simply to look at the algae. Features can often be seen which
stimulate interest and questions, especially in shallow fast-fl owing streams. Answers
to the questions may occur many years later as research progresses.
Durham , UK Brian A. Whitton
School of Biological and Biomedical Sciences
Durham University
vii

Pref ace
Algae inhabiting river habitats have never been approached in a single book but
only as parts of more general publications dealing with ecology, taxonomy and bio-
assessment of freshwater algae. As a result, river algae have been treated among
other organisms and ecological topics of river ecosystems or as part of publications
dealing with freshwater algae in general. The basic aim of this book is to provide a
comprehensive approach of some relevant topics on algae inhabiting rivers. River
Algae is focused on benthic communities aiming to show the importance of their
role in the structure and function of communities in river ecosystems. Although the
content is not formally divided into sections, the book covers two basic aspects:
(a) the taxonomy of river-inhabiting algal groups, including phylogeny, distribution,
collection, preservation and description of the most representative genera of algae
in river benthic algal communities, and (b) the ecology of river algae, including
ecological factors infl uencing abundance, distribution and diversity of river benthic
algal communities and their use as bio-indicators. The book comprises 11 chapters
written by renowned experts from Europe, North and South America providing
updated information on taxonomy, ecology, methodology and uses of benthic river
algae. The book is of potential interest to a wider audience, including researchers,
students and professionals in diverse fi elds such as freshwater algae, limnology,
aquatic biology, water quality assessment and biodiversity in river ecosystems.
São José do Rio Preto, SP, Brazil Orlando Necchi Jr.
ix