This edited volume is the premier book dedicated exclusively to marine science education and improving ocean literacy, aiming to showcase exemplary practices in marine science education and educational research in this field on a global scale. It informs, inspires, and provides an intellectual forum for practitioners and researchers in this particular context. Subject areas include sections on marine science education in formal, informal and community settings. This book will be useful to marine science education practitioners (e.g. formal and informal educators) and researchers (both education and science).

This eBook is a collection of articles from a Frontiers Research Topic. Frontiers Research Topics are very popular trademarks of the Frontiers Journals Series: they are collections of at least ten articles, all centered on a particular subject. With their unique mix of varied contributions from Original Research to Review Articles, Frontiers Research Topics unify the most influential researchers, the latest key findings and historical advances in a hot research area! Find out more on how to host your own Frontiers Research Topic or contribute to one as an author by contacting the Frontiers Editorial Office: frontiersin.org/about/contact.

Reviews the most innovative strategies to exploit the potential of many novel natural compounds, to understand their complex structures and to increase their inherent low yields. This book discusses the genetics and molecular biology of the bioactive compound biosynthesis and the identification of the organisms involved.

Oceans include the greatest extremes of pressure, temperature and light, and habitats can range from tropical waters to ocean trenches, several kilometers below sea level at high pressure. With its 70% of the surface of our planet marine ecosystem still remains largely unexplored, understudied and underexploited in comparison with terrestrial ecosystems, organisms and bioprocesses. The biological adaptation of marine organisms to a wide range of environmental conditions in the specific environment (temperature, salinity, tides, pressure, radiation, light, etc.) has made them an enormous reservoir of interesting biological material for both basic research and biotechnological improvements. As a consequence marine ecosystem is valued as a source of enzymes and other biomolecules exhibiting new functions and activities to fulfill human needs. Indeed, in recent years it has been recognised as an untapped source of novel enzymes and metabolites even though, with regard to the assignment of precise biological functions to genes, proteins and enzymes, it is still considered as the least developed. Using metagenomics to recover genetic material directly from environmental samples, this biogenetic diversification can be accessed but despite the contributions from metagenomic technologies the new field requires major improvements. A few words on the complexity of marine environments should be added here. This complexity ranges from symbiotic relationships to biology and chemistry of defence mechanisms and from chemoecology of marine invasions up to the strategies found in prokaryotes to adapt to extreme environments. The interdisciplinary study of this complexity will enable researchers to find an arsenal of enzymes and pathways greatly demanded in biotechnological applications. As far as marine enzymes are concerned they may carry novel chemical and stereochemical properties, thus biocatalytically oriented studies (testing of suitable substrates, appropriate checking of reaction conditions, study of stereochemical asset of catalysis) should be performed to appropriately reveal this “chemical biodiversity” which increases interest for these enzymes. Among other biomolecules, polysaccharides are the most abundant renewable biomaterial found on land and in oceans. Their molecular diversity is very interesting; except polysaccharides used traditionally in food and non-food industries, the structure and the functionality of most of them are unknown and unexplored. Brown seaweeds synthesize unique bioactive polysaccharides: laminarans, alginic acids and fucoidans. A wide range of biological activities (anticoagulant, antitumor, antiviral, anti-inflammation, etc.) have been attributed to fucoidans and their role with respect to structure-activity relationship is still under debate. In this Research Topic, we wish to centralize and review contributions, idea and comments related to the issues above. In particular results of enzymatic bioprospecting in gross marine environment will be acknowledged along with research for structural characterization and biological function of biomolecules such as marine polysaccharides and all kind of research related to the complexity of bioprocesses in marine environments. Inter- and multi-disciplinary approach to this field is favoured in this Research Topic and could greatly be facilitated by the web and open access nature as well.

While there is growing evidence of the importance of marine ecosystems for our societies, evidence shows also that pressures from human activities on these ecosystems are increasing, putting the health of marine ecosystems at stake worldwide. Hence, Blue Economy is becoming an important component of future socio-economic development strategies (e.g. this is called Blue Growth in Europe), that eventually can result in increasing pressures at sea, and despite the current regulatory framework (in particular with the Oceans Act, in USA or Canada, and the Marine Strategy Framework Directive, in Europe), it is likely that this situation will continue in the future. Ensuring all those connected to the sea, directly or indirectly, gain a better understanding of the importance of the seas, the human-sea interactions and opportunities to act better and reduce impacts from human pressures, is central to Ocean Literacy (OL). Receiving increasing attention in Europe and USA, OL is a challenge for all parts of society: educators & trainers, children and professionals, civil society and scientists, consumers and policy/decision makers. It is seen as part of the package of solutions that will lead to a change in behavior and practice, thus reducing impacts and resulting in healthier marine ecosystems, whilst allowing development opportunities offered by seas are seized in a sustainable manner. This Research Topic focuses on the issues and options for effective OL worldwide. It discusses: (1) existing experiences in OL (formal and informal education for children, training for professionals, tools for raising awareness of consumers - and of investors in the marine sectors...) and their effectiveness (from understanding better to acting differently); (2) the role OL could play (in interaction with innovation, regulation, economic incentive, social norms...) to support human capital development as key component of sustainable growth; and (3) pre-conditions for effective OL for different sectors and target groups. Questions relevant to OL include: Which knowledge - produced by whom - to share and how? Who to target - and how to effectively reach those targeted? How to design OL initiatives - including by mobilizing those targeted (via living lab approaches e.g.) - to ensure effective OL and pave the way for behavior change? What are the knowledge gaps that limit our capacity to design effective OL? As scientists, it is likely you have many more questions to offer and discuss.

Marine and freshwater polar environments are characterized by intense physical forces and strong seasonal variations. The persistent cold and sometimes inhospitable conditions create unique ecosystems and habitats for microbial life. Polar microbial communities are diverse productive assemblages, which drive biogeochemical cycles and support higher food-webs across the Arctic and over much of the Antarctic. Recent studies on the biogeography of microbial species have revealed phylogenetically diverse polar ecotypes, suggesting adaptation to seasonal darkness, sea-ice coverage and high summer irradiance. Because of the diversity of habitats related to atmospheric and oceanic circulation, and the formation and melting of ice, high latitude oceans and lakes are ideal environments to investigate composition and functionality of microbial communities. In addition, polar regions are responding more dramatically to climate change compared to temperate environments and there is an urgent need to identify sensitive indicators of ecosystem history, that may be sentinels for change or adaptation. For instance, Antarctic lakes provide useful model systems to study microbial evolution and climate history. Hence, it becomes essential and timely to better understand factors controlling the microbes, and how, in turn, they may affect the functioning of these fragile ecosystems. Polar microbiology is an expanding field of research with exciting possibilities to provide new insights into microbial ecology and evolution. With this Research Topic we seek to bring together polar microbiologists studying different aquatic systems and components of the microbial food web, to stimulate discussion and reflect on these sensitive environments in a changing world perspective.

This volume summarizes current research into the physiology and molecular biology of host-parasite interactions. Brought together by leading international experts in the field, the first section outlines fundamental processes, followed by specific examples in the concluding section. Covering a wide range of organisms, Host-Parasite Interactions is essential reading for researchers in the field.