Seaweeds, also known as macroalgae, are among the most important primary producers and act as ecological engineers on rocky coasts of the world’s oceans. In addition to their extreme ecological importance they are also of high economic relevance. Complementing available textbooks with its more research-oriented approach, this volume contains 22 chapters by renowned experts, grouped in five parts. In Part I fundamental processes and acclimation strategies of seaweeds towards the abiotic environment are covered. Part II focuses on the multitude of biotic interactions in seaweed communities, and in Part III the reader is introduced to the structure and function of the main seaweed systems of the world. The chapters of Part IV highlight and discuss the effects of global and local environmental changes on seaweeds and their communities. In the final Part V a comprehensive overview of developments in seaweed aquaculture, industrial applications and the overall economic importance of seaweeds is provided. Summarizing the advances in seaweed biology achieved within the last few decades, this book also identifies gaps in the present knowledge and needs for future research.

Seaweed in Health and Disease Prevention presents the potential usage of seaweed, macroalgae, and their extracts for enhancing health and disease. The book explores the possibilities in a comprehensive way, including outlining how seaweed can be used as a source of macronutrients and micronutrients, as well as nutraceuticals. The commercial value of seaweed for human consumption is increasing year-over-year, and some countries harvest several million tons annually. This text lays out the properties and effects of seaweeds and their use in the food industry, offering a holistic view of the ability of seaweed to impact or effect angiogenesis, tumors, diabetes and glucose control, oxidative stress, fungal infections, inflammation and infection, the gut, and the liver. - Combines foundational information and nutritional context, offering a holistic approach to the relationship between sea vegetables, diet, nutrition, and health - Provides comprehensive coverage of health benefits, including sea vegetables as sources of nutraceuticals and their specific applications in disease prevention, such as angiogenesis, diabetes, fungal infections, and others - Includes Dictionary of Terms, Key Facts, and Summary points in each chapter to enhance comprehension - Includes information on toxic varieties and safe consumption guidelines to supplement basic coverage of health benefits

A synthesis of concepts and examples of how physiological processes influence seaweed communities worldwide, authored by experts in the field.

Brown Seaweeds (Phaeophyceae) of Britain and Ireland provides the first complete, up-to-date, detailed illustrated guide and keys to the nearly 200 species of brown algae present around the coasts of Britain and Ireland. It is the culmination of over 30 years of field and laboratory studies by the author. Following an exhaustive introduction that covers the biology and ecology of brown seaweeds, a checklist of species is set out, followed by clear and user-friendly keys to the genera. Particular attention is then paid to providing detailed illustrations, and the volume holds more than 300 compound plates of line drawings and photographs in its extensive taxonomic treatment. Comprehensive information is given on the geographical and seasonal distributions, synonymy, morphology, anatomy, cytology, reproduction, life histories, taxonomy, systematics and bibliographic material pertaining to each species. Notably, this flora offers a much fuller consideration of many of the lesser known, more cryptic microscopic brown algae than previously available. Further, the book also contains the results of much original research undertaken by the author. This will surely remain a standard reference work on brown seaweeds for many years to come – an indispensable research tool and field guide for phycologists and students throughout the North Atlantic region and beyond.

Champions seaweed as a staple food while simultaneously explaining its biology, ecology, cultural history, and gastronomy.

INCLUDE A CHAPTER ON NUTRITION AND COOKING SEAWEED.

This book provides an introduction to recent analytical and experimental studies of plant growth in the sea. The physiology and ecology of marine plants are, therefore, emphasized.

This updated and expanded guide thoroughly documents every aspect of seaweed life, from species identification and seaweed biology to the essential—and often surprising—roles seaweed plays in the marine ecosystem and our everyday lives. Seaweeds are used in everything from cosmetics to sustainable biofuels, and some species, like kelp, contribute to the remediation of coastal ecosystems. Featuring an attractive new full-color design, the expanded Pacific Seaweeds includes updated species descriptions, dozens of additional color photos, new species discovered since the original edition, and brand-new sections on common shore plants and the use of DNA techniques to discover, catalog and identify seaweeds. It also features several new recipes and an essay on umami—because in addition to all its other uses, some species of seaweed make delectable food. Packed with illustrations, vivid color photographs, comprehensive scientific information and further readings, this easy-to-use guidebook will appeal to marine biologists, amateur beachcombers, gourmet foragers and everyone in between.

The largest seaweed, giant kelp (Macrocystis) is the fastest growing and most prolific of all plants found on earth. Growing from the seafloor and extending along the ocean surface in lush canopies, giant kelp provides an extensive vertical habitat in a largely two-dimensional seascape. It is the foundation for one of the most species-rich, productive, and widely distributed ecological communities in the world. Schiel and Foster’s scholarly review and synthesis take the reader from Darwin’s early observations to contemporary research, providing a historical perspective for the modern understanding of giant kelp evolution, biogeography, biology, and physiology. The authors furnish a comprehensive discussion of kelp species and forest ecology worldwide, with considerations of human uses and abuses, management and conservation, and the current and likely future impacts of global change. This volume promises to be the definitive treatise and reference on giant kelp and its forests for many years, and it will appeal to marine scientists and others who want a better appreciation and understanding of these wondrous forests of the sea.