Light and Photosynthesis in Aquatic Ecosystems

Interdisciplinary account of the vital importance of light in marine and inland aquatic ecosystems, for graduate students and aquatic scientists.

John T. O. Kirk (Author)

9780521151757, Cambridge University Press

Paperback / softback, published 23 December 2010

662 pages, 140 b/w illus. 4 colour illus. 21 tables
22.8 x 15.4 x 3 cm, 1.14 kg

' …indispensable for any science library and for anyone interested in photosynthesis in aquatic organisms. … it is well organized and provides a historical perspective, a high level of complexity, relevant figures, detailed and updated references, and a comprehensive index.' Plant Science Bulletin

Beginning systematically with the fundamentals, the fully-updated third edition of this popular graduate textbook provides an understanding of all the essential elements of marine optics. It explains the key role of light as a major factor in determining the operation and biological composition of aquatic ecosystems, and its scope ranges from the physics of light transmission within water, through the biochemistry and physiology of aquatic photosynthesis, to the ecological relationships that depend on the underwater light climate. This book also provides a valuable introduction to the remote sensing of the ocean from space, which is now recognized to be of great environmental significance due to its direct relevance to global warming. An important resource for graduate courses on marine optics, aquatic photosynthesis, or ocean remote sensing; and for aquatic scientists, both oceanographers and limnologists.

Preface to the third edition
Part I. The Underwater Light Field: 1. Concepts of hydrologic optics
2. Incident solar radiation
3. Absorption of light within the aquatic medium
4. Scattering of light within the aquatic medium
5. Characterizing the underwater light field
6. The nature of the underwater light field
7. Remote sensing of the aquatic environment
Part II. Photosynthesis in the Aquatic Environment: 8. The photosynthetic apparatus of aquatic plants
9. Light capture by aquatic plants
10. Photosynthesis as a function of the incident light
11. Photosynthesis in the aquatic environment
12. Ecological strategies
References and author index
Index to symbols
Index to organisms
Index to water bodies
Subject index.

Subject Areas: Plant ecology [PSTS]