ALBERT

Description / Table of Contents: The projects in the Future Megacities programme gain valuable experiences in developing energy efficient standards and urban structures with adequate conditions to treat resources with care and avoid unnecessary emissions. To achieve the ambitious objectives, it is essential to convince and enable people to take an active part in sustainable development. This requires qualification and education efforts at different levels, with different target groups and for different topics. This volume presents several proven and evaluated capacity building measures. Proper workmanship, individual responsibility and the ability for personal professional progress are presented in the categories Training Practice and Enabling Local Communities. The authors share their experience and inspire people to set up own comparable projects.

Description / Table of Contents: Over the last two decades, exploration of the deep subsurface biosphere has developed into a major research area. New findings constantly challenge our concepts of global biogeochemical cycles and the ultimate limits to life.In order to explain our observations from deep subsurface ecosystems it is necessary to develop truly interdisciplinary approaches, ranging from microbiology and geochemistry to physics and modeling.This book aims to bring together a wide variety of topics, covering the broad range of issues that are associated with deep biosphere exploration. Not only does the book present case studies of selected projects, but also treats questions arising from our current knowledge. Despite nearly two decades of research, there are still many boundaries to exploration caused by technical limitations and one section of the book is devoted to these technical challenges and the latest developments in this field. This volume will be of high interest to biologists, chemists and earth scientists all working on the deep biosphere.

Description / Table of Contents: This book brings together many of the world's leading experts in the fields of Antarctic terrestrial soil ecology, providing a comprehensive and completely up-to-date analysis of the status of Antarctic soil microbiology.Antarctic terrestrial soils represent one of the most extreme environments on Earth. Once thought to be largely sterile, it is now known that these diverse and often specialized extreme habitats harbor a very wide range of different microorganisms.Antarctic soil communities are relatively simple, but not unsophisticated. Recent phylogenetic and microscopic studies have demonstrated that these communities have well established trophic structuring and play a significant role in nutrient cycling in these cold and often dry desert ecosystems. They are surprisingly responsive to change and potentially sensitive to climatic perturbation.Antarctic terrestrial soils also harbor specialized 'refuge' habitats, where microbial communities develop under (and within) translucent rocks. These cryptic habitats offer unique models for understanding the physical and biological 'drivers of community development, function and evolution.'

Description / Table of Contents: Molecular Genetics of Bacteria is the single most comprehensive and authoritative textbook on bacterial molecular genetics. Perfect for advanced undergraduate and graduate-level courses, the text presents the latest research on the subject in a clearly written and well-illustrated style. This book is intended for students and professionals in the fields of microbiology, genetics, biochemistry, bioengineering, medicine, molecular biology, and biotechnology.

Description / Table of Contents: The earth is dominated by low-temperature environments including 90% of oceans and 26% of terrestrial soil ecosystems. Once thought too cold for life these environments have been shown to support diverse microbial communities. Psychrophiles use a wide variety of metabolic pathways, including photosynthesis, chemoautotrophy and heterotrophy and form robust, diverse communities. Cold-adapted microorganisms play a major role in nutrient turnover and primary biomass production in cold ecosystems and have important applications in biotechnology and in the study of food spoilage microorganisms.In this up-to-date book, prominent authors present cutting-edge knowledge and current concepts on cold-adapted microorganisms. Divided into three main sections the book covers the major aspects of biodiversity in cold ecosystems, the physiology and molecular adaptation mechanisms, and the various biomolecules related to cold adaptation. Individual Chapters cover the various habitats and the diverse strategies employed to cope with the cold. This major new work represents a valuable source of information to all those scientists interested in cold-adapted microorganisms, extremophiles, microbial ecology and environmental microbiology.. - Chapter 1 Diversity of Bacteria in Permafrost. In the cold challenging environment of the permafrost, bacteria have found a way to survive and grow for thousands to millions of years. In this Chapter, we explore bacterial diversity in permafrost from around the world, identified through culture-dependent and -independent techniques. Members of the phylum Actinobacteria, Firmicutes and Proteobacteria have been found in every environment studied thus far, indicating that these bacteria are well suited for life at low temperatures with low water activity. Also, unique species specific to individual environments have been discovered at each site. Researchers are faced with the challenge of determining which bacteria are active in the permafrost and which are in a dormant state. The ability of bacteria to reside in a dormant state further complicates culture-independent experimental results, as DNA from both dormant and active cells has been analyzed. We are only beginning to understand the metabolic capabilities of permafrost bacteria, many discoveries are still to come.. - Chapter 2 Ecology and Taxonomy of Psychrotolerant Bacteria in Artificial Cold Environments. A variety of artificial cold environmental conditions exist around human activities. These environments involve several factors that define the kinds of bacteria existing in niches. These environmental factors change with time owing to changes in the environment caused by existing microorganisms and their metabolisms. Namely, the inevitable selection of bacteria occurs in each artificial cold environment and the successive changes in microbiota occur according to changes in environmental factors. Some of the microorganisms in these microbial communities are useful for the degradation of organic matter in cold environments and for food preservation. On the other hand, several microorganisms adapted to artificial cold environments cause food spoilage. The frequently isolated psychrotolerant bacterial genera in artificial cold environments are Pseudomonas, Psychrobacter, Staphylococcus and Photobacterium. Lactic acid bacteria are also frequently detected under anaerobic conditions. To date, it has been reported that these genera are widely distributed in natural as well as artificial cold environments. It is intriguing why these bacterial genera are widely distributed in cold environments and why certain species belonging to these genera are able to survive in artificial cold environments. The frequent detection of members of above-mentioned genera in artificial cold environments suggests that the important factors that define the existence of these genera in cold artificial environments are i) chances of invasion of such cold environments from ambient environments, ii) chances of invasion through their own basic components, iii) ability to rapidly propagate at low temperature and iv) presence or absence of oxygen. It is also considered that these genera are genetically widely diverse, and cold artificial environment adaptation mechanisms of certain species belonging to these genera make their distribution wider not only in natural cold environments but also in artificial cold environments.. - Chapter 3 Psychrophilic Microorganisms in Marine Environments. Psychrophilic microorganisms are extremophiles that are capable of growth and reproduction at low temperatures. They are present in marine environments, which occupy slightly more than 70% of Earth's surface, especially in the Arctic, Antarctica, and deep seas at temperatures lower than 15°C. Marine psychrophiles utilize a wide variety of metabolic pathways, including photosynthesis, chemoautotrophy, and heterotrophy. The deep-sea bacteria called psychropiezophiles "love" both high pressure and low temperature. Marine psychrophiles are characterized by lipid cell membranes chemically resistant to hardening in response to the cold. Most psychrophiles are Bacteria, and psychrophily is present in widely diverse microbial lineages within the broad groups of Alpha-, Beta-, Delta-, and Gammaproteobacteria and the Bacteroidetes phylum.. - Chapter 4 Fungi in Cryosphere: Their Adaptation to Environments. Cold-adapted fungi are widely distributed in the cryopsphere where biosphere is constantly or seasonally covered with snow and/or ice. Fungi normally have different cells in their lifecycle; therefore, thermal dependence of fungal lifecycle stages is completely different from that of bacteria. We showed examples from fungi that the concept of "psychrophile" by Moria in 1975 was not applicable and propose a new term "cryophilic fungi" for those that spend a certain life stage or whole life cycle (sexual and/or asexual reproductions) in cryosphere. Several groups of fungi associated with snow and/or ice, i.e., cryophilc fungi, are illustrated in terms of their ecology, and their ecophysiological adaptation mechanisms to freezing stress are reviewed, here.. - Chapter 5 Energy Metabolism in Low-temperature and Frozen Conditions in Cold-adapted Microorganisms. Managing biochemical energy is a challenge that microorganisms have to face for maintaining activity at low temperatures, at which metabolic processes are altered by the decrease of reactions rates and by the rigidification of cellular structures, notably enzymes and membranes. Cold-adapted prokaryotes and eukaryotes, while exhibiting distinct trophic modes, share specificities for compensating these thermodynamic effects and keep the cellular machinery running: they elevate the concentration of adenylate compounds, the key molecules of the energy metabolism. This is achieved by tight adjustments acting at several levels of the metabolism in a global strategy of energy saving: strong orientation of the adenylate metabolism toward the production and regeneration of AMP and its phosphorylation, whereas its destruction is repressed; elevation of the respiration rate; intervention of specific enzymes allowing the rapid synthesis of ATP (polyphosphatases and interferases), shifts in the utilization of substrates; and rerouting of central metabolic pathways. These are presented here and illustrated by examples of metabolic regulations in cold-adapted microorganisms evidenced by recent transcriptomic and proteomic approaches.. - Chapter 6 Proteins Involved in Cold-adaptation. This . - Chapter primarily describes cold shock proteins (CSPs), which are induced in response to temperature downshift in both psychrophiles and mesophiles. These proteins are important for various cellular processes, including transcription, translation, protein synthesis and folding, and membrane functions, to maintain their viability under cold conditions. Here, the CSPs in psychrophilic and mesophilic microorganisms are represented on the basis of the results of proteome analyses. In particular, CSPs that were isolated from the Antarctic psychrophile Shewanella livingstonensis Ac10 are described in detail. A number of microorganisms induce molecular chaperones in response to the cold, although the majority of chaperones are induced as a result of heat shock. Chaperones with peptidyl prolyl cis-trans isomerase activity are often induced by cold to accelerate protein folding by interconverting the cis and trans isomers of proline imidic peptide bonds, and these cold shock chaperones are also discribed here. Cold adapted proteins often have higher flexibility as compared to mesophilic proteins. The features of cold adapted proteins are briefly described. Finally, the production of recombinant proteins in psychrophiles is shown to suggest a future application of psychrophiles.. - Chapter 7 Heat Shock Responce in Psychrophilic Microorganisms. Psychrophilic microorganisms can optimally grow at temperatures below 15°C. In these microorganisms, heat stress occurs at relatively low temperatures in comparison with that in mesophilic microorganisms. The majority of psychrophilic microorganisms possess genes encoding a complete set of heat shock proteins (Hsps). Therefore, psychrophilic microorganisms respond to heat stress by producing Hsps like other microorganisms; however, they need a specific system to enable the expression and function of Hsps at relatively low temperatures. In this . - Chapter, we summarize the heat shock response of psychrophilic microorganisms, focusing on how this response starts working at relatively low temperatures and what the features of psychrophilic Hsps are.. - Chapter 8 Catalysis and Protein Folding in Psychrophiles. Enzymes have the property to catalyze most of the chemical reactions occuring in living organisms and their efficiency is exponentially depending on temperature through the Arrhenius law. On the other hand psychrophiles are organisms that live in permanently cold habitats so, in the absence of adaptation, the rate of the chemical reactions would be to slow to sustain life. In fact, these organisms display, at the low temperature of their environment, metabolic fluxes close to that of their mesophilic counterparts. That means that their enzymes have been modified in order to compensate for the cooling effect on reaction rates. The analysis of the structure, catalytic properties and thermal stability of an already large number of psychrophilic enzymes has demonstrated that discrete changes in the amino acid sequence of these enzymes can confer a high catalytic efficiency at low and moderate temperatures. This is accompanied by a significant decrease of the thermal stability itself inducing a large increase of the flexibility of the molecular structure that enables the accomodation of the substrate even at temperatures lower than the freezing point of water. The folding process,which, in theory, is also rendered uneasy due to the large increase in viscosity, the low residual energy in the system and the depressive effect of low temperatures, notably on hydrophobic interactions, is also rescued, mainly, through the overexpression of peptidyl prolyl cis/trans isomerases and of the trigger factor which is the first to take in charge the nascent polypeptide chain.. - Chapter 9 Cold-adapted H2O2 Tolerant Bacteria and their Catalases. Three novel species of psychrotolerant H2O2-resistant bacteria have been isolated from drain pools of a fish egg processing plant that uses H2O2 as a bleaching agent. Among them Vibrio rumoiensis was isolated from downstream of the drain pool, whereas Exiguobacterium oxidotolerans and Psychrobacter piscatorii were isolated from upstream. The catalase activity in the cell extract of the former was lower than that in the latter, which reflected the H2O2 concentration in their niches. The VktA (catalase from V. rumoiensis) and PktA (catalase from P. piscatorii) belonged to clade III, and EktA (catalase from E. oxidotolerans) belonged to clade I. From the temperature profile of their activities, these catalases exhibited heat sensitivity at higher than 60°C. The cell extract of V. rumoiensis exhibited lower catalase content (1.8%) than that of P. piscatorii (10%), whereas the former produces VktA, which exhibited a higher catalytic efficiency than the PktA. EktA content in the cell extract of E. oxidotolerans was 6.5% and EktA exhibited the highest catalase activity in both cell extract and the purified form among the three catalases. EktA possesses a wider bottleneck structure in the main channel for accepting substrates, enable it to react efficient with organic peroxides larger than H2O2 as substrates. Considering the environmental adaptation and distribution of microorganisms in this unique niche with high concentrations of H2O2 and low temperatures, certain variations of unknown bacterial species exist with certain variations of environmental adaptation mechanisms (e.g., cellular localization, production rate, and catalytic efficiency of catalase) depending on the environmental H2O2 concentration and fragility of cells. Furthermore, the characteristics of these catalase molecules reflect the environmental conditions (low temperatures and high concentrations of H2O2) under which these bacteria survive.. - Chapter 10 Microorganisms in Permafrost Ice Wedge and their Resuscitation Promoting Factor. Bacteria and fungi preserved for long periods at sub-zero temperatures in Alaskan and Siberian permafrost ice wedge were reactivated on agar by aerobic cultivation at 15°C. Culturable bacteria differed among ice samples, but several phylogenetic groups were closely related to those in other frozen environments. Incubation under controlled temperatures and the Arrhenius profiles of bacterial isolates from the Alaskan ice wedge indicated that they could grow at temperatures below 0°C without remarkable alterations in their cellular process. The novel ice wedge isolates, Glaciibacter superstes AHU1791T and Tomitella biformata AHU1821T, increased membrane fluidity at lower to subzero temperatures by modulating the fatty acid composition of the cytoplasmic membrane. Reactivating the non-culturable state of ice wedge isolates using resuscitation promoting factor (Rpf) and culturing melted ice wedge with Rpf provided indirect evidence that non-culturable bacteria exist within the ice wedge in situ. Bacteria in ice wedges can change their membrane fatty acid composition and/or structure to survive, but may then lose the ability to grow under laboratory conditions, as a final adaptation to long periods in a frozen natural environment.. - Chapter 11 Lipids in Cold-adapted Microorganisms. Ever since Escherichia coli, which is a mesophilic bacterium, was found to adjust its membrane fluidity in a liquid crystalline state by modulating fatty acid composition and the designation of this process as homeoviscous or homeophasic adaptation, numerous analogous phenomena have been reported in cold-adapted bacteria [psychrophilic or psychrotrophic (psychrotolerant) bacteria]. Unsaturation, which includes the biosynthesis of monounsaturated or long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids and branched fatty acids, and branched-chain formation are the most important types of fatty acid modulation in psychrophilic and psychrotrophic (psychrotolerant) bacteria. The distribution of these fatty acids is not restricted to cold-adapted microorganisms: rather, it appears to depend on bacterial diversity (Gram- positive or negative) and/or habitat (terrestrial or marine environment) than on temperature. Eicosapentaenoic acid, which has been detected only in marine Gram-negative bacteria, had been regarded to confer significant membrane fluidity in bacteria, but it is now considered that it may also have a function in antioxidation or membrane modulation by constraining membrane fluidity. The mode of fatty acid modulation is unlikely to differ between psychrophilic and psychrotrophic bacteria, which had narrower and wider growth temperature ranges, respectively. The sole difference seems to be higher capacity to modulate fatty acid composition in psychrotrophic bacteria than in psychrophilic bacteria.

Description / Table of Contents: While the trend towards the growth of megacities creates huge challenges, it also offers the opportunity for reshaping mobility patterns in cities, promoting energy efficiency and principles of low carbon development. In this volume, an overview is provided of solutions comprising concepts for sustainable transportation through intelligent management, innovative instruments for integrated transport planning, modelling systems, adaptation strategies in the transport sector and concepts for enhancing public transit. Developed for five cities of the programme by transdisciplinary and international research teams in close collaboration with local stakeholders, they are presented on the background of big challenges ranging from data collection issues, modelling and planning in a fast growing environment to resistance of citizens against big infrastructure projects.

Description / Table of Contents: The vast explosion of high-resolution molecular data in the past few years has provided an unprecedented glimpse into the microbial world. This book synthesises current viewpoints and knowledge on microbial ecological theory. The editors have assembled a collection of essays by a diverse group of well-respected scientists who merge the boundaries of ecology and microbiology to explore some of the central tenets of macro-ecological theory with a microbial perspective. The contributors explore the mainstays of macro-ecology asking questions such as 'do microbes have biogeography?' and 'does a microbial species concept exist?', as well as showing how high-resolution molecular data is informing and underpinning the evolution of microbial ecological theory. The authors demonstrate how the application of macro-ecological theory to the microbial world is not only enhancing our understanding of microbial ecology but also providing a reference point for the development of new theories.

Description / Table of Contents: Content: I. PRINCIPLES OF MICROBIOLOGY 1. Microorganisms and Microbiology 2. A Brief Journey to the Microbial World 3. Cell Structure and Function in Bacteria and Archaea II. METABOLISM AND GROWTH 4. Nutrition, Culture, and Metabolism of Microorganisms 5. Microbial Growth III. MOLECULAR BIOLOGY AND GENE EXPRESSION 6. Molecular Biology of Bacteria 7. Archael and Eukaryotic Molecular Biology 8. Regulation of Gene Expression IV. VIROLOGY, GENETICS, AND GENOMICS 9. Viruses and Virology 10. Genetics of Bacteria and Arachaea 11. Genetic Engineering 12. Microbial Genomics V. METABOLIC DIVERSITY AND COMMERICAL BIOCATALYSES 13. Phototrophy, Chemolithotrophy, and Major Biosyntheses 14. Catabolism of Organic Compounds 15. Commercial Products and Biotechnology VI. MICROBIAL EVOLUTION AND DIVERSITY 16. Microbial Evolution and Systematics 17.Bacteria: The Proteobacteria 18. Other Bacteria 19. Archaea 20. Eukaryotic Cell Biology and Eukaryotic Microorganisms 21. Viral Diversity VII. Microbial Ecology 22. Methods in Microbial Ecology 23. Major Microbial Habitats and Diversity 24. Nutrient Cycles, Biodegradation, and Bioremediation 25. Microbial Symbioses VIII. ANTIMICROBIAL AGENTS AND PATHOGENICITY 26. Microbial Growth Control 27. Microbial Interactions with Humans IX. IMMUNOLOGY 28. Immunity and Host Defense 29. Immune Mechanisms 30. Molecular Immunology X. DIAGNOSING AND TRACKING MICROBIAL DISEASES 31. Diagnostic Microbiology and Immunology 32. Epidemiology XI. HUMAN- AND ANIMAL-TRANSMITTED INFECTIOUS DISEASES 33. Person-to-Person Microbial Diseases 34. Vectorborne and Soilborne Microbial Pathogens XII. COMMON SOURCE INFECTIOUS DISEASE 35. Wastewater Treatment, Water Purification, and Waterborne Microbial Diseases 36. Food Preservation and Foodborne Microbial Diseases Appendices 1 and 2 Glossary Index

Description / Table of Contents: Human activities are significantly modifying the natural global carbon (C) cycles, and concomitantly influence climate, ecosystems, and state and function of the Earth system. Ever increasing amounts of carbon dioxide (CO2) are added to the atmosphere by fossil fuel combustion but the biosphere is a potential C sink. Thus, a comprehensive understanding of C cycling in the biosphere is crucial for identifying and managing biospheric C sinks. Ecosystems with large C stocks which must be protected and sustainably managed are wetlands, peatlands, tropical rainforests, tropical savannas, grasslands, degraded/desertified lands, agricultural lands, and urban lands. However, land-based sinks require long-term management and a protection strategy because C stocks grow with a progressive improvement in ecosystem health.

Description / Table of Contents: Biofilms are the default mode-of-life for many bacterial species. The three-dimensional structure of the biofilm provides the associated microbial communities with additional protection from predation, toxic substances and physical perturbation. The variety of microniches provided by the biofilm also promotes a huge diversity of microbial life and metabolic potential. These complex and highly structured communities help to maintain the health of soils and waters. Current applications of biofilms include the degradation of toxic substances in soil and water, the commercial production of chemicals, and the generation of electricity. However, biofilm-based infections cause harm to millions of humans annually. In addition, biofilms can affect the quality and yield of crops and cause biofouling and microbially-induced corrosion. In this book, leading scientists provide an up-to-date review of the latest scientific research on these fascinating microbial communities and predict future trends and growth areas in biofilm-related research. Under the expert guidance of the editors Gavin Lear and Gillian Lewis, authors from around the world have contributed critical reviews on the most topical aspects of current biofilm research. Subjects covered include quorum sensing and social interactions in microbial biofilms, biofilms in disease, plant-associated biofilms, biofilms in the soil, applications in bioremediation, biofilms in wastewater treatment, corrosion and fouling, aquatic biofilms, microbial fuel cells, and catalytic biofilms. The book is essential for everyone interested in biofilms and their applications. It is also highly recommended for environmental microbiologists, soil scientists, medical microbiologists, bioremediation experts and microbiologists working in biocorrosion, biofouling, biodegradation, water microbiology, quorum sensing and many other areas.

Description / Table of Contents: This edited volume on Arctic, Antarctic and sub-polar microbiology is designed to introduce this fascinating field to a wide range of microbiologists and environmental scientists. Polar microbiology is a fast-growing field that can tell us much about the fundamentals of life on earth and the microbial contributions and consequences to such important global environmental issues as warming earth, ozone depletion, and elemental cycling. Polar microbial communities are considered important analogues for astrobiology investigations looking for life on other very cold solar system bodies.

Description / Table of Contents: Contents: I. Grüne Transformation ; Fukushima: die Katastrophe und wir ; Schluss, aus! Ausstieg aus der Atomenergie ; Multiple Krisen: Wahrnehmungs- und Reaktionsmuster ; Green New Deal: aber wie? ; Transformation: durch nachhaltige Industriepolitik ; Transformation: Ökosystemleistungen und Grüne Wirtschaft ; Rohstoffeffizienz: Wirtschaft entlasten, Umwelt schonen ; Transformationsforschung: Ökologischer Strukturwandel und Green New Deal ; II. Grüne Allianzen ; Umweltbewegung und Umweltprotest: Sprung in eine grüne Zukunft? ; Neue Organisationen: Aktivierung der Zivilgesellschaft ; Klimaschutz: neue internationale Allianzen ; Klimafinanzierung: wie viel, woher, wofür und für wen? ; Waldschutz: neue internationale Allianzen ; USA und China: Kooperation bei Energie und Klimaschutz ; Allianz Europa-Asien: Neubeginn der globalen Umweltpolitik? ; III. Persistente Konflikte ; Atomenergie: Biblis, das lange Ende einer langen Laufzeit ; Industrielle Landwirtschaft: ein Irrweg ; Agrar- und Ernährungswende: ein Plädoyer ; Klimawandel: Gerechtigkeit bei der globalen Transformation ; Biodiversität: ein Rettungsanker ist geworfen ; Wasser: Knappheit vermeiden, Verschmutzung vermindern ; Landraub: eine moderne Form des Kolonialismus ; Verkehrswachstum: wenig Platz noch an Land und in der Luft ; Strategische Rohstoffe für Windkraft, E-Mobilität & Co. ; Transmutation: nukleare Müllverbrennung? ; IV. Grüne Spuren ; Wege zur 100 % Erneuerbaren Stromversorgung ; Bundeshauptstadt im Klimaschutz: Ergebnisse eines Wettbewerbs ; Unternehmensverantwortung: Arbeitnehmer außen vor? ; Umweltpolitikberatung: Algerien, Marokko, Tunesien ; Die 125 Watt-Lampe: ein grünes Geheimnis ; V. Vor-Reiter ; Jacques Cousteau - ein ökologischer Widerstandskämpfer ; Wangari Maathei - Baumaktivistin und Nobelpreisträgerin ; VI. Umweltinstitutionen

Description / Table of Contents: Contents: 1. Introduction: The Nature of Droughts. 2. Types of Drought and their Assessment. 3. The Perturbation of Hydrological Drought. 4. Droughts of the Past: Dendrochronology and Lake Sediments. 5. Water bodies, catchments and the abiotic effects of drought. 6. Drought and Temporary Waters. 7. Drought, Floodplain Rivers and Wetland Complexes. 8. Drought and Perennial Aquatic Systems: Plants and Invertebrates. 9. Drought and Fish of Standing and Flowing Waters. 10. Estuaries and Drought. 11. Human-induced exacerbation of Drought Effects on Aquatic Ecosystems.

Description / Table of Contents: Forest damage, forest decline, forest dieback - not related to biotic agents - is occurring in the Atlantic and Pacific regions. In Europe and Eastern North America this serious problem is considered to be, at least to some part, related to industrial air pollutants and their atmospheric conversion products, such as acid rain or ozone. Forest declines in the Pacific region have been attributed largely to natural causes involving forest dynamics, since air pollution and other negative anthropogenic influences are practically absent. Presented here are typical decline phenomena in the Pacific and Atlantic region, potential causes, effects and mitigation strategies, and the question whether there are any similarities on a functional or structural basis is addressed.

Description / Table of Contents: Contents: I. Grenzerreichnung – Grenzüberschreitung ; Planetare Grenzen, globale Entwicklung ; Vier Grad? Ein Blick hinter die 2-°C-Leitplanke ; Globale Biodiversitätsverluste – es geht um Werte ; Globale Motorisierung – Pyrrhus-Sieg des Automobils ; Gradwanderungen – Klimawandel und Migration ; Das Anthropozän. Umweltpolitische Herausforderungen des neuen Zeitalters ; II. Globale umweltpolitische Aktionsfelder ; Globale Umweltregime im Test: Ozon-, Klima-, Biodiversitäts-, Stoff- und Abfallpolitik ; Internationale Waldpolitik – Prinzip Freiwilligkeit ; Internationale Wasserpolitik – quo vadis? ; Auf dem Weg zu einer globalen Chemikalienpolitik? ; III. Globale ökologische Wende ; „Erdsystem-Governance“. Plädoyer für ein neues Paradigma der globalen Umweltpolitik ; Universelle Ziele für eine nachhaltige Entwicklung ; Klimaschutz als Weltbürgerbewegung ; Gewerkschaften als Akteure der Großen Transformation ; Das umweltpolitische Potenzial von Individuen ; Klima-Showdown in Paris ; Globale Ressourcenwende – eine neue Fortschrittsidee ; Global nachhaltige Bodennutzung – ein Plädoyer ; Entmüllung der Ozeane – die Plastikfischer ; Das Endlager-Dilemma. Über den Umgang mit Atommüll ; TTIP – ein Angriff auf Umweltschutz, Demokratie und Rechtsstaat ; Weltaktionsprogramm „Bildung für nachhaltige Entwicklung“ ; IV. Vordenker und Vorreiter ; Vandana Shiva – eine Kämpferin für Umweltgerechtigkeit ; Jacqueline McGlade – die umweltpolitische Netzwerkerin ; Naomi Klein – die internationale politische Aktivistin ; Im memoriam Günter Grass: Ein großer grüner Poet ; V. Umweltinstitutionen ; Donella Meadows Institute ; Instituut voor Milieuvraagstukken ; Worldwatch Institute ; VI. Deutsche Umweltinstitutionen ; Globale Umweltpolitik und das Bundesamt für Naturschutz ; Globale Umweltpolitik und das Umweltbundesamt ; Globale Umweltarbeit der Heinrich-Böll-Stiftung

Description / Table of Contents: Content: - Preface- Structure of Microbial Mats and Biofilms "Exopolymer Microdomains" as a Structuring Agent for Heterogeneity Within Microbial Biofilms- On Stromatolite Lamination- Bacterial calcification- Bacterial Roles in the Precipitation of Carbonate Minerals- Bacterially Induced Microscale and Nanoscale Carbonate Precipitates- Calcification in Cyanobacteria Cyanobacteria: Architects of Sedimentary Structures Fungi and Sediments- Diatoms and Benthic Microbial Carbonates- Carbon Isotopes and Microbial Sediments- Sulphur Isotopes and Microbial Sulphur- Cycling in Sediments Products and Depth Limits of Microbial Activity in Petroliferous Subsurface Settings- Microbe-metal Interactions in Sediments Microbial- Phosphate Sediment Microbes and Black Shales Organic and Biogeochemical Patterns in Cryptic Microbialites Subaerial- Microbial Mats and Their Effects on Soil and Rock Microbial Sediments in Tropical Karst Terrains: A Model Based on the Cayman Islands- Ambient Temperature- Freshwater Microbial- Tufas Microbial Precipitates Around Continental Hot Springs and Geysers- Evaporite Microbial Sediments- Gypsum Microbial Sediments: Neogene and Modern Examples- Siliciclastic Intertidal Microbial Sediments Subaqueous Siliciclastic Stromatolites. A Case Study from Late Miocene- Beach Deposits in the Sorbas Basin of SE Spain- Shallow Marine Microbial Carbonate Deposits- Microbial Whitings- Cold Seep Carbonates in the Tertiary Of North-West Italy: Evidence of Bacterial Degradation of Methane Processes and Products Fueled by Hydrocarbons At Submarine Seeps- Microbial Contribution to Reefal Mud Mounds in Ancient Deep-Water Settings: Evidence from the Cambrian Mesozoic Reefal Thrombolites and Other Microbolites Proterozoic- Stromatolite Taxonomy and Biostratigraphy- Microbial Versus Environmental Influences on the Morphology of Late Archean- Fenestrated Microbialites- Archean Stromatolites As Microbial Archives- Index.

Description / Table of Contents: Content: 1 General Considerations 1.1 Chemoheterotrophic Bacteria 1.2 Chemolithoautotrophic Bacteria 2 Cytochromes 2.1 Hemes 2.2 Kinds of Cytochromes 3 Nitrogen Circulation on Earth and Bacteria 3.1 Bacterial Nitrifi cation 3.2 Applications of Nitrifying Bacteria 3.3 Interaction Between Ammonia-Oxidizing and Nitrite-Oxidizing Bacteria 3.4 Reduction of Nitrate and Nitrogen Gas 4 Sulfur Circulation on Earth and Bacteria 4.1 Bacteria Forming Hydrogen Sulfide 4.2 Sulfur-Oxidizing Bacteria 5 Oxidation and Reduction of Iron by Bacteria 5.1 Bacteria That Oxidize or Reduce Iron 5.2 Applications of Iron-Oxidizing Bacteria 5.3 Upheaval of House Foundations: Damage Caused by Bacteria 6 Carbon Circulation on Earth and Microorganisms 6.1 Mechanisms of Formation of Organic Compounds from Carbon Dioxide 6.2 Methanogens 6.3 Bacteria Utilizing Carbon Monoxide 7 Organisms Evolutionarily Closest to the Origin of Life 7.1 Archaea and Their Energy-Acquiring Reactions 7.2 Biological Evolution at Earlier Stages

Description / Table of Contents: Microbial systems in extreme environments and in the deep biosphere may be analogous to potential life on other planetary bodies and hence may be used to investigate the possibilities of extraterrestrial life. This book examines the mode and nature of links between geological processes and microbial activities and their significance for the origin and evolution of life on the Earth and possibly on other planets. This is a truly interdisciplinary science with societal relevance. Inhaltsverzeichnis: Preface. Acknowledgements. Contributors. 1. Oceanic pillow lavas and hyaloclastites as habitats for microbial life through time - a review; H. Furnes et al. 2. Microbial colonization of various habitable niches during alteration of oceanic crust; M. Ivarsson, N.G. Holm. 3. Ambient inclusion trails: their recognition, age range and applicability to early life on earth; D. Wacey et al. 4. Spatial distribution of the subseafloor life: diversity of biogeography; F. Inagaki, S. Nakagawa. 5. Analysis of deep subsurface microbial communities by functional genes and genomics; A. Teske, J. Biddle. 6. Diversity of Behamian stromatolite substrates; R. Ginsburg, N. Planavsky. 7. Evaporite microbial films, mats, microbialites, and stromatolites; R. Brigmon et al. 8. Microbial life in extreme environments: linking geological and microbial processes; H. Dong. 9. Marine methane biochemistry of the Black Sea: a review; T. Pape et al. 10. From volcanic winter to snowball earth: an alternative explanation for neoproterozoic biosphere stress; R.J. Stern et al. Subject index.

Description / Table of Contents: This book is an interdisciplinary review of recent developments in topics including origin of life, microbial-mineral interactions, and microbial processes functioning in marine and terrestrial environments. A major component of this book addresses molecular techniques to evaluate microbial evolution and assess relationships of microbes in complex, natural communities. The function of microbial community members and their possible geological impact are evaluated from a perspective of (meta)genomics, (meta)proteomics, and isotope labeling. As well as summarizing current knowledge in various areas, it also reveals unresolved questions that require future investigations. These chapters enhance our fundamental knowledge of geomicrobiology that contributes to the exploitation of microbial functions in mineral and environmental biotechnology applications. Authors have provided skillful reviews and outlined unique perspectives on environmental microorganisms and their related processes.

Description / Table of Contents: 1. Chemoautotrophic origin of life: the Iron-Sulfur World Hypothesis; Gunter Wachtershauser 2. Evolution of metabolic pathways and evolution of genomes; Giovanni Emiliani, Marco Fondi, Pietro Lio, and Renato Fani 3. Novel cultivation strategies for environmentally important microorganisms; Jorg Overmann 4. Environmental proteomics: Studying structure and function of microbial communities; Thomas Schneider and Kathrin Riedel 5. Analysis of microbial communities by functional gene arrays; Jizhong Zhou, Zhili He, and Joy D. Van Nostrand 6. Probing identity and physiology of uncultured microorganisms with isotope labeling techniques; Alexander Loy and Michael Pester 7. The geomicrobiology of arsenic; Rhesa N. Ledbetter and Timothy S. Magnuson 8. Bioinformatics and genomics of iron- and sulfur-oxidizing acidophiles; Violaine Bonnefoy 9. The geomicrobiology of catastrophe: a comparison of microbial colonization in post-volcanic and impact environments; Charles S. Cockell 10. Microbial diversity of cave ecosystems; Annette S. Engel 11. Statistical evaluation of bacterial 16S rRNA gene sequences in relation to travertine mineral precipitation and water chemistry at Mammoth Hot Springs, Yellowstone National Park, USA; Hector Garcia Martin, John Veysey, George T. Bonheyo, Nigel Goldenfeld and Bruce W. Fouke 12. Compositional, physiological and metabolic variability in microbial communities associated with geochemically diverse, deep-sea hydrothermal vent fluids; Ken Takai and Kentaro Nakamura 13. The molecular geomicrobiology of bacterial manganese(II) oxidation; Bradley M. Tebo, Kati Geszvain and Sung-Woo Lee 14. Role of microorganisms in banded iron formations; Inga Koehler, Kurt Konhauser and Andreas Kappler 15. Synergistic roles of microorganisms in mineral precipitates associated with deep sea methane seeps; Huifang Xu 16. Bacterial degradation of polychlorinated biphenyls; Martina Mackova, Ondrej Uhlik, Petra Lovecka, Jitka Viktorova, Martina Novakova, Katerina Demnerova, Michel Sylvestre and Tomas Macek 17. Role of clay and organic matter in the biodegradation of organics in soil; Laura E. McAllister and Kirk T. Semple 18. Electrodes as electron acceptors, and the bacteria who love them; Daniel R. Bond 19. The biogeochemistry of biomining; Barrie D. Johnson

Description / Table of Contents: Contents: 1 Introduction (Brian Moss, Richard W. Battarbee and Martin Kernan). 2 Aquatic Ecosystem Variability and Climate Change - A Palaeoecological Perspective (Richard W. Battarbee). 3 Direct Impacts of Climate Change on Freshwater Ecosystems (Ulrike Nickus, Kevin Bishop, Martin Erlandsson, Chris D. Evans, Martin Forsius, Hjalmar Laudon,David M. Livingstone, Don Monteith and Hansjorg Thies). 4 Climate Change and the Hydrology and Morphology of Freshwater Ecosystems (Piet F.M. Verdonschot, Daniel Hering, John Murphy, Sonja C. Jahnig, Neil L. Rose, Wolfram Graf, Karel Brabec and Leonard Sandin). 5 Monitoring the Responses of Freshwater Ecosystems to Climate Change (Daniel Hering, Alexandra Haidekker, Astrid Schmidt-Kloiber, Tom Barker, Laetitia Buisson, Wolfram Graf, Gael Grenouillet, Armin Lorenz, Leonard Sandin and Sonja Stendera). 6 Interaction of Climate Change and Eutrophication (Erik Jeppesen, Brian Moss, Helen Bennion, Laurence Carvalho, Luc DeMeester, Heidrun Feuchtmayr, Nikolai Friberg, Mark O. Gessner, Mariet Hefting, Torbden L. Lauridsen, Lone Liboriussen, Hilmar Malmquist, Linda May, Mariana Meerhoff, Jon S. Olafsson, Merel B. Soons and Jos T.A. Verhoeven). 7 Interaction of Climate Change and Acid Deposition (Richard F. Wright, Julian Aherne, Kevin Bishop, Peter J. Dillon,Martin Erlandsson, Chris D. Evans, Martin Forsius, David W. Hardekopf, Rachel C. Helliwell, Jakub Hruska,Mike Hutchins, Oyvind Kaste, Jiri Kopac ek, Pavel Kram, Hjalmar Laudon, Filip Moldan, Michela Rogora, Anne Merete S. Sjoeng and Heleen A. de Wit). 8 Distribution of Persistent Organic Pollutants and Mercury in Freshwater Ecosystems Under Changing Climate Conditions (Joan O. Grimalt, Jordi Catalan, Pilar Fernandez, Benjami Pina and John Munthe). 9 Climate Change: Defining Reference Conditions and Restoring Freshwater Ecosystems (Richard K. Johnson, Richard W. Battarbee, Helen Bennion, Daniel Hering, Merel B. Soons and Jos T.A. Verhoeven). 10 Modelling Catchment Scale Responses to Climate Change (Richard A. Skeffington, Andrew Wade, Paul G. Whitehead, Dan Butterfield, Oyvind Kaste, Hans Estrup Andersen, Katri Rankinen and Gael Grenouillet). 11 Tools for Better Decision Making: Bridges from Science to Policy (Conor Linstead, Edward Maltby, Helle Orsted Nielsen, Thomas Horlitz, Phoebe Koundouri, Ekin Birol, Kyriaki Remoundou, Ron Janssen and Philip J. Jones). 12 What of the Future? (Brian Moss).