Description

Anoxic conditions--the environments in which life began--still persist in many places on Earth, such as in lake sediments, the guts of ruminants, and the deep waters of some marine basins. Ecology and Evolution in Anoxic Worlds offers a current and unified natural history of oxygen-free environments and their microbial inhabitants. Drawing on evidence from a variety of scientific disciplines, the authors--two leading researchers in the field--describe the forces known to shape the structure, function, heterogeneity, and evolution of anaerobic communities. Topics range from the origin and maintenance of anoxic habitats throughout Earth's history to{ the origin of prokaryotes, eukaryotes, and eukaryotic organelles to the development of microbial communities. Particular emphasis is placed on how energy-yielding pathways which have evolved in anaerobic microorganisms dictate the syntrophic and competitive interactions that shape anaerobic microbial community development. The ecological and evolutionary significance of the arrival of oxygen in the Proterozoic is discussed in detail. Splendidly readable, Ecology and Evolution in Anoxic Worlds brings an interdisciplinary topic of growing interest up-to-date. It will be sought after by students and researchers in ecology, microbiology, biochemistry, zoology, evolutionary biology, geology, marine biology, and oceanography.

Reviews

"Tom Fenchel and Bland J. Finlay provide a valuable and timely introduction to anoxic life in Ecology and Evolution in Anoxic Worlds . . . . This book presents a comprehensive view of anoxic life on our planet . . . . Fenchel and Finlay have produced a bool unique in its coverage of anoxic life. The combination of topics covered and the depth of the analysis is unmatched. Given the rate at which this field is moving, Ecology and Evolution in Anoxic Worlds should attract a wide and diverse readership and contribute to our increasing awareness of the richness and complexity of life without oxygen."--BioScience

"Researchers interested in the obscure world of low oxygen will be delighted to learn that two outstanding scholars have collaborated to present this breathtaking new synthesis . . . . The authors have been quite successful in linking together disparate ecological and metabolic systems ranging from deep, black sulfury muds to gaseous systems of ruminant animals . . . . Throughout the book, the authors demonstrate their expertise in deciphering the details of anoxia . . . . I highly recommend this book, especially to others who have always considered the oxygen-free world to be a fascinating place."--The Quarterly Review of Biology

"Both authors have to their credit extensive research and publications in the field. In developing their ideas they draw upon a variety of sources. They appear to have a firm grasp of the concepts and principles involved, and introduce these through a variety of research data." -- Choice

Product Details

288 pages; 87 linecuts, 17 halftones; ISBN13: 978-0-19-854837-9ISBN10: 0-19-854837-0

About the Author(s)