Bacteria in oligotrophic environments

Providing over 2000 references, this is the first book to examine the ecological and physiological consequences of oligotrophy (a lack of energy to support microbial growth) on microbes in their environment. Most environments on earth are oligotrophic. Bacteria in Oligotrophic Environments takes a multidisciplinary approach, covering microbiology, biochemistry, and chemistry, and addresses a wide variety of different environments (marine, limnic, and soil). The book discusses the lack of organic matter and its bioavailability as energy for the indigenous bacteria in environments. It also explores various concepts and misconceptions dealing with the oligotrophic bacteria in ancient materials, and some of the pitfalls and fallacies of modem microbiological methods and their interpretation in use for microbial ecological studies. A general overview of the physiological and genetic characteristics that take place when bacteria are subjected to starvation conditions is provided, including the interplay between bacteriophage and their starving host. Posing new and fruitful questions for microbiological investigation, this authoritative volume allows microbial ecologists and general microbiologists to thoroughly analyze the phenomena of starvation-survival of bacteria present in oligotrophic or nutrient-poor environments. Marine biologists and chemists, limnologists, and soil biochemists and chemists will also benefit from the information here.