An Introduction to Phytoplanktons: Diversity and Ecology

The  book , ‘An Introduction to Phytoplanktons – Diversity and Ecology’ is very useful as it covers wide aspects  of phytoplankton study including  the general idea about cyanobacteria and algal kingdom. It   contains different topics related to very basic idea of phytoplanktons such as, types ,taxonomic description and the key for identification etc. Together with it, very  modern aspects of phytoplankton study including different methodologies needed for research students of botany, ecology, limnology  and environmental biology are also included. The first chapter is very basic and informative and describes algal and phytoplankton classification, algal pigments, algal bloom and their control, algal toxins, wetlands algae, ecological significance of phytoplanktons  etc. A general key for identification of common phytoplankton genera is also included for students who will be able to identify these genera based on the light microscopic characters. In Chapters 2-4,different aspects of phytoplankton research  like primary productivity, community pattern analysis and their ecological parameter analysis have been discussed with detailed procedures. Statistical  analysis is also discussed in detail. Chapter 5 includes case studies related to review, phytoplankton diversity and dynamics.