BookIván Gómez, Pirjo Huovinen, editors.
Summary: Seaweeds (macroalgae) represent the most striking living components in the Antarctic's near-shore ecosystems, especially across the West Antarctic Peninsula and adjacent islands. Due to their abundance, their central roles as primary producers and foundation organisms, and as sources of diverse metabolically active products, seaweed assemblages are fundamental to biogeochemical cycles in Antarctic coastal systems. In recent years, the imminence of climate change and the direct impacts of human beings, which are affecting vast regions of the Antarctic, have highlighted the importance of seaweed processes in connection with biodiversity, adaptation and interactions in the benthic network. Various research groups have been actively involved in the investigation of these topics. Many of these research efforts have a long tradition, while some "newcomers" have also recently contributed important new approaches to the study of these organisms, benefiting polar science as a whole. This book provides an overview of recent advances and insights gleaned over the past several years. Focusing on a timely topic and extremely valuable resource, it assesses the challenges and outlines future directions in the study of Antarctic seaweeds.
Contents:
Intro
Preface
Foreword
Contents
Part I: Introduction
Chapter 1: Antarctic Seaweeds: Biogeography, Adaptation, and Ecosystem Services
1.1 Introduction: The Historical Context
1.2 Antarctic Seaweeds in the Wake of Climate Change
1.3 The Book
1.3.1 Diversity and Biogeography
1.3.2 Environment and Ecophysiology
1.3.3 Ecological Functions
1.3.4 Chemical Ecology
1.4 Gaps, Emerging Challenges, and Future Directions
References
Part II: Diversity and Biogeography
Chapter 2: Diversity of Antarctic Seaweeds
2.1 The Antarctic Environment 2.2 Seaweeds in Antarctica: Definition and Importance
2.3 Seaweed Taxonomic Studies in Antarctica: Toward a New Species Compilation
2.4 Molecular Taxonomy for the Study of Antarctic Seaweed Diversity
2.5 Seaweed Distribution in Antarctica
2.6 Concluding Remarks: Gaps and Prospects for the Future
References
Chapter 3: Biogeographic Processes Influencing Antarctic and sub-Antarctic Seaweeds
3.1 Antarctica's Place in the World: An Isolated Continent?
3.1.1 Adaptations of Terrestrial Organisms to Antarctic Conditions 3.1.2 Adaptations of Marine Organisms to Antarctic Conditions
3.1.3 Evidence for Dispersal of Organisms into the Antarctic
3.2 Physical Oceanographic Processes Influencing Movement of Seaweeds into or out of the Antarctic
3.2.1 Ekman Transport
3.2.2 Eddies
3.2.3 Wave-Driven Stokes Drift
3.2.4 Surface Currents
3.3 Hitch-Hiking to the Antarctic: Passengers on Seaweed Rafts
3.3.1 Characteristics of Rafting Species
3.3.2 Processes Affecting Establishment of New Taxa in the Antarctic
3.4 Concluding Remarks
References 5.3 Seaweed Assemblages: Are Antarctic Seaweed Diversity and Richness Changing?
5.4 The Physiological Bases of Macroalgal Shifts
5.5 Deception Island: A Case Study of Opportunistic, Alien, Cryptic and Cryptogenic Species
5.6 Reevaluating Eco-Regions, Isolation, and Endemism in the Southern Ocean
5.7 Concluding Remarks: Prospects for the Future Marine Flora of the Southern Ocean
References
Chapter 6: Comparative Phylogeography of Antarctic Seaweeds: Genetic Consequences of Historical Climatic Variations
6.1 Historical Isolation of Antarctic Marine Macroalgae Chapter 4: Detached Seaweeds as Important Dispersal Agents Across the Southern Ocean
4.1 Introduction
4.2 Detached Seaweeds in Antarctica
4.3 Abiotic Factors Influencing Floating Seaweeds
4.4 Biotic Factors Affecting Floating Seaweeds
4.5 Physiology of Floating and Drifting Seaweeds: Traspassing Thermal Barriers
4.5.1 Out of Antarctic: Is it Physiologically Feasible?
References
Chapter 5: Biogeography of Antarctic Seaweeds Facing Climate Changes
5.1 The Abiotic Setting of the Southern Ocean
5.2 Biogeographic Patterns