This systematic treatment of the diatoms of the U.S. is written for the use of all those concerned with the multitude of kinds & the fascinating diversity of this very large & important group of algae of our fresh waters. This volume represents the first part of a two part systematic treatment of the freshwater diatom flora of continental U.S. exclusive of Alaska. Besides those taxa found in fresh water, a few taxa found in estuaries of rivers & belonging to genera that commonly occur in fresh water are included. No strictly fossil species are included; however, many of the species embraced are found in recent fossil material. Although this book is concerned with the U.S., it should be helpful to the students of diatom floras in Mexico, Canada, & other areas. Illustrations.
This is the first book to deal with automatic diatom identification. It provides the necessary background information concerning diatom research, useful for both diatomists and non-diatomists. It deals with the development of electronic databases, image preprocessing, automatic contour extraction, the application of existing contour and ornamentation features and the development of new ones, as well as the application of different classifiers (neural networks, decision trees, etc.). These are tested using two image sets: (i) a very difficult set of Sellaphora pupula with 6 demes and 120 images; (ii) a mixed genera set with 37 taxa and approximately 800 images. The results are excellent, and recognition rates well above 90% have been achieved on both sets. The results are compared with identification rates obtained by human experts. One chapter of the book deals with automatic image capture, i.e. microscope slide scanning at different resolutions using a motorized microscope stage, autofocusing, multifocus fusion, and particle screening to select only diatoms and to reject debris. This book is the final scientific report of the European ADIAC project (Automatic Diatom Identification and Classification), and it lists the web-sites with the created public databases and an identification demo.
This book offers a comprehensive, unique and up-to-date exploration of diatom ecology spanning from fundamental molecular aspects to the intricate dynamics of metacommunities. In recent years there has been a considerable increase in the amount of research devoted to diatom ecology, with a wide spectrum of approaches. This large amount of information, published in many different journals and books, makes it very difficult to keep up to date, both for the trained researcher and for students. Eduardo A. Morales (d. May 2023) had the original idea to assemble chapters on various subjects within diatom ecology. The questions he posed to potential contributors framed the current book consisting of 12 chapters. Are diatoms suitable tools for ecological restoration? What would be the features that make them reliable in this context? What makes diatoms ecologically successful? In an ecological sense, why is there such variability in diatom reproductive strategies and why are they worth considering? What do new approaches in ecological synthesis provide to diatom ecology, biogeography and metacommunities? Are all diatoms widely spread and each species uniquely characterized by its own, unaltered phenotype? Can we really make any ecological consideration without knowing (with a high degree of certainty) the identity of taxa? Are urban ecosystems important repositories of biodiversity? What are the benefits and the progress in diatom ecology made by the diatom guild perspective? Why, how and when are soil diatoms used in bioindication and what are the benefits of such an approach? Are diatoms bona fide indicators of climate change? Are diatom communities in temporary rivers important for these lotic ecosystems as they are subjected to the effects of climate change? Do diatoms in peatlands behave differently from their terrestrial and aquatic (rivers, lakes, others) counterparts? Audience The book is intended primarily for professionals in the fields of diatom research, algal research (phycology), organismal, population and community ecology, limnology, microbiology, organismal biology, paleoecology and paleolimnology. The book will also serve as a reference for graduate students seeking guidance on terminology, techniques, and current methods in diatom research.
