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Algal cultures and phytoplankton ecology

by G. E. Fogg

Phytoplankton--the passively floating or weakly swimming plant life found in bodies of water--is generally inconspicuous. It is of basic importance in lakes and seas, however, as the primary producer of the organic material on which other forms of aquatic life depend; and it is probable that its total photosynthetic output exceeds that of land vegetation. This book reviews the information gained from culture studies in the laboratory on the growth kinetics and metabolism of algae and considers to what extent this information is applicable to phytoplankton populations in nature.