Climate change, global warming, and the water crisis impact upon aquatic biodiversity and have revived interest in diatoms, one of the most ubiquitous aquatic life forms. It is only in recent years that the diatom flora of vast inland aquatic systems of remote countries is being explored. While there is a rejuvenated interest in regional diatom floras, there is an acute shortage of introductory publications available for beginners, a gap which this book seeks to fill.
This enlarged and revised second edition is amply illustrated by scanning electron micrographs and light micrographs arranged in 98 plates. It is written in a direct and simple style and explains the most commonly used technical terms in diatom studies. The fundamental characteristics of most common genera are covered with examples of species within each genus.