Authors:
- Summarises progress in meiobenthos research for a more integrative scientific understanding
- Highlights promising meiofauna research fields from basic and applied sciences
- Discusses ways to draw more attention to the research on microscopic benthic animals
- Underlines the relevance of meiobenthos as naturally interacting partner between the worlds of microbes and macrofauna
Part of the book series: SpringerBriefs in Biology (BRIEFSBIOL)
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Table of contents (7 chapters)
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Front Matter
About this book
Although of high abundance, diversity and ecological importance, meiofauna is little covered by relevant scientific media. How can this negligence be overcome? The present treatise highlights promising meiofauna research fields, selected both from basic and applied science, as well as new methods that could strengthen the potential of meiobenthology. Selected recent meiofauna studies, often supported by rapidly advancing gene-based methods, underline the relevance and potential of meiobenthology revealing characteristics and harassments of ecosystems, not the least in extreme habitats. Also in the more classical domains such as taxonomy and phylogeny, progress in meiobenthos research defines a new and deeper scientific understanding.
Authors and Affiliations
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Universität Hamburg (Emeritus), Hamburg, Germany
Olav Giere
About the author
After his student years, Olav Giere investigated on sampling campaigns and student excursions the ecology of microscopic organisms living in the sediments of North Sea shores. Early on he studied in fieldwork and experiments the impact of disastrous oil spills on marine fauna. Interested in the multiple interactions of function and form of sediment fauna, he then focussed on the ecology and adaptations of animals living in low-oxygen/high-sulphide conditions. In many cases, meiofauna is adapted to these conditions occurring in shallow sites, at the deep-sea floor, and in subterranean waters. This lead Giere to research and teaching stays in different countries, but also to several deep-sea and cave expeditions. On Bermuda he discovered exotic gutless meiobenthic worms living in an obligate symbiosis with ‘sulphur bacteria’. These studies sparked new, far-reaching research fields on novel symbiotic pathways under unusual ecological conditions. Based on his comprehensive textbook Meiobenthology (2nd revised edition in 2009) – the science of microscopic, ubiquitous animals – the author now presents a summary and appraisal of the recent situation in this often neglected research field and works out recommendations for its scientifically successful future.
Bibliographic Information
Book Title: Perspectives in Meiobenthology
Book Subtitle: Reviews, Reflections and Conclusions
Authors: Olav Giere
Series Title: SpringerBriefs in Biology
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-13966-7
Publisher: Springer Cham
eBook Packages: Biomedical and Life Sciences, Biomedical and Life Sciences (R0)
Copyright Information: The Author(s), under exclusive license to Springer Nature Switzerland AG 2019
Softcover ISBN: 978-3-030-13965-0Published: 08 April 2019
eBook ISBN: 978-3-030-13966-7Published: 27 March 2019
Series ISSN: 2192-2179
Series E-ISSN: 2192-2187
Edition Number: 1
Number of Pages: X, 80
Topics: Ecosystems, Freshwater & Marine Ecology, Biodiversity, Applied Ecology, Marine & Freshwater Sciences