This is a beautifully illustrated book. Whether you love your algae and seaweed already, or want to learn more. The images and illustrations are enough to make you want to dip into its pages over and over again. Some are so wonderfully detailed it feels like the seaweeds have been pressed onto the pages.

From the majestic kelp forests to the single cell flagilates, this book covers the biology and ecology of these incredible organisms that have found a way to survive and flourish in nearly every ecosystem you can think of.

The final chapter covers how vital algae and seaweed is for our very survival. Whether by directly providing food and pharmaceuticals, to their essential role in the fight against the climate crisis. The provide food and habitats for many other species too.

This book is packed with detail on species found all over the globe. Throughout the book, you can discover incredible details and facts, that accompany the incredible imagery. Anyone that loves the marine world or is simply curious about the natural world will love to have this stunning book on their shelves.

What the publisher says:

As photosynthetic organisms, seaweeds and other algae transfer billions of tons of carbon globally from the atmosphere to the deep ocean each year. Coming in all manner of colors, shapes, and sizes, from bioluminescent single-celled algae to giant kelps, they form the basis of most marine food webs, and are found in almost all environments on the planet. Touted as the biofuel of the future, seaweeds and algae also hold promise for biodegradable packaging, offer a nutritious food source, and exhibit antiviral and antitumor properties.

Combining accessible text with stunning images and graphics, this book takes a deep dive to explore the unique characteristics of seaweeds and other algae, outlining their extraordinary evolution as well as their morphology, life histories, ecology, and uses. Offering rare insights into the algal world, The Lives of Seaweeds is essential reading for naturalists and marine life enthusiasts.

About the Author:

Julie A. Phillips is an environmental consultant in aquatic ecosystem health, algal blooms, and seaweed communities. She has investigated a diverse range of algal projects on reproduction, life histories, ultrastructure of motile cells, chemical composition of pheromones, taxonomy, biogeography, invasive species, ecology, biodiversity, and conservation. Prior to consultancy, she was research fellow at Monash University and the University of Queensland.

Book Details

Publisher: Princeton University Press

Hardcover

Price: £30

ISBN: 9780691230177

Published: 21st November, 2023