زمین شناس

                                                            دیاتومه ها

                                                                       The Diatoms

                                           by: E. F. Stoermer, John P. Smol

                                                          size : 4.32 MB

                                 Preface

Diatoms are being used increasingly in a wide range of applications, and the

number of diatomists and their publications continues to increase rapidly.

Although a number of books have dealt with various aspects of diatom biology,

ecology, and taxonomy, to our knowledge, no volume exists that summarizes

the many applications and uses of diatoms.

Our overall goal was to collate a series of review chapters,which would cover

most of the key applications and uses of diatoms to the environmental and

earth sciences. Due to space limitations, we could not include all types of applications,

but we hope to have covered the main ones. Moreover, many of the

chapters could easily have been double in size,and in fact several chapters could

have been expanded to the size of books.Nonetheless,we hope the material has

been reviewed in sufficient breadth and detail to make this a valuable reference

book for a wide spectrum of scientists, managers, and other users. In addition,

we hope that researchers who occasionally use diatoms in their work, or at least

read about how diatoms are being used by their colleagues (e.g., archeologists,

forensic scientists, climatologists, etc.), will also find the book useful.

The volume is broadly divided into six parts.Following our brief Prologue,

Part II contains seven chapters that review how diatoms can be used as indicators

of environmental change in flowing waters and lakes.Part III summarizes

work completed on diatoms from extreme environments, such as the High

Arctic, the Antarctic, and aerial habitats. These ecosystems are often considered

to be especially sensitive bellwethers of environmental change. Part IV

contains five chapters dealing with diatoms in marine and estuarine environments,

whilst Part V summarizes some of the other applications and uses of

diatoms (e.g., archeology, oil exploration and correlation, forensic studies,

toxic effects,atmospheric transport,diatomites).We conclude with a short epilogue

(Part VI), followed by a glossary (including acronyms) and an index.

Many individuals have helped with the preparation of this volume.We are

especially grateful to Barnaby Willits (Cambridge University Press),who shepherded

this project from its inception.As always, the reviewers provided excellent

suggestions for improving the chapters. We are also grateful to our

colleagues at the University of Michigan and at Queen’s University, and elsewhere,

who helped in many ways to bring this volume to its completion.And,

of course, we thank the authors.

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These are exciting times for diatom-based research.We hope that the following

chapters effectively summarize how these powerful approaches can be

used by a diverse group of users.

eugene f. stoermer

Ann Arbor,Michigan,USA

john p. smol

                                                                                                                                            Kingston, Ontario,Canada