Plankton Ecology of the Southwestern Atlantic integrates a variety of issues such as regional settings of productivity and nutrient cycling; plankton of coastal and shelf systems; plankton, climate change and human-induced changes; harmful algae and their impacts; and gelatinous zooplankton. This advanced textbook explores the intriguing marine plankton communities of the SWA region of South America encompassing low to high latitude environments, framed by a complex hydrographic background and global climate change.
This vast and iconic region has been largely under-recognized and under-studied. However, in recent years a strong interest has emerged along with the acknowledgment of its high biological productivity. The book concludes by discussing conservation in the region, highlighting regional biodiversity hotspots where the challenges of climate change, habitat loss, and other threats to biodiversity may be particularly acute.
Plankton Ecology of the Southwestern Atlantic is a timely synthesis of the field, setting a new baseline for future research. It will be important reading for both researchers and graduate students, and will also be of interest and use to a professional audience of oceanographers, conservation biologists, stake holders and educated science enthusiasts
1 - Introduction
2 - Regional settings of productivity and nutrient cycling
3 - Plankton of coastal systems
4 - Plankton of shelf systems
5 - Plankton, climate change and human-induced changes
6 - Harmful algae and their impacts
7 - Gelatinous zooplankton
8 - Concluding remarks
Dr. M. S. Hoffmeyer is a marine ecologist and a researcher of the National Council of Scientific and Technical research (CONICET) at the National Institute of Oceanography (IADO), Bahia Blanca. Dr. M. E. Sabatini is a biological oceanographer and a researcher of the Argentinian Council of Scientific and Technical Research (CONICET) at the National Institute of Fisheries Research and Development (INIDEP), Mar del Plata. Dr. F.P. Brandini is a marine ecologist working at the Oceanographic Institute of Sao Paulo University, Brazil. Dr. D. Calliari is appointed Assistant Professor at the Faculty of Sciences, Universidad de la Republica (Udelar), Uruguay. Dr. N. Santinelli is Oceanographer and Ph.D. in Biology Universidad Nacional de la Patagonia San Juan Bosco.