Methods for the Examination of Organismal Diversity in Soils and Sediments

Our lack of knowledge of the organisms dwelling in soils and sediments and of their roles in ecological processes, constitutes a major barrier to understanding how ecosystems operate. This topic has both academic and applied relevance. Thus, in order to forecast the implications of perturbations in a site on both the species present and ecosystem functioning, whether direct (e.g. pollution or physical disturbance) or indirect (e.g. climate change), methods need to be available that can be used to ascertain what organisms are present in a sample.This book provides an authoritative manual of the techniques now used for different organisms. It has been developed within the DIVERSITAS program as part of a project initiated by the International Union of Biological Sciences (IUBS), supported by UNESCO. It covers both soil organisms and those inhabiting freshwater and marine sediments, from microbes (bacteria, algae, fungi) to macrofauna (earthworms, nematodes, molluscs). The chapters are arranged by organismal groups and have been written by recognized specialists from the USA and Europe. The book makes a major contribution to the literature and will be indispensable for soil and aquatic biologists and ecologists, as well as those with a broader interest in biodiversity and environmental sciences.