Phycodiversity: Aspects and Prospects

The book entitled ‘Phycology: Aspects and Prospects’, the First Volume of Professor B.N. Verma Festschrift series, is the compilation of the works conducted on various facets of basic and applied phycology by the team of eminent phycologists of India. The basic aspects like regional diversity of algae in fresh water and marine ecosystems, effects of mutagens like dES, UV-B and antibiotics and karyotype analyses of two debated groups: Cladophorales and Charophytes have been discussed at length. Pesticide residues which is an upcoming environmental threat of developing countries has been discussed with reference to paddy and diversity of algae in aquatic systems of Nepal and algal spectrum of a river at Muzaffarpur (Bihar). Due emphasis has been given to the Nitrogen metabolism, different dimensions of symbiotic associations of cyanobacteria and nutrient rich Spirulina. Phenolics of fresh water algae which is among the most poorly known aspect has been given due space. The book would be useful as text book to advanced undergraduate students and to postgraduate students majoring in phycology, and as a reference book to the scientists working on basic as well as the applied phycological projects.