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Cyanoprokaryotes are probably the oldest organisms with oxygen generating photosynthesis. However, their cell structure and type of asexual reproduction prove their eubacterial origin. This volume treats cyanobacterial types with diversified thalli, with the typical presence of prominent, specialized cells having specific functions (heterocytes, akinetes, hairs, necridia), complex life cycles, and a combination of various reproductive strategies (monocytes, hormogonia and hormocytes). The most diversified heterocytous cyanobacteria with multicellular, morphologically complex thalli have a specific position among prokaryotic organisms. It is the last part of a review of cyanoprokaryotes (Cyanophyta, Cyanobacteria) issued in the "Süßwasserflora von Mitteleuropa".
All heterocytous cyanobacteria are included in this volume, especially taxa studied and revised according to modern phylogenetic criteria. The author tried to respect all confirmed changes and corrections and stresses especially those morphological features that are not controversial to phylogenetic studies and enable the identification of various populations in nature or in cultures according to morphological characteristics. A synthesis of modern results with traditional nomenclature - sometimes difficult - is aimed to foster progress in cyanobacterial research. One of the major reasons to present this work is to enhance identification of natural populations using morphological criteria for their identification.
List of contents
Introduction.- Acknowledgement.- Additions to basic literature.- Polyphasic (combined) approach to cyanobacterial taxonomy.- Phenotypic characters of heterocytous cyanobacteria.- Cells, cell division, trichome morphology.- Ultrastructure.- Ecology and distribution.- Classification system.- Phylogenetic background, relation to morphology.- Principles of the modern taxonomic classification .- Nomenclature.- System of heterocytous cyanoprokaryotes.- Glossary (morphological terms).- Systematic part.- Scytonemataceae.- Symphyonemataceae.- Rivulariaceae.- Microchaetaceae.- Chlorogloeopsidaceae.- Hapalosiphonaceae.- Nostochopsidaceae.- Fischerellaceae.- Stigonemataceae.- Nostocaceae.- Literature.- Index.
About the author
Jirí Komárek, born 1931, studied botany (spec. phycology) at the Masaryk University in Brno and Charles University in Prague (at Prof. Fott), Czech Republic. He completed scientific education at Profs. Bourrelly (Paris), Lund (Windermere) and Starmach (Krakow). Later he worked in the Institute of Hydrobiology (ecology), Inst. of Microbiology (physiology, biochemistry) and in the Inst. of Botany of the Academy of Sciences CR. From 1991 he was professor of phycology at the University of South Bohemia and the first director of Botanical Department of Faculty of Sciences. He was specialized in diversity, ecology and taxonomic classification of coccal green algae and cyanobacteria. He participated in several tropical or polar expeditions and projects, published over 300 scientific papers and several monographs. Recently, he prefers the "polyphasic approach" (combined molecular, cytomorphological, ecological and biochemical criteria) for evaluation of cyanobacterial diversity.
Georg Gärtner, geb. 1946, studierte ab 1965 an der Universität Innsbruck Biologie und Geographie. 1975 Promotion in Botanik und anschließend als Assistent, Kurator der Algensammlung und des Botanischen Gartens am Botanischen Institut in Innsbruck tätig. 1987 Habilitation als Dozent mit selbstständiger Lehre zur Systematik niederer Pflanzen mit Vorlesungen, Übungen und Exkursionen in mediterrane und subarktische Gebiete bis zu seiner Pensionierung 2012 aktiv. Als Gastdozent auch mit Lehrveranstaltungen an den Universitäten Wien und Sofia tätig. Mehrere Aufenthalte an der Akademie der Wissenschaften in Bruenn führten zu einer langjährigen intensiven Forschungskooperation mit Hanus Ettl, die in mehreren gemeinsamen Publikationen unter anderem in der Reihe Süßwasserflora von Mitteleuropa und dem Syllabus der Boden-, Luft-und Flechtenalgen ihren Niederschlag fand. Seit 1991 ist Gärtner auch Mitherausgeber der Süßwasserflora von Mitteleuropa. Seine Veröffentlichungen umfassen mehr als 200 Publikationen, darunter zahlreiche über Boden-und Flechtenalgen, 1996 wurde Gärtner gemeinsam mit Hanus Ettl mit dem Wissenschaftspreis der Stadt Innsbruck, 2008 mit dem Ehrendoktorat der Universität Sofia ausgezeichnet.
Summary
This volume treats Cyanoprokaryotes with diversified thalli, with the typical presence of prominent, specialized cells having specific functions, complex life cycles, and a combination of various reproductive strategies. All heterocytous cyanobacteria are included, especially taxa studied and revised according to modern phylogenetic criteria. The author tried to respect all confirmed changes and corrections and to enable the identification of various populations in nature or in cultures according to morphological characteristics. A synthesis of modern results with traditional nomenclature is aimed to foster progress in cyanobacterial research and to enhance identification of natural populations using morphological criteria.
