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Dynamic Aquaria: Building and Restoring Ecosystems and the Biosphere, Fourth Edition demonstrates how the living systems modeling of aquatic ecosystems for ecological, biological, physiological research, and ecosystem restoration produce answers to very complex ecological questions. The book describes unique characteristics of water that have allowed carbon chemistry to flourish and evolve life over 4 billion years, along with current disruptions such as global warming, overfishing, and chemical pollution. New content in this edition includes the use of LED lighting, DNA sequencing in microcosm construction and analysis, and the expansion of the bioengineered tool Algal Turf Scrubbing (ATS) to combat global pollution problems. The book also features new information on marine calcification, research microcosms, thermogeography, and methods of water movement for minimizing plankton loss. It supports a deeper biological and ecological intelligence among the human population to better understand the processes behind environmental issues.
List of contents
1. Introduction
Part I: Physical Environment2. Physical Parameters and Energy State
3. Substrate - Controlling the Benthic Component
4. Water Composition - Management of Salinity, Hardness, and Evaporation
5. The Input of Solar Energy - Lighting and New Possibilities
6. The Input of Organic Energy - Particulates and Feeding
Part II: Biochemical Environment7. Metabolism - Respiration, Photosynthesis, and Biological Loading
8. Organisms and Gas Exchange - Oxygen, Carbon Dioxide, pH, and Alkalinity
9. Primary Nutrients - Nitrogen, Phosphorus, and Silica
10. Biomineralization and Calcification - A Key to Biosphere and Ecosystem Function
11. Control of the Biochemical Environment - 3D Potential for Algal Turf Scrubbing
Part III: Biological Structure12. Community Structure - Biodiversity in Model Ecosystems
13. Thermogeography - The Distribution of Organisms Along Coasts
14. Trophic Structure - Ecosystems and Dynamics of Food Chains
15. Primary Producers - Bottom-Growing Plants
16. Herbivores
17. Carnivores
18. Plankton and Planktivores
19. Detritus and Detritivores
20. Symbionts and Other Feeders
Part IV: Ecological Systems in Microcosms, Mesocosms, and Aquaria21. Models of Coral Reef Ecosystems
22. Subarctic/Boreal Microcosm - Applications of New Research
23. Estuaries - Ecosystem Modelling and Restoration
24. Freshwater Ecosystem Models
25. Research Systems in Microcosms
Part V: The Environment and Ecological Engineering26. Organisms and Natural Products
27. Large Scale Water Quality Management with Solar Energy Capture
Part VI: Synthesis28. Microcosms, Mesocosms, and Macrocosms - Building and Restoring Ecosystems and the Biosphere
About the author
Dr. Walter Adey is an Emeritus Research Scientist and Curator for the National Museum of National History at the Smithsonian Institute. He received his B.S. in Geophysics from MIT, performed graduate studies at MIT and Harvard in Paleontology and Biology, and obtained his Ph.D. in Marine Botany and Geology from the University of Michigan. Since 1977, he has been the Director of the Marine Systems Laboratory at the Museum of Natural History, Smithsonian Institution. Dr. Adey is an associate editor for Restoration Ecology and The Journal of Ecological Engineering. He has authored numerous publications and has developed several exhibits and operational mesocosm systems.
