Provides a comprehensive review of the wealth of research which addresses how to sustainably achieve higher yields through improving the rate of C₃ photosynthesis in cropsAssesses current practices implemented to optimise photosynthesis in crops, including the modification of crop elements such as leaf/canopy architectureExplores our understanding of the biophysics, biochemistry and genetics of C₃ photosynthesis in crops and how this can be used to improve photosy...

This comprehensive book details the most recent advances in the microalgae biological sciences and engineering technologies for biomass and biofuel production in order to meet the ongoing need for new and affordable sources of food, chemicals and energy for future generations. The chapters explore new microalgae cultivation techniques, including solid (biofilm) systems, and heterotrophic production methods, while also critically investigating topics such as combining wastewater as a source...

Written by leading experts in the field, Cyanobacteria: An Economic Perspective is a comprehensive edited volume covering all areas of an important field and its application to energy, medicine and agriculture.Issues related to environment, food and energy have presented serious challenge to the stability of nation-states. Increasing global population, dwindling agriculture and industrial production, and inequitable distribution of resources and technologies have further a...

All organisms require nitrogen to live and grow. The movement of nitrogen between the atmosphere, biosphere, and geosphere in different forms is described by the nitrogen cycle. This book is an activity of the COST 856 Action on Denitrification. It covers all aspects of the N-cycle: chemistry, biology (enzymology, molecular biology), physics, applied aspects (greenhouse effect, N-pollution problems, practices in farming, in waste-water treatment, and more). In this book, leading editors of...

This book provides in-depth information on basic and applied aspects of biohydrogen production. It begins with an introduction to the topic, and follows with the basic scientific aspects of biohydrogen production, such as the enzyme involved in biohydrogen production, the microorganisms and metabolic engineering information. It then provides state-of-art information on various aspects of biohydrogen production methods such as from solid wastes, from industrial effluents, thermo-chemical ro...

Microbes can respire on metals. This seemingly simple finding is one of the major discoveries that were made in the field of microbiology in the last few decades. The importance of this observation is evident. Metals are highly abundant on our planet. Iron is even the most abundant element on Earth and the forth most abundant element in the Earth’s crust. Hence, in some environments iron, but also other metals or metalloids, are the dominant respiratory electron acceptors. Their reduction ...

There are currently intense efforts devoted to understand plant respiration (from genes toecosystems) and its regulatory mechanisms; this is because respiratory CO2 productionrepresents a substantial carbon loss in crops and in natural ecosystems. Thus, in addition tomanipulating photosynthesis to increase plant biomass production, minimization ofrespiratory loss should be considered in plant science and engineering. However, respiratorymetabolic pathways are at the heart of energy and car...

Lignin, an aromatic biopolymer found in plant cell walls, is a key component of lignocellulosic biomass and generally utilized for heat and power. However, lignin’s chemical composition makes it an attractive source for biological and catalytic conversion to fuels and chemicals. Bringing together experts from biology, catalysis, engineering, analytical chemistry, and techno-economic/life-cycle analysis, Lignin Valorization presents a comprehensive, interdisciplinary pictur...

Due to the possibility that petroleum supplies will be exhausted in the next decades to come, more and more attention has been paid to the production of bacterial pl- tics including polyhydroxyalkanoates (PHA), polylactic acid (PLA), poly(butylene succinate) (PBS), biopolyethylene (PE), poly(trimethylene terephthalate) (PTT), and poly(p-phenylene) (PPP). These are well-studied polymers containing at least one monomer synthesized via bacterial transformation. Among them, PHA, PLA and PBS ar...

As the largest scale chemical reaction, photosynthesis supplies all of the organic carbon and oxygen for life on Earth. It is estimated that the photosynthetic activity of microorganisms is responsible for more than 50% of the primary production of molecular oxygen on Earth.This book highlights recent breakthroughs in the multidisciplinary areas of microbial photosynthesis, presenting the latest developments in various areas of microbial photosynthesis research, from bacteria to eu...

Hydrogen could be the fuel of the future. Some microorganisms can produce hydrogen upon illumination. Biological methods of production could be greener than chemical or physical production methods, but the potential of biological methods is still being harnessed.This comprehensive book highlights the key steps necessary for future exploitation of solar-light-driven hydrogen production by microalgae. The highly regarded editors bring together 46 contributors from key institutions in ...

Bioremediation is a rapidly advancing field and the technology has been applied successfully to remediate many contaminated sites. The goal of every soil remediation method is to enhance the degradation, transformation, or detoxification of pollutants and to protect, maintain and sustain environmental quality.Advances in our understanding of the ecology of microbial communities capable of breaking down various pollutants and the molecular and biochemical mechanisms by which biodegr...