Lipids in Freshwater Ecosystems

The fundamental purpose of this book is to synthesise the divergent literature on aquatic lipids into a co-ordinated, digestible form. A large part of the book addresses lipid composition and production in freshwater organisms, with chapters on phytoplankton, zooplankton and benthic invertebrates. A common theme throughout the book is the function of lipids in aquatic food webs, with a chapter devoted exclusively to lipids as indicators of health in fish populations. A complementary chapter highlights the role of lipids and essential fatty acids in mariculture. Methodologies to determine the lipid content of aquatic samples and suggestions as to the utility of fatty acids as trophic markers are included, as is one chapter on the role of lipids in the bioaccumulation and bioconcentration of toxicants and another on the relationships between lipids and surface films and foams. The final chapter highlights the similarities and differences between lipids of marine and freshwater origin. Students and researchers in ecology, phycology, aquatic toxicology, physiological ecology and limnology will find this an invaluable guide and reference.

1. Determination of Total Lipid, Lipid Classes, and Fatty Acids in Aquatic Samples. - 1. 1. Introduction. - 1. 2. Results and Discussion. - 1. 3. Conclusion. - References. - 2. Fatty Acids as Trophic and Chemical Markers in Freshwater Ecosystems. - 2. 1. Introduction. - 2. 2. Nomenclature. - 2. 3. Characteristics of Fatty Acid Markers for Trophic Studies. - 2. 4. Primary Sources and Trophic Transfer of Fatty Acids. - 2. 5. Research Needs. - 2. 6. Conclusions. - References. - 3. Irradiance and Lipid Production in Natural Algal Populations. - 3. 1. Introduction. - 3. 2. Metabolism and Reallocation. - 3. 3. Irradiance and Lipid Synthesis. - 3. 4. Conclusions. - 3. 5. Research Directions. - References. - 4. Lipids in Freshwater Zooplankton: Selected Ecological and Physiological Aspects. - 4. 1. Introduction. - 4. 2. Usefulness of Areal Energy Reserve Estimates. - 4. 3. Time Course of Lipid Deposition/Loss. - 4. 4. Lipids as Indices of Stress. - 4. 5. Ultraviolet Radiation and Zooplankton Lipids. - 4. 6. Research Needs and Suggested Future Directions. - 4. 7. Conclusions. - References. - 5. Lipid Dietary Dependencies in Zooplankton. - 5. 1. Introduction. - 5. 2. Methods. - 5. 3. Results. - 5. 4. Discussion. - References. - 6. Seasonal Dynamics of Lipids in Freshwater Benthic Invertebrates. - 6. 1. Introduction. - 6. 2. Results and Discussion. - 6. 3. Research Needs. - 6. 4. Conclusions. - References. - 7. Ecological Role of Lipids in the Health and Success of Fish Populations. - 7. 1. Introduction. - 7. 2. Results and Discussion. - References. - 8. Lipids and Essential Fatty Acids in Aquatic Food Webs: What Can Freshwater Ecologists Learn from Mariculture? . - 8. 1. Introduction. - 8. 2. Results and Discussion. - 8. 3. Concluding Remarks. - References. - 9. Influence of Lipids on the Bioaccumulation and Trophic Transfer of Organic Contaminants in Aquatic Organisms. - 9. 1. Introduction. - 9. 2. Prediction of Bioconcentration and Bioaccumulation. - 9. 3. Factors Affecting Prediction. - 9. 4. Mimicking Bioconcentration with Semipermeable Membrane Devices. - 9. 5. Toxicity and the Role of Lipid. - 9. 6. Relevance of Food Chain Transfer to Bioaccumulation. - 9. 7. Biomagnification and Organism Lipids. - 9. 8. Lipids and Transgenerational Transfer of Contaminants. - 9. 9. Conclusions. - References. - 10. Lipids in Water-Surface Microlayers and Foams. - 10. 1. Introduction. - 10. 2. Basic Physicochemistry of Surface Microlayers. - 10. 3. Basic Structure of Foams. - 10. 4. Sampling Techniques. - 10. 5. Physicochemical Processes at the Surface Microlayers. - 10. 6. Lipids in the Water-Surface Microlayers and Foams. - 10. 7. Research Needs. - 10. 8. Final Remarks. - References. - 11. Comparison of Lipids in Marine and Freshwater Organisms. - 11. 1. Introduction. - 11. 2. Discussion. - 11. 3. Conclusions. - References.