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Pioneering Book Sheds Light on Microplankton and Aquatic Ecosystems
Dr. Pat Glibert, a leading scientist at the University of Maryland Center for Environmental Science (UMCES), addresses a critical gap in aquatic microbial ecology with her book Phytoplankton Whispering: An Introduction to the Physiology and Ecology of Microalgae. This comprehensive work explores the history, diversity, and environmental impacts of microalgae, the microscopic algae forming the base of the food web. They are the engines of the Earth, but our waters are changing, with more harmful algal blooms, and this effort explores how and why this is happening.
The book covers key topics such nutrient pollution and hypoxia (dead zones), making it highly relevant today. At the core of the effort is a drive to understand what kinds of algae will thrive as conditions change and why this matters for our ecosystems and what we may be able to do to alter the negative impacts. Supported by the National Science Foundation and NOAA, Dr. Glibert’s work is a milestone for UMCES, bridging academic research with global environmental concerns.
