This book discusses how aquatic microbial communities develop interactive metabolic coordination both within and between species to optimize their energetics. It explains that microbial community structuration often includes functional stratification among a multitude of organisms that variously exist either suspended in the water, lodged in sediments, or bound to one another as biofilms on solid surfaces. The authors describe techniques that can be used for preparing and distributing microbiologically safe drinking water, which presents the challenge of successfully removing the pathogenic members of the aquatic microbial community and then safely delivering that water to consumers. Drinking water distribution systems have their own microbial ecology, which we must both understand and control in order to maintain the safety of the water supply. Since studying aquatic microorganisms often entails identifying them, the book also discusses techniques for successfully isolating and cultivating bacteria. As such, it appeals to microbiologists, microbial ecologists and water quality scientists.

Table of contents :
Understanding Aquatic Microbial Communities (Christon J. Hurst)....Pages 1-12
Relationship Between Lifestyle and Structure of Bacterial Communities and Their Functionality in Aquatic Systems (Luca Zoccarato, Hans Peter Grossart)....Pages 13-52
Biofilms: Besieged Cities or Thriving Ports? (Otini Kroukamp, Elanna Bester, Gideon M. Wolfaardt)....Pages 53-90
Complex Structure but Simple Function in Microbial Mats from Antarctic Lakes (Ian Hawes, Dawn Sumner, Anne D. Jungblut)....Pages 91-120
Fungal Decomposers in Freshwater Environments (Vladislav Gulis, Rong Su, Kevin A. Kuehn)....Pages 121-155
The Ecology of Methanogenic Archaea in a Nutrient-Impacted Wetland (Andrew Ogram, Hee-Sung Bae, Ashvini Chauhan)....Pages 157-172
Briefly Summarizing Our Understanding of Vibrio cholerae and the Disease Cholera (Christon J. Hurst)....Pages 173-184
Options for Providing Microbiologically Safe Drinking Water (Christon J. Hurst)....Pages 185-260
Microbiome of Drinking Water Distribution Systems (Laurence Mathieu, Tony Paris, Jean-Claude Block)....Pages 261-311
Isolation and Cultivation of Bacteria (Martin W. Hahn, Ulrike Koll, Johanna Schmidt)....Pages 313-351!