Ecology of Humic Substances in Freshwaters - Determinants from Geochemistry to Ecological Niches
Steinberg, Christian E.W.
Springer
2003
Hardcover 429 pp ISBN 3540439226
£103.00
Humic Substances color all waters more or less brown. Their concentrations exceed all carbon
of living organisms by at least one order of magnitude. Opposite to former paradigms, they participate
in almost any metabolic pathway. They protect against UV-irradation, enable indirect photolysis and,
thus, purify hazardous chemicals, they provide inorganic and organic nutrients, may form cryptic genes with
DNA and dampen metabolic fluctuations. More recently they can increase adverse effects of hazardous chemicals
and they can directly interfere with organisms. The book tries to relate effects to structural features.
