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Extremophile Fishes

Ecology, Evolution, and Physiology of Teleosts in Extreme Environments

  • This book sheds new light on the biology of extremophile fishes and the different kinds of extreme environments they inhabit

  • It covers some of the best-studied cases of extremophile fishes and provides an overview over the key adaptations enabling them to survive under extreme conditions

  • Readers will discover novel perspectives on the origin and evolution of life and particular attention is given to predicting ecosystem-wide responses to pollution and climate change

  • Includes supplementary material: sn.pub/extras

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Table of contents (12 chapters)

  1. Front Matter

    Pages i-xii
  2. Extremophile Fishes: An Introduction

    • Martin Plath, Michael Tobler, Rüdiger Riesch
    Pages 1-7
  3. Low-Oxygen Lifestyles

    • Lauren J. Chapman
    Pages 9-33
  4. The Adaptive Radiation of Notothenioid Fishes in the Waters of Antarctica

    • Michael Matschiner, Marco Colombo, Malte Damerau, Santiago Ceballos, Reinhold Hanel, Walter Salzburger
    Pages 35-57
  5. Desert Environments

    • Stanley D. Hillyard, Jason E. Podrabsky, Frank van Breukelen
    Pages 59-83
  6. Hypersaline Environments

    • Gary Laverty, Erik Skadhauge
    Pages 85-106
  7. Life in the Fast Lane: A Review of Rheophily in Freshwater Fishes

    • Nathan K. Lujan, Kevin W. Conway
    Pages 107-136
  8. Hydrogen Sulfide-Toxic Habitats

    • Rüdiger Riesch, Michael Tobler, Martin Plath
    Pages 137-159
  9. Cave Environments

    • Matthew L. Niemiller, Daphne Soares
    Pages 161-191
  10. Pickled Fish Anyone?

    • Jay A. Nelson
    Pages 193-215
  11. Temporary Environments

    • Matej Polačik, Jason E. Podrabsky
    Pages 217-245
  12. Extremophile Fishes: An Integrative Synthesis

    • Michael Tobler, Rüdiger Riesch, Martin Plath
    Pages 279-296
  13. Back Matter

    Pages 297-326

About this book

This book summarizes the key adaptations enabling extremophile fishes to survive under harsh environmental conditions. It reviews the most recent research on acidic, Antarctic, cave, desert, hypersaline, hypoxic, temporary, and fast-flowing habitats, as well as naturally and anthropogenically toxic waters, while pointing out generalities that are evident across different study systems. Knowledge of the different adaptations that allow fish to cope with stressful environmental conditions furthers our understanding of basic physiological, ecological, and evolutionary principles. In several cases, evidence is provided for how the adaptation to extreme environments promotes the emergence of new species. Furthermore, a link is made to conservation biology, and how human activities have exacerbated existing extreme environments and created new ones. The book concludes with a discussion of major open questions in our understanding of the ecology and evolution of life in extreme environments.

Reviews

“The volume has been carefully edited so that each of the 10 chapters that cover a type of extremophilia touches on a similar set of points. … The strengths of this book include its emphasis on integrative combinations of disciplines in each chapter, the breadth of interesting case studies, and the diverse expertise of the authors. … I recommend it to anyone building a library on research in fishes.” (Eric T. Schultz, The Quarterly Review of Biology, Vol. 90 (4), December, 2015)

Editors and Affiliations

  • School of Biological Sciences, Centre for Ecology, Evolution and Behaviour, Royal Holloway University of London, Egham, United Kingdom

    Rüdiger Riesch

  • Division of Biology, Kansas State University, Manhattan, USA

    Michael Tobler

  • Sino-German Animal Research Center, College of Animal Science and Technology, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, P.R. China, Evolutionary Ecology Group, Goethe University Frankfurt, Frankfurt a.M., Germany

    Martin Plath

Bibliographic Information

  • Book Title: Extremophile Fishes

  • Book Subtitle: Ecology, Evolution, and Physiology of Teleosts in Extreme Environments

  • Editors: Rüdiger Riesch, Michael Tobler, Martin Plath

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-13362-1

  • Publisher: Springer Cham

  • eBook Packages: Biomedical and Life Sciences, Biomedical and Life Sciences (R0)

  • Copyright Information: Springer International Publishing Switzerland 2015

  • Hardcover ISBN: 978-3-319-13361-4Published: 05 February 2015

  • Softcover ISBN: 978-3-319-34889-6Published: 05 October 2016

  • eBook ISBN: 978-3-319-13362-1Published: 24 January 2015

  • Edition Number: 1

  • Number of Pages: XII, 326

  • Number of Illustrations: 14 b/w illustrations, 16 illustrations in colour

  • Topics: Freshwater & Marine Ecology, Animal Ecology, Animal Anatomy / Morphology / Histology, Animal Physiology

Buy it now

Buying options

eBook USD 139.00
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as EPUB and PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
Hardcover Book USD 179.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Durable hardcover edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info

Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout

Other ways to access