Time seems ripe for the application of phycological research in various disciplines of biology. Algal organisms, due to their small size, wider distributional pattern, a short life span, easily manipulative inorganic nutrition, and other useful attributes, have attracted developmental biologists, geneticists, biotechnologists, microbiologists, physiologists, environmentalists, zoologists and forensic scientists alike. These organisms have a wide range of application in a spectrum of areas comprising agriculture, aquaculture, environment and in a variety of industrial and food products. This book Phycology: Principles, Processes and Applications, provides comprehensive updated reviews on several important aspects of phycology. The volume comprises of 24 chapters, which are grouped in five sections. The chapters cover a variety of topics ranging from systematics and ultrastructure, physiology and ecology, molecular biology and biotechnology, an applications. Towards an end, few chapters on methods and techniques are of special interest to the budding phycologists. Contents Section I: Floristics, Phylogeny and Ultrastructure Chapter 1: Classification and Phylogeny of Chlorophyta by Samit Ray, Chapter 2: Contribution to the knowledge of Desmids of Kumaon Himalaya by Iqbal Habib, Chapter 3: Diversity of Algal Flora in Relation to Major Crops, Source of Water, Soil Types and Fertilizers in Cultivated Soils of Bidar and Gulbarga Districts, Karnataka, India by S B Angadi, M K Santosh, V G Uttam & D G Mahesh Kumar, Chapter 4: Current Status of Azolla Lam. Taxonomy by Anjuli Pabby, Amrik S Ahluwalia & Saroj Dua. Section II: Physiology, Biochemistry and Ecology Chapter 5: Nitrogen Metabolism in Cynobacteria by Surendra Singh, Pramod K Pandey, Vinay S Chauhan, Bhanumati Singh, Rishi K Saxena & Prakash S Bisen, Chapter 6: Impact of Cu, Zn and Cd on Certain Physiological and Biochemical Characteristics of Microcystis sp. by Subashree Pradhan & L C Rai, Chapter 7: UV Absorbing Pigments in Epilithic Cyanobacteria Occurring on the Temples and Monuments by Amarpalli Roy & S P Adhikary, Chapter 8: Influence of Petroleum Oils on Algae and Cyanobacteria by Jai Prakash Gaur & A K Singh, Chapter 9: Algal Protein: Functional Properties and Potential for Food Applications by Manjit Kaur, Chapter 10: Role of Magnesium and Phosphate Limitations and Low Temperature in Stimulating Algicide Production in a Cyanobacterium, Oscillatoria laetevirens by Soma Ray, R Shrivastava & S N Bagchi, Chapter 11: Contributions to the Understanding of Nitrogen Fixation and Nitrogenase Regulation in Cyanobacteria by Indian Scientists by N Anand & S Gnanasekaran, Chapter 12: Biochemical and Ultrastructural Studies on the Effect of Different Light Intensities on Hypnea musciformis and H. valentiae from Rameswaram Coast by K Sivakumar & R Rangasamy, Chapter 13: Symbiotic Association of N2 - Fixing Cyanobacterium Anabaena azollae in Aquatic Water Fern Azolla by S Kannaiyan & K Kumar, Chapter 14: Akinetes: Structure, Differentiation and Germination by Manjit Kaur & Amrik S Ahluwalia. Section III: Molecular Biology and Biotechnology Chapter 15: Molecular Profiling and Genetic Transformation of Cyanobacteria: Current Status and Prospects by Radha Prasanna & P K Singh, Chapter 16: Production of Transgenic of Cyanobacteria and their Applications by Rashmi Tyagi & B D Kaushik. Section IV: Applications of Algae Chapter 17: Role of Algae in Sustainable Aquaculture by A S Ahluwalia & Gagandeep Kaur Khosa, Chapter 18: Lipids from Micro-Algae by M S Narayan, N Bhagyalakshmi & L V Venkataraman, Chapter 19: Seaweed Utilization: A Review by K Sivakumar, Chapter 20: Spirulina in Modern Industries for Manufacturing Value Added Dietary Packages by B K Behera & Manjeet Kaur, Chapter 21: Nitrogen Fixing Capacity of Some Selected BGA Isolated from the Rice Field Soils of North Eastern India by N Irabanta Singh, H Dorycanta & G A Devi. Section 5: Culture Methods and Techniques Chapter 22: Culture and Cultivation of Marine Algae by V Krishnamurthy, Chapter 23: Transmission Electron Microscopy with Energy Dispersive X-ray Micro Analysis: Principles and Techniques on Macroalgae by K Sivakumar, Chapter 24: Photobioreactors for Culture of Arthrospira and Other Microalgae by N Jeeji Bai