Seagrasses of Australia: Structure, Ecology and Conservation. 2018. 240 (200 col.) figs. XI, 797 p. gr8vo. Hardcover.

This book will take the place of Biology of Seagrasses: a treatise on the biology of seagrasses with special reference to the Australasian region, which was published by Elsevier in 1989 and was co-edited by AWD Larkum AJ MaCComb and SA Shepherd. The first book did very well gaining good sales and a good citation index, but it is now 25 years since it was published and seagrass studies have progressed and developed considerably since then. This new bookcontains chapters on taxonomy, floral biology, biogeography and regional study. The regional studies emphasise the importance of Australia having over half of the world's 62 species, including some ten species published for Australia since the previous book. There are a number of chapters on ecological issues including the decision of Australian seagrasses into tropical and temperate species and their interactions, Fisheries and dugong biology are given an important presence. Physiological aspects are an important part, including new knowledge on the role of hydrogen sulphide in sediments and on photosynthetic processes. Pollution and environmental degradation form another important part of Seagrasses of Australia. The decline of seagrasses around Australia is dealt with in detail. Two new areas that receive special attention are blue carbon and genomic studies. Seagrasses are now known to be a very important player in the formation of blue carbon, i.e. carbon that has a long turnover time in soils and sediments. Alongside salt marshes and mangroves, seagrasses are now known to play a very important role in the formation of blue carbon. And because Australia has such an abundance and variety of seagrasses, their role in blue carbon production and turnover is of great importance. The first whole genomes of seagrasses are now being produced and Australia has played an important role here. It appears that seagrasses have several different suites of genes as compared with (land) plants and even in comparison with freshwater hydrophytes. This difference is leading to important molecular biological studies where this new knowledge is important to the understanding and conservation of seagrass ecosystems in Australia.