There are limited choices when selecting textbooks for the novice learner in the rich area of microbial ecology. Many books act as reviews for experts, but few bring students up-to-date in this emerging field. Munn’s second edition of Marine Microbiology: Ecology and Applications does a fine job of introducing concepts and terms, developing complexity, and equipping learners to gain more information in the field of marine microbial ecology. Munn also balances comprehensive information about this highly diverse system while gathering together central themes throughout this text. This softcover text is relatively brief at 364 pages, but I found myself satisfied in terms of both breadth and depth. Marine Microbiology is an excellent choice for educators looking for a current introduction to this field.
With regard to scope, the second edition is greatly updated from the 2003 first edition. It trains the microbiologist in marine systems and the oceanographer in microbiology. The text includes basic information on microbes, methods, systems, interactions, and locations. It further describes the many layers of ecological interactions that are woven in the marine environment. These complex interactions are well-described, with clear prose and terminology. Early in the text, Munn describes current methodology used in analyzing these interactions without dwelling on these techniques. In the same balanced way, there is enough physiology for comprehension without cataloging every known example of metabolic diversity. The core of ecology is the many relationships between organisms. This text uses several key examples in the tenth chapter, including details about corals, deep-sea vent communities, and the light organ of bobtail squid. Further relevance to other systems is explained by discussing perturbations to these systems, such as the effects of climate change on corals and the release of crude oil by the Deepwater Horizon accident. Numerous host-pathogen relationships are also detailed.
This text is generally well-organized, but lumps all the color plates at the end, forcing the reader to flip back and forth. Some sections are text only and suffer from a lack of figures to aid comprehension. The developmental flow of certain concepts is hindered by sectioning information, such as starting with physiology in the third chapter, then waiting until the eighth or ninth chapters to invoke multipartner processes or metabolic classifications. For the learner, each chapter starts with key concepts, and there are numerous informative focus boxes or insights into areas of controversy. Each chapter ends with extensive current references and additional reading lists, and the text is supported by extensive glossary and index sections. The text’s prose ends with a satisfying review of central themes, greatly enhancing the perspective of those new to the field.
In summary, I found this text to be a useful aid to gaining more information about a complex field with features that assist both the novice and the expert. While there are areas for improvement, this text is a fine selection for students gaining elective credit at the end of their basic microbiology degree program or new students gaining perspective during the early parts of their graduate studies. This text provides enough detail to enable the reader to comprehend complex issues without getting mired in them. I recommend it for these applications with enthusiasm.