Photobiology

The Nature of Light and Its Interaction with Matter.- Principles and Nomenclature for the Quantification of Light.- Generation and Control of Light.- The Measurement of Light.- Light as a Tool for Biologists: Recent Developments.- Terrestrial Daylight.- Underwater Light.- Action Spectroscopy in Biology.- Spectral Tuning in Biology  I: Pigments.- Spectral Tuning in Biology  II: Structural Color.- Photoactive Proteins.- Molecules and Photochemical Reactions in Biological Light Perception and Regulation.- Photoreceptive Proteins and Their Evolution.- Signaling Crosstalk under the Control of Plant Photoreceptors.- The Diversity of Eye Optics.- The Evolution of Photosynthesis and Its Environmental Impact.- Photosynthetic Light Harvesting.- How Light Resets Circadian Clocks.- Photomorphogenesis and Photoperiodism in Plants.- The Light-Dependent Magnetic Compass.- Phototoxicity.- Ozone Depletion and the Effects of Ultraviolet Radiation.- Vitamin D: Photobiological and Ecological Aspects.- The Photobiology of Human Skin.- Light-Promoted Infection.- Bioluminescence.- Role of Ultraviolet Radiation in the Origin of Life.- Hints for Teaching Experiments and Demonstrations.- The Amateur Scientist's Spectrophotometer.

Lars Olof Björn

Lund University, Department of Biology, Lund, Sweden

South China Normal University, School of Life Science, Guangzhou, China.

"The book 'Photobiology-the Science of Life and Light' provides an excellent source of information to build upon or refresh one's background knowledge of the physics of light with respect to its interaction in biological systems. ... with the coverage of an enormous range of different topics, this book provides a comprehensive and entertaining introduction into the field of photobiology. Therefore, the book is perfectly suited for educational purpose as well." (Torsten Jakob, Journal of Plant Physiology, Vol. 192, 2016)


"This interesting and informative text, edited and largely written by Björn (emer., Lund Univ., Sweden), an expert in many aspects of the photobiology of plants ... . The treatment of plants and animals is balanced, and useful comparisons and evolutionary relationships are discussed for photoreceptor molecules and processes. ... Each topic gives sufficient background for non-experts to gain an appreciation of the subject matter. ... Summing Up: Recommended. Upper-division undergraduates through professionals/practitioners." (L. C. Davis, Choice, Vol. 52 (12), August, 2015)