Biogeochemistry of Trace Metals is a compendium of the most recent information available on the effects of trace metals in soil quality and its potential threat on the transfer of these contaminants to consumers. Most of the chapters in the book were presented as papers during the First International Conference on the Biogeochemistry of Trace Elements (formerly Metals in Soils, Plants, Waters, and Animals) held in Orlando, Florida in May, 1990. Topics discussed include background levels of metals in soils and/or plants (covering western Europe; temperate, humid Europe; and the People's Republic of China); metal cycling and transfer in the food chain in agroecosystems; uptake and accumulation of metals by bacteria, fungi, and invertebrates; mechanistic aspects of metals; the microbial aspects of soil selenium losses; and manganese sorption on soil constituents.

Biogeochemistry of Trace Metals is a compendium of the most recent information available on the effects of trace metals in soil quality and its potential threat on the transfer of these contaminants to consumers. Most of the chapters in the book were presented as papers during the First International Conference on the Biogeochemistry of Trace Elements (formerly Metals in Soils, Plants, Waters, and Animals) held in Orlando, Florida in May, 1990. Topics discussed include background levels of metals in soils and/or plants (covering western Europe; temperate, humid Europe; and the People's Republic of China); metal cycling and transfer in the food chain in agroecosystems; uptake and accumulation of metals by bacteria, fungi, and invertebrates; mechanistic aspects of metals; the microbial aspects of soil selenium losses; and manganese sorption on soil constituents.

This volume contains a selection of papers presented to the Fourth Internation~l Symposium on Environmental Biogeochemistry (ISEB), and a conference on Biogeochemistry in Relation to Mining Industry and Environmental Pollution (Leaching Conference), held in Canberra, Aust ralia on August 26-31 and September 3-4, 1979, respectively. The ISEB were established to provide "a forum for uninhibited exchange of information and ideas among the biological, chemical, atmospheric and geolorical scientists working in the common area of biogeochemistry, encompassing soil and other earth sciences as well as the hydrosphere and atmosphere", By linking the fourth ISEB with the Leachin~ Conference the scope of discussions was extended to encompass the application of biogeochemical processes to the mining industry. This wide-ranging philosophy is reflected in the breadth and diversity of the subjects covered in this book. The published papers are expanded versions of those presented at the meetings. They have all been scrutinized by at least one referee in addition to the editors. About 20% of the contributions to the meetings are not included, either because authors did not wish to publish or because the papers were not accepted by the editors.

Each book has two main goals1. Determine baseline concentrations of metals and metalloids in tissues of representative field populations of estuarine coastal, and open ocean organisms (Book 1:algae and macrophytes, protists, sponges, coelenterates, molluscs, crustaceans, insects, chaetognaths, annelids, echinoderms, and tunicates) (Book 2: elasmobranchs, fishes, reptiles, birds, mammals) and their significance to organism health and to the health of their consumers.2. Synthesize existing information on biological, chemical, and physical factors known to modify uptake, retention, and translocation of each element under field and laboratory conditions. Recognition of the importance of these modifiers and their accompanying interactions is essential to the understanding of metals kinetics in marine systems and to the interpretation of baseline residue data. - Synthesizes existing information on biological, chemical, and physical factors known to modify uptake, retention, and translocation of each element - Aids understanding of metals kinetics in marine systems - Allows the interpretation of baseline residue data