Marine micro-organisms play a vital role in the maintenance of our planet, a fact which will have great bearing on our ability to respond to problems such as population increase, over-exploitation of fisheries, climate change and population. Powerful new tools, especially in molecular biology, remote sending and deep-sea exploration, have led to astonishing discoveries of the abundance and diversity of marine microbial life and its role in global ecology. New tools and an increased interest in ecological factors have caused an upsurge of interest in this field of study. The book aims to convey the fascinating discoveries and great importance of this fast moving discipline to the student. Marine Microbiology is divided into three sections: the first reviews the main features of the marine environment and key aspects of marine microbial life; the second looks at the role of marine microorganisms in ecology, and the final section considers some of the applications of this knowledge, looking into areas such as disease and biodegradation.