Download or read book Secondary Metabolites in Soil Ecology written by Petr Karlovsky and published by Springer Science & Business Media. This book was released on 2008-01-03 with total page 294 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Microbiologists and soil scientists will find this study compelling reading. It focuses on the role of bacterial, fungal and plant secondary metabolites in soil ecosystems. Our understanding of the biological function of secondary metabolites is surprisingly limited, considering our knowledge of their structural diversity and pharmaceutical activity. This book reviews functional aspects of secondary metabolite production, with a focus on interactions among soil organisms.