"Bianchi and Canuel have done an extraordinary job of capturing the essence of biomarker geochemistry in their timely and important book. They give an in-depth overview of this discipline from its roots more than a half-century ago to the present day. In doing so, they explain the fundamentals of molecular and isotopic organic geochemistry, and they describe interesting applications of these tracers for improving understanding of organic matter origins and cycles in marine, estuarine, and freshwater settings."—Philip A. Meyers, professor emeritus, University of Michigan

"This book is a great introduction to molecularly based biogeochemistry. The authors take a multidisciplinary approach, especially in bringing together the methodologies of biochemistry, microbiology, genomics, and ecology. The bibliography is extensive and up-to-date, documenting the measurement, origins, roles, and fates of all major classes of biosynthetic compounds. Aspiring researchers will find this book an ideal companion with which to join the gathering forward surge of earth systems science."—Geoffrey Eglinton, coauthor of Echoes of Life

"This is a must-have volume for all hands-on researchers, in aquatic biogeochemistry, organic geochemistry, and molecular ecology, from beginning undergraduates to experienced senior researchers. Bianchi and Canuel have assembled a concise and up-to-date compendium, with extensive illustrations and references to the latest literature of the diversity of organic chemical biomarkers, their biosynthetic pathways, environmental distributions, and utility for characterizing biogeochemical processes in aquatic systems."—Stuart G. Wakeham, professor emeritus, Skidaway Institute of Oceanography

"This book is clearly needed and Bianchi and Canuel are the right people to have written it. It not only makes an excellent textbook, but is also a valuable addition to the personal libraries of geochemists, petroleum geologists, paleoceanographers, and ecologists."—David Burdige, Old Dominion University

"With sound scholarship and an appropriate cross section of references, this book bridges the gap between the traditional fields of organic geochemistry and aquatic biogeochemistry, and makes a significant contribution to the field of organic biogeochemistry. Of particular relevance is the discussion of the biochemical formation of biomarkers with their utility as process indicators."—Josef P. Werne, University of Minnesota, Duluth