S4 ACTA BOT. CROAT. 80 (2), 2021

Book Review II
 

Dubravka Hafner and Anita Dedić – Diatoms of  
the Adriatic Sea Basin in Bosnia and Herzegovina

Diatoms – Do we know them well? We know that diatoms 
are the only organisms on our planet whose cell walls are 
made of transparent opaline silica, that they convert solar en-
ergy into sugars, produce 50% of the air we breathe, feed the 
oceans, lakes and rivers, are the most diverse protists on 
Earth, and inform us about the health of aquatic systems. To 
date, there are numerous applications of diatoms in various 
scientific fields, be it nanotechnology, biotechnology, envi-
ronmental science, biophysics or biochemistry, bringing all 
facets of diatom biology under one roof. There is a particular 
focus on biosilication, biomineralization and the use of dia-
toms as “nanomaterials”, vehicles for drug delivery, optical 
and immunological biosensors, philters, immunodiagnostics, 
aquaculture feeds, lab-on-a-chip, metabolites and biofuels. 
For these reasons, it is extremely important to have a good 

knowledge of the ecology of diatoms, their spatial and tem-
poral distribution, especially in our immediate environment.

The monograph Diatoms of the Adriatic Sea Basin in 
Bosnia and Herzegovina, in bilingual form (Croatian and 
English), writen by Dubravka Hafner and Anita Dedić, 
 published in July 2020 (Publisher: University of Mostar, 
Bosnia and Herzegovina, 216 pp.), does not provide a de-
finitive account of the diatoms of Bosnia and Herzegovina, 
but is a starting point that provides insight into the richness 
of their natural heritage. It was written as a result of the sci-
entific work of Professor Dubravka Hafner, who has devot-
ed her whole life and work to the study of cyanobacteria and 
algae, with a special interest in diatoms.

The book is a useful resource for anyone interested in 
the ecology and conservation of the nation’s freshwaters, 
and for anyone studying algae in school, at university, or for 
their own enjoyment. Compiling a definitive list of diatoms 
from Bosnia and Herzegovina involves considerable scien-
tific effort, and I am sure that both authors will acknowledge 
that knowledge of freshwater habitats is still incomplete and 
there is much to learn. This book describes the state of the 
art in 2020 and provides a challenge for future researchers. 
It also provides a basis for the development of ecological as-
sessment protocols that will be necessary if Bosnia and Her-
zegovina is to meet the requirements of the European 
Union’s Water Framework Directive. The book begins with 
an introduction describing the biology of diatoms and the 
history of research on these organisms in Bosnia and Her-
zegovina, before providing an overview of aspects of the 
landscape that influence diatom distribution. The authors 
provide a list of all sites, with enough information to locate 
these sites in the future, before proceeding with a list of all 
diatom species recorded in Bosnia and Herzegovina. This 
list includes synonyms (important, as many diatom names 
have changed in the last 30 years) and information on their 
ecology and conservation status. Finally, there is a compre-
hensive reference list.

Professor Anđelka Plenković-Moraj
University of Zagreb, Faculty of Sicence,

Department of Biology