The Amateur Plankton Researcher's Practical Guide: How to Study Plankton at Home
暫譯: 業餘浮游生物研究者的實用指南：如何在家研究浮游生物

探索浮游生物的迷人世界，這本實用指南非常適合學生、教育工作者、愛好者和公民科學家。該指南旨在引導您完成每一步驟，從在當地水域收集樣本，到在顯微鏡下觀察它們並進行基本實驗，將為您提供在家研究浮游生物所需的工具和知識。您將了解不同類別的浮游生物、它們的生態意義以及面臨的環境挑戰。書中提供了有關收集和保存樣本、使用基本設備以及識別常見類別的實用建議，還介紹了簡單的實驗技術來研究浮游生物的行為和生態。對於尋求進一步知識的讀者，書中簡要介紹了如DNA條碼和環境DNA分析等先進方法。書末的圖像指南便於識別，使這本書成為一個全面的資源。閱讀結束後，您將準備好深入探索這些重要生物，甚至可能為它們的研究做出貢獻。

My passion for plankton began when I was just ten years old. It all changed for me on December 31st when I received a simple plastic microscope as a birthday present from my parents. I can still vividly recall observing my first protists--it remains one of my most enduring memories. The sample came from a flower jar on our dining table, where I noticed tiny dots moving around on the water's surface. Placing a drop of that water on a glass slide and looking through the microscope, I was astonished by the new world that unfolded before me. Creatures like Euglena viridis (a flagellated microalgae) and Stylonichia mytilus (a flat ciliate) dominated the scene. From that moment on, I could not resist exploring every pond, vessel, river, or lake I came across. I used to carry small containers in my pockets (and still do) to collect water samples for later observation.

My interest extended beyond plankton to other forms of life, leading me to study Biology at the University of Barcelona, my hometown. There, I had the privilege of learning from inspiring educators who fueled my drive to pursue this career. Although working as a bartender, cook, and waiter on weekends and summers slowed down my studies, I eventually completed my degree and began my PhD at the Marine Sciences Institute (CSIC, Barcelona). I shifted my focus to marine zooplankton, primarily copepods, despite never having been particularly drawn to marine systems (probably due to my tendency to get seasick!). Yes, even marine biologists can struggle with seasickness. After four years of dedication, I successfully defended my PhD.

The next step in my journey was a postdoctoral position at the University of Hawaii, USA. I am not going to lie--I worked hard, but I also had an incredible experience. It was in Hawaii that I first became interested in marine microzooplankton, which has captivated me ever since, although I have not lost my enthusiasm for larger zooplankton.

Following my postdoc, I returned to Barcelona, spending a few years hopping from contract to contract before securing a permanent research position at the institution where I completed my PhD. Now, after more than three decades devoted to the study of plankton, I am passionate about sharing my knowledge with all kinds of audiences, especially the next generation of scientists. This is what motivated me to write this book, offering a practical and accessible guide to the fascinating world of plankton. I hope you enjoy it.

我的浮游生物熱情始於我十歲的時候。這一切在12月31日發生了變化，那天我收到了父母送的簡單塑膠顯微鏡作為生日禮物。我仍然清晰地記得觀察我的第一個原生生物——這是我最持久的記憶之一。樣本來自我們餐桌上的一個花瓶，我注意到水面上有微小的點在移動。將一滴水放在玻璃載片上，透過顯微鏡觀察時，我驚訝於眼前展現的新世界。像是Euglena viridis（一種鞭毛藻）和Stylonichia mytilus（一種扁平纖毛蟲）主導了這個場景。從那一刻起，我無法抗拒探索我遇到的每一個池塘、容器、河流或湖泊。我習慣在口袋裡攜帶小容器（現在仍然這樣）來收集水樣以便後續觀察。

我的興趣不僅限於浮游生物，還擴展到其他生命形式，這使我在我的家鄉巴塞隆納的巴塞隆納大學學習生物學。在那裡，我有幸向激勵我的教育者學習，他們激發了我追求這個職業的動力。儘管在週末和暑假擔任酒保、廚師和服務員的工作減緩了我的學業進度，但我最終完成了學位，並在巴塞隆納的海洋科學研究所（CSIC）開始了我的博士學位。我將重心轉向海洋浮游動物，主要是橈足類，儘管我從未特別喜愛海洋系統（可能是因為我容易暈船！）。是的，即使是海洋生物學家也會面臨暈船的困擾。經過四年的努力，我成功地完成了我的博士論文答辯。

我旅程的下一步是在美國夏威夷大學的博士後職位。我不會隱瞞——我努力工作，但我也有了難以置信的經歷。正是在夏威夷，我第一次對海洋微型浮游動物產生了興趣，這使我自此著迷，儘管我對較大浮游動物的熱情並未減退。

在博士後工作之後，我回到了巴塞隆納，花了幾年時間從一個合約跳到另一個合約，直到在我完成博士學位的機構獲得了一個永久的研究職位。現在，經過三十多年的浮游生物研究，我熱衷於與各種觀眾分享我的知識，特別是下一代科學家。這就是促使我寫這本書的動力，提供一本實用且易於理解的浮游生物迷人世界的指南。希望你會喜歡它。