Algae biomass: characteristics and applications : towards algae based products 1. Introduction 2.The environmental benefits arising from the use of algae biomass industry 3. Biology of freshwater macroalgae and their distribution 4.The methods of algal biomass extraction towards to use of the extract 5. Algae as fertilizers biostimulants and regulators of plant growth 6. The supplementing diet through the use of algae and algal extracts 7. Algae and their extracts in medical treatment 8. Application of algae biomass and algal extracts in cosmetic formulations 9. The biomass of algae and algal extracts in agricultural production 10. Algae in biotechnological processes 11. The algae biomass in animal production 12. Economic aspects of algal biomass harvesting for industrial purposes 13.The life cycle of the product This book is a compendium of knowledge on the useful properties of algae in the context of application as a useful component of innovative natural products. It presents all aspects of industrial applications of macroalgae biomass derived from the natural environment. Despite many interesting characteristics algae are still regarded as undervalued raw material therefore present in the following chapters are not only environmental benefits arising from the development of excessive algal biomass but also the distribution and biology of algae in natural conditions in reservoirs methods of obtaining extracts from biomass of algae for industrial purposes. Furthermore it also includes topics such as the use of biomass and algae extracts for the industrial purposes in animal breeding and for agricultural purposes as well as the economic aspects of algae biomass harvesting for industrial purposes. The book is intended for a wide audience interested in new methods of obtaining the biomass from the natural environment for industrial purposes and the manufacture of products based on bioactive substances obtained from the environment