Marine Ecology


Book Description

Marine Ecology: Processes, Systems, and Impacts offers a carefully balanced and stimulating survey of marine ecology, introducing the key processes and systems from which the marine environment is formed, and the issues and challenges which surround its future conservation.







Marine Ecology of the Arabian Region


Book Description

That part of the Indian Ocean bordering Saudi Arabia is a rich mosaic of coastal and marine ecosystems, both natural and man-made. Among these are coral reefs, mangroves, tidal flats, seagrasses, and other hard and soft substrata. Some ecosystems are relatively simple, while others such as the coral reefs are highly complex and among the most diverse in the Indian Ocean. The region divides into several large, semi-enclosed water bodies whose different physical characteristics result in distinct habitats. The overall aridity, extremes of water temperature, and often very high salinities have produced some of the most extreme marine climates on Earth. This book summarizes the available information on the region, then reviews the processes shaping the various marine and coastal systems. It relates patterns in marine assemblages to the strong environmental gradients and biogeographic barriers in the region. Finally, the book considers the human dimension. Some of the world's poorest and richest nations border these seas, making diverse claims on fisheries and other natural resources. The 1991 Gulf War is only the most recent of a range of impacts affecting the region. Approaches for resolving the increasing resource use conflicts are described. This volume will be of immense value to research workers, students of marine biology, and environmental managers in general, as well as to those with a particular interest in this part of the world. One of the few published works on this unique and diverse region Serves as a basic introduction to the area Provides a detailed analysis of ecosystem function Discusses human pollution and its effects




Ecosystem-Based Fisheries Management


Book Description

Responsible fisheries management is of increasing interest to the scientific community, resource managers, policy makers, stakeholders and the general public. Focusing solely on managing one species of fish stock at a time has become less of a viable option in addressing the problem. Incorporating more holistic considerations into fisheries management by addressing the trade-offs among the range of issues involved, such as ecological principles, legal mandates and the interests of stakeholders, will hopefully challenge and shift the perception that doing ecosystem-based fisheries management is unfeasible. Demonstrating that EBFM is in fact feasible will have widespread impact, both in US and international waters. Using case studies, underlying philosophies and analytical approaches, this book brings together a range of interdisciplinary topics surrounding EBFM and considers these simultaneously, with an aim to provide tools for successful implementation and to further the debate on EBFM, ultimately hoping to foster enhanced living marine resource management.




Marine Microbiology


Book Description

The third edition of this bestselling text has been rigorously updated to reflect major new discoveries and concepts since 2011, especially progress due to extensive application of high-throughput sequencing, single cell genomics and analysis of large datasets. Significant advances in understanding the diversity and evolution of bacteria, archaea, fungi, protists, and viruses are discussed and their importance in marine processes is explored in detail. Now in full colour throughout, all chapters have been significantly expanded, with many new diagrams, illustrations and boxes to aid students’ interest and understanding. Novel pedagogy is designed to encourage students to explore current high-profile research topics. Examples include the impacts of rising CO2 levels on microbial community structure and ocean processes, interactions of microbes with plastic pollution, symbiotic interactions, and emerging diseases of marine life. This is the only textbook addressing such a broad range of topics in the specific area of marine microbiology, now a core topic within broader Marine Science degrees. A Companion Website provides additional online resources for instructors and students, including a summary of key concepts and terminology for each chapter, links to further resources, and flashcards to aid self-assessment.




Marine Anthropogenic Litter


Book Description

This book describes how man-made litter, primarily plastic, has spread into the remotest parts of the oceans and covers all aspects of this pollution problem from the impacts on wildlife and human health to socio-economic and political issues. Marine litter is a prime threat to marine wildlife, habitats and food webs worldwide. The book illustrates how advanced technologies from deep-sea research, microbiology and mathematic modelling as well as classic beach litter counts by volunteers contributed to the broad awareness of marine litter as a problem of global significance. The authors summarise more than five decades of marine litter research, which receives growing attention after the recent discovery of great oceanic garbage patches and the ubiquity of microscopic plastic particles in marine organisms and habitats. In 16 chapters, authors from all over the world have created a universal view on the diverse field of marine litter pollution, the biological impacts, dedicated research activities, and the various national and international legislative efforts to combat this environmental problem. They recommend future research directions necessary for a comprehensive understanding of this environmental issue and the development of efficient management strategies. This book addresses scientists, and it provides a solid knowledge base for policy makers, NGOs, and the broader public.




The Gulf of Guinea Large Marine Ecosystem


Book Description

The Gulf of Guinea volume is part of a series on the Large Marine Ecosystems. This volume combines the latest research on the Gulf of Guinea from scientists working primarily in the region and from Europe. It covers the dynamics of the oceanic and coastal waters of the region, the major biological resources, pollution in the marine environment and the socio-economics and governance of marine fisheries. A significant number of new data sets, including some which have been repatriated from outside the region, are now made available through this publication.The combination of the various chapters underlines the interlinkages that exist between the interannual and seasonal dynamical behaviour of the oceanic offshore waters and the living marine resources along the coast, and the direct effect they have on the livelihoods of the populations living throughout the Gulf of Guinea.The volume is intended for those who have a general interest in the region as well as those who work professionally in the field. It will also be of immense value to resource managers and policy-makers as a demonstration project on how research can help solve the pressing problems of economic and food security in coastal regions.




Coastal and Marine Environments


Book Description

Authored by world-class scientists and scholars, The Handbook of Natural Resources, Second Edition, is an excellent reference for understanding the consequences of changing natural resources to the degradation of ecological integrity and the sustainability of life. Based on the content of the bestselling and CHOICE-awarded Encyclopedia of Natural Resources, this new edition demonstrates the major challenges that the society is facing for the sustainability of all well-being on the planet Earth. The experience, evidence, methods, and models used in studying natural resources are presented in six stand-alone volumes, arranged along the main systems of land, water, and air. It reviews state-of-the-art knowledge, highlights advances made in different areas, and provides guidance for the appropriate use of remote sensing and geospatial data with field-based measurements in the study of natural resources. Volume 5, Coastal and Marine Environments, discusses marine and coastal ecosystems, their biodiversity, conservation, and integrated marine management plans. It provides fundamental information on coastal and estuarine systems and includes discussions on coastal erosion and shoreline change, natural disasters, evaporation and energy balance, fisheries and marine resource management, and more. New in this edition are discussions on sea level rise, renewable energy, coral reef restoration, fishery resource economics, and coastal remote sensing. This volume demonstrates the key processes, methods, and models used through many case studies from around the world. Written in an easy-to-reference manner, The Handbook of Natural Resources, Second Edition, as individual volumes or as a complete set, is an essential reading for anyone looking for a deeper understanding of the science and management of natural resources. Public and private libraries, educational and research institutions, scientists, scholars, and resource managers will benefit enormously from this set. Individual volumes and chapters can also be used in a wide variety of both graduate and undergraduate courses in environmental science and natural science at different levels and disciplines, such as biology, geography, earth system science, and ecology.




Ecology of Marine Sediments


Book Description

Marine sediments are the second largest habitat on earth and yet are poorly understood. This book gives a broad coverage of the central topics in the ecology of soft sediments.




Marine Conservation


Book Description

Bob Earll explores what marine conservation involves in practice by providing a synthesis of the main developments from the viewpoints of 19 leading practitioners who have shape its progress and successes. Case studies describe a wide range of European and international projects.