Coral Reefs of Cuba


Book Description

This comprehensive volume gathers foremost experts on the coral reefs of Cuba who represent a spectrum of disciplines, including biology, conservation ecology, economics and geology. The volume is organized along general themes including the Cuban Reef biota, reefs occurring in the Mesophotic and Eutrophic zones, ecology, conservation, management and the economic importance of the coral reefs of Cuba. The combination of case studies, new and previously published research, historical overview and examples of the ways in which research has contributed to the management and conservation of Cuban coastal resources provides a unique reference for graduate students and professionals holding a wide range of interests and expertise related to coral reef systems.




Latin American Coral Reefs


Book Description

Approx.508 pages




Reef Libre


Book Description

Decades of isolation from tourism and development have left Cuba’s coral reefs among the most pristine in the world, an “exceptionalism” that stands in stark contrast to the island nation’s poverty and political situation. Famed diver/photographer Robert “Snorkel Bob” Wintner showcases these magnificent reefs with his astounding underwater images, while also capturing terrestrial life in the cities and villages of the island nation. Reef Libre is not a travelogue, but asks the big questions after a lifetime of isolation—can Cuba’s reefs still thrive? Nearly 400 stills, a compelling narrative, and a DVD capture this delicate time in reef history. Reef Libre: The Movie is a mini-documentary which encompasses this pivotal moment—from the streets to the reefs. To watch the trailer for Reef Libre: The Movie, click here!




Cuban Revelations


Book Description

In Cuban Revelations, Marc Frank offers a first-hand account of daily life in Cuba at the turn of the twenty-first century, the start of a new and dramatic epoch for islanders and the Cuban diaspora. A U.S.-born journalist who has called Havana home for almost a quarter century, Frank observed in person the best days of the revolution, the fall of the Soviet Bloc, the great depression of the 1990s, the stepping aside of Fidel Castro, and the reforms now being devised by his brother. Examining the effects of U.S. policy toward Cuba, Frank analyzes why Cuba has entered an extraordinary, irreversible period of change and considers what the island's future holds. The enormous social engineering project taking place today under Raúl's leadership is fraught with many dangers, and Cuban Revelations follows the new leader's efforts to overcome bureaucratic resistance and the fears of a populace that stand in his way. In addition, Frank offers a colorful chronicle of his travels across the island's many and varied provinces, sharing candid interviews with people from all walks of life. He takes the reader outside the capital to reveal how ordinary Cubans live and what they are thinking and feeling as fifty-year-old social and economic taboos are broken. He shares his honest and unbiased observations on extraordinary positive developments in social matters, like healthcare and education, as well as on the inefficiencies in the Cuban economy.




The Remarkable Reefs Of Cuba


Book Description

Since 1970, the Caribbean has lost half of its coral reefs, an ominous and accelerating phenomenon that extends around the world. Beyond the unfathomable heartbreak of the loss of such exquisite beauty from the earth, coral’s loss represents the annual loss of billions of dollars from the global economy and the end of a way of life for billions that depend on these ecosystems. Marine scientist and conservation leader Dr. David E. Guggenheim has had a front-row seat to this disaster. But when he began a new chapter of his career in Cuba, he found something completely unexpected: hope. After years and years of watching reefs deteriorate, Guggenheim was astonished to come face-to-face with Cuba's remarkably healthy coral reefs overflowing with fish and other marine life. The Remarkable Reefs of Cuba reveals the hidden potential that Cuba’s reefs may contain for the reefs of the world. While the past 60 years have seen the worst decline in ocean health in human history, Cuba’s oceans and coral reefs remain remarkably healthy, a living laboratory never-before-seen by this generation of scientists. Which begs the question: why are Cuba’s ocean waters so healthy? The answer is deeply intertwined with the country’s extraordinary and singularly unique history, from its dramatic political past to its world-class environmental protections influenced by an unlikely partner, Captain Jacques-Yves Cousteau. This buoyant book tells the story of the demise of the world’s ocean ecosystems, the hard work of those desperately trying to save it, and an unexpected beacon of hope from an island full of mystery and surprises.







Deep Cuba


Book Description

The author recounts his journey around the pristine coast of Cuba with American and Cuban Marine biologist in search of the island's legendary coastal biological diversity. (Biology & Natural History)




Natural Cuba Natural


Book Description

"This is the first publication to extensively document the natural history of the Caribbean's largest, most diverse tropical island and archipelago. Cuba's remarkable number of endemic species - including the world's smallest bird, the bee hummingbird, minute frogs and boas, magnificent painted land snails, rare butterflies and orchids - contribute to the importance and beauty of Cuba and her rich fauna and flora depicted here."--BOOK JACKET.Title Summary field provided by Blackwell North America, Inc. All Rights Reserved







Fraser's Penguins


Book Description

A dramatic chronicle of Antarctica's penguins that bears witness to climate changes that foreshadow our own future The towering mountains and iceberg-filled seas of the western Antarctic Peninsula have for three decades formed the backdrop of scientist Bill Fraser's study of Adélie penguins. In that time, this breathtaking region has warmed faster than any place on earth, with profound consequences for the Adélies, the classic tuxedoed penguin that is dependent on sea ice to survive. During the Antarctic spring and summer of 2005-2006, author Fen Montaigne spent five months working on Fraser's field team, and he returned with a moving tale that chronicles the beauty of the wildest place on earth, the lives of the beloved Adélies, the saga of the discovery of the Antarctic Peninsula, and the story—told through Fraser's work—of how rising temperatures are swiftly changing this part of the world. Captivated by the tale of these polar penguins and a memorable field season in Antarctica, readers will come to understand that the fundamental changes Fraser has witnessed in the Antarctic will soon affect our lives.




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