The new edition of An Introduction to the Biology of Marine Life is designed to reach your introductory students with effective and interesting learning tools. Its design and content are focused on capturing the attention of your students-- and focused on helping you teach. In the sixth edition, author James Sumich has maintained the text's readability and balanced approach, while incorporating several exciting new features:
The ocean as a habitat, the changing marine environment, the world ocean, classification of the marine environment. Patterns of association. Mircrobial heterotrophs and invertebrates. Marine verterbrates, fishes and reptiles. the deep sea floor.
Introduction to the Biology of Marine Life is an introductory higher education textbook for students with no prior knowledge of marine biology. The book uses selected groups of marine organisms to provide a basic understanding of biological principles and processes that are fundamental to sea life.
'Marine Conservation Biology' brings together leading experts from around the world to apply the lessons and thinking of conservation biology to marine issues. The contributors cover what is threatening marine biodiversity and what humans can do to recover the biological integrity of the world's oceans.
We present you with an updated reference book aimed for upper-level undergraduate and graduate students interested in Marine Biology. The textbook is designed to introduce the fundamentals of marine organisms and their ecological roles in the world’s oceans, and is organized by functional groups, emphasizing marine biodiversity rather than systematics or habitats. Each chapter has been written and peer-reviewed by renowned international experts in their respective fields, and includes updated information on relevant topics, from the microbial loop and primary production in the oceans, to marine megafauna and the impacts of projected climate change on marine life and ecosystems.
The oceans are our planet's most distinctive and imposing natural habitat. They cover 71 percent of its surface; support a remarkably diverse and exquisitely adapted array of life forms, from microscopic viruses, bacteria, and plankton to the largest existing animals; and possess many of Earth's most significant, intriguing, and inaccessible ecosystems. In an era in which humans are significantly altering the global environment, the oceans are undergoing rapid and profound changes. The study of marine biology is thus taking on added importance and urgency as people struggle to understand and manage these changes to protect our marine ecosystems. Healthy oceans produce half of the oxygen we breathe; stabilize our climate; create ecosystems that protect our coasts from storms; provide us with abundant food; and host diverse organisms that provide us with natural products for medicine and biotechnology. In this Very Short Introduction, marine biologist Philip Mladenov provides an accessible and up-to-date overview of marine biology, offering a tour of marine life and marine processes that ranges from the unimaginably abundant microscopic organisms that drive the oceans' food web to the apex predators that we exploit for food; from polar ocean ecosystems to tropical coral reefs; and from the luxurious kelp beds of the coastal ocean to deep-ocean hydrothermal vents where life exists without the energy of the sun. Throughout the book he considers the human impacts on marine life including overfishing, plastic and nutrient pollution, the spread of exotic species, and ocean warming and acidification. He discusses the threats these pose to our welfare, and the actions required to put us on a path to a more sustainable relationship with our oceans so that they can be restored and protected for future generations. Mladenov concludes with a new chapter offering an inspiring vision for the future of our oceans in 2050 that can be realised if we are wise enough to accelerate actions already underway and be bold with implementing new approaches. The next decade will decide the state of the oceans that we leave behind for future generations. ABOUT THE SERIES: The Very Short Introductions series from Oxford University Press contains hundreds of titles in almost every subject area. These pocket-sized books are the perfect way to get ahead in a new subject quickly. Our expert authors combine facts, analysis, perspective, new ideas, and enthusiasm to make interesting and challenging topics highly readable.
The first of two books in the series Marine Life by Andrew Caine, the second being the long awaited 'Marine Ecology for the Non-Ecologist' now available on Amazon.For years the only textbooks available for anyone who has an interest in marine biology have laid in the realms of the academic texts or identification guides for the diver, aquarium keeper, or for those exploring the seashore. Fantastic books indeed, however, there are none that bring the real biology of marine life to the general public.For the first time, this fascinating topic has been described in a way that anyone who loves the life residing in the marine environment, can not only understand but really enjoy, in an easy to read, informative text. The book describes the major groups of animals present in the sea, the soft-bodied animals the cnidarians (jellyfish anemones, corals etc.), the crustaceans, (shrimps, crabs, lobsters, etc.) the molluscs, (the shellfish and squid etc.), the echinoderms (starfish, urchin etc). Detailing their life histories, reproductive strategies, adaptations, predator avoidance and how they grab a meal, plus much more. which collectively makes them successful as a species today. Then we examine coral reef architecture, hydrothermal vent biology, life in the polar sea and marine invertebrate toxins (what's going to kill you in the sea). The book is crammed with amazing facts that make this subject such a wonderful topic to understand.Such has been the success of this publication Andrew Caine has released the second book in the series - Marine Life - Marine Ecology for the Non-Ecologist- detailing as ever, in an easy to understand manner, the different habitats found mainly around the coastline of the earth and how as species the animals described in this volume exploit each individual habitat to form the ecosystems we see today. In this book, we explore and discover what exactly ecology is, the physical aspects and biological processes of ecology. We look at the rocky coast, the sandy shore, the estuaries, the mangroves, the coral reefs, and more.Andrew Caine has managed to produce a highly readable masterpiece which takes the reader on a magical and sometimes scary journey into the world of the planet's marine life, looking at the complex ecosystems with algae, plankton, shellfish, coral reefs and even whales. Andrew describes in fascinating detail and in a humorous and light-hearted manner the secret lives of our many different sea creatures--or beasties as he likes to call them. The book is crammed full of interesting facts and is written in a straightforward way making it easy for the layman to read and understand.He delves into the lives of jellyfish, limpets, mussels and many other species, uncovering their often bizarre behaviour and sometimes scary predatory techniques and feeding habits which most ordinary people could barely imagine existed. Who would guess a whelk slowly drills into the shell of its unfortunate victims, or that some creatures harpoon their victims with poison-bearing teeth?Andrew also dispels many myths and misunderstandings. For example, that the Portuguese Man o'War is not even a jellyfish at all, but instead a colony of connected creatures! These are just some of the many fascinating facts which Andrew uncovers in his book.Throughout the book, the reader is kept entertained by Andrew's unique writing style and amusing turn of phrase. On a more serious note, Andrew also discusses the importance of coral reefs and their vital role in supporting human livelihoods. Andrew also reveals his true passion for marine biology and his deep concern that many of our species could be under threat due to overfishing of the humble krill.Andrew's work may well motivate people to take a more active interest in the study and preservation of our rich and diverse marine life.
This textbook examines selected groups of marine organisms within a framework of basic biological principles and processes. With attention to taxonomic, evolutionary, ecological, behavioral, and physiological aspects of biological study, the book contains chapters on habitat, patterns of association, phytoplankton, marine plants, protozoans and inv
This book gives an overview of the diverse marine fauna and flora of Japan and includes practical guides for investigating the biology and ecology of marine organisms. Introducing marine training courses offered at a range of Japanese universities, this is the first English textbook intended for marine biology instructors and students in Japan. It provides essential information on experimental procedures for the major areas of marine biology, including cell and developmental biology, physiology, ecology and environmental sciences, and as such is a valuable resource for those in Asian countries that share a similar flora and fauna. It also appeals to visitors interested in attending Japanese marine courses from countries around the world.
