Coral Reefs

A Very Short Introduction
Erscheinungsjahr 2014
ISBN: 978-0-19-968277-5
Verlag: Oxford University Press

Buch, Englisch, 144 Seiten, Format (B × H): 110 mm x 171 mm, Gewicht: 118 g

Reihe: Very Short Introductions

Coral reefs have been long regarded with awe by the millions of people who have encountered them over the centuries. Early seafarers were wary of them, naturalists were confused by them, yet many coastal people benefited greatly from these mysterious rocky structures that grew up to the surface of the sea. They have been rich in their supply of food, and they provided a breakwater from storms and high waves to countless coastal communities that developed from their protection.
Their scale is enormous and their value high. Found in countless locations around the world, from the Indo-Pacific coral reef province to the Caribbean and Australia, they support both marine and human life.

In this Very Short Introduction, Charles Sheppard provides an account of what coral reefs are, how they are formed, how they have evolved, and the biological lessons we can learn from them. Today, the vibrancy and diversity of these fascinating ecosystems are under threat from over exploitation and could face future extinction, unless our conservation efforts are stepped up in order to save them.

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Autoren/Hrsg.

Sheppard, Charles

Sheppard, Charles (Professor in the School of Life Sciences, University of Warwick)

Fachgebiete

• Naturwissenschaften Biowissenschaften Meeresbiologie
• Geowissenschaften Geographie | Raumplanung Korallenriffe
• Interdisziplinäres Wissenschaften Wissenschaften: Allgemeines Populärwissenschaftliche Werke

Inhaltsverzeichnis

Introduction; 1 The architecture of a reef; 2 The engine of the reef; 3 Reef fish and major predators; 4 The largest parts of the reef system; 5 Developing pressures; 6 Climate change and reefs; 7 Doing something about it; References and further reading

Über Autor(innen)

Charles Sheppard's research focuses mainly on community ecology, particularly on ecosystem responses to climate change. He works for a number of UN, Governmental, and aid agencies to advise on topical marine and costal developmental issues. He is the author or editor of 10 books, including The Biology of Coral Reefs (OUP, 2009).