Marine biology Books

Book SynopsisBBC R4 Book of the WeekBrilliant' GuardianFascinating and often delightful' The TimesWhat if intelligent life on Earth evolved not once, but twice? The octopus is the closest we will come to meeting an intelligent alien. What can we learn from the encounter?In Other Minds, Peter Godfrey-Smith, a distinguished philosopher of science and a skilled scuba diver, tells a bold new story of how nature became aware of itself a story that largely occurs in the ocean, where animals first appeared.Tracking the mind's fitful development from unruly clumps of seaborne cells to the first evolved nervous systems in ancient relatives of jellyfish, he explores the incredible evolutionary journey of the cephalopods, which began as inconspicuous molluscs who would later abandon their shells to rise above the ocean floor, searching for prey and acquiring the greater intelligence needed to do so a journey completely independent from the route that mammals and birds would later take.But what kind of intelligence do cephalopods possess? How did the octopus, a solitary creature with little social life, become so smart? What is it like to have eight tentacles that are so packed with neurons that they virtually think for themselves'? By tracing the question of inner life back to its roots and comparing human beings with our most remarkable animal relatives, Godfrey-Smith casts crucial new light on the octopus mind and on our own.Trade ReviewPraise for Other Minds: ‘Entrancing and profound’ Financial Times ‘A superb, coruscating book’ Literary Review ‘Startlingly incisive … refreshing guidance’ New York Times ‘The beauty of Godfrey-Smith’s book lies in the clarity of his writing; his empathy, if you will. He takes us through those early stirrings in the seas of deep time, from bacteria that sense light and can taste, to cnidarian jellyfish, the first organisms to exhibit nervous systems, which he describes wonderfully.’ Philip Hoare, Guardian ‘Fascinating and often delightful … This book ingeniously blends philosophy and science to trace the epic journey from single-celled organisms of 3.8 billion years ago to the awakening and development of cephalopod consciousness.’ The Times ‘As poignant as anything you will read this year’ Mail on Sunday ‘In Other Minds, Peter Godfrey-Smith, a philosopher, skilfully combines science, philosophy and his experiences of swimming among these tentacled beasts to illuminate the origin and nature of consciousness.’ The Economist ‘A delight on so many levels’ Dive magazine ‘To investigate these astonishing animals with such empathy and rigour is achievement enough. To do so while casting light on the birth and nature of consciousness, as Peter Godfrey-Smith does here, is captivating.’ China Miéville, author of Kraken ‘I love this book, its masterful blend of natural history, philosophy, and wonder … It’s a captivating story, and Peter Godfrey-Smith brings it alive in vivid, elegant prose … A must-read for anyone interested in the evolution of the mind – ours and the very other, but equally sentient, minds of the cephalopods.’ Jennifer Ackerman, author of The Genius of Birds

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Book SynopsisThe follow-up to the BBC Radio 4 Book of the Week Other MindsA Times and Sunday Times Book of the YearA Waterstones Best Book of 2020The scuba-diving philosopher explores the origins of animal consciousness.Dip below the ocean's surface and you are soon confronted by forms of life that could not seem more foreign to our own: sea sponges, soft corals and flower-like worms, whose rooted bodies and intricate geometry are more reminiscent of plant life than anything recognisably animal. Yet these creatures are our cousins. As fellow members of the animal kingdom the Metazoa they can teach us about the evolutionary origins of not only our bodies, but also our minds.In his acclaimed book, Other Minds, Peter Godfrey-Smith explored the mind of the octopus the closest thing to an intelligent alien on Earth. In Metazoa, he expands his inquiry to animals at large, investigating the evolution of experience with the assistance of far-flung species. Godfrey-Smith shows that the appearance of the Trade ReviewA Times and Sunday Times Book of the Year A BBC Science Focus Book of the Month ‘This gentle approach won a wide readership for Godfrey-Smith’s last book and deserves to do the same for this. But perhaps his exploratory style is well-suited, not just to the general reader, but to the problem of consciousness itself’ Times Literary Supplement ‘Enthralling … A rather winning combination of not once ever making readers feel as if they are being lectured to; rather, it is the sensation of joining a wise, ever-patient friend on a time-traveling tour of the cognitive experiences of animals … Metazoa brings an extraordinary and astute look at our own mind’s essential link to the animal world’ Aimee Nezhukumatathil, New York Times ‘A profound scientific drama, in which the lives of quite un-human creatures illuminate deep mysteries about the nature of sentience, and what it means to possess a mind … In Metazoa, the scuba-diving historian and philosopher of science tackles these questions with eloquent boldness … As in Other Minds, Mr Godfrey-Smith recounts close encounters with marine fauna, gleaned from years of diving off the Australian coast. These have an electric immediacy … Evocative [and] gripping’ Barbara Kiser, Wall Street Journal ‘Peter Godfrey-Smith's new book Metazoa is, like his last one, not only deeply interesting but beautifully written. Also, it finally taught me how to pronounce "cnidarian" properly’ Philip Ball ‘Peter Godfrey-Smith writes and thinks like no one else that I know of. He’s well immersed in the science of life, a deep-diver into the philosophical implications of the factual world – and a writer so skillful he can give a reader chills. Metazoa is his deepest dive to date on what life is’ Carl Safina, author of Becoming Wild

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Book SynopsisMarine Biology covers the basics of marine biology with a global approach, using examples from numerous regions and ecosystems worldwide. This introductory, one-semester text is designed for non-majors. Authors Castro and Huber have made a special effort to include solid basic science content needed in a general education course, including the fundamental principles of biology, the physical sciences, and the scientific method. This science coverage is integrated with a stimulating, up-to-date overview of marine biology.Table of ContentsChapter 1 The Science of Marine BiologyChapter 2 The Sea FloorChapter 3 Chemical and Physical Features of the World OceanChapter 4 Fundamentals of BiologyChapter 5 The Microbial WorldChapter 6 Multicellular Primary Producers: Seaweeds and PlantsChapter 7 Marine Animals Without a BackboneChapter 8 Marine FishesChapter 9 Marine Reptiles, Birds, and MammalsChapter 10 An Introduction to Marine EcologyChapter 11 Between the TidesChapter 12 Estuaries: Where Rivers Meet the SeaChapter 13 Life on the Continental ShelfChapter 14 Coral ReefsChapter 15 Life Near the SurfaceChapter 16 The Ocean DepthsChapter 17 Resources from the SeaChapter 18 The Impact of Humans on the Marine Environment

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Book SynopsisDeals with the biological and physiological characteristics of the cartilaginous fishes: sharks, rays, and chimaeras. In this title, each chapter commences with an anecdote from the author about his own personal experience with the topic, followed by thought-provoking questions and a list of recommended readings in the scientific literature.

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Book SynopsisSeaweed is so familiar and yet its names - pepper dulse, sea lettuce, bladderwrack - are largely unknown to us. In this short, exquisitely illustrated portrait, the Dutch poet and artist Miek Zwamborn shares her discoveries of its history, culture and use, from the Neolithic people of the Orkney Islands to sushi artisans in modern Japan. Seaweed troubled Columbus on his voyages across the Atlantic, intrigued von Humboldt in the Sargasso Sea and inspired artists from Hokusai to Matisse. Covering seaweed's collection by Victorians, its adoption into fashion and dance and its potential for combating climate change, and with a fabulous series of recipes based around the 'truffles of the sea', this is a wonderful gift for every nature lover's home.Trade ReviewA very special, little, cute, moving but splendid book. * Shortlisting for Jan Wolkers Prijs 2018 *a treasure chest filled with fascinating, horizon-widening, mind-expanding curiosities and moments of awe and wonder on every page. Zwambown is an artist-polymath: erudite, wide-ranging and magpie-like. She takes us underwater to a world of iridescence rainbow weed, sea monsters, space algae and world-saving kelp. She opens up the sea for us with an intriguing mixture of cultural and natural history, acute observations and enchanting illustrations and challenges us to slow down and engage in a radical noticing and joy of seeing we all need. I am now completely obsessed by seaweed. -- Lucy Jones author of * Losing Eden *

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Book SynopsisTable of ContentsForewordAcknowledgementsPrologue1. Bloody Beasts2. Sea Change3. Blubber Choppers4. The Law of the Tongue5. War Zone6. A Turn for the Better7. The Whales in the Potato Field8. The Whales at the End of the World9. The Whale Jail10. Attack11. Family Matters12. Cut in StoneReferences

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Book SynopsisThere''s so much we don''t know about what lies deep beneath the ocean''s surface - and the time to find out is growing increasingly precious . . .Professor Alex Rogers is one of the world''s leading experts in marine biology and oceanology, and has spent his life studying the deep ocean - and in particular the impact of human activity on the ecosystems of the oceans. In this timely, galvanising and fascinating book - replete with stunning photography of strange and beautiful creatures - Professor Rogers offers a fundamentally optimistic view of humanity''s relationship with the oceans - and also a very personal account of his own interaction with the seas.

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Book SynopsisAS FEATURED IN SEASPIRACY An Observer Book of the Year 2017 A Sunday Times must read A New York Times Bestseller Endorsed by His Holiness the Dalai Lama – ‘Balcombe vividly shows that fish have feelings and deserve consideration and protection like other sentient beings’ What’s the truth behind the old adage that goldfish have a three-second memory? Do fishes think? Can they recognize the humans who peer back at them from above the surface of the water? Myth-busting biologist and animal behaviour expert Jonathan Balcombe takes us under the sea, through streams and estuaries to the other side of the aquarium glass to answer these questions and more. He upends our assumptions, revealing that fish are far from the unfeeling, dead-eyed feeding machines so many of us assume them to be. They are, in fact, sentient, aware, social and even Machiavellian – in other words, rather like us. What a Fish Knows draws on the latest science to present a fresh look at these remarkable creatures in all their breathtaking diversity and beauty. Teeming with insights and exciting discoveries, it offers a thoughtful appraisal of our relationships with fish and inspires us to take a more enlightened view of the planet’s increasingly imperilled marine life. What a Fish Knows will forever change how we see our aquatic cousins – the pet goldfish included.Trade Review‘Many of us have a soft spot for dolphins and whales, but Balcombe makes it embarrassingly clear how absolutely ignorant (and arrogant) we are when it comes to the vast world of our oceans and their inhabitants.’ * Observer, Books of the Year *‘As cogent, salutary and substantial a study of piscine behaviour as I have read in years…This is a book full of wonders.’ * Literary Review *‘Eye-opening…What a Fish Knows is far more than a mass of would-you-believe-it facts, marvellously entertaining though they are...passionate and persuasive.’ * Sunday Times *‘Surprisingly, this compelling book is the first ever published that is devoted to fish behaviour.’ * Forbes, 10 Best Popular Science Books of 2016 *‘Remarkable.’ * Spectator *‘An extended exploration of the world from a piscine perspective...Balcombe makes a persuasive case that what fish know is quite a lot.’ -- Elizabeth Kolbert, New York Review of Books‘...will leave you humbled, thrilled, and floored. Jonathan Balcombe delivers a revelation on every page, presenting jaw-dropping studies and stories that should reshape our understanding of, and compassion for, some of the most diverse and successful animals who have ever lived.’ -- Sy Montgomery, author of The Soul of an Octopus, a National Book Award finalist‘We Buddhists consider all animals, including fish, as sentient beings who have feelings of joy and pain just as we humans do. We also believe that they have all been kind to us as our mothers many times in the past, and are deserving of our compassion. Therefore, we try to help them in whatever way we can and at least avoid doing them harm. In What a Fish Knows, Jonathan Balcombe vividly shows that fish have feelings and deserve consideration and protection like other sentient beings. I hope reading it will help people become more aware of the benefits of vegetarianism and the need to treat animals with respect.’ -- The Dalai Lama‘[A] sparkling exposition on “our underwater cousins”…[and] a compelling pitch for greatly expanding fish conservation.’ * Booklist *‘As ethologist Jonathan Balcombe notes in this engrossing study, breakthroughs are revealing sophisticated piscine behaviours. Balcombe glides from perception and cognition to tool use, pausing at marvels such as ocular migration in flounders and the capacity of the frillfin goby (Bathygobius soporator) to memorize the topography of the intertidal zone.’ * Barbara Kiser, Nature *‘Balcombe covers the waterfront, so to speak, from fish cognition and perception to their social structures and breeding practices, all the while drawing on a dizzying array of experiments and studies. In the hands of a lesser writer, the sheer weight of material could have overburdened the reader. But Balcombe’s prose is lively and clear, showcasing his gift for pithy sentences.’ * Eugene Linden, American Scholar *‘With the vivacious energy of a cracking good storyteller, Balcombe draws deeply from scientific studies and his own experience with fish to introduce readers to them as sentient creatures that live full lives governed by cognition and perception…Balcombe makes a convincing case that fish possess minds and memories, are capable of planning and organizing, and cooperate with one another in webs of social relationships.’ * Publishers Weekly *‘[Balcombe] offers an enjoyable, surprising and sometimes gruesome exploration of the world of fish, written with clarity and humor and grounded in many scientific studies...The breadth and depth of his research and his enthusiastic storytelling may permanently alter how [readers] look at a pet goldfish or a can of sardines.’ * Shelf Awareness *‘I thought I knew a lot about fishes. Then I read What a Fish Knows. And now I know a lot about fishes! Stunning in the way it reveals so many astonishing things about the fishes who populate planet Earth in their trillions, this book is sure to ‘deepen’ your appreciation for our fin-bearing co-voyagers, the bright strangers whose world we share.’ -- Carl Safina, author of Beyond Words‘Our fishy ancestors emerged from the watery depths around 400 million years ago, and this beautiful book connects us back to that time.’ -- David Gruber, Ideas.TED.com, “What Should you read this summer?”‘Based on the latest scientific research, What a Fish Knows offers an eye-opening tour of the social, mental, and emotional lives of fishes. Who knew fishes use tools, appreciate music, fall for the same optical illusions we do, and engage in both cooperative hunting and some very kinky sex? Jonathan Balcombe’s book is popular science writing at its best. It will spin your head around.’ -- Hal Herzog, author of Some We Love, Some We Hate, Some We Eat‘Balcombe...wants people to care about fish as individuals, to think of them much as we would a pet cat or dog...This might sound like a fool’s errand. To most people, it probably seems doubtful that a fish has any sort of inner life, much less a rich one. But Mr. Balcombe builds a persuasive argument...through a compendium of fascinating anecdotes and scientific findings that illustrate the complexity and creativity of fish behavior. Dozens of startling revelations emerge, including playful marine fish riding bubbles to the top of an aquarium, elephantfish “singing” courtship duets using electric pulses, and parasite-picking cleaner fish engaging in convoluted “economic” interactions with their “clients.”’ * Alan de Quieroz, Wall Street Journal *‘What a Fish Knows is a delightful and fascinating book that should be read by all who have dismissed fishes, especially the smaller denizens of the ocean, as utterly simple, primitive creatures. Jonathan Balcombe’s lively descriptions of fish behavior are backed by solid science. What Carl Safina’s Beyond Words did for elephants, wolves, and orcas, Balcombe’s book does for fishes. It is a terrific read.’ -- Wendy Benchley, ocean conservationist and co-founder of the Peter Benchley Ocean Awards‘Fishes are greatly misunderstood and grievously maligned. Now, in What a Fish Knows, Jonathan Balcombe uses the latest science to provide a comprehensive picture of just who fishes are. You will learn that fishes have distinct personalities, experience a wide range of emotions, form intricate social relationships, and are wonderful parents. Indeed, this forward-looking and long-overdue book is an integral part of reconnecting with the fascinating animals with whom we share our magnificent planet.’ -- Marc Bekoff, author of The Emotional Lives of Animals and Rewilding Our Hearts‘What a Fish Knows is the best book on fishes I have ever read. Brimming with engrossing anecdotes and humor, Jonathan Balcombe’s inspiring treatise takes the reader on a fascinating and deeply moving journey into the lives of fishes. Balcombe’s eloquent, persuasive, highly readable tour de force has a single, luminous message: Fishes deserve more respect, care, and protection.’ -- Chris Palmer, author of Shooting in the Wild and Confessions of a Wildlife Filmmaker

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Book SynopsisA snorkeller's identification guide to the most frequently encountered marine species of the Mediterranean. Presented in an informative yet readable way, includes numerous tips on how to make the most of your snorkelling.

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Book SynopsisThis accessible textbook provides an ideal point of entry into the field, providing basic information on the nature of soft-sediment ecosystems, examples of how and why we research them, the new questions these studies inspire, and the applications that ultimately benefit society.Table of ContentsPart I: The Environment 1: The sedimentary environment 2: Benthic animals and plants and what they do to sediments 3: Disturbance, patches, and mosaics Part II: Doing Research 4: Design and the philosophy of sampling 5: Data collection methods and statistical analyses Part III: Communities 6: Describing assemblages and biodiversity of sediment-living organisms 7: Biotic interactions 8: Temporal variations in benthic assemblages and processes Part IV: Functioning 9: EF Ecosystem function 10: BEF Biodiversity-ecosystem functioning Part V: Anthropocene 11: Human Impacts 12: Climate change and seafloor ecology 13: Restoration of soft-sediment habitats Glossary

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Book SynopsisTrade ReviewScales's genuine appreciation and awe for fish are contagious. She continually entices the reader by introducing exciting aspects of fish in each chapter. * Science *A delightful book that provides a welcome invitation to enter the amazing world of fish. * New Scientist *An engaging and informative bouillabaisse. * The Economist *A sprawling, ambitious underwater journey studded with fascinating tidbits. * New York Times Book Review *This aquarium of a book is an eloquent reminder of how remarkable [fish] are. * Natural History *Enthralling and thought-provoking * Countryman *Helen Scales invites us to dive below the waterline as she reveals the hidden but glorious lives of fish going about their rather fascinating business. * Coast *Eye of the Shoal is a book brimming with wonders. Shimmering colours, otherworldly abilities, and compelling dramas flood every page, as the masterful Helen Scales brings us eye-to-eye with the world of fishes – creatures who are at once thrillingly strange and startlingly ubiquitous. Whether you snorkel or scuba, whether you meet fish in a tank or on TV, this book is new portal to see our blue planet with new eyes, one that will make you love our world and its creatures all the more. -- Sy Montgomery, author of The Soul of an OctopusEye of the Shoal is like a beautiful glass bottomed boat that reveals this mysterious realm with joyful passion and perfect clarity. You couldn't have a more knowledgable guide on board than Helen. -- Dallas Campbell, science broadcaster and authorEye of the Shoal is an absorbing account of the least understood area of our planet. Helen brings the depths to life, not only with wondrous accounts from her extensive travels, but also by introducing us to some magnificently improbable characters (both human and piscine), and by astonishing us with mind-blowing facts on every page. -- James Harkin, QI's Head Elf and presenter on the award-winning podcast 'No Such Thing as a Fish'This fantastic and timely book will change your perspective on your pet goldfish, a fishmonger's window display, a darting flash of silver glimpsed from a boat and the colourful world of a coral reef. A must-read for anyone interested in life on Earth. -- Helen Czerski, physicist, oceanographer and author of Storm in a TeacupIf you already love fish wherever they swim, you'll be astonished by so many new discoveries in these pages. If you don't love fish – you surely will.' -- Carl Safina, author of The View From Lazy Point, and Beyond Words: What Animals Think and FeelTable of ContentsPrologue: The wandering ichthyologist Chapter 1: Ichthyo-curiosities Sedna the sea goddess Chapter 2: A view from the deep - introducing the fish How the flounder lost its smile Chapter 3: Outrageous acts of colour The salmon of knowledge Chapter 4: Illuminations O-namazu Chapter 5: Anatomy of a shoal Osiris and the elephantfish Chapter 6: Fish food Vatnagedda Chapter 7: Toxic fish Chipfalamfula Chapter 8: How fish used to be The Doctor of the sea Chapter 9: Fish symphonies The fish and the golden shoe Chapter 10: (Re)thinking fish Epilogue Appendix: Illustration species list Glossary Select bibliography and notes Acknowledgements Index

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Book SynopsisEverything the first time fish-keeper needs to know to set up a tank. Clear, easy-to-follow instructions help you create and develop your aquarium - whether it''s coldwater, tropical or marine. Charts and tables show how to deal with ailments and diseases, and there''s a guide to the most common fish. There are profiles of over 100 tropical, marine and coldwater fish, as well as plants and invertebrates.Table of ContentsIntroduction 6; 1 What type of aquarium do you want? 8; Coldwater, tropical or marine?; styles of aquarium; cost implications; the demands on your time; conservation and care; your duty; 2 Choosing and locating the tank 22; Aquarium size; aquarium designs; tank construction; aquarium furniture; positioning the aquarium; 3 Equipment 32; Filtration; aeration; heating; lighting; 4 Aquarium Decoration 50; Materials; plants; aquascaping; 5 Setting up your first aquarium 80; Safety issues; water preparation; tank set ups, step by step; tank maturation; 6 Water Quality 100; Water testing; the nitrogen cycle; new tank syndrome; 7 Choosing the fish 114; Fish adaptations; compatibility; buying fish; freshwater fish profiles; introducing fish; 8 Basic fish care 162; Feeding; cleaning regimes; equipment maintenance; problem solving; 9 Health Care 176; Fish anatomy; what makes a healthy fish; disease diagnosis; treating sick fish; quarantining; 10 Breeding 188; Fish reproduction; seperating fish; fry rearing; 11 Marine fish care 198; Marine basics; marine equipment; marine decor; salt mixing; tank set ups; livestock profiles; Index.

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Book SynopsisCombining the scientific discoveries with color imagery, this title takes readers on a voyage into the darkest realms of the ocean. It features more than two hundred color photographs of terrifying sea monsters, fossils, and ethereal bioluminescent creatures. It examines the biology of deep-sea organisms, and the history of deep-sea exploration.Trade Review"The Deep is not only the most stunningly beautiful book about the sea ever produced, but also a work of scientific substance, articulated by some of the best, most experienced deep-sea scientists of our time. Even for those of us who have been enchanted by the wondrous life of the deep sea through direct engagement, this book renews the spirit and makes it possible to share with others a vicarious glimpse of the wild ocean." - Sylvia Earle, National Geographic Society "Leafing through The Deep's many pages of awe-inspiring images reminded me of a similar experience I had when I was very young leafing through William Beebe's articles in National Geographic, which inspired me to become an undersea explorer. I know The Deep will have a similar effect on the next generation of explorers." - Robert Ballard, discoverer of the wreck of the Titanic"

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Book SynopsisAn eminent krill scientist takes us on a journey through the dark, icy world of krill.Krill. It’s a familiar word that conjures oceans, whales, and swimming crustaceans. Scientists say they are one of most abundant animals on the planet. But few can accurately describe krill or explain their ecological importance. Eminent krill scientist Stephen Nicol wants us to know more about these enigmatic creatures and how we can protect them as Antarctic ice melts. This engaging account takes us to the Southern Ocean to learn firsthand the difficulties and rewards of studying krill in their habitat. From his early education about the sex lives of krill in the Bay of Fundy to a krill tattoo gone awry, Nicol uses humor and personal stories to bring the biology and beauty of krill to life.

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Book SynopsisRSPB Spotlight Seals is packed with eye-catching, informative color photos and features succinct, detailed text written by a knowledgeable naturalist.Spotlight Seals explores the intricate lives of the UK''s native Grey and Common Seals and their amazing physical and behavioral adaptations to a life split between land and sea. Seals are the sleekest and most agile of all marine mammals, and they are superbly adapted to the watery world in which they spend most of their time. With their whiskery dog-like faces, curious nature and vulnerable pups, they are enduringly appealing animals. Although air-breathing, these marine mammals are superbly tuned to hunt, sleep, mate and keep warm while out at sea, but they remain inextricably linked to land where they moult and have their pups.Frances Dipper also delves into the complex physiology that allows seals to dive deep and for long periods without coming to any harm. Once ruthlessly exploited for their Table of ContentsMeet the Seals Seals Around the World Life on Land Life on Sea The Daily Routine Watching Seals Threats and Protection Seals in Our Lives Further Reading and Resources Acknowledgements Image Credits Index

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Book SynopsisThis practical pocket guide, published in association with the Wildlife Trusts, includes nearly 180 species that live in the area between land and sea called the intertidal, or littoral, zone. The seashore is home to plants and animals that are usually very different in form from their land-based relatives. This guide includes all the most common shells, molluscs, crustaceans, seaweeds, fishes, spiny creatures such as starfishes and sea urchins, mammals and many other species found on the seashore. Each species account includes accurate artworks and a concise written account that covers essential details such as size, general description, habitat, ecology, and distribution in Britain and the near Continent. The easy-to-follow layouts and illustrations aid quick and precise identification, making this book an indispensable reference in the field as well as at home. It is compact enough to fit in the pocket, yet packed with essential information for nature enthusiasts.Table of ContentsIntroduction Characteristics of Seashore Wildlife Zonation of Seashore Life Splash Zone Upper Shore Middle Shore Lower Shore Seashore Habitats Rocky Shores Rock Pools Shingle Beaches Sandy Shores Muddy Shores & Salt Marshes Seashore Wildlife Seaweeds Flowering Plants Lichens Sponges Jellyfishes Sea-anemones Bristle Worms Molluscs Crustaceans Insects Sea-spiders Echinoderms Birds Mammals

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Book SynopsisWhales, dolphins and porpoises are among the world''s most mysterious and beautiful animals, and there are many opportunities to see them in the seas around Europe. This comprehensive and authoritative guide covers everything you need to know about where, when and how to watch them. Packed with useful information and top tips to help you get the most out of your trip, it includes a thorough account of whale-watching opportunities in every European country where organised whale-watching takes place, as well as detailed accounts of every cetacean species found in Europe and a fascinating introduction to their world.Whether you want to watch Blue Whales in Iceland, Bottlenose Dolphins in Wales, Narwhal in Greenland or Sperm Whales in Greece, this comprehensive guide is the ideal companion.

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Book SynopsisA captivating exploration of how underwater animals tap into sound to survive, and a clarion call for humans to address the ways we invade these critical soundscapes?from an award-winning science writer?Sing Like Fish is that rare book that makes you see the world differently.??Mark Kurlansky, New York Times bestselling author of Salt and CodLONGLISTED FOR THE ANDREW CARNEGIE MEDAL FOR EXCELLENCE IN NONFICTIONFor centuries, humans ignored sound in the ?silent world? of the ocean, assuming that what we couldn?t perceive, didn?t exist. But we couldn?t have been more wrong. Marine scientists now have the technology to record and study the complex interplay of the myriad sounds in the sea. Finally, we can trace how sounds travel with the currents, bounce from the seafloor and surface, bend with the temperature and even saltiness; how sounds help marine life survive; and how human noise can transform entire marine ecosystems.In Sing Like Fish, award-winning science journalist Amorina Kingdon synthesizes historical discoveries with the latest scientific research in a clear and compelling portrait of this sonic undersea world. From plainfin midshipman fish, whose swim-bladder drumming is loud enough to keep houseboat-dwellers awake, to the syntax of whalesong; from the deafening crackle of snapping shrimp, to the seismic resonance of underwater earthquakes and volcanoes; sound plays a vital role in feeding, mating, parenting, navigating, and warning?even in animals that we never suspected of acoustic ability.Meanwhile, we jump in our motorboats and cruise ships, oblivious to the impact below us. Our lifestyle is fueled by oil in growling tankers and furnished by goods that travel in massive container ships. Our seas echo with human-made sound, but we are just learning of the repercussions of anthropogenic noise on the marine world?s delicate acoustic ecosystems?masking mating calls, chasing animals from their food, and even wounding creatures, from plankton to lobsters.With intimate and artful prose, Sing Like Fish tells a uniquely complete story of ocean animals? submerged sounds, envisions a quieter future, and offers a profound new understanding of the world below the surface.

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Book SynopsisSHORTLISTED FOR THE ROYAL SOCIETY SCIENCE BOOK PRIZE AN INTERNATIONAL BESTSELLER'Refreshingly clear'Sunday Times'A hugely enjoyable slice of popular science'Daily Mail__________ A journey from the farthest reaches of the globe to the most cutting-edge research to explore everything the natural world and science have to offer on the mystery of ageing.From the backwards-ageing jellyfish to the woman who successfully edited her own DNA, biologist Nicklas Brendborg follows the thread of every experiment, story and myth in search of immortality. With mind-bending discoveries and physiological gifts that feel closer to magic than reality, Jelly­fish Age Backwards will reshape everything you thought you knew about ageing - and reveal nature's secrets to unlocking your own longevity.Trade ReviewIn a field characterised by overclaiming and wishful thinking, it is judicious, sensible and refreshingly clear. And fascinating. * Sunday Times *Nicklas Brendborg takes us on a whistle-stop tour of the science of ageing... he navigates this bustling discipline with graceful clarity, dispelling common myths along the way. * New Scientist *A hugely enjoyable slice of popular science, full of memorable facts and sound advice. * Daily Mail *Some species are effectively immortal, others induce suspended animation, others age backwards. And all humans do is senesce, so that everything from our minds down to each cell becomes more fragile and less resilient. Nicklas Brendborg accessibly guides the non-scientist through the science of aging and what's known about making it slower and gentler (along with judiciously debunking the ample pseudo-science). All written with a fun, appealing voice, making for a surprisingly upbeat read. -- Dr Robert Sapolsky, bestselling author of BEHAVEThis book will make readers marvel at the possibilities held by scientific discovery, and most of all at nature * Nature Aging *I loved it. Bursting with insight and fabulous facts. The brain boost it gives you is enough to make you feel ten years younger on its own! -- Matt Warren, editor of The ConversationBrendborg explores what could be a complicated and heavy subject so intriguingly, funnily and in such an accessible manner, that the end result is something that even traditionally fiction readers would enjoy. * Publishing Post *Clear and fascinating * The Sunday Times, Best Summer Reads *A highly-entertaining journey through the science of longevity. Why we age, and what we can do about it, explained in a clear and captivating way. A wonderful book * Dr Kris Verbugh, Author of The Longevity Code *Aging can be delayed, prevented, and even reversed in several examples. Brendborg's book is storytelling that spans history and science, goes from nature to the laboratories, and discusses how we got here, what the future is and where we are going. Nicklas is young enough to grasp the details and connectivity yet mature enough to practice wisdom and manage expectations like a true geroscientist * Dr Nir Barzilai, author of Age Later *

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Book Synopsis 'The coolest book ever written about jellyfish' Animal Lovers'As exciting and entertaining as a non-fiction book can be' Greenpeace Magazine 'A book to marvel at that ignites the desire for science' MeinBezirk.at_____Dive beneath the waves with the second book in the Amazing Ocean series, which will introduce you to the strange and beautiful world of the jellyfish._____Did you know that there were jellyfish in the Earth's oceans hundreds of millions of years before the first dinosaurs? These strange and beautiful creatures are among the most ancient animals on our planet, and the deadliest too.In this amazing illustrated adventure, you'll be introduced to many of the mind-blowing varieties of these mysterious beings in our oceans, from immortal jellyfish to jellyfish with superpowers and even some astronaut jellyfish (yes, really). Are you ready to enter their mysterious undersea world? Then let's

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Book SynopsisAn eye-opening introduction to the complexity, wonder, and vital roles of coral reefs Trade Review“In this book, Sale takes the reader on a journey to make reefs real, building a sense of awe and wonder that they exist, and a commitment to caring about their plight.”—Reef in Review, the annual magazine of the Australian Coral Reef Society“Peter Sale takes readers on a dazzling tour of coral reefs, explaining the science, humanizing the scientists, and persuasively arguing why preservation of what remains is vital.”—Margaret Lowman, author of The Arbornaut“An inspiring and readable explanation of what reefs are, where they came from, how they’re put together, what goes on inside them, why they’re important and how to save them.”—Joan Roughgarden, author of Evolution’s Rainbow: Diversity, Gender and Sexuality in Nature and People“This is Peter Sale’s love song to the coral reef—that beautiful but imperiled ecosystem. Sale writes with passion and grace about reefs, reef creatures, and the scientists who study them.”—Stephen Heard, author of Charles Darwin’s Barnacle and David Bowie’s Spider“Peter Sale, an insightful scientist drawing on a lifetime of experience, offers original points of view that are compelling, persuasive, and occasionally paradoxical and a major contribution to our understanding of why coral reefs are so special.”—J. E. N. Veron, author of A Reef in Time: The Great Barrier Reef from Beginning to End

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Book SynopsisKing lays bare the background to Moby-Dick by moving through the voyage of the Pequod, exploring topics in marine biology, oceanography, and the science of navigation as Ishmael raises them in the novel.Trade Review"Tired of binge-watching those mind-numbing programs and movies? During this pandemic, we've been warned to exercise regularly and that includes our brain. With extra time for nonessential activities, it's an opportunity to read a few good books--especially venturing into unfamiliar territory. . . . This book is excellent. Even if you haven't read Melville's classic of sea literature, you will be amazed at his command of the environmental world that is its setting. . . . What King says will entertain, inform, amuse and sadden you."--JoAnne Fuerst "The Ellsworth American" (1/17/2020 12:00:00 AM) "A unique take on Melville...The book is unquestionably well researched: King blends library research with personal experience and draws on interviews with contemporary 'oceanic' professionals, including maritime-historian colleagues, ocean scientists, and sailors. He also provides scores of photographs and other pertinent illustrations. Anyone interested in Melville will find this rich and insightful study fascinating--but those readers curious enough to see Moby-Dick as an oceanographic encyclopedia will benefit most."--J. W. Miller, Gonzaga University "Choice" (1/17/2020 12:00:00 AM) "An exquisitely detailed and gorgeously written book that reminds us of the wonder of Melville's novel and of the natural world in which it takes place. Fascinating accounts and descriptions of whales, swordfish, sharks, giant squid, ambergris, etc., and of the sea itself: then and now. And informed by a writer who has spent years at sea, is now a professor of maritime literature and history at the Sea Education Association in Woods Hole, Massachusetts. King gives an original, loving rereading of Melville's novel. He is himself a master storyteller whose handsomely illustrated book is deeply informed and full of delightful surprises."--Jay Neugeboren "Ploughshares" (1/17/2020 12:00:00 AM) "King gives us natural history done Melville-style, looking over a ship's rail, and this ingenious focus neatly weds field science and literary history, yielding a study that is fresh, provocative, and welcome."--William Howarth "American Scholar" "Ultimately, answering these questions involves poetry more than science. Melville has combined the rational, objective, Darwinian perspective with the emotional, poetic, Emersonian perspective, pushing the reader to see nature as both dangerous and damaged. Here is King's main point: that Melville's novel can now be read as an introduction to environmental issues of the twenty-first century."--John P. Loonam "Washington Independent Review of Books" "King uses modern sources and historical texts to take a fresh look at Melville's book--published in the same decade as Charles Darwin's On the Origin of Species--with the well-defined brief of assessing its natural history content. The result is a lighthearted and incredibly enjoyable read that manages somehow, at the right moments, to be both broad and narrow in scope. It should be required reading for anyone attempting Moby-Dick. . . . No captive of the library, King is an experienced seaman and an open-minded and intrepid guide. A visiting associate professor of maritime literature and history at the Sea Education Association in Woods Hole, Massachusetts, he is willing to pull on his old Sou'wester and sail into the watery part of the world. . . . King writes ably and in scholarly detail about albatrosses, ambergris, baleen, barnacles, seals, sharks, sperm whale behavior and language, swordfish, typhoons, and all sorts of marine and cetological marginalia. . . . [A] talented and clear-eyed . . . writer."--Christopher J. Kemp "Science" "I'm an easy mark for books like Ahab's Rolling Sea: A Natural History of 'Moby-Dick, ' which I've read a perhaps unhealthy number of times, in light of Annie Dillard's opinion that Melville's baggy masterpiece is the 'best book ever written about nature.' Focusing on nineteenth century oceanography, natural history, and, of course, the whalers' understanding of his prey's remarkable intelligence, King's book is a fascinating and rare thing: a vital addition to Melville studies."--Stephen Sparks "LitHub, 12 Books You Should Read This October" "A treasure trove. King situates Melville as a person of his time, writing amid a quickening pace of discoveries about the natural world but, pre-On the Origin of Species, inclined to couch them as further disclosures of God's design."--Stephen Phillips "Spectator" "A rather schematic structure--Ahab's Rolling Sea could be used as a reference book, a zoological concordance to Moby-Dick--is combined with a genuinely gripping retelling of the tale."--Brian Morton "Times Literary Supplement" (1/17/2020 12:00:00 AM) "Ahab's Rolling Sea highlights our destructiveness as it teases fact from fiction in Moby-Dick, the obsessive hunt for a great white whale. . . . Rigorous. . . . Original."--Chris Simms "New Scientist" "This is a superb work of popular scholarship that rivals the best books of maritime nonfiction currently in print. For any teacher, reader, or aficionado of Melville's magnum opus the present work will be a joy to read; for anyone curious about the current state of the marine environment, this book will be eye-opening."--Dan Brayton, Middlebury College, author of "Shakespeare's Ocean: An Ecocritical Exploration" "TA NEA (Greece)" (1/17/2020 12:00:00 AM) "This examination of Moby-Dick as nature writing could be a sneaky way to get the English majors on your shopping list to read about science."--John P. Loonam "American Scientist" (12/11/2019 12:00:00 AM) "King, a visiting associate professor of maritime literature and history (what a fascinating title this is!), runs after the Leviathan of literary semantics in the most imaginative way: testing what Melville and people of his era knew about their natural environment, maritime ecosystems, birds, cetaceans, and whales before he published Moby-Dick in 1851. . . . King does his best not to be another Ahab seeing his 'White Whale' escaping. And he actually makes it: from the detailed research of the marine fauna to the possible influences of Emerson, Thoreau, Darwin, Bowditch on Melville. This is the retelling of Moby-Dick from an imaginative point of view: from the Pequod towards the cosmos surrounding us in the era of new environmentalism."--Dimitris Doulgeridis "TA NEA (Greece)" (1/17/2020 12:00:00 AM) "King reflects on what we have learned and lost from the oceans since Melville's time. He answers questions many readers surely ponder. . . . Naturally, the book is full of spoilers. Read Moby-Dick, read this, then read Moby-Dick again."--John P. Loonam "BBC Wildlife" (12/11/2019 12:00:00 AM) "King decisively settles any lingering questions about Moby-Dick, nineteenth-century whales and whaling, and all lore and literature of the sea. More than establishing a factual basis for Ishmael's fiction-making, King writes passionately on climate change, economic pressures on sea creatures, and the future Melville confronts in his marvelous encounter with the 'wonder-world' of whaling. King's deep knowledge grounds lively storytelling, keen observations drawn from years of sailing, and an eye for details that will make Melville's book come alive. But even if you haven't read Moby-Dick, you will revel in this storehouse of fascinating tales and arcana, from Ambergris to Zeuglodon. A treasure for library, classroom, or bedside table."--Wyn Kelley, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, author of Melville's City: Literary and Urban Form in Nineteenth-Century New York and Herman Melville: An Introduction "TA NEA (Greece)" (1/17/2020 12:00:00 AM) "It took me decades to appreciate that Melville's messy, uncontainable, surging Moby-Dick is perhaps the greatest book ever written about the sea, and about the human relationship with the living world, and perhaps the only book sufficiently un-jaded by mercantilism and modernity to be worthy of the actual ocean itself in all its raw, uncontrollable, surging majesty. But if you don't want to wait decades for Melville's magnificence to be revealed, you can cheat and read King's book. Ahab's Rolling Sea is a marvelous guide to the magic and mystery that was Melville's gift to us, for King reveals the deep, deep backstory of the making of Moby-Dick, the vast pots of experience and information that Melville simmered down, and even the missing ingredients of his age, that made Moby-Dick the richest bouillabaisse in all of literature. Oh, and about Melville's missing ingredients--they're here, in King's terrific book."--Carl Safina, author of Song for the Blue Ocean: Encounters Along the World's Coasts and Beneath the Seas and Becoming Wild: How Animal Cultures Raise Families, Create Beauty, and Achieve Peace "TA NEA (Greece)" (1/17/2020 12:00:00 AM) "Herman Melville's sprawling masterpiece Moby-Dick is a fictional feat studded with empirical evidence, reveals maritime historian King in this invigorating study. King traces references to ethology, meteorology, marine microbiota and the oceans to Melville's sailing experience in the Pacific and wranglings with the works of scientists William Scoresby, Louis Agassiz and others. Moby-Dick, King boldly avers, is a 'proto-Darwinian fable'--and its beleaguered narrator, Ishmael, an early environmentalist."--John P. Loonam "Nature" "Anyone who loves Moby-Dick should read this book."--Nathaniel Philbrick, author of the National Book Award-winning In the Heart of the Sea: The Tragedy of the Whaleship Essex and Why Read 'Moby-Dick'? "TA NEA (Greece)" (1/17/2020 12:00:00 AM) "Ahab's Rolling Sea is a wide-ranging, highly personal, richly eclectic, and extremely well-researched book whose style and humor, combined with its rigor, suggest the potential for popularity even beyond the fascinations of this self-confessed whalehead. Who could not warm to a chapter titled 'Gulls, Sea-Ravens, and Albatrosses' or 'Sword-Fish and Lively Grounds, ' or be intrigued by 'Phosphorescence'? There's a Melvillean romance here, and it sits especially well with King's love and empathy for human as well as natural history. A contemporary, witty, almost postmodern field guide."--Philip Hoare, author of RISINGTIDEFALLINGSTAR, The Sea Inside, The Whale, and Leviathan "TA NEA (Greece)" (1/17/2020 12:00:00 AM) "Depending on who you are, reading Moby-Dick, first published in 1851, could be a sleep-inducing slog or a stellar sea yarn of man versus whale. But the book has (sea) legs, and since its release has proved to be one of the most enduring books of American fiction. Its literary merits have been discussed and debated, but King, a professor of maritime literature and history, examines the book as a work of nature writing . . . He does extensive reporting, delving into everything from the rigging of whaleships to the diet of sperm whales."--J. W. Miller, Gonzaga University "Hakai Magazine" (1/17/2020 12:00:00 AM) "Are you? a Moby-Dickhead? If so, are you enough of a Moby-Dickhead to have visited the Phallological Museum in Iceland to inspect a sperm whale's penis? This is one of the many intrepid expeditions undertaken by King in the course of researching Ahab's Rolling Sea. His book, like Moby-Dick itself, tells you everything you ever wanted to know about whales but were too ashamed to ask. The fact that the sperm whale's penis, or 'grandissimus', is four and a half feet long is just one of its juicier details. . . . It turns out that, with due allowance for the state of knowledge in the 1850s, Melville got a surprising amount right about whales: their size, their bone structure, their mass, even their emotional lives. . . . Anyone who isn't completely turned off by sea creatures will enjoy surfing the waves of information that roll genially from this book. Ahab's Rolling Sea also has a big thesis. King argues that Moby-Dick offers a 'proto-Darwinian decentring of the human and the elevation of the whale.' . . . It would be hard to fault either the motives or the facts underlying King's ecological zeal."--JoAnne Fuerst "London Review of Books" (1/17/2020 12:00:00 AM) "Simply breathtaking, in that it takes one's breath away and refills the lungs with a gust of salty sea breeze...Ahab's Rolling Sea collects accounts from literary criticism, theory, climate activism, and natural history for a deep dive into one of the most popular maritime novels around--Herman Melville's Moby-Dick...The relatability and readability of Ahab's Rolling Sea, at a time when the sea has much receded from daily life, is a testament to King's pedagogical, sailorly, and descriptive mastery. King invites us to stand aloft with him and Ishmael, and look out toward the wonderful, ever-rolling sea. Maybe, if we look close enough, we will even get to see a whale."--Alison Maas "H-Environment" (1/17/2020 12:00:00 AM)

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Book SynopsisShallow Seas are the most biologically rich and productive areas of the world ocean. This latest New Naturalist volume provides a natural history of this environment and its biological communities.Trade ReviewPraise for Peter Hayward’s previous volume on Seashore: ‘Scientifically accurate throughout, and there are plenty of interesting insights’ British Wildlife Praise for the New Naturalist series: ‘A glory of British publishing’ The Sunday Times ‘Taken either individually or as a whole, they are one of the proudest achievements of modern publishing’ The Sunday Times ‘The series is an amazing achievement’ The Times Literary Supplement ‘The books are glorious to own’ Independent

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Book SynopsisTrade Review"...beautifully laid out, solidly bound, with crisp print and vibrant (mostly) high-resolution images. My recommendation is to purchase this book even if you already own the third edition, as redundancies are outweighed by new material;..." --Bulletin of the Entomological Society of Canada, Thorp and Covich's Freshwater Invertebrates, Volume 1, Fourth Edition "...a comprehensive revision and expansion of the previous edition...I recommend it as valuable reading for everyone who needs to develop a more detailed world-wide understanding of freshwater invertebrates." --European Journal of EntomologyTable of Contents1. Introduction to Invertebrates of Inland Waters 2. Overview of Inland Water Habitats 3. Collection and Culturing Techniques 4. Functional Relationships of Freshwater Invertebrates 5. Ecology of Invasive Alien Invertebrates 6. Economic Aspects of Freshwater Invertebrates 7. Free-Living Protozoa 8. Phylum Porifera 9. Phylum Cnidaria 10. Phylum Platyhelminthes 11. Phylum Nemertea 12. Phylum Gastrotricha 13. Phylum Rotifera 14. Phylum Nematoda 15. Phylum Nematomorpha 16. Phyla Ectoprocta and Entoprocta (Bryozoans) 17. Phylum Tardigrada 18. Introduction to Mollusca and the Class Gastropoda 19. Class Bivalvia 20. Introduction to Annelida and the Class Polychaeta 21. Class Clitellata: Oligochaeta 22. Class Clitellata: Branchiobdellida 23. Class Clitellata: Hirudinida and Acanthobdellida 24. Introduction to the Phylum Arthropoda 25. Subphylum Chelicerata, Class Arachnida 26. Subphylum Myriapoda, Class Diplopoda 27. Introduction to “Crustacea” 28. Class Branchiopoda 29. Class Maxillopoda 30. Class Ostracoda 31. Class Malacostraca, Superorders Peracarida and Syncarida 32. Class Malacostraca, Order Decapoda 33. Hexapoda – Introduction to Insects and Collembola 34. Order Ephemeroptera 35. Order Odonata 36. Order Plecoptera 37. Order Hemiptera 38. Order Trichoptera 39. Order Coleoptera 40. Order Diptera 41. Minor Insect Orders

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Book SynopsisTrade Review"In this exquisite, data-rich volume, the lack of evolu\tionary context is the outstanding omission. The summaries of osteological-soft tissue correlates make this book a prime source of information for paleocetologists." --Ameghiniana "...an excellent guide to dolphin anatomy, with a foray into general physiology and function…an outstanding resource for anyone interested in cetacean biology."--Journal of the American Veterinary Medical AssociationTable of Contents1. Natural history and relationships of dolphins: short history of dolphin anatomical research 2. General appearance and hydrodynamics (including skin anatomy) 3. Locomotion (including osteology and myology) 4. Diving (breathing, respiration and circulatory system) 5. Head and senses (including nervous system, and communication mechanisms) 6. Inner body control 7. Feeding and digestive system 8. Genital systems, reproduction and development 9. Urinary system and water balance 10. Neurobiology and evolution of dolphins

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Book SynopsisTable of ContentsAbundance Estimation; Aerial Behavior; Age Estimation; Aggressive Behavior; Albinism; Amazon River Dolphin; Ambergris; Antarctic Fur Seal; Antarctic Marine Mammals; Archaeocetes, Archaic; Arctic Marine Mammals; Atlantic Spotted Dolphin; Atlantic White-sided Dolphin; Australian Sea Lion; Australian Snubfin Dolphin; Baculum; Baiji; Baikal Seal; Balance; Baleen; Baleen Whales (Mysticeti); Baleen Whales, Evolution; Barnacles; Basilosaurids and Kekenodontids; Beaked Whales, Overview; Bearded Seal; Behavior, Overview; Beluga Whale; Berardius Beaked Whales; Biogeography; Biotelemetry; Blubber; Blue Whale; Bones and Teeth, Histology of Bottlenose Dolphin, Tursiops aduncus, Indo-Pacific bottlenose dolphin; Bottlenose Dolphin, Tursiops truncatus. Common bottlenose dolphin; Bottlenose Whales; Bowhead Whale; Bow-riding; Brain; Breathing; Bryde's Whale; Burmeister's Porpoise; Bycatch; California, Galapagos and Japanese Sea Lions; Callosities; Cape and Australian Fur Seals; Captivity; Caspian Seal; Cephalorhynchus Dolphins; Cetacea, Evolution; Cetacean Ecology; Cetacean Life History; Cetartiodactyla; Circulatory System; Climate Change; Clymene Dolphin; Coloration; Common Dolphin; Communication; Conservation; Crabeater Seal; Culture and Social Learning; Cuvier's Beaked Whale; Dall's Porpoise; Delphinids, Overview; Dental Morphology; Desmostylia; Dialects; Diet; Distribution; Diving Behavior; Diving Physiology; Dolphins, Porpoises, and Monodontids, Evolution; Dugong; Dusky Dolphin; Eared Seals (Otariidae); Earless Seals (Phocidae); Echolocation; Ecology; Elephant Seals; Embryology; Endangered Species and Populations; Endocrine Systems; Energetics; Entanglement of Whales in Fishing Gear; Epimeletic Behavior; Ethics; Evolutionary Patterns; Extinctions, Specific; False Killer Whale; Feeding Morphology; Feeding Strategy and Tactics; Filter Feeding; Fin Whale; Finless Porpoise; Fisheries Interactions; Folklore and Legends; Forelimb Anatomy; Franciscana; Fraser's Dolphin; Gastrointestinal Tract; Genetics and Genomics; Genetics, Forensics; Genetics, Management; Geographic Variation; Gray Seal; Gray Whale; Group Behavior; Guadalupe, Galapagos, and Juan Fernandez Fur Seals; Habitat Pressure; Hair and Fur; Hindlimb Anatomy; Harbor Porpoise; Harbor Seal; Harp Seal; Health; Hearing; History of Marine Mammal Research; Hooded Seal; Hourglass Dolphin; Humpback Dolphins; Humpback Whale; Hunting; Hybridism; Identification Methods; Indo-Pacific Beaked Whale; Intelligence; International Whaling Commission; Inuit and Marine Mammals; Irrawaddy Dolphin; Killer Whale; Krill and other Plankton; Language Learning and Cognitive Skills; Leopard Seal; Locomotion, Terrestrial; Management and Conservation; Manatees; Marine Parks, Zoos, and Aquariums; Marine Protected Areas; Mark-Recapture; Mass Mortalities; Mating Systems; Melon-headed Whale; Mesoplodon Beaked Whales; Migration and Movement Patterns; Mimicry; Minke Whales; Molecular Ecology; Monk Seals; Musculature; Museums and Collections; Narwhal; Neoceti; New Zealand Fur Seal; New Zealand Sea Lion; Noise; Northern Fur Seal; Ocean Environments; Odobenocetops; Omura's Whale; Osmoregulation; Otters; Pacific White-sided Dolphin; Pantropical Spotted Dolphin; Parasites; Parental Behavior; Pathology; Peale's Dolphin; Pilot Whales; Pinniped Ecology; Pinnipedia, Evolution; Pinniped Life History; Pinniped Physiology; Pinnipeds; Playful Behavior; Polar Bear; Pollution; Popular Culture and Literature; Population Dynamics; Porpoises, Overview; Predation on Marine Mammals; Predator-Prey Relationships; Prey Consumption; Pygmy and Dwarf Sperm Whales; Pygmy Killer Whale; Pygmy Right Whale; Remoras; Reproductive Anatomy; Reproductive Behavior; Reproductive Physiology; Ribbon Seal; Right Whale Dolphins; Right Whales; Ringed Seal; Risso's Dolphin; River Dolphins; River Dolphins, Evolution; Ross Seal; Rough-toothed Dolphin; Scrimshaw; Sealing; Sei Whale; Sensory Biology; Sexual Dimorphism; Shepherd's Beaked Whale; Signature Whistles; Sirenian Life History; Sirenian Evolution; Skeleton; Skull; Sociobiology; Song; Sound; Sound Paths; South American Fur Seal; South American Sea Lion; Species & Subspecies; Spectacled Porpoise; Sperm and Beaked Whales, Evolution; Sperm Whale; Spinner Dolphin; Spotted Seal; Steller Sea Lion; Steller's Sea Cow; Stock Identity and Assessment; Strandings; Streamlining; Striped Dolphin; Subantarctic Fur Seal; Surveys; Sustainability; Susu and Bhulan; Swimming; Systematics; Territorial Behavior; Thermoregulation; Thorax and Abdomen, Anatomy; Tool Use; Toothed Whales (Odontoceti); Tourism; Training; Tucuxi and Guiana Dolphins; Tuna-Dolphin Issue; Vaquita; Vision; Walrus; Weddell Seal; Whale Lice; Whaling, Illegal and Pirate; Whaling, Japanese; Whaling, Modern; Whaling, Traditional; Whiskers; White-beaked Dolphin

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Book SynopsisSince the release of the documentary Blackfish in 2013, millions around the world have focused on the plight of the orca, the most profitable and controversial display animal in history. Yet, until now, no historical account has explained how we came to care about killer whales in the first place. Drawing on interviews, official records, private archives, and his own family history, Jason M. Colby tells the exhilarating and often heartbreaking story of how people came to love the ocean''s greatest predator. Historically reviled as dangerous pests, killer whales were dying by the hundreds, even thousands, by the 1950s--the victims of whalers, fishermen, and even the US military. In the Pacific Northwest, fishermen shot them, scientists harpooned them, and the Canadian government mounted a machine gun to eliminate them. But that all changed in 1965, when Seattle entrepreneur Ted Griffin became the first person to swim and perform with a captive killer whale. The show proved wildly popular, and he began capturing and selling others, including Sea World''s first Shamu.Over the following decade, live display transformed views of Orcinus orca. The public embraced killer whales as charismatic and friendly, while scientists enjoyed their first access to live orcas. In the Pacific Northwest, these captive encounters reshaped regional values and helped drive environmental activism, including Greenpeace''s anti-whaling campaigns. Yet even as Northwesterners taught the world to love whales, they came to oppose their captivity and to fight for the freedom of a marine predator that had become a regional icon. This is the definitive history of how the feared and despised killer became the beloved orca--and what that has meant for our relationship with the ocean and its creatures.Trade ReviewDetailed, determinedly even-handed and often fascinating. * Lucy Atkins, Times Literary Supplement *Jason Colby's Orca...left me with feelings of gratitude for his hard work, admiration and envy for his skills as a historian and storyteller, and also some new hopes about the possibilities of writing about animals and history.....The characters, human and cetacean, are drawn with extraordinary empathy and care, and their experiences, hopes, and worries, as told by Colby, are powerful....The photographs, of which there are more than forty, are both exceptional and thoughtfully curated. * Nigel Rothfels, Humanimalia *Timely ... Over forty oral history interviews, added to substantial archival and secondary research, allow Colby to weave a history that highlights the agency and complexities of orca capture and captivity ... This engaging book should garner a wide audience of academics and orca enthusiasts. The clear narrative and interesting stories moreover make it suitable for undergraduate courses in both Pacific Northwest history and environmental history * Jen Corrinne Brown, American Historical Review *Colby is an easy and engaging writer... He utilizes extensive interviews he conducted with many of the most colorful and important people involved in the story: those who captured whales, the promoters, fishermen, scientists, and the citizens and politicians who became involved in the fight to halt the capture. * Carmel Finley, Journal of American History *This is an affecting book, personal and political all at once, and written by a scholar who has worked hard to recover and relay painful tales of the wild orcas that encountered humans and the humans that did the encountering. Nearly all those meetings began in panic and pain, most of it the whales', though some of it that of the men who came to believe they were doing the wrong thing wresting these breathtaking animals from their world, to deliver them to our own, which has been changed by the resulting episodes of captivity and captivation. * D. Graham Burnett, author of The Sounding of the Whale *This fascinating history reveals what happens when humans became captivated by captive orcas. Colby poignantly locates the very origins of conservation in the tense, tender, and tragic relationships between humans and cetaceans. This finely textured social history of the Pacific Northwest opens up the story of how 'killer whales', once cast as deadly pests * became popular attractions and emotional, intelligent 'orcas'.Daniel Bender, author of The Animal Game: Searching for Wildness at the American Zoo *With Orca, Jason Colby takes readers on a riveting journey. In a matter of decades, the Pacific Northwest's killer whales traveled from despised vermin to regional sweethearts. Their emotional passage revealed the true wildcard of wildlife management: navigating the swirling opinions of human populations. A timely book, Orca brings history to bear on a fraught relationship between two apex predators. Colby traces the rise in human affection for the whales but also the emergence of a cruel realization as audiences cheered captives' performances in aquariums across the globe. Love and fandom could kill and maim as efficiently as fear and contempt. In the end, it's unclear whether orcas benefited from the connection they forged with people. * Jon Coleman, author of Vicious: Wolves and Men in America *Killer whales, or orcas, the apex marine predators, were once widely feared as dangerous vermin and were shot on sight. Yet over the past fifty years, a sea change in attitudes towards this remarkable animal took place, and today the species is a revered and cherished global icon of the wild marine environment. In this compelling book, Jason Colby chronicles this transition in our relationship with the killer whale and tells an enthralling story complete with drama and excitement. It is sure to be an important addition to the libraries of natural historians and whale enthusiasts alike. * John Ford, Pacific Biological Station, Fisheries and Oceans Canada *Colby shines a light on how little we understand of these magnificent creatures. His book gives a glimpse into a mysterious yet strangely familiar world, brought to life in a story that's tragic, heartbreaking, and finally hopeful. * Foreword Reviews (starred review) *A good choice for serious fans of Pacific Northwest and marine history. * Kirkus *A revealing look at how the human view of orcas has changed... Colby persuasively contends that, despite legitimate concerns popularized by the 2013 documentary Blackfish, about the effects of captivity on orcas, the animals avoided extinction because their presence in accessible public venues enabled people to relate to them... Colby has produced an originally argued and accessibly jargon-free consideration of a hot-button animal conservation issue. * Publishers Weekly *Killer whales, also known as orcas, are idolized, loved, and even revered. Such sentiments, however, have not always been held toward this species, as historian Jason Colby reveals in his new book, Orca... Colby does an excellent job of framing these events within the larger environmental movement of the time, as well as placing them within the context of the nationalism that was spreading on both sides of the U.S.-Canadian border at the time." * Robin W. Baird, Science *[Told] with the depth and passion the topic deserves. * Lynda V. Mapes, Seattle Times *Immersive and dramatic... Colby demonstrates the speed at which societal attitudes can also shift the baseline of our expectations. In this age of extinction, with ongoing changes in ocean chemistry and physics, it is the potential for a sea change in public attitude that presents hope. * Sascha Hooker, Nature *An exceptional book and a significant contribution to the conservation of killer whales, Orca brings together a wealth of information and tells the stories of the captive whales and the people who pursued, cared for, and studied them - and ultimately fought for their freedom... It instantly takes its place as one of the best books ever written about the interactions between killer whales and settler society on the coastlines of B.C. and Washington State. It should be read by every whale enthusiast, naturalist, fishing guide, graduate student, researcher, marine resource manager, and politician on the Pacific coast. * Anna Hall, Ormsby Review *It is a story not just of the orca business, but also of the evolution of Americans' relationship to the oceans and marine life-the growth of marine parks parallels the shift from an extractive approach to the ocean, as mainly a source of fish, to a recreational one. It intersects, too, with the birth of the modern environmental movement in the 1960s and 70s. * Rachel Riederer, New Republic *[Colby] has produced an exhaustive, nuanced, essential account of the captures, unearthing a forgotten bit of Northwest history. * Nancy Macdonald, Literary Review of Canada *A riveting behind-the-scenes 'tell all,' told from the perspectives of the individuals that witnessed this important period in our history. This book is a historical account of how an industry formed, nearly destroying the very commodity on which it depended, coupled with an infusion of science that helped us to better understand killer whale life history. Colby retells a tragic yet sobering story of the good and dark sides of the delicate relationship between humans and other sentient beings. * Eric L. Walters, Journal of Mammalogy *An exhaustively researched and well-written account. * Paul Brown, Resurgence & Ecologist *An engaging but in-depth history...Orca is an exciting new offering at the intersection between histories of the display of live cetaceans, which generally focus on the environmental movement and its pushback against keeping captive dolphins and orcas, and histories of the modern commercial whaling industry, which generally focus purely on the harvesting of larger whales….The book is both an intensely local history of the Pacific Northwest in the late twentieth century and also a more global history of human relationships with large predators and animals in captivity.….Colby provides an exhaustive account of changing perceptions of killer whales and how this related to the development of the environmental movement into which they were embedded, all over the span of just a couple of decades. * Jakobina Arch, Environmental History *Table of ContentsIntroduction 1. "The Most Terrible Jaws Afloat" 2. The Old Northwest 3. Griffin's Quest 4. Murray Newman and Moby Doll 5. Namu's Journey 6. A Boy and His Whale 7. Fishing for Orcas 8. Skana and the Hippie 9. The Scores at Pender Harbor 10. Supply and Demand 11. The White Whale 12. Penn Cove Roundup 13. Whaling in the New Northwest 14. Big Government and Big Business 15. The Legend of Mike Bigg 16. "All hell broke loose" 17. New Frontiers 18. Haida's Song 19. The Legacy of Capture Epilogue Acknowledgements Notes Bibliography Index

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Book SynopsisWith its clear and conversational writing style, comprehensive coverage, and sophisticated presentation, Marine Biology is regarded by many as the most authoritative marine biology text.

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Book SynopsisThis book presents an interpretative ecological history of the Indian subcontinent. Using a general theory of ecological history, the authors provide a fresh interpretation of India's history, including an ecological account of the caste system and a sociological analysis of resource use. The Second Edition comes with a new Preface by the authors.Table of ContentsPREFACE TO THE SECOND EDITION; ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS; PROLOGUE: PRUDENCE AND PROFLIGACY; PART ONE: A THEORY OF ECOLOGICAL HISTORY; 1. HABITATS IN HUMAN HISTORY; PART TWO: TOWARDS A CULTURAL ECOLOGY OF PRE-MODERN INDIA; 2. FOREST AND FIRE; 3. CASTE AND CONSERVATION; PART THREE: ECOLOGICAL CHANGE AND SOCIAL CONFLICT IN MODERN INDIA; 4. CONQUEST AND CONTROL; 5. THE FIGHT FOR THE FOREST; 6. BIOMASS FOR BUSINESS; 7. COMPETING CLAIMS ON THE COMMONS; 8. CULTURES IN CONFLICT; BIBLIOGRAPHY; INDEX

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Book SynopsisMangroves and seagrasses form extensive and highly productive ecosystems that are both biologically diverse and economically valuable. This book, now in its third edition and fully updated throughout, continues to provide a current and comprehensive introduction to all aspects of the biology and ecology of mangroves and seagrasses. Using a global range of examples and case studies, it describes the unique adaptations of these plants to their exacting environments; the rich and diverse communities of organisms that depend on mangrove forests and seagrass meadows (including tree-climbing shrimps, synchronously flashing fireflies, and ''gardening'' seacows); the links between mangrove, seagrass, and other habitats; and the evolution, biodiversity, and biogeography of mangroves and seagrasses. The economic value of mangroves and seagrasses is also discussed, including approaches to rational management of these vital resources and techniques for the restoration of degraded habitats. A finalTrade ReviewThis book would seem most appropriate for upper-level undergraduate orgraduate courses. For graduate students or faculty working with mangrove or seagrasses, this is a perfect one-stop source on the "big picture" regarding these systems. * Craig Layman, Quarterly Review of Biology *Review from previous edition The book is a well-written, introductory text covering a wide range of topics ... and is the first book that can be realistically used as an undergraduate textbook on the subject. * Journal of Experimental Marine Biology and Ecology *Hogarth has produced an impressive book on the mangrove ecosystem...I strongly recommend it as an introductory text for naturalists, students, and professional biologists embarking on studies in mangrove environments. * Limnology and Oceanography Bulletin *Table of Contents1. Mangroves and seagrasses ; 2. Mangroves and their environment ; 3. Seagrasses and their environment ; 4. Community structure and dynamics ; 5. The mangrove community: terrestrial components ; 6. The mangrove community: marine components ; 7. Seagrass communities ; 8. Measuring and modelling ; 9. Comparisons and connections ; 10. Biodiversity and biogeography ; 11. Impacts ; 12. Global climate change

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