Marine Biology (eBook)

MARINE BIOLOGY

Marine Biology: Comparative Ecology of Planet Ocean provides a learning tool to those who love the ocean to help them understand and learn about the life that populates it, the extraordinary adaptations of marine organisms to their environment, and the spectacular variety of marine life forms that inhabit the many marine habitats and contribute to the life support system of Planet Ocean.

The book introduces marine biology by seeing the ocean through the eyes of its inhabitants, describing the properties of sea water, the surface waters and its currents, and the characteristics of the seabed according to how marine organisms perceive, exploit, and shape them. This book explains to the reader and those who love the ocean not only how to recognize the most common marine organisms and habitats, from the coast to great depths, but it also explains their complex life cycles and the environmental factors controlling their distribution, reproduction, and growth. Finally, the book evaluates the role that living biota play in how different marine ecosystems function in order to understand better their characteristics, peculiarities, and threats.

This book offers an up-to-date and comprehensive text on the study of marine biology, presenting insights into the methodologies scientists have adopted for the study of marine ecosystems. It also includes chapters about human impacts on marine biodiversity, from overfishing to climate change, from pollution (including microplastics), to alien-species invasions, from conservation of marine resources to the restoration of degraded marine habitats.

The authors developed this text for Bachelor and Master's level students taking classes on marine biology and marine ecology, but it will also interest high-school students and marine enthusiasts (dive masters, tour guides) who wish to deepen their knowledge of marine biology.

Roberto Danovaro is a Professor of Marine Ecology at the Polytechnic University of Marche, Italy. He is a Member of the EU Academy of Science and of the Academia Europaea (London). Editor in Chief of Marine Ecology (Wiley) and Chemistry & Ecology (T&F). Coordinator of several EU and international projects. Author of >500 scientific articles and 3 books, his research interests are focused on marine biodiversity and ecosystem functioning, and on the impact of climate change on deep-sea ecosystems. According to ExpertScape he has been the most influential World Scientist in the Category 'Ocean and Seas' for the decade 2010-2020.

Paul Snelgrove is a Professor of Ocean Sciences and Biology at Memorial University of Newfoundland in Canada. From 2008-2021 he led the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada (NSERC) Canadian Healthy Oceans Network, a national research network that supported sustainable oceans. He currently plays the role of Associate Scientific Director of The Ocean Frontier Institute, which gathers researchers in Atlantic Canada and beyond to advance safe and sustainable ocean objectives. He has published >150 papers and book chapters as well as one book. His research focuses on biodiversity, functioning, and conservation of seafloor ecosystems.

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MARINE BIOLOGY Marine Biology: Comparative Ecology of Planet Ocean provides a learning tool to those who love the ocean to help them understand and learn about the life that populates it, the extraordinary adaptations of marine organisms to their environment, and the spectacular variety of marine life forms that inhabit the many marine habitats and contribute to the life support system of Planet Ocean. The book introduces marine biology by seeing the ocean through the eyes of its inhabitants, describing the properties of sea water, the surface waters and its currents, and the characteristics of the seabed according to how marine organisms perceive, exploit, and shape them. This book explains to the reader and those who love the ocean not only how to recognize the most common marine organisms and habitats, from the coast to great depths, but it also explains their complex life cycles and the environmental factors controlling their distribution, reproduction, and growth. Finally, the book evaluates the role that living biota play in how different marine ecosystems function in order to understand better their characteristics, peculiarities, and threats. This book offers an up-to-date and comprehensive text on the study of marine biology, presenting insights into the methodologies scientists have adopted for the study of marine ecosystems. It also includes chapters about human impacts on marine biodiversity, from overfishing to climate change, from pollution (including microplastics), to alien-species invasions, from conservation of marine resources to the restoration of degraded marine habitats. The authors developed this text for Bachelor and Master s level students taking classes on marine biology and marine ecology, but it will also interest high-school students and marine enthusiasts (dive masters, tour guides) who wish to deepen their knowledge of marine biology.