Product Description

There is no up-to-date book on estuarine biology, and nothing at all that deals with marine soft shores as well as estuarine ones. This latest addition to the Biology of Habitats series corrects this omission and will complement The biology of rocky shores, by the same author. This book focuses on marine and estuarine soft sediments as complex and essential habitats for an astonishing variety of animals and plants whose lifestyles are intimately bound up with sediment structure. It discusses sediments as habitats first, then takes in turn the ecosystems found on sandy shores, mudflats and seagrass beds, salt marshes and mangrove swamps, and life below the tidemarks. Adaptations of the organisms are fully described, and each chapter ends with a section on techniques. Later chapters discuss estuarine and lagoonal habitats, both of which contain primarily soft sediments, but add further complicating characteristics to those found in the sea. A discussion of estuarine food webs emphasizes the ways in which organisms interact. The book ends with a discussion of the ways in which marine and estuarine soft sediments have been abused by man, and some of the opportunities that have been taken to counteract these abuses.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #453920 in Books
• Published on: 2000-03-30
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Paperback
• 264 pages

Review
...refreshing...richly illustrated...very useful for teachers and students at secondary schools as well as at universities, but also for everybody involved in marine science to get a wider scope on the subject. (G. Van der Velde Crustaceana )

About the Author
Dr Colin Little is a series editor of the Biology of Habitats series and author of the first volume in the series, The biology of rocky shores

Customer Reviews

Such a help during a marine degree
A great book to get to know the biology and ecology of estuaries and soft shores. It was such a great help during my final year at university. Covers areas from hydrological explanations, possible organisms encountered through to human impacts. Gives numerous examples worldwide with reference list and brief glossary. For such a compact book it has a good insight into the workings of the marine environment. A must book for future marine ecologists and biologists.