Overview
Return to the Sea portrays the life and evolutionary times of marine mammals—from giant whales and sea cows that originated 55 million years ago to the deep-diving elephant seals and clam-eating walruses of modern times. This fascinating account of the origin of various marine-mammal lineages—some extinct, others extant but threatened—is for the nonspecialist. Against a backdrop of geologic time and changing climates and geography, this volume takes evolution as its unifying principle to help us to understand today’s diversity of marine mammals and their responses to environmental challenges. Annalisa Berta explains current controversies and explores patterns of change now taking place, such as shifting food webs and predator-prey relationships, habitat degradation, global warming, and the effects of humans on marine-mammal communities.
Full Product Details
Author: Annalisa Berta ,
James L. Sumich ,
Carl Buell
Publisher: University of California Press
Imprint: University of California Press
Dimensions:
Width: 15.20cm
, Height: 1.50cm
, Length: 22.90cm
Weight: 0.544kg
ISBN: 9780520270572
ISBN 10: 0520270576
Pages: 224
Publication Date: 25 April 2012
Audience:
Professional and scholarly
,
Professional & Vocational
Format: Hardback
Publisher's Status: Active
Availability: Out of stock
The supplier is temporarily out of stock of this item. It will be ordered for you on backorder and shipped when it becomes available.
Reviews
A good introduction to marine mammal evolution. -- The Guardian
Engaging... Stimulating... A compelling story of the history and biology of marine mammals that will delight while it informs readers. --Bioscience A good introduction to marine mammal evolution. --The Guardian
Engaging... Stimulating... A compelling story of the history and biology of marine mammals that will delight while it informs readers. --Bioscience A good introduction to marine mammal evolution. --The Guardian Superb... Enjoyable and accessible, scientifically accurate, and based in a wide and updated range of literature. --Marine Mammal Science
Engaging... Stimulating... A compelling story of the history and biology of marine mammals that will delight while it informs readers. --Bioscience A good introduction to marine mammal evolution. --The Guardian Rarely does one have the opportunity to read a book that is written in an enjoyable and accessible way, scientifically accurate, and based in a wide and updated range of literature. --Marine Mammal Science
Engaging... Stimulating... A compelling story of the history and biology of marine mammals that will delight while it informs readers. -- Alexander J. Werth Bioscience 20121101 A good introduction to marine mammal evolution. -- Ian Paulsen The Guardian 20120501 Rarely does one have the opportunity to read a book that is written in an enjoyable and accessible way, scientifically accurate, and based in a wide and updated range of literature. -- Carolina Loch, University of Otago, New Zealand Marine Mammal Science 20130227
Author Information
Annalisa Berta is Professor in the Department of Biology at San Diego State University. She has served as the President of the Society of Vertebrate Paleontology, and Associate Editor of the scientific journal Marine Mammal Science.
