Overview

This text presents scientific evidence produced by ocean scientists on the current state of ocean ecosystems, globally. Covering over 70 per cent of the earth's surface, the ocean is the world's largest common property resource, jointly owned by over six billion humans. It is the foundation for life on earth as we know it. The content ranges from the movement of essential nutrients in the sea to the loss of diversity as a consequence of overharvesting practices and habitat loss. Essential to the maintenance of complex ecosystems is the proper functioning of biogeochemical cycles within the oceans. This book addresses this topic by detailing behaviour of the essential nutrients, nitrogen and phosphorus, and discussing how these cycles are being altered so as to compromise the function of ocean ecosystems. Issues regarding how man-made activities are further altering the structure of oceanic systems are also discussed. In addition, the mechanism for and consequences of the loss of biodiversity are described, with issues such as overfishing, the invasion of exotic species, and the loss of ocean habitat being presented in such a way that the average reader can readily grasp the concepts. Rather than end on a negative note, the final chapters provide recommendations and directions for solutions as to how to reverse these human-induced trends.

Full Product Details

Author:   Leah Bendell-Young ,  Patricia Gallaugher
Publisher:   Kluwer Academic Publishers
Imprint:   Kluwer Academic Publishers
Edition:   2001 ed.
Dimensions:   Width: 15.50cm , Height: 1.70cm , Length: 23.50cm
Weight:   1.250kg
ISBN:  

9780792375043

ISBN 10:   0792375041
Pages:   248
Publication Date:   30 November 2001
Audience:   College/higher education ,  Professional and scholarly ,  Undergraduate ,  Postgraduate, Research & Scholarly
Format:   Hardback
Publisher's Status:   Active
Availability:   In Print  
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Table of Contents

I — Biodiversity.- 1: Biological Invasions of Marine Ecosystems: Patterns, Effects, and Managemen.- 2: Known and Unknown Biodiversity, Risk of Extinction and Conservation Strategy in The Sea.- 3: Deep-Sea Fisheries: Perspectives and Lessons.- 4: Fishing Down Marine Food Webs: An Update.- 5: Ecological Implications of the Shellfishery; A Case Study on the West Coast of British Columbia, Canada.- II — Marine Ecosystem Function.- 6: The Oceanic Nitrogen Cycle: A Double-Edged Agent of Environmental Change?.- 7: Beyond Algal Blooms, Oxygen Deficits and Fish Kills: Chronic, Long-Term Impacts of Nutrient Pollution on Aquatic Ecosystems.- 8: Responses of Pelagic Marine Ecosystems to Climate Change — Can We Predict Them?.- 9: The Arctic Ocean and Contaminants: Pathways that Lead to Us.- 10: Shouldn’t We Be Putting Our Sulphide-Rich Mine Tailings in the Ocean or in Lakes Rather than on Land?.- III — Towards Solutions.- 11: The Cumulative Effects of Climate Warming and Other Human Stresses on Canadian Freshwaters in the New Millennium.- 12: Marine Biological Diversity: Conserving Life in the Neglected Ninety-nine Percent.- 13: Human Ecology, Material Consumption, and the Sea: Indices of Human Ecological Dysfunction.- 14: Prevention is Better Than Cure: Systems of ‘No-Take’ Marine Reserves.

Reviews

'I would certainly recommend that this book be put on the reading list for any ecological or environmental degree course.' Biological Conservation, 107 (2002) `Waters in Peril is nevertheless a very useful, well-written and up-to-date review of the global status of our oceans and their conservation. This is a valuable addition to undergraduate or postgraduate courses on marine conservation, biodiversity and pollution. ...highly recommend this book to the libraries of universities and marine research institutes.' Hydrobiologia, 493 (2003)

'I would certainly recommend that this book be put on the reading list for any ecological or environmental degree course.' Biological Conservation, 107 (2002) Waters in Peril is nevertheless a very useful, well-written and up-to-date review of the global status of our oceans and their conservation. This is a valuable addition to undergraduate or postgraduate courses on marine conservation, biodiversity and pollution. ...highly recommend this book to the libraries of universities and marine research institutes.' Hydrobiologia, 493 (2003)

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