Coral Reefs

Fülszöveg

The words 'coral reefs' conjure up a vision of warm turquoise waters alive with colourful fish lapping a sun-soaked shore flecked with the dancing shadows of tropical palms. Incredibly, the reality is even better than its press release. Coral reefs do abound with light and life on an almost unimaginable scale and rightly elicit the awe of all who experience them at first hand. As far as words and images can bridge the gap between reality and imagination, this book presents a window onto that fascinating world beneath the waves. And without even getting your feet wet!


J
CORAL REEFS
This book celebrates the stunning variety of life that abounds in the warm waters of the world's coral reefs. The first part of the book acts as a foundation course for the global journey that follows in Part Two. In Part One, we look at the form and function of coral polyps and show how
creatures so small can build reef structures so large. We then consider the complex communities of life forms... Tovább

Fülszöveg

The words 'coral reefs' conjure up a vision of warm turquoise waters alive with colourful fish lapping a sun-soaked shore flecked with the dancing shadows of tropical palms. Incredibly, the reality is even better than its press release. Coral reefs do abound with light and life on an almost unimaginable scale and rightly elicit the awe of all who experience them at first hand. As far as words and images can bridge the gap between reality and imagination, this book presents a window onto that fascinating world beneath the waves. And without even getting your feet wet!


J
CORAL REEFS
This book celebrates the stunning variety of life that abounds in the warm waters of the world's coral reefs. The first part of the book acts as a foundation course for the global journey that follows in Part Two. In Part One, we look at the form and function of coral polyps and show how
creatures so small can build reef structures so large. We then consider the complex communities of life forms that coral reefs sustain and assess the role that conservation measures play in safeguarding these communities for the future. Part One closes with a brief look at how to set up a reef aquarium. Part Two embarks on a journey of discovery to the Caribbean, the Maldives, the Red Sea, the coast of Kenya, the Great Barrier Reef and the Hawaiian Islands - a representative but by no means comprehensive selection of coral reef locations. In scope and presentation, this part of the book aims to fulfil the aspirations of at least four different types of readers: armchair travellers happy to live out their dreams of visiting exotic lands without moving from the comfort of their temperate firesides; active naturalists who are fascinated by the diversity of life that coral reefs present for firsthand study; divers, holidaymakers and sporting types who yearn to snorkel and SCUBA dive their way into another dimension; and aquarists who simply marvel at all manner of marine creatures and spend many hours of their leisure time lovingly nurturing a tiny fraction of the sea's bounty. The fabric of Part Two is woven from several
different but complementary strands of information. The main text establishes the geographical and biological context of each ' location and reviews the range of marine life it supports. A full-colour map shows the principal reefs and pinpoints present and proposed marine parks. A diving profile summarises the climatic and diving conditions the area offers, an aspect further echoed in dive location reports that reflect (often in personal terms) the experience of diving in some of the world's most exciting coral reef situations. The biological impetus of the text is enhanced by panels that focus on various groups of invertebrate life and explore the practical aspects of keeping different families of marine fish in the aquarium. Combined, these facets build into a vivid reflection of coral reef life around the world. Vissza