The Biology of Rocky Shores

by Little, Colin; Kitching, J. A.

• ISBN13: 9780198549352
• ISBN10: 0198549350
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 1996-07-11
• Publisher: Oxford University Press

Summary

This work offers an introduction to the biology of the unique organisms that inhabit rocky coastal ecosystems. Using examples from all over the world, the book serves as an ideal resource for instruction, either in the field or lecture hall. It describes the physical factors that affect organisms, the biology of the animals and plants that live on the shore, the factors that control them, and the communities they form. The authors provide examples of observations and experiments that can be conducted either in the lab, or on-site. They also address key problems of pollution and conservation in the context of their effects on biodiversity. The work will interest all students of marine biology, along with professional marine biologists and amateur naturalists.

Table of Contents

The shore environment - problems for organisms and their investigators

Vertical distributions - ' zonation' and its causes

Communities on the shore - the effects of wave exposure

Algae, the primary energy sources

Grazers and their influences

Suspension feeders - how to live on floating food

Predators and their influences

The functioning of rocky shores communities

Biodiversity, pollution, and conservation

Further reading

A brief classification of selected organisms

Some sites at which research quoted in the text has been carried out

Index

Table of Contents provided by Publisher. All Rights Reserved.