Marine Biology
Series in Marine Biology
Books in Marine Biology
Deep: Freediving, Renegade Science, and What the Ocean Tells Us about Ourselves
An Amazon Best Book of 2014 While on assignment in Greece, journalist James Nestor witnessed something that confounded him: a man diving 300 feet below the ocean’s surface on a single breath of air and returning four minutes later, unharmed and smiling. This man was a freediver, and his amphibious abilities inspired Nestor to seek out the secrets of this little-known discipline. In Deep, Nestor embeds with a gang of extreme athletes and renegade researchers who are transforming not only our knowledge of the planet and its creatures, but also our understanding of the human body and mind. Along the way, he takes us from the surface to the Atlantic’s greatest depths, some 28,000 feet below sea level. He finds whales that communicate with other whales hundreds of miles away, sharks that swim in unerringly straight lines through pitch-black waters, and seals who dive to depths below 2,400 feet for up to eighty minutes—deeper and longer than scientists ever thought possible. As strange as these phenomena are, they are reflections of our own species’ remarkable, and often hidden, potential—including echolocation, directional sense, and the profound physiological changes we undergo when underwater. Most illuminating of all, Nestor unlocks his own freediving skills as he communes with the pioneers who are expanding our definition of what is possible in the natural world, and in ourselves.
Marine Biology
The oceans are our planet's most distinctive and imposing natural habitat. They cover 71 per cent of its surface; support a remarkably diverse and exquisitely adapted array of life forms, from microscopic viruses, bacteria, and plankton to the largest existing animals; and possess many of Earth's most significant, intriguing, and inaccessible ecosystems. In an era in which humans are significantly altering the global environment, the oceans are undergoing rapid and profound changes. The study of marine biology is thus taking on added importance and urgency as people struggle to understand and manage these changes to protect our marine ecosystems. Healthy oceans produce half of the oxygen we breathe; stabilize our climate; create ecosystems that protect our coasts from storms; provide us with abundant food; and host diverse organisms that provide us with natural products for medicine and biotechnology. In this Very Short Introduction, marine biologist Philip Mladenov provides an accessible and up-to-date overview of marine biology, offering a tour of marine life and marine processes that ranges from the unimaginably abundant microscopic organisms that drive the oceans' food web to the apex predators that we exploit for food; from polar ocean ecosystems to tropical coral reefs; and from the luxurious kelp beds of the coastal ocean to deep-ocean hydrothermal vents where life exists without the energy of the sun. Throughout the book he considers the human impacts on marine life including overfishing, plastic and nutrient pollution, the spread of exotic species, and ocean warming and acidification. He discusses the threats these pose to our welfare, and the actions required to put us on a path to a more sustainable relationship with our oceans so that they can be restored and protected for future generations. Mladenov concludes with a new chapter offering an inspiring vision for the future of our oceans in 2050 that can be realised if we are wise enough to accelerate actions already underway and be bold with implementing new approaches. The next decade will decide the state of the oceans that we leave behind for future generations. ABOUT THE SERIES: The Very Short Introductions series from Oxford University Press contains hundreds of titles in almost every subject area. These pocket-sized books are the perfect way to get ahead in a new subject quickly. Our expert authors combine facts, analysis, perspective, new ideas, and enthusiasm to make interesting and challenging topics highly readable.
Monsters & Marine Mysteries
"Made me think twice about my next snorkeling trip!" -HorrorFan "If you have been waiting for the proverbial once-in-a-lifetime, under one cover collection of sea monster narratives, look no further than this recent entry." -Charles J. Kader, VINE VOICE Have you ever considered that sea monsters and other creatures may be part of your reality? Find out now in Monsters & Marine Mysteries. Written by bestselling author Max Hawthorne, this thrilling book has never-before-seen evidence based on scientific investigations, as well as interviews with eyewitnesses who had harrowing encounters with REAL sea monsters – and survived! Is the Kraken real, and how big is it? Did a monster squid really cripple a US destroyer back in 1978? (SPOILER: YES!) What is taking giant bites out of whales? Are you ready to bust the legends and get the facts? You are in luck - this guide gives you that opportunity. Inside Monsters & Marine mysteries you will find: • research on mysterious land cryptids like Sasquatch as well as deep-sea life • more about sharks – is Megalodon alive or is something even nastier out there? • compelling images backed by scientific evidence • interviews with eyewitnesses and much more Whether you are curious if Bigfoot is a myth or looking to know more about vampires - this book will take you on an exciting journey. There is something for everyone and so much to explore. From this book, you will discover the secrets of deep-sea life and many other beings living next to us - it is fascinating. Follow Kronos Rising series author and investigator Max Hawthorne as he explores the most mysterious places on earth, and decide for yourself - what is real and what is fiction? You will have all the facts. Just keep an open mind and proceed with caution - this book is no joke. The truth is always near, and you need to know where to look - before your next snorkeling trip. Let this guide be your compass. If you're fans of dinosaur books for adults like Michael Crichton's Jurassic Park and Lost World, must read adventure books like Greig Beck's To the Center of the Earth series, amazing action stories a la Steve Alten's Meg franchise, or legendary cryptid investigators like Lyle Blackburn and Linda S. Godfrey, you're going to fall in love with Max Hawthorne's Monsters & Marine Mysteries . Grab your copy, before it grabs you!"