Clinton J. Dawes

Marine Botany

The most respected reference in the field—and a fascinating tour of the world's largest underwater greenhouse . . . MARINE BOTANY Second Edition Unmatched in detail and breadth, this Second Edition of Marine Botany explores the startling diversity and environmental dynamics of the hundreds of micro- and macroalgae, seagrasses, mangroves, and salt marshes as well as phytoplankton (minute, free-floating photosynthetic plants) and benthic communities (attached plants) that comprise the flourishing botanical garden submerged in and around the surface of our vast oceans. Reflecting the latest in research since the original 1981 edition, long considered the classic reference on marine plant life, this new edition's enhanced ecological perspective details the ongoing environmental challenges endured by these fragile life-forms. Viewing the structure and function of marine plant communities in the context of abiotic (light, temperature, water movement, nutrients), biotic (photosynthesis, carbon fixation, competition, predation, symbiosis), and anthropogenic influences, the book moves layer by layer through the ocean, capturing their photosynthetic and adaptive mechanisms. Pollution in the form of oil spills, heavy and radioactive metals, biological damage wrought from harvesting and aquaculture, and the harmful effects of ozone depletion and UV-B rays are detailed, along with the impact of environmental factors on morphological and anatomical adaptations. The book also describes the anthropogenic stresses endured by salt marshes, mangals, seagrass communities, and marine plants of coral reefs, concluding with possible management and restorative techniques. Marine Botany, Second Edition is both a vivid global map and comprehensive guide to all of the flourishing forms of plant life at our oceans' surface, shores, and depths and the dynamics of their survival.