Encyclopedia of Tidepools and Rocky Shores (Encyclopedias of the Natural World): 1 - Hardcover

Mark W. Denny; Steven D. Gaines

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 0520251180 ISBN 13: 9780520251182

Publisher: University of California Press, 2007

Synopsis

Tidepools and rocky shores are among the most physically stressful environments on earth. When the tide is high, waves can sweep over plants and animals at velocities as high as 60 miles per hour, while at low tide, the same organisms dry up and bake in the sun. Yet despite this seeming inhospitality, tidepools and rocky shores are exceptionally complex and biologically diverse. This comprehensive encyclopedia is an authoritative, one-stop reference for everyone interested in the biology and ecology of this fascinating and uniquely accessible environment. Conveniently arranged alphabetically, nearly 200 wide-ranging entries written in clear language by scientists from around the world provide a state-of-the-art picture of tidepools and rocky shore science. From Abalones, Barnacles, and Climate Change through Seagrasses, Tides, and Wind, the articles discuss the animals and plants that live in tidepools, the physics and chemistry of the rocky shore environment, the ecological principles that govern tidepools, and many other interdisciplinary topics. It is generously illustrated with hundreds of color photographs, drawings, and diagrams. It is the only comprehensive volume available on tidepools and rocky shores. Articles include in-depth looks at animal and algal diversity and overviews of the history of research, rocky shore management, and conservation. Contributors are experts on physics and physical oceanography, experimental ecology, population genetics, taxonomy, and other disciplines.

About this title

About the Author

Mark W. Denny is John and Jean DeNault Professor of Marine Science in the Biological Studies Department at Stanford University. He is author of Air and Water: The Physics of Life's Media, Species Invasions: Insights into Ecology, Evolution, and Biogeogaphy, and Biology and the Mechanics of the Wave-Swept Environment. Steven D. Gaines is Director of the Marine Science Institute at the University of California, Santa Barbara and coedited Marine Community Ecology. Together, Denny and Gaines coauthored Chance in Biology: Using Probability to Explore Nature.

From the Inside Flap

This is the book I have been waiting for! Written by experts in each field, this encyclopedia provides a wealth of information not only about the tidepool and shore life but also the oceanography associated with these habitats. This will be a major reference guide for years to come.--Dr. Nigella Hillgarth, Executive Director, Birch Aquarium at Scripps, Scripps Institution of Oceanography

The Encyclopedia of Tidepools and Rocky Shores covers much more than one might guess. It ranges from oceanography, to physiology, biomechanics, and conservation science, along with the expected treatment of the diverse groups of organisms that live in those habitats. The coverage of each topic is kept short and comprehensible to almost everyone, from high schools to colleges, and certainly to the general public interested in learning more about this fascinating part of our natural world. Best of all, the editors have managed to get some of the best scientists in the world, the absolute experts in their fields, to write the articles. The relatively short length of each entry also makes this book an ideal source for assigned readings to accompany marine biology, ecology, or oceanography classes, laboratories and field trips. It will be much appreciated by teachers and students.--Ken Sebens, Director of the Friday Harbor Marine Laboratories, University of Washington

The place where vast oceans meet the land is wondrous, complex and fascinating. Visitors from research scientists to toddlers have explored these ecosystems--one of nature's most popular theme parks. Anyone who has spent time amongst the sea stars, crabs and kelp departs full of unanswered questions. Now these questions can be answered by dipping into the Encyclopedia of Tidepools and Rocky Shores. The editors and contributors to this reference have created a new standard that will be an immediate classic.--Leon Panetta, Director, The Leon & Sylvia Panetta Institute for Public Policy

This volume is a wonderful introduction to the hidden and fascinating world of rocky tidepools. Grab a copy and head out with your kids or students for an outdoor experience that's sure to get them hooked. From remarkable adaptations of marine algae to weird animal life histories, tidepools hold amazing stories to tell. They deserve our interest--and our care--as part of earth's natural systems that sustain us all.--Julie Packard, Executive Director, Monterey Bay Aquarium

Tide pool lovers the world around will satisfy their curiosity, uncover new gems of insight and renew their wonder of nature at lands' end in this authoritative, fascinating and insightful compilation. Revealed within are the secrets of rocky shores and tide pools--that most dynamic of interfaces between the land and the sea, that treasure chest of rich biodiversity and keen insight, that world where science, literature, beauty and stewardship combine to form the now that integrates the past and tempts the future.--Jane Lubchenco, Oregon State University

Edition details

• Publisher: University of California Press
• Publication date: 2007
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 0520251180
• ISBN 13: 9780520251182
• Binding: Hardcover
• Edition number: 1
• Number of pages: 712
• Editor: Mark W. Denny, Steve Gaines