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The marine world is an immense, three-dimensional living space inhabited by marine life that varies from the mundane to the bizarre. Its salty influence extends up river estuaries, over seashores and inland with brine-laden spray. The Marine World covers all those organisms that live in, on and around the ocean bringing together in a single text everything from the miniscule to the immense. With chapters on marine bacteria, plants, fungi and protozoa, as well as all the major groups of marine invertebrates, plus fish, reptiles, mammals and birds, it provides an insight into the existence and way of life of almost everything living in the ocean. Each animal or plant is found in its own particular place and The Marine World encompasses principal ocean habitats and ecosystems including open water, seashores, deep sea, coral reefs and many more. Written with clear, accessible text and illustrated throughout with photographs and detailed drawings, The Marine World provides in depth information to provide answers for each group on 'what?' 'where?' and 'how?', via sections on identification, distribution, structure, biology, classification and conservation.

The marine environment is a remarkable place ΓÇô otherworldly and a source of endless fascination. The rocky shore where land meets sea, its array of life ever-changing with the tides, offers us a chance to explore this hidden world.This book reveals the astonishing diversity of wildlife on rocky shores and in the rockpools around the coast of Britain and gives readers a greater under-standing of the myriad creatures that can be found using a bit of simple detective work.Rockpooling is an activity enjoyed by children and adults alike. This guide will make your exploration even more rewarding, whether you are enjoying a day out at the seaside or seeking to expand your knowledge of a unique habitat. ΓÇïΓÇïΓÇïΓÇïΓÇïΓÇïDetailed descriptions of around 400 common and rare rocky shore species Clear colour photographs of all the species describedTips and techniques describing how to find the more cryptic animalsIdeas for rockpool-related family activitiesInformation on threats to the intertidal environmentMeasures we can all take to safeguard the future of our rocky shore wildlife

Sea squirts and sponges are found in most seafloor habitats around the coasts of Britain and Ireland. Despite being the dominant life forms in many areas, these two groups of under-recorded marine animals are often confused with one another, and most divers and snorkellers can recognise and name very few species. In fact, around 500 species of Ascidiacea (sea squirts) and Porifera (sponges) have been described so far in British and Irish seas, corresponding to over 4% of the worldΓÇÖs total. This book is recommended reading for anyone who wants to identify and discover more about these fascinating and diverse animals. Rather than relying on the characteristics of preserved specimens, this guide uses marine photography and detailed underwater observations to concentrate on in situ features, allowing you to record species without collecting them. Most sea squirts found in Britain and IrelandΓÇÖs shallow waters are included, together with the most easily recognised sponges. Whether you are a student, a diver, a rockpooler or simply an enthusiast, this is an essential companion.ΓùÅ Over 115 species described in detail with in situ photographs to help with underwater recognitionΓùÅ Information on size, depth, habitat and distributionΓùÅ Key distinguishing features and areas of confusion in identification highlightedΓùÅ Details of body structure, life histories, digestive and reproductive processesΓùÅ Information about predators, interactions between species, non-native and problem invasive species

BritainΓÇÖs shallow seas are a mysterious domain. They remain largely unseen and unexplored except by marine scientists and divers, who have been documenting their wondrous discoveries over many years. Now, a wealth of information about what lives on and in the seabed has been brought together in one sumptuously illustrated volume.Keith Hiscock describes the incredible variety of marine life that exists around Great Britain, providing a foundation of knowledge for those interested in the natural history of the shallow seabed. He explains how findings are gathered and organised, as well as showing what is out there and how it works. Fascinating, beautiful and often fragile, the habitats and marine life described are essential to the health and productivity of our oceans. Without an adequate, shared understanding of what and where they are, how can we identify and protect them?Exploring BritainΓÇÖs Hidden World is the culmination of 50 years of research by the author to better understand where different subtidal seabed habitats occur and how their associated marine life has come to exist. That quest draws on a rich vein of knowledge obtained by many naturalists, scientists and divers who, for almost 200 years, have described seabed communities and sought to understand their structure and function.Using a minimum of technical terminology, Keith Hiscock combines his interests in marine biology, diving and photography to inform, inspire, and leave a vivid and lasting impression of the marine habitats and species around Britain. He hopes this book will provide new insights, much pleasure, and perhaps some surprises too.

We all know Cuckoos as the harbingers of spring - whose haunting calls proclaim the birds own name across fields and reedbeds. A bird much more often heard than actually seen, and often mistaken for a hawk or falcon when briefly glimpsed in flight. Cuckoos are also well known, perhaps even infamous, for their habit of laying their own eggs into the nests of much smaller species, such as reed warblers, who are then doomed to raise the enormous cuckoo chick rather than their own young, and whose eggs are ruthlessly thrown from the nest by the cuckoo hatchling. But how does this complex behaviour act out in nature, and how did it evolve? What are the cuckoo's special tricks and what counter-measures have the host birds developed to resist the depredations of cuckoos? In this book the authors delve into the stories behind what we see, and into the complex and ever evolving evolutionary arms race by which the nest parasite and its hosts constantly try to leapfrog each other into prime position. The natural history of the cuckoo-host struggle is illuminated with detailed explanations of the results of behavioural and ecological research to provide a comprehensive, but highly readable, account in which an insight into one puzzle constantly reveals a new question begging an answer. The whole story is brought vividly to life through the astonishing photographs of Oldo Mikulica, who has watched cuckoos and their various hosts from hides for almost four decades. The result is a unique and beautiful book which both informs and delights.

Seahorses are instantly recognisable and have been a part of our culture for millennia, yet we still know very little about these enigmatic creatures.Steve Trewhella and Julie Hatcher have spent hundreds of hours in British waters observing native seahorses, witnessing at first hand how they behave in the wild, and how they interact with the other plants and animals in their underwater realm.With stunning photography, In the Company of Seahorses paints a rich picture of a mysterious world amongst swaying seagrass and colourful seaweeds. The accompanying text is packed with personal anecdotes describing the authorsΓÇÖ journey of discovery, illustrating for the first time the secretive lives of these elusive animals in British waters.By sharing one coupleΓÇÖs passion for an entrancing ocean icon, this book aims to inspire, inform and create a better understanding of the seahorse and its often vulnerable habitats around the British coastline.

There are few marine creatures as spectacular as the Basking Shark. At up to 11 metres in length and seven tonnes in weight, this colossal, plankton-feeding fish is one of the largest in the world, second only to the whale shark. Historically, Basking Sharks were a familiar sight in the northern hemisphere ΓÇô off the coasts of Norway, Scotland, Ireland, Canada and the USA, for example. In an 18th Century world without electricity, they became the focus of active hunting for their huge livers containing large amounts of valuable oil, primarily used in lamps.Catch numbers were small enough to leave populations largely intact, but during the 20th Century a new breed of hunter joined the fray, some driven as much by a need for adventure as for financial gain. With improved equipment and experience, they exploited the shark on an industrial scale that drastically reduced numbers, leading to localised near-extinction in some areas.From the 1970ΓÇÖs onward a new generation took to the seas, this time with conservation in mind to identify where the shark might still be found in the waters around the British Isles, employing new technologies to solve long-standing mysteries about the behaviour of this elusive creature. Using the best of both old and new research techniques, the case was built to justify the species becoming one of the most protected sharks in the oceans.Today, the Basking Shark is a much-loved cornerstone of our natural heritage. There are positive signs that the population has stabilised and may even be slowly recovering from the damage of the past, proving that timely conservation measures can be effective. Join us on a journey amidst wild seas, places, people and conservation history in the battle to protect this iconic creature ΓÇô a true sea monsterΓÇÖs tale.

Immerse yourself in the beachcombing experience; the wind in your face, the smell of salt spray, the roar of the ocean; it's an assault on the senses, the perfect tonic. From time immemorial people have been drawn to the beach to collect practical resources as well as mysterious objects that have fuelled myth and folklore - it is our inherent hunter-gatherer instinct. The beach strandline is also a wildlife habitat, home to a unique community of plants and animals, many found nowhere else. They create a rich and ever-changing oasis of life in the otherwise harsh environment of the beach. Whether you are a seasoned beachcomber, a casual visitor or an enthusiastic naturalist, this book is for you. It will satisfy your curiosity about each treasure found cast up on the beach, be it a pretty seashell or an exotic ocean voyager. - Descriptions of common and rare beach finds, both natural and man-made- Clear photographs showing objects and species as found on the strandline and in their natural habitat- Suggestions for family activities related to beachcombing- A comprehensive account of the living flora and fauna of the beach strandline- Information on threats and conservation measures for the marine and coastal environment

The cool temperate waters around Britain and Ireland contain a huge variety of marine life and the sea anemones and corals, the Anthozoa, are some of the brightest and most attractive of all the groups of animals that live in them. Anemones and corals can be found from rockpools to the deepest depths and in all habitats from rocky reefs to soft mud.This is the second edition of this popular guide to all 74 of the sea anemones and corals found in British and Irish inshore waters. It will be an essential companion for divers, rockpoolers and students who want to identify the sea anemones and corals they find and know more about them.Information on identification of 74 species, including their key features and other species with which they could be confusedIllustrated with over 200 photographs taken in situ showing the animals as they look in real lifeHabitat, distribution, depth, size, rarity and conservation status for each species where knownInformation and photographs of other animals that prey on or live with sea anemones and coralsDetails of body structure, feeding and reproduction, illustrated with photographs and drawingsInformation about recent research on populations of sea anemones and corals carried out by Seasearch volunteer diversA summary of conservation issues for sea anemones and corals in Britain and Ireland

The cool temperate waters of the British and Irish seas contain an astonishing 6% of the worldΓÇÖs algal species, more than 600 different seaweeds, and yet most divers, snorkellers and rockpoolers can put names to only a handful of them.The first edition of Seaweeds of Britain and Ireland has proved invaluable to an enormous number of people, not just volunteer Seasearch divers and snorkellers, and this eagerly awaited second edition will no doubt prove to be equally as popular. The aim of this book is to introduce the reader to the wonderful marine environment around Britain and Ireland, and improve identification of the wealth of seaweeds so often overlooked.Features of the new edition include:ΓùÅ Over 230 species described in detail with colour photographs, information on size, habitat and distribution mapsΓùÅ Over 50 new species, many with information on how to identify to species level using microscopic featuresΓùÅ Key distinguishing features and areas of identity confusion highlightedΓùÅ Colour and form used to group species and aid identification using dichotomous keysΓùÅ Details of life histories and reproductive processes for the main seaweed groupsΓùÅ Both scientific and English names used for species and groupsΓùÅ A glossary of common and specialised terms