Elements of Marine Ecology

The widening interest in marine biology has led to the establishment of an increasing number of school and undergraduate courses in the subject. There are many books on various aspects of marine biology which students can read with advantage, but few that are suitable as introductory reading at the commencement of studies. This book has been compiled primarily as an aid for zoology students at the start of a special course on marine biology. The text is an introduction to the author's annual course for undergraduates. The aim has been a concise presentation of information and ideas over the general field of marine ecology, with guidance on the selection of more advanced reading. The sources of further information given at the end of each chapter have been chosen as far as possible from books and journals to which students should have reasonably easy access. These lists provide a selection of additional reading which starts at an elementary level and be­ comes more advanced as the course proceeds. Students entering the author's course are usually in their third under­ graduate year, and a general knowledge of the phyla is therefore assumed.

Contenu

1 The Oceans.- Extent and Depth.- Ocean Currents.- Ecological Aspects of the Marine Environment.- Elementary Classification of the Marine Environment.- 2 Marine Plankton.- Definitions.- Marine Phytoplankton.- Marine Zooplankton.- 3 Measuring and Sampling.- I Oceanographic Data.- II Biological Sampling.- III Underwater Observations.- 4 Some Parameters of the Environment.- Temperature.- Composition of Sea-water.- Specific Gravity and Pressure.- Illumination.- Currents.- 5 Organic Production in the Sea.- The Organic Food Cycle.- Measurements of Organic Production.- Some Factors Regulating Production.- Ocean Seasons.- Some Mathematical Models.- Geographical Differences of Fertility.- 6 The Sea Bottom.- The Substrate.- Benthic Populations.- 7 The Sea-Shore.- Tides.- Waves.- The Evolution of Coastlines.- Some Problems of Shore Life.- Food Sources.- Zonation.- Fitting the Shore Environment.- Rocky Shores.- Sandy Shores.- Estuaries.- 8 Sea Fisheries.- Fishing methods.- The Biology of some Food Fishes.- The Overfishing Problem.- Fishery Research.- The Regulation of Fisheries.- Increasing the Production of Food from the Sea.- 9 Energy Relationships of Marine Production.- Primary Production.- The Grazing Chain.- The Detritus Chain.- The Energy Balance Sheet.- Conclusion.- Appendix 1 Suggested Topics for Further Study and Class Discussion or Written Work.- Appendix 2 Summary of Laboratory Exercises.- Appendix 3 Synopsis of a Field Course.- Abundance Scale for Intertidal Organisms.- Appendix 4 Supplementary Readings.- Appendix 5 Metric Units of Measurement and their Conversion.