Oceanography and Marine Biology: An Annual Review

The 47th annual review of current research in oceanography and marine biology is intended for specialists in the field but should be read by all who realize that the oceans are an important indicator of changes in climate and ecology. Five of the six articles deal either with changes in the climate that are affecting the viability of sea life or unthinking human actions that have caused damage to the ocean's ecosystem. The first report is a comprehensive look at life in the North Atlantic, from zooplankton to sharks. The effects of global warming are significant and the unintentional important of an eel parasite may diminish the species, just for example. The migrations of zooplankton triggered by light are studied next. The authors suggest that further studies are needed to discover the interrelation of migration with ocean conditions. The next report is on cephalopods; squid show high levels of heavy metal and other toxins and are being over fished. In the next the fate of sea urchins and sea cucumbers is considered. They are also being over collected, used in medical research and destroyed inadvertently by industry. The life cycles of Adriatic sardines and anchovies are examined in another article that emphasizes the need for more international research on these fish. The final article reviews techniques for underwater stereo-image measurement, something that will be utilized in many future studies. Annotation c2009 Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com)