Widely regarded as the most captivating, accessible and comprehensive text for undergraduate marine biology courses, Marine Biology examines the subject from a unique global and evolutionary perspective. Written in clear, conversational style, this highly acclaimed volume emphasizes the principles and processes that underlie - and unify - vastly different marine communities.

Table of Contents

PART I: PRINCIPLES OF OCEANOGRAPHY AND MARINE BIOLOGY; 1. Sounding the Deep; 2. The Oceanic Environment; 3. Ecological and Evolutionary Principles of Marine Biology; PART II: MARINE ORGANISMS: FUNCTION AND ENVIRONMENT; 4. The Chemical and Physical Environment; 5. Life in a Fluid Medium; 6. Reproduction, Dispersal and Migration; PART III: ORGANISMS OF THE OPEN SEA; 7. The Water Column: Plankton; 8. The Water Column: Nekton and Other Marine Vertebrates; PART IV: PROCESSES IN THE OPEN SEA; 9. Critical Factors in Plankton Abundance; 10. Procutivity, Food Webs, and Global Climate Change; PART V: ORGANISMS OF THE SEABED; 11. The Diversity of Benthic Marine Invertebrates; 12. Seaweeds, Sea Grasses, and Benthic Microorganisms; 13. Benthic Life Habits; PART VI: COASTAL BENTHIC ENVIRONMENTS; 14. The Tidelands: Rocky Shores, Soft-Substratum Shores, Marshes, Mangroves, and Estuaries; 15. Sea Grass Beds, Rocky Reefs, Kelp Forests, and Coral Reefs; PART VII: FROM THE SHELF TO THE DEEP SEA; 16. From the Continental Shelf to the Deep Sea; 17. Biodiversity and Conservation of the Ocean; PART VIII: HUMAN IMPACT ON THE SEA; 18. Fisheries and Food from the Sea; 19. Environmental Impacts of Industrial Activities and Human Populations

Reviews

"Levinton's book is easy to follow yet challenging and is at a perfect level for undergraduate biology majors."--Jayson Smith, California State University, Fullerton

"Levinton's writing is accessible and engaging."--Erin Burge, Coastal Carolina University