Cold-Water Corals and Ecosystems (Erlangen Earth Conference Series) [Hardcover]

André Freiwald (Editor), J. Murray Roberts (Editor)

Book Description

ISBN-10: 3540241361 | ISBN-13: 978-3540241362 | Publication Date: May 20, 2005 | Edition: 1

Following the exciting exploration of hot vent and cold seep ecosystems, the rediscovery of cold-water coral ecosystems with high-technology instrumentation is currently another hot topic in multidisciplinary marine research. Conventionally, coral reefs are regarded as restricted to warm and well-illuminated tropical seas, not associated with cold and dark waters of higher latitudes. However, ongoing scientific missions have shed light on the global significance of this overlooked ecosystem. Cold-water coral ecosystems are involved in the formation of large seabed structures such as reefs and giant carbonate mounds, and they represent unexploited paleo-environmental archives of earth history. Like their tropical cousins, cold-water coral ecosystems harbour rich species diversity. Despite the great water depths, commercial interests overlap more and more with the coral occurrences. Human activities already impinge directly on cold-water coral reefs causing severe! damage to this vulnerable ecosystem. In this volume, the current key institutions involved in cold-water coral research have contributed 62 state-of-the-art articles from geology and oceanography to biology and conservation.

Editorial Reviews

Review

From the reviews of the first edition: "This thick volume results from the Second International Symposium on Deep-Sea Corals, held in Erlangen in September, 2003, and is a fine summary of our current state of knowledge. … presents a rich archive of data for these fascinating and important ecosystems. The collation of this volume was a substantial undertaking … is well edited, and produced to high standards with the inclusion of many colour photos … . the volume should certainly be placed on every reef enthusiast’s bookshelf." (Rachael Wood, Geological Magazine, Vol. 143, 2006)

Product Details

• Hardcover: 1243 pages
• Publisher: Springer; 1 edition (May 20, 2005)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 3540241361
• ISBN-13: 978-3540241362
• Product Dimensions: 9.2 x 6.5 x 2.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 5.4 pounds
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #3,589,112 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)