We specialize in hard to find items
All Categories
*Price and Stocks may change without prior notice
*Packaging of actual item may differ from photo shown
- Electrical items MAY be 110 volts.
- 7 Day Return Policy
- All products are genuine and original
About World Atlas Of Coral Reefs
Product Description Coral reefs are one of the most biologically diverse habitats in the world, host to an extraordinary variety of marine plants and animals. They are also one of the world's most fragile and endangered ecosystems. The growth of mass tourism, combined with the boom in popularity of scuba diving, has brought these spectacular ecosystems to public attention across the planet. Coral reefs provide essential fish habitat, support endangered and threatened species, and harbor protected marine mammals and turtles. They are a significant source of food, provide income and employment through tourism and marine recreation, and offer countless other benefits to humans, including supplying compounds for pharmaceuticals. Yet coral reefs around the world are rapidly being degraded by a number of human activities, such as overfishing, coastal development, and the introduction of sewage, fertilizer, and sediment. World Atlas of Coral Reefs provides the first detailed and definitive account of the current state of our planet's coral reefs. With its wealth of authoritative and up-to-date information, the finest maps available, and detailed descriptive texts and images by leading experts, this full-color volume will be a critical resource for anyone interested in these vital environments. World Atlas of Coral Reefs contains eighty-four full-page newly researched and drawn color maps, together with more than two hundred color photos illustrating reefs, reef animals, and images taken from space by NASA astronauts during the 2000 and 2001 space shuttle flights. The authors provide a wealth of information on the geography, biodiversity, and human uses of coral reefs, as well as details about the threats to their existence. Prepared at the UNEPWorld Conservation Monitoring Centre in Cambridge, England--the United Nations office responsible for providing authoritative information on the condition of global biodiversity--the Atlas will be a critical tool for scientists, students, policymakers, and planners at local, national, and international levels alike. Publication of the World Atlas of Coral Reefs is supported by international institutions including the United Nations Environment Programme; The Marine Aquarium Council, The International Coral Reef Initiative; ICLARM--The World Fish Center; the Professional Association of Diving Instructors, and the Aventis Foundation. From School Library Journal Adult/High School-Unique in scope, this atlas provides cleanly rendered maps, colorful photos, and lots of solid information. Part one is devoted to background material on such topics as coral-reef evolution, species diversity, environmental concerns, and even reef mapping techniques. Content is detailed enough to satisfy adults with a scientific background, yet remains accessible to high school students. The section on types of coral reefs is accompanied by excellent illustrations. Photos liberally sprinkled throughout range from super-macroscopic space views to the microscopic. The bulk of the book looks at each global region. Maps show reefs and the areas surrounding them. Included are natural features such as forests and human constructs such as dive centers, settlements, and protected underwater sites. Instead of making dramatic, emotion-laden speeches for preservation, the book defends the value of this wondrous ecosystem rationally, providing plenty of factual backup and pointing out cases where sensible and sustainable management is possible. This atlas covers all bases, making it a great resource for students and teachers alike. Sheila Shoup, Fairfax County Public Library, VA Copyright 2002 Cahners Business Information, Inc. From Library Journal While coral reefs cover less than two percent of Earth's continental shelf area, they are the most biologically diverse marine habitats in the world. Prepared at the UN Environment Programme (UNEP)-World Conservation Monitoring Center, this reference best described as
