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Books > Science & Mathematics > Biology, life sciences > Hydrobiology
In recent years it has become increasingly clear that chemical
interactions play a fundamental role in aquatic habitats and have
far-reaching evolutionary and ecological consequences. A plethora
of studies have shown that aquatic organisms from most taxa and
functional groups respond to minute concentrations of chemical
substances released by other organisms. However, our knowledge of
this "chemical network" is still negligible. Chemical interactions
can be divided into two larger sub-areas based on the function of
the chemical substance. First, there are interactions where
chemical substances are toxic to other organisms and are used as a
defence against consumers (including both herbivores and predators)
or a weapon against competitors (allelopathy). Second, chemical
substances may be used as a source for information of the
environment; for example: how can I find the optimal habitat, the
best food, the nicest partner, and avoid being eaten? Aquatic
organisms are able to detect and respond to extremely low
concentrations of chemical cues to answer all these questions. The
book aims at connecting these intriguing chemical interactions with
traditional knowledge of organism interactions. Chemical Ecology of
Aquatic Systems covers a wide range of studies, both plant and
animal, from different geographic regions and habitats - pelagic as
well as benthic. Most of the chemical interactions are similar in
freshwater and marine habitats and this book therefore strives at
integrating work on both systems.
Dive deep into the world of sharks, the most fascinating and
misunderstood marine animals on the planet, in this stunning new
edition of The Shark Handbook, written by Shark Week expert, Dr.
Greg Skomal. Did you know that a whale shark's spots are as unique
as a fingerprint? Or that sharks can go into a trance when flipped
upside down? Or that the Megallodon's mouth was 6 feet across? With
The Shark Handbook, jump into brand new facts about these fierce
sea creatures! Explore all of the orders of sharks, such as: -
Ground sharks - Great white sharks - Mackerel sharks - Carpet
sharks - and more! Learn about over 400 profiles of every shark in
existence, from the first sharks living about 445 million years ago
to the ones lurking in the ocean deep today. Starring spectacular,
full-color photography that makes these jaw-dropping sharks come to
life, this is the perfect gift for the shark enthusiast in your
life. Dr. Greg Skomal, PhD is an experienced aquarist and Marine
Fisheries Biologist at Martha's Vineyard Fisheries, Division of
Marine Fisheries, Massachusetts. He's been keeping saltwater
aquariums since childhood and has shared his extensive knowledge
with viewers of National Geographic, the Discovery Channel, NBC's
Today, and other media.
Being essential to the survival of civilisations, rivers run
through mythology - think of ancient Egypt - and religion - think
of the Ganges and Hinduism. And they continue to inspire writers
and artists - think of Mark Twain's Mississippi and John
Steinbeck's Salinas. From the Ganges rising in the Himalayas to the
Nile Delta, from the Amazon rainforest to the Bow River flowing out
of the Rocky Mountains, from the Rhine to the Rhone, Yangtze to the
Mekong, Danube to the Volga to the Ebro, Rivers explores the
grandest and most interesting rivers around the world. Arranged by
continent, the book reveals the fascinating stories of how rivers
have supported and shaped civilisations, the significance that
rivers have gained in religion and myth, the battles that have been
fought over them, the borders that they have marked, and how rivers
have altered their courses, thus changing lives and livelihoods.
Illustrated with more than 200 spectacular colour photographs
supported by expert captions, Rivers is a fascinating journey from
the mountains to the sea.
BBC R4 Book of the Week 'Brilliant' Guardian 'Fascinating and often
delightful' The Times What if intelligent life on Earth evolved not
once, but twice? The octopus is the closest we will come to meeting
an intelligent alien. What can we learn from the encounter? In
Other Minds, Peter Godfrey-Smith, a distinguished philosopher of
science and a skilled scuba diver, tells a bold new story of how
nature became aware of itself - a story that largely occurs in the
ocean, where animals first appeared. Tracking the mind's fitful
development from unruly clumps of seaborne cells to the first
evolved nervous systems in ancient relatives of jellyfish, he
explores the incredible evolutionary journey of the cephalopods,
which began as inconspicuous molluscs who would later abandon their
shells to rise above the ocean floor, searching for prey and
acquiring the greater intelligence needed to do so - a journey
completely independent from the route that mammals and birds would
later take. But what kind of intelligence do cephalopods possess?
How did the octopus, a solitary creature with little social life,
become so smart? What is it like to have eight tentacles that are
so packed with neurons that they virtually 'think for themselves'?
By tracing the question of inner life back to its roots and
comparing human beings with our most remarkable animal relatives,
Godfrey-Smith casts crucial new light on the octopus mind - and on
our own.
This book makes the connection between the tourism industry - as a
major engine of the world economy - and the realm of artificial
reefs, often inaccessible and forgotten by the public. By
stimulating both those who work and in tourism and in artificial
reefs to share experiences, transmit testimonies, make efforts, and
develop new innovative and value-creating possibilities for
society. This theme has great potential and impact. It allows
knowledge transfer between research science on artificial reefs,
companies, and the tourism sector, generating wealth for society.
This book is of interest to all entrepreneurs, researchers,
academics and students who work or are interested in exploring new
ways of developing and practicing tourism, using structures that
are submerged. The use of technologies developed by Industry 4.0
may have enormous potential in facilitating the establishment of
bridges between tourism and reef structures and maximizing this
potential.
In today's environmental and economic climate, it is important for
businesses to drive development towards sustainable and zero-waste
industries, responsibly leveraging renewable low-cost inputs to
generate high-value outputs for the global market. Marine
macroalgae presents modern businesses with opportunities for the
development of a new and vibrant industry sector that largely
fulfills these requirements. Harnessing Marine Macroalgae for
Industrial Purposes in an Australian Context: Emerging Research and
Opportunities provides emerging perspectives on the theoretical and
practical aspects of developing a new business sector within the
bio-marine industry. Featuring coverage on a broad range of topics
such as competitive advantage, food industry, and production
systems, this publication is ideally designed for environmental
researchers, business students, engineers, and academicians seeking
current research on the economics, regulation, and policy in
supporting the development of the macroalgal industry sector in the
global market.
The increasingly widespread production of toxins by marine and
freshwater microalgae raises serious concerns regarding seafood and
drinking water safety. This book compiles studies on the influence
of climate change on the spreading of toxin-producing species in
aquatic systems. The chemistry and biology of toxin production is
revised and an outlook on control and prevention of the toxins'
impact on human and animal health is given.
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