Marine Ecology of the Arabian Region Patterns and Processes in Extreme Tropical Environments

This part of the Indian Ocean bordering Arabia is a rich and complex ecosystem of coral reefs, mangrove coastlines and deeper water communities. Only reunited with the Indian Ocean by quite recent rises in sea level, it contains both areas of relative simplicity and those where certain species' assemblages are surprisingly divers. It divides into several, large, semi-enclosed water bodies, leading to often quite distinct habitats in close proximity to each other. Finally, the overall aridity of the surrounding land areas makes these seas some of the most extreme marine climates on earth. In this book the authors first present an overview of the available information on the area, before going on to review the processes at work in the various marine and intertidal systems. Finally, they consider the human dimension in the region. Some of the world's poorest as well as richest nations border on these seas, making diverse claims on its resources and subjecting it to a variety of pressures. This volume will be of immense value to both research workers and students of marine biology in general, as well as to those with a particular interest in this part of the world. Its ecology must be further studied and understood if management regimes for the region's rich fisheries are to be maintained alongside the risks of oil pollution and the results of ware.Sheppard, Charles J. R. is the author of 'Marine Ecology of the Arabian Region Patterns and Processes in Extreme Tropical Environments', published 1992 under ISBN 9780126394900 and ISBN 0126394903.