Ecology of Australian Temperate Reefs
2013
In this book we have sought to summarise what is
known about the life history. ecology and behaviour
of organisms - from algae to seals, sharks and even
whales - that live in or visit the rocky coastal regions
of southern Australia. Most is known about the shallow
reef life to ~20 m deep, but remarkably little about
life below that. Nevertheless, we have included snippets
of information gleaned frorn studies extending
over shelf waters. We have brought together field, laboratory
and fisheries information in order to present
as complete an account as possible, not of every species,
but of a selected few that have been well studied,
and provide a flavour of the wealth of knowledge
available on the rich southern marine flora and fauna.
Subtidal reefs are incredibly diverse and dynamic, and
our fascination grows with our understanding of the
ecology and life history of just a few of the many players
in the system. Where possible, we have illustrated our accounts
with current theory, but with caution because so many
ideas arc fashionable for a time and then become
dated. It is often better to let the accounts speak for
themselves, and avoid interpretation. Conceptually,
we have emphasised ecology and behaviour, but have
included aspects of morphology, evolution and development
where they contribute to a better understanding.
Much of the literature on particular groups has
developed its own specialist jargon, which impedes
understanding and renders the work inaccessible to
all except the few elite specialists in the field. We have
consciously tried to avoid jargon, and use nonspecialist terms and simple language wherever
possible. We have used common names of species
(where they exist) and, to avoid ambiguity where different
names are used, we give the scientific name
when the species is first mentioned. The book is aimed at several different kinds of
readers. Firstly, our fellow marine ecologists are
becoming increasingly narrow in their field of expertise,
and they may wish to expand their knowledge
into related or overlapping areas. This book will provide
easy access into some of those fields. Secondly,
students, whether under- or postgraduate, may wish
to look over the fence into neighbouring gardens and
appreciate some of the beauty hidden there. Thirdly,
there is a growing band of interested and highly
skilled amateur divers and underwater photographers
who have long had access to books describing the
flora and fauna of temperate waters, and now wish to
flesh out their basic knowledge with a richer understanding.
Lastly, fishery biologists, managers and
aquaculturists may find that the natural history of the
species they work with, and knowledge of their habitats,
may help them in their work or in understanding
the ecosystem that they help to manage or wish to
have well managed.
Keywords:
- Correction
- Source
- Cite
- Save
- Machine Reading By IdeaReader
0
References
4
Citations
NaN
KQI