What is happening in our oceans? By describing their main elements, this book shows how and why the oceans are being transformed, and suggests possible future scenarios to address this complex, yet often-asked, question. The ocean is being dramatically transformed, but the magnitude of this transformation remains unclear since the ocean is largely inaccessible and still unknown: there is more information about the outer universe than about the deepest parts of our oceans.

The author, a marine biologist with extensive research experience, offers a holistic view of our oceans. Focusing on fishing, pollution and the effects of climate change, he identifies and describes the changes occurring in all marine ecosystems, and discusses the long-passed state of equilibrium.

Autorentext

Sergio Rossi is a senior researcher at the Environmental Sciences and Technology Institute of the Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona from 2007, following more than thirteen years spent at the Marine Sciences Institute of Barcelona (CSIC). Born in 1969 in Barcelona, he is half Italian and half Spanish, has a doctorate in Biology from the University of Barcelona, and is a consummate observer of nature. Specialized in marine biology and ecology, Rossi has participated on a number of scientific expeditions all over the world: the Antarctic, California, Réunion island, Chile, Mexico, Brazil and many other research areas. Aiming to have an impact in the human society, Rossi has a prolific writing career in popular science to explain the details of the conservation projects in which he is involved. Blue Oceans very elegantly conveys Rossi's awareness from the tropical coral reefs affected by climate change to the bottom trawling effects on the so called animal forests of the world.

Inhalt

PROLOGUE PART ONE: SEAS OF YORE Chapter 1 - Brief history of our seas Chapter 2 - The sea that once was Chapter 3 - Hunted to extinction Chapter 4 - What happened to cod? Chapter 5 - The end of the reign of the cetaceans PART TWO: EFFECTS OF OVERFISHING Chapter 6 - The big fish and the end of innocence Chapter 7 - The golden fish, tuna Chapter 8 - The destruction of the animal forest Chapter 9 - The forgotten forms of fishing Chapter 10 - The ghosts of the sea Chapter 11 - Precious corals PART THREE: EFFECTS OF POLLUTION Chapter 12 - The silent menace Chapter 13 - The overpopulated coast Chapter 14 - The stained sea Chapter 15 - The alien nightmare PART FOUR: EFFECTS OF CLIMATE CHANGE Chapter 16 - Climate detectives Chapter 17 - Something's moving on the ice: Arctic and Antarctic Chapter 18 - Water heating Chapter 19 - Acid seas Chapter 20 - The slow death agony of reefs PART FIVE: FUTURE PERPECTIVES Chapter 21 - The farm in the sea Chapter 22 - The final target of the Marine Protected Areas Chapter 23 - Reforesting the sea Chapter 24 - Energy and matter from the sea Chapter 25 - The future model of sea EPILOGUE BIBLIOGRAPHY