This book surveys the exceptionally rich and biodiverse coral reefs of the UK, from the most thoroughly explored and observed to the least known. Some of these areas are strictly protected, and some are reference sites for other countries with damaged reefs.

The tropical UK Territories have extensive coral reefs. Huge parts of these areas are exceptionally rich, productive and diverse. Their marine biodiversity exceeds that of the UK itself, and several are already, or are planned to be, strictly protected. Some of these areas serve as reference sites for many other countries with damaged reefs and they are oases of tropical marine biodiversity in a fast-degrading world. This book reviews all of the UK reefs, from those scarcely known to those where substantial research has already been performed.

This volume presents new and successful management methods for threatened marine ecosystems A description of the importance and immense biological wealth of these coral reefs Aspects such as geology, oceanography, climate, biogeography, biodiversity, connectivity and pollution are detailed Distinctly presents reefs and deep-water coral communities (taxonomy), marine protected areas and status of coral reef fish assemblages

Autorentext
Charles Sheppard is a professor at Warwick University, UK. He is actively involved with reef research in many countries, advises several governments and industries, and is editor of a large marine environmental science journal. He has written numerous papers and articles, and this is the tenth book he has written or edited on marine environmental science.

Inhalt

1. An appraisal of the extent and geomorphological diversity of the coral reefs of the United Kingdom Dependent Territories.- 2. Coral Reefs of Anguilla.- 3. Introduction to reefs and shorelines of the British Virgin Islands.- 4. Marine protected areas and management in the British Virgin Islands.- 5. Anegada: An emergent Pleistocene reef island.- 6. Coral Reefs of the Cayman Islands.- 7. Biology and ecology of the coral reefs of the Cayman Islands.- 8. Coral Reefs of Montserrat.- 9. The Reefs of the Turks and Caicos Islands.- 10. Introduction to Bermuda: Geology, Oceanography and Climate.- 11. Biology and ecology of corals and fishes on the Bermuda Platform.- 12. Biogeography, biodiversity and connectivity of Bermuda's coral reefs.- 13. Threats to coral reefs of Bermuda.- 14. Scleractinia, Octocorallia and Antipatharia of Bermuda's reefs and deep-water coral communities: a taxonomic perspective including new records.- 15. Total Economic Value of Bermuda's Coral Reefs: A summary.- 16. Ascension Island's hermatypic but non-reef building corals.- 17. British Indian Ocean Territory (the Chagos Archipelago): setting, connections and the Marine Protected Area.- 18. ****Coral Reefs of the Chagos Archipelago, Indian Ocean.- 19. The status of coral reef fish assemblages in the Chagos Archipelago, with implications for protected area management and climate change.- 20. Coral Islands of the British Indian Ocean Territory (Chagos Archipelago).- 21. Pollution and impacts in BIOT.- 22. Coral reefs of the Pitcairn Islands.Coral Islands of the British Indian Ocean Territory (Chagos Archipelago).- 21. Pollution and impacts in BIOT.- 22. Coral reefs of the Pitcairn Islands.