Coral Reefs: Cities Under The Sea (Casebound Hardback)

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The most fascinating aspects of coral reefs relate to how corals and reef residents meet the challenges of survival and live together. The focus of this book is on how a coral reef functions—the jobs of individual residents and how they collectively create a sustainable community. The author explores how solar energy powers the reef, how raw materials are used efficiently and waste is recycled, why biodiversity is security, and how everything is connected. There are also many insights into the more personal lives of reef residents—some are as strange as any science fiction. By viewing coral reefs in the context of a human city, one can more easily appreciate the creative ways reef communities operate; they neither undermine their own survival nor that of other communities elsewhere. In other words, a variety of species collectively enhances the survival of the entire community. Dr. Murphy sees reef communities existing in a dynamic equilibrium where forces of competition, destruction, and decay are balanced by cooperation, repair, and rejuvenation. There are lessons for those of us who are concerned about making our own communities more sustainable. The subject matter is serious, but it is not taken so seriously that it isn’t fun.

Hardcover: 177 pages

Publisher: Darwin Press, Incorporated (October 1, 2002)

Language: English

ISBN-10: 087850138X

ISBN-13: 978-0878501380

Product Dimensions: 0.8 x 10.5 x 10.2 inches

Shipping Weight: 2.4 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)

Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)

Best Sellers Rank: #2,090,639 in Books (See Top 100 in Books) #49 in Books > Science & Math > Nature & Ecology > Ecosystems > Coral Reefs #816 in Books > Science & Math > Biological Sciences > Biology > Marine Biology #2918 in Books > Science & Math > Nature & Ecology > Oceans & Seas

Murphy's snapshot of life in coral reefs--organized in chapters with such titles as "Public Health," "Advertising" and "Personal Lives" (in keeping with presenting the reef as a city)--is easy to follow and fascinating. It is a great book for those unfamiliar with reefs, who desire a clear introduction to, for instance, the symbiotic relationship between coral and algae and the basic functions of sponges, worms, etc. on the reef. Every page is accompanied by breathtaking color photographs.His parallels to human cities and their lessons on sustainability can be slightly obvious, but these segues are brief and are more than made up for by his oftentimes humorous, enthusiastic text.

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