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The snails found living on rocky sea shores are among the most rewarding invertebrate animals to study. Species such as dog-whelks, topshells and winkles are easy to find, capture, identify, measure and mark. This book provides a key to common species, background ecology, an overview of rocky shore habitats and the techniques required for anyone to study this fascinating and accessible fauna.
The beautifully written story of shells and their makers, and our relationships with them. Seashells are the sculpted homes of a remarkable group of animals: the molluscs. These are some of the most ancient and successful animals on the planet. But watch out. Some molluscs can kill you if you eat them. Some will kill you if you stand too close. That hasn't stopped people using shells in many ways over thousands of years. They became the first jewelry and oldest currencies; they've been used as potent symbols of sex and death, prestige and war, not to mention a nutritious (and tasty) source of food. Spirals in Time is an exuberant aquatic romp, revealing amazing tales of these undersea marvels. Helen Scales leads us on a journey into their realm, as she goes in search of everything from snails that 'fly' underwater on tiny wings to octopuses accused of stealing shells and giant mussels with golden beards that were supposedly the source of Jason's golden fleece, and learns how shells have been exchanged for human lives, tapped for mind-bending drugs and inspired advances in medical technology. Weaving through these stories are the remarkable animals that build them, creatures with fascinating tales to tell, a myriad of spiralling shells following just a few simple rules of mathematics and evolution. Shells are also bellwethers of our impact on the natural world. Some species have been overfished, others poisoned by polluted seas; perhaps most worryingly of all, molluscs are expected to fall victim to ocean acidification, a side-effect of climate change that may soon cause shells to simply melt away. But rather than dwelling on what we risk losing, Spirals in Time urges you to ponder how seashells can reconnect us with nature, and heal the rift between ourselves and the living world.
This is an introduction to the study of marine rocky shores in the temperate zone. It is designed to encourage students and others to couple enormous intellectual rewards with the pleasure of working in some of the last easily accessible but relatively unspoilt places, and can be used as abasis for field courses, project work, or for lectures. Centred in North-West Europe, but using examples from all over the world, the book begins by considering the physical factors that characterize the habitat - primarily tides and waves - and goes on to assess how they influence the organisms that live within it. It describes how the behaviour andphysiology of individuals belonging to the major groups - algae, grazers, suspension feeders, and predators - are affected by their habitat, how their communities are structured, and discusses theories of community organization. For field courses, it suggests experiments and observations that can becarried out on the shore or in nearby laboratories. Finally, problems of pollution and conservation are considered in the context of their effects upon biodiversity.
This richly illustrated book presents the diversity and natural history of sea snail groups. By integrating aspects of morphology, ecology, evolution and behaviour, it describes how each group copes with problems of defence, locomotion, nutrition, reproduction and embryonic development. First come general characteristics of the Mollusca, to which snails belong; and next, characteristics by which snails (Gastropoda) differ from other molluscs. Then a broad, panoramic view of all major sea snail groups, from the primitive to the more advanced, is presented, including both the more abundant and some remote ones of special interest. In detailing primitive sea snails, first limpets (Patellogastropoda) are described, followed by brush snails (Vetigastropoda: top-shells, turbans and allies) and nerites (Neritimorpha), a small group with remarkably high variation in shell colour and in habitats. In looking at advanced-snails (Caenogastropoda), it details the herbivorous grazers and filter-feeders and the many voracious predators, some which use venomous darts. The book also covers sea slugs (Opisthobranchia), which have shifted from mechanical to chemical defence; some are herbivores, some use their food to harness solar energy, others are predators that gain stinging cells and poisonous compounds from their food. In addition, readers will learn about aspects of sea snails in human culture, including use as sacred artefacts and objects of magic and money, as a source of the royal and sacred dyes of purple and blue and as holy ceremonial trumpets. The text, in which scientific terms are accompanied by parallel common ones, is accompanied by over 200 illustrations (mostly in colour). This comprehensive, insightful portrait of sea snails will appeal to marine biologists, zoology lecturers and students, biology teachers, field-school instructors, nature reserve wardens, amateur naturalists, as well as to lecturers and learners of human culture.
A comprehensive account of how abiotic and biotic interactions shape patterns of coastal marine biodiversity and ecosystem processes globally.
"The edge of the sea is a strange and beautiful place." A book to be read for pleasure as well as a practical identification guide, The Edge of the Sea introduces a world of teeming life where the sea meets the land. A new generation of readers is discovering why Rachel Carson's books have become cornerstones of the environmental and conservation movements. New introduction by Sue Hubbell. (A Mariner Reissue)
Ireland's seashores are famous for their spectacular beauty, ranging from exposed rocky headlands that receive the full power of the Atlantic to enclosed sea loughs and sheltered mudflats. Our northern latitude means that some Arctic species find a home here, but the warm currents that flow up from the Gulf of Mexico also make Irish shores habitable for species found in southern Europe, the Canaries and the Mediterranean. Providing habitats like no other, our coasts are teeming with plant and animal life. Whether you visit on a sunny summer day or for a wild walk in winter, there is always something interesting to see, either living on the shore or washed up from the sea . Beginning with clear background information on types of shore, tides, waves, coastal habitats and conservation, this highly accessible guide has everything you need to understand the wildlife on our coastline. A helpful identification guide uses simple questions (e.g. 'Does it have a shell?') to guide you to the correct section (e.g. 'Snails, mussels and their relatives'), where you will find an introduction to the species, followed by detailed entries on the most common shoreline inhabitants: Irish and Latin names, size, distribution and memorable nuggets of information (did you know banded wedge shells can leap if disturbed?). Written by qualified marine biologists with a passion for their subject, this is the ideal companion on any seashore ramble, whether you are a beginner or an experienced naturalist.
An engaging account of the natural history of rock and boulder-strewn shores around Britain's coastline. Rocky Shores explores the species, communities and landscape of the narrow strip of land surrounding much of the British Isles. While it may be limited in extent, this habitat is incredibly biodiverse, and this insightful book details all the patterns of marine life that might be encountered on sheltered and exposed shores, from the inhospitable splash zone to the repeatedly submerged lower shore, and everything in between. Comprehensive chapters accompanied by exceptional photographs cover various members of the rocky-shore community in turn: striking lichens that colourfully adorn the rocks; seaweeds that have sustained human settlements for millennia; mysterious and often spectacular worms and their relatives; molluscs with variously configured shells; spiny-skinned echinoderms that move using tube feet; arthropods that range from tiny marine insects to heavy-clawed crabs; and microscopic species that drift around at the mercy of the tides. Rock pools provide pockets of diversity dotted across the shore, while the strandline at the high-tide mark supports a unique assemblage of microbes and invertebrates that attracts a variety of birds and mammals. For anyone with a love of the shore – from the occasional rockpooler to avid naturalists – this book is a must for your collection.
The islands of the Samoan archipelago lie about 14 degrees south of the equator in the central Pacific Ocean. Politically, they are divided into two groups: Samoa (formerly Western Samoa), an indepedent state and American Samoa, a territory of the USA. The islands have been formed as a result of complex volcanic activity; they are geologically young. While many of the plants and birds of the Samoan Islands are found elsewhere in the Pacific, many of the snail species are found nowhere else on Earth. This guide is intended to permit identification of mos of the terrestrial snails, and slugs of the Samoan Islands. It is intended to be accessible to the amateur naturalist but also to provide the experienced scientist with a compact resource of information. The guide covers both the native species and the non-native, introduced species, which are generall more frequently encountered, especially at low elevations and in habits disturbed by human activities.
This book should be of interest to geologists; biologists; environmentalists; ecologists; engineers; lecturers and students in related subjects; libraries.