Red Sea

Introduction, S M Head. Geology and palaeogeography of the Red Sea region, C J R Braithwaite. Climate and oceanography, F J Edwards. Hot brines and the deep sea environment, L Karbe. Plankton and the pelagic environment, H Weikert. Benthos of the deep Red Sea, H Thiel. Corals and coral reefs of the Red Sea, S M Head. Benthic algae, D I Walker. Littoral and shallow subtidal environments, D A Jones et al. Molluscs of the Red Sea, M Mastaller. Echinoderms of the Red Sea, A C Campbell. Minor invertebrate groups, S M Head. Red Sea fishes, R F G Ormond et al. Turtles and marine mammals, J G Frazier et al. Sea birds of the Red Sea, P G H Evans. The human settlement of the Red Sea, M Horton. Red Sea fisheries, S M Head. Pollution, B Dicks. Conservation and management, R F G Ormond. Postscript, S M Head. Geographical index. Subject index.

The Red Sea is a unique and fragile environment. All but landlocked between Africa and Arabia, its peculiar oceanographic conditions, its geographical position and its geological history all conspire to make it particularly vulnerable to the side-effects of human civilization. In places, it is already a key environment under threat. What makes the Red Sea unique? What are the threats to this environment? Where should future research be directed? These are just three of the major questions addressed by the scientists contributing to this book.

For ecologists and environmentalists, and of general interest.