Description

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Coral reefs declined worldwide during the 1980s and 1990s, making them perhaps the most endangered marine ecosystem on Earth. This realization spurred John W. Tunnell Jr. and others to write a comprehensive book that would raise awareness of coral reefs and their plight. Tunnell and coeditors Ernesto A. Chávez and Kim Withers present an integrated and broad-ranging synthesis, while Mexican and U.S. experts assess the current state of these fragile systems and offer a framework for their restoration.

Beginning with a history of the research done in this region, Coral Reefs of the Southern Gulf of Mexico covers the geography, geology, oceanography, ecology, and biodiversity of the thirty-eight “emergent” or platform-type coral reefs in the southern Gulf. The editors include chapters on the biota—from algae to fish—followed by a look at environmental impacts, both natural (such as hurricanes and red tides) and human (such as ship groundings and dredging). The book closes with a discussion of conservation issues, which is both descriptive and prescriptive in its assessment of what has been done and what should be done to protect and manage these vital ecosystems.

About the Author

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JOHN W. TUNNELL JR. is associate director and Harte Research Scientist at the Harte Research Institute for Gulf of Mexico Studies in Corpus Christi, where he is also director of the Center for Coastal Studies and professor of biology at Texas A&M University–Corpus Christi. ERNESTO A. CHáVEZ is a scientist and professor at the Interdisciplinary Center for Marine Science, National Polytechnic Institute in La Paz, Baja California. He is widely published and has helped create a number of scientific research centers and graduate programs in Mexico. KIM WITHERS is associate research scientist at the Center for Coastal Studies and an adjunct professor of biology and environmental science at Texas A&M University–Corpus Christi.

Praise For…

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“The reefs of the southern Gulf of Mexico have been studied for many years, but no compilation of the work has been done, to my knowledge. It is long overdue…”--Stephen Gittings
— E. Dan Klepper

"The book serves as an excellent companion to Rezak et al.'s Reefs and Banks of the Northwestern Gulf of Mexico: Their Geological, Biological, and Physical Dynamics. . . This book boasts 13 multiauthored chapters, the most notable being on reef distribution, climate and oceanography, reef corals, reef fish, and conservation. . . An excellent literature review may be found in the climate and oceanography chapter."--The Quarterly Review of Biology
— The Quarterly Review of Biology

“Coral Reefs of the Southern Gulf of Mexico features a broad selection of underwater color photography and a set of maps, figures and tables that help illustrate southern reef science, providing a comprehensive gateway to understanding a complex environment. . .  Perhaps more compelling, the text explains in straightforward terms why reef conservation and management should be of primary concern.” --Texas Parks and Wildlife
— Stephen Gittings