Titre :	Coral reefs : research methods
Type de document :	texte imprimé
Auteurs :	Stoddart, D.R., Auteur
Editeur :	UNESCO
Année de publication :	1978
Importance :	581 p.
Format :	24 cm
ISBN/ISSN/EAN :	978-92-3-101491-8
Langues :	Anglais (eng)
Index. décimale :	593 Invertébrés marins et des bords de mer
Résumé :	The wealth and diversity of the fauna and flora found in and around coral reefs makes these areas a fascinating subject for research. However, the complex nature of the reef environment renders it particularly susceptible to external influence, which is often deleterious. From the earliest times, atolls and other coastal coral reef formations have been used for recreation, as a source of food and of material for crafts. Man's curiosity has been stimulated by the beauty and mystery of coral reefs and, until quite recently, human activities have caused little damage as they have been, for the most part, in harmony with the reef ecosystem. This situation, however, is changing rapidly. Protection of coral reefs is becoming increasingly difficult because the areas, in which they are found, particularly near the coast, are used as sites for tourism, industry and resource exploitation. Already in the Red Sea area coral reefs have been threatened by oil spills; in the Caribbean, spear fishing has been so intensive that the larger reef fishes have almost disappeared; and in other areas, similar encroachments have been made by man. Despite the considerable research which has been carried out on coral reef communities, human influence on this environment is proceeding faster than our understanding of the ecological changes that are taking place. To encourage the scientific community to accelerate research in this area, Unesco is developing a program of international co-operation with the Scientific Committee on Oceanic Research and the International Association of Biological Oceanography. As a first step, the present volume, fifth in the series of Monographs on Oceanographic Methodology, has been published to assist scientists in their understanding of the basic techniques required for research on the quantitative ecology of coral reefs and to recommend those methods which have proven most effective.

Coral reefs : research methods [texte imprimé] / Stoddart, D.R., Auteur . - UNESCO, 1978 . - 581 p. ; 24 cm.
ISBN : 978-92-3-101491-8
Langues : Anglais (eng)

Index. décimale :

593 Invertébrés marins et des bords de mer

Résumé :

The wealth and diversity of the fauna and flora found in and around coral reefs makes these areas a fascinating subject for research. However, the complex nature of the reef environment renders it particularly susceptible to external influence, which is often deleterious. From the earliest times, atolls and other coastal coral reef formations have been used for recreation, as a source of food and of material for crafts. Man's curiosity has been stimulated by the beauty and mystery of coral reefs and, until quite recently, human activities have caused little damage as they have been, for the most part, in harmony with the reef ecosystem. This situation, however, is changing rapidly. Protection of coral reefs is becoming increasingly difficult because the areas, in which they are found, particularly near the coast, are used as sites for tourism, industry and resource exploitation. Already in the Red Sea area coral reefs have been threatened by oil spills; in the Caribbean, spear fishing has been so intensive that the larger reef fishes have almost disappeared; and in other areas, similar encroachments have been made by man. Despite the considerable research which has been carried out on coral reef communities, human influence on this environment is proceeding faster than our understanding of the ecological changes that are taking place. To encourage the scientific community to accelerate research in this area, Unesco is developing a program of international co-operation with the Scientific Committee on Oceanic Research and the International Association of Biological Oceanography. As a first step, the present volume, fifth in the series of Monographs on Oceanographic Methodology, has been published to assist scientists in their understanding of the basic techniques required for research on the quantitative ecology of coral reefs and to recommend those methods which have proven most effective.