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A marine biologist vividly brings alive the extraordinary ecosystem of the deep ocean--a realm about which we know less than we do about the Moon--and shows how protecting rather than exploiting it will benefit mankind. "The oceans have always shaped human lives," writes marine biologist Helen Scales in her vibrant new book The Brilliant Abyss, but the surface and the very edges have so far mattered the most. "However, one way or another, the future ocean is the deep ocean." A golden era of deep-sea discovery is underway. Revolutionary studies in the deep are rewriting the very notion of life on Earth and the rules of what is possible. In the process, the abyss is being revealed as perhaps the most amazing part of our planet, with a topography even more varied and extreme than its Earthbound counterpart. Teeming with unsuspected life, an extraordinary interconnected ecosystem deep below the waves has a huge effect on our daily lives, influencing climate and weather systems, with the potential for much more--good or bad depending on how it is exploited. Currently the fantastic creatures that live in the deep--many of them incandescent in a world without light--and its formations capture and trap vast quantities of carbon that would otherwise poison our atmosphere; and novel bacteria as yet undiscovered hold the promise of potent new medicines. Yet the deep also holds huge mineral riches lusted after by many nations and corporations; mining them could ultimately devastate the planet, compounded by the deepening impacts of ubiquitous pollutants and rampant overfishing. Eloquently and passionately, Helen Scales brings to life the majesty and mystery of an alien realm that nonetheless sustains us, while urgently making clear the price we could pay if it is further disrupted. The Brilliant Abyss is at once a revelation and a clarion call to preserve this vast unseen world.

Written for students in high school or undergraduate programs, Careers in Environment & Conservation explores a variety of growing fields to help young adults gain a head start in learning about the many career opportunities available for those who want to pursue a career in environmental science or conservation. Careers in Environment and Conservation highlights 25 career paths in environment and conservation, including: Botanist Energy Conservation Technician Environmental Engineer Forestry Worker Geologist Soil Scientist Wind Energy Engineer Zoologist Individual chapters provide real-world insight into these professions, including A Day in the Life, Work Environment, Education & Training, Earnings & Advancement, Employment Outlook, Networking Contacts, Areas with the Highest Employment Levels alongside Conversations with Real Professionals.

Everyone loves the smile on a dolphin’s face. Though smart enough to become theme park tricksters, dolphins are first and foremost wild mammals. Melissa Stewart’s lively text outlines our responsibility to conserve their natural environment. This high-interest book also offers an interactive experience to boost awareness of these adorable creatures.

"Approaching this vast and multifaceted subject with profound passion and a refreshing approach, ocean scientist and diver Ellen Prager, along with internationally renowned underwater explorer Sylvia Earle, crafts a comprehensive and understandable survey of the ocean's past, present, and future. Leading readers on a fantastic undersea voyage spanning 4.5 billion years of natural history - from the Precambrian through the present - The Oceans reveals the nature and science of everything from waves, tides and sea level change, to hurricanes, El Nino, and global warming, along with marine sediments, plate tectonics, and the astonishing myriad of life that populates the ocean. In a discussion of the very latest discoveries in marine science - a field that combines oceanography, biology, geology, chemistry, physics, meteorology, and trailblazing underwater exploration - we are led into the interworkings of the sea and the increasingly complex relationship between humans and the ocean."--BOOK JACKET.Title Summary field provided by Blackwell North America, Inc. All Rights Reserved

"[A] distillation of a decade of exploration, magnificently illustrated and eloquently written. Some will treasure World Ocean Census as a valuable reference, others as a place to find white-knuckle adventures." -- From the foreword by Sylvia Earle An insider's description of the comprehensive Census of Marine Life and what it reveals about a seriously threatened ecosystem. The Census of Marine Life was launched in 2000 with the goal of producing the first-ever ocean census by 2010. Two thousand scientists from 82 nations agreed to the mandate to answer three important questions: What once lived in the global ocean? What is living there now? What will live there in the future? With the census nearing completion, scientists around the world will inherit critical data that will be studied for decades to come. This data will be a basis for answering such simple questions as "What will become of sharks, whales, reefs and salmon?" This book deals with the adventures and experiences of the Census of Marine Life and the process of gathering the data, revealing the stories behind the science. The authors detail the most fascinating findings and exciting discoveries -- the thrills encountered and the difficulties overcome -- all illustrated with fabulous images captured during the project's explorations. The text readily engages the reader, and the photographs are as beautiful as they are accurate. The information is comprehensive, compelling and current, and it represents an enormous group effort by some of the world's leading scientists. The organization of the book follows the three-part census mandate. Individual sections focus on a range of topics, from the logistics of the census to the space-age technology used to project the uncertain future of the world's oceans. The book is fully illustrated and provides informative captions and sidebars of data. World Ocean Census is a unique record of a monumental global undertaking, worthy of a wide audience with a variety of interests.