Natural history museum : the science of the ocean.

Includes glossary and index.

Marine world.--Rocky coasts.--Sandy beaches.--Estuaries and mudflats.--Mangroves and salt marshes.--Coral reefs.--Coastal seas.--Open oceans.--Polar oceans

"Combining graceful design and beautiful imagery, this book provides an elegant introduction to ocean life and the ocean itself Dive into this uniquely elegant visual exploration of the sea An informative and utterly beautiful introduction to marine life and the ocean environment, The Science of the Ocean book brings the riches of the underwater world onto the printed page. Astounding photography reveals an abundance of life, from microscopic plankton to great whales, seaweed to starfish. Published in association with the Natural History Museum, the book explores every corner of the oceans, from coral reefs and mangrove swamps to deep ocean trenches. Along the way, and with the help of clear, simple illustrations, it explains how life has adapted to the marine environment, revealing for example how a stonefish delivers its lethal venom and how a sponge sustains itself by sifting food from passing currents. It also examines the physical forces and processes that shape the oceans, from global circulation systems and tides to undersea volcanoes and tsunamis. To most of us, the marine world is out of reach. But with the help of photography and the latest technology, The Science of the Ocean brings us up close to animals, plants, and other living things that inhabit a fantastic and almost incomprehensibly beautiful other dimension".