Plankton - by Tom Jackson & Jennifer Parker (Hardcover)

About the Book

This engaging book reveals the amazing diversity of plankton, how they belong to a wide range of living groups, and how their ecology, lifestyles, and adaptations have evolved to suit an enormous range of conditions. It looks at plankton life cycles, the different ways plankton feed and grow, and the vast range of strategies they use for reproduction.

Book Synopsis

A richly illustrated guide to the marvelously diverse plankton of the world and their fundamental role in planetary food webs

Plankton are the unsung heroes of planet Earth. Passive drifters through the world's seas, oceans, and freshwater environments, most are invisible or very small, but some are longer than a whale. They are the global ocean's foundation food, supporting almost all oceanic life, and they are also vitally important for land-based plants, animals, and other organisms. Plankton provides an incomparable look at these remarkable creatures, opening a window on the elegance and grace of microscopic marine life.

This engaging book reveals the amazing diversity of plankton, how they belong to a wide range of living groups, and how their ecology, lifestyles, and adaptations have evolved to suit an enormous range of conditions. It looks at plankton life cycles, the different ways plankton feed and grow, and the vast range of strategies they use for reproduction. It tracks where, how, and why plankton drift through the water; shares perspectives on migrations and population explosions or "blooms" and why they happen; and discusses the life-sustaining role of plankton in numerous intertwined food webs throughout the world.

Beautifully illustrated, Plankton sheds critical light on how global warming, pollution, diminishing resources, and overexploitation will adversely impact planktonic life, and how these effects will reverberate to every corner of our planet.

Review Quotes

"This lovely book is a good overall guide and would happily grace any marine biologist or keen amateur's bookshelf."-- "Marine Biological Association"

"Well laid out, showcases the extraordinary beauty and diversity of planktonic organisms, and covers the subject comprehensively."---Marianne Wootton, Ocean Challenge

"A must-read for anyone interested in the ocean and the fascinating creatures that inhabit it."---Jaime Gómez-Gutiérrez, Marine Mammal Science

"[Plankton] is a primer to inform lay readers and undergraduate students unfamiliar with plankton. . . . The stunning photographs are the highlight of this book, especially those associated with the species vignettes."-- "Choice"

"[Plankton] is a great book, well conceived, brilliantly narrated and illustrated, and I confer on it my unequivocal recommendation."---David M. Gascoigne, Travels with Birds

About the Author

Tom Jackson is a science writer whose many popular books include Strange Animals and Genetics in Minutes. Jennifer Parker is a zoology and conservation writer and the author of several books. Andrew Hirst is a leading expert on plankton whose research has taken him around the world, from the Antarctic to Greenland and the Great Barrier Reef.