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Biology and Geology of Coral Reefs V3

Biology 2

1st Edition - January 1, 1976

Editor: O.A. Jones

eBook ISBN:

9 7 8 - 0 - 3 2 3 - 1 4 9 5 4 - 9

Biology and Geology of Coral Reefs, Volume III: Biology 2 covers the major advances made in the biological aspects of coral reef problems. This book discusses the ecology, animal… Read more

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Biology and Geology of Coral Reefs, Volume III: Biology 2 covers the major advances made in the biological aspects of coral reef problems. This book discusses the ecology, animal associates, and toxicity of coral reefs. Composed of 11 chapters, the book initially describes the diversity of animals permanently or temporarily associated with living corals despite the formidable nematocyst batteries possessed by corals. The text goes on discussing some specializations of some shrimps and prawns permanently associated with living corals, thus, augmenting the number of biological niches available for colonization. The subsequent chapters deal with the appearance and distribution of coral reefs echinoderms and their biogeography; the role of fishes in the energetic of the coral reef system; the high incidence of toxic fishes in coral reef waters; and the origin, transmission, detection, pharmacology, and chemistry of ciguatoxin. The book also discusses natural and man-induced destruction of coral reef communities and the rate, manner, and extent of recovery of such destruction. It also describes the types of vegetation that grow on the limestone substratum provided by coral islands. Another chapter provides distributional data on the birds of the Great Barrier Reef region and the behavior and evolution of island populations of sea birds. The concluding chapters present the general biology of sea turtles and the factors that influence the number and types of organisms found on coral islands. This book will acquaint readers with some of the exciting developments in coral reef biology and will provide information that will enable them to assess the status of research in different fields.

List of Contributors

General Preface

Preface to Volume III: Biology 2

Contents of Previous Volumes

1. Animal Associates of Living Reef Corals

I. Introduction

II. The Coral-Associated Animals

III. Interactions between Living Corals and Their Associates

References

2. Shrimps and Prawns of Coral Reefs, with Special Reference to Commensalism

I. Introduction

II. The Major Shrimp Habitats of the Coral Reef

III. Commensalism

IV. The Criteria for Shrimp-Host Associations

V. Host Specificity

VI. Adaptations of Shrimps to Their Hosts, as Shown by the Pontoniinae

VII. Morphological Adaptations

VIII. Feeding Methods

IX. General Behavioral Adaptations

X. Color Adaptations

XI. Reproductive Adaptations

XII. Dispersal

XIII. The Range of Host-Animal Types

XIV. The Extent of Commensalism in the Tropical Marine Decapoda Natantia

XV. Summary

References

3. Echinoderms of Coral Reefs

I. Introduction

II. Coral Reef Echinoderms

III. Zoogeography of Coral Reef Echinoderms

IV. Conclusions

References

4. Aspects of the Ecology of Coral Reef Fishes

I. Introduction

II. Diversity

III. Local Distribution of Coral Reef Fishes

IV. Standing Crops and Productivity

V. Feeding Relationships

References

5. Toxicity of Coral Reef Fishes

I. Introduction

II. Venomous Fishes

III. Crinotoxic Fishes

IV. Discussion and Conclusions

References

6. Ciguatera: A Disease from Coral Reef Fish

I. Introduction

II. Differentiation among Marine Toxins

III. Assays for Toxicity

IV. Species of Fishes Known to Be Ciguatoxic

V. Distribution of Ciguatoxin in a Population

VI. Distribution of Ciguateric Fishes in Space and Time

VII. Origin and Transmission of the Toxin

VIII. Chemistry of Ciguatoxin

IX. Pharmacology of Ciguatoxin

X. Other Toxins

XI. Dealing with Potentially Toxic Fish

XII. Remedies for Intoxication

XIII. Public Health Significance

XIV. Conclusions

References

7. Destruction and Recovery of Coral Reef Communities

I. Introduction

II. Factors Responsible for the Destruction of the Biota of Coral Reefs

III. Recovery of Coral Reef Communities Devastated by Catastrophic Events

IV. Conclusions

References

8. Coral Island Vegetation

I. Introduction

II. Vegetation

III. Floras and Floristic Composition

IV. Vegetation Patterns

V. Conclusions

References

9. The Birds of the Great Barrier Reef

I. Introduction

II. Birds of Coral Cays and Coral Cay Islands

III. Distributional Patterns of Birds in the Great Barrier Reef Region

IV. Breeding of Birds on Coral Cays and Oceanic Islands

V. Behavior and Evolution of Land Birds

References

Appendix

Appendix References

10. Turtles of Coral Reefs and Coral Islands

I. Introduction

II. Food

III. Predators

IV. Epiphytes and External Parasites

V. Temperature Relationships

VI. Migration

VII. Nesting

VIII. Interactions with Terrestrial Animals

IX. Population Biology

X. Man the Predator or Competitor for Land

References

11. The Ecology and Biogeography of Coral Cays

I. Introduction

II. Vegetation

III. Fauna

IV. Number of Species

V. Species Turnover

VI. Dispersal and Immigration

VII. Establishment

VIII. Coral Cays as Ecosystems

IX. Island Size

X. Conclusion

References

Author Index

Subject Index

Systematic Index