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Oceans cover more than 70% of the Earth's surface, with an average depth of approximately 3,800 meters. Humanity is largely excluded from this vast world of saltwater, which remains mostly unexplored and unknown. The goal of this book is to introduce readers to this unfamiliar and mysterious realm.
It delves into various species and communities in great detail, emphasizing that the taxonomy, life cycles, and ecological dynamics differ significantly from what is typically taught in basic Biology and Natural Sciences courses, which often focus on terrestrial or freshwater environments, and occasionally, benthic habitats. The pelagic lifestyle, by contrast, is rarely emphasized in Marine Biology textbooks. This book aims to shift that perspective, highlighting the pelagic way of life for marine organisms.
As a teaching method, species, geographical locations, and key topics are repeatedly revisited throughout the text to enhance their visibility and reinforce their understanding in the minds of students.
List of contents
PREFACE.- Chapter 1 INTRODUCTION.- Chapter 2. PLANKTON, WHY SO MANY SPECIES CO-EXIST IN THE SAME WATER VOLUME?.- Chapter 3. MEDITERRANEAN SEA BIODIVERSITY.- Chapter 4. NEKTON.- Chapter 5. PELAGIC LIFESTYLES IN CONFINED ENVIRONMENTS.- Chapter 6. PELAGIC LIFESTYLES IN THE OPEN SEA.- Chapter 7. PELAGIC LIFESTYLES IN THE DARK.- Chapter 8. DIVING OF LUNGED ANIMALS.- Chapter 9. HUMAN INTERACTIONS with PELAGOS.
About the author
Genuario Belmonte is first professor of Zoology at University of Salento (Italy) where he founded in 2014 and still manages the course “Pelagos Biology” in the frame of the international master degree “Coastal and Marine Biology and Ecology”. He is author of more than 200 scientific articles (more than 100 on international journals) on the ecology of plankton, and on life cycles of plankton organisms. He described 5 species and 1 genus (of Pelagic Crustacea) new for Science. At present time he is responsible of the research vessel Pelagia (University of Salento), and President of the Museal System (8 structures) of the University of Salento.
