Charles Sheppard is professor emeritus of life sciences at the University of Warwick. His books include The Biology of Coral Reefs and Coral Reefs: A Very Short Introduction. Consultant editor Russell Kelley is the author of the Indo Pacific Coral Finder and the Reef Finder. He is program director of the Coral Identification Capacity Building Program, which provides training in coral identification around the world.
The book covers the huge list of dangers that reefs face today and how people are working to protect them. It looks at artificial reef structures and the marine life that lives on them. There are chapters on reef fish and sharks and how the diverse species living on the reefs interact. . . . I will never look at a coral reef in the same way again and will marvel even more at their beauty and complexity. ---Caroline Robertson-Brown, Scubaverse This excellent book, by Charles Sheppard, a foremost author of academic, popular and educational books on coral reefs, reflects a lifetime studying and enjoying these ecosystems. . . . I recommend that, in addition, to getting your own copy, you give the book to budding (and experienced) marine biologists. ---Mike Elliott, The Marine Biologist Stunningly beautiful . . . . I will never look at a coral reef in the same way again and will marvel even more at their beauty and complexity. ---Daria Blackwell, Flying Fish