The Caribbean Coral Reef

Book excerpt: This book is a visual tour of Caribbean coral reefs between 1968 and 1978. They are the world’s second largest coral reef community and the most threatened. The Caribbean Coral Reef: A Record of an Ecosystem Under Threat offers a priceless historical record made by a photographer who set out to document the major reef species when those reefs were at their prime. Today, coral reefs are under threat as never before and, sadly, most of what is shown in the book's photographs is now gone forever. It is only by comparing the images in this book with what we see now that we are able to fully recognize what we have lost. With its stunning photography and precise, accurate scientific information, this book offers students of coral reefs a wealth of information about this rich, fragile ecosystem. It is also written accessibly for non-academic visitors to the Caribbean reef or anyone interested in the earth’s creatures. Many of the invertebrates will be unfamiliar to most people, and the author reveals fascinating insights into these otherworldly creatures and their lifestyles. Enjoy this field guide to the reefs that were, and savor the beauty of this vanishing environment and its organisms.