How fossilized reefs hold clues to the survival of corals in the Anthropocene
With rising global temperatures, pollution, overfishing, ocean acidification, and other problems caused by humans, there’s no question that today’s coral reefs are in trouble. As predictions about the future of these ecosystems grow increasingly dire, scientists are looking in an unlikely place for new ways to save corals: the past. The reefs of yesteryear faced challenges too, from changing sea level to temperature shifts, and understanding how they survived and when they faltered can help guide our efforts to help ensure a future for reefs.
Lisa Gardiner weaves together the latest cutting-edge science with stories of her expeditions to tropical locales to show how fossils and other reef remains offer tantalizing glimpses of how corals persisted through time, and how this knowledge can guide our efforts to ensure a future for these remarkable organisms. Gardiner takes readers on an excursion into “the shallow end of deep time”-when marine life was much like today’s yet unaffected by human influence-to explore the cities of fossilized limestone left behind by corals and other reef life millennia ago. The changes in reefs today are unlike anything ever seen before, but the fossil record offers hope that the coral reefs of tomorrow can weather the environmental challenges that lie ahead.
A breathtaking journey of scientific discovery, Reefs of Time reveals how lessons from the past can help us to chart a path forward for coral reefs struggling for survival in an age of climate crisis and mass extinction.
"[This] penetrating study is dedicated to ensuring reefs’ survival."---Andrew Robinson, Nature "A love letter to past, present and future coral reefs. . . . [Gardiner's] stories of fossil and modern polyps—as well as the people that study them—prompted me to think more deeply about resilience."---Jen Christiansen, Scientific American "In an era of widespread coral bleaching and worldwide loss of coral reefs, Gardiner's lessons from the past may help save corals for the future."---Nancy Bent, Booklist "A standout contribution to marine literature, offering clarity and hope in the face of one of our era’s most pressing environmental challenges." * Sevenseas Media * "This is an important book, well written and about a vital aspect of our natural heritage and wild life."---Simon Cocking, Irish Tech News "A vivid narrative that blends rigorous science, deep history, and personal fieldwork into a captivating exploration of reef life, loss, and resilience."---Sara Asadi, Integrative and Comparative Biology "Gardiner artfully combines vivid imagery, scientific context, and stories from leading reef scientists to create a narrative that engages, educates, and inspires the reader to connect with the past, present, and future of reefs."---Dr. Nia Walker, Integrative and Comparative Biology "Lisa S. Gardiner, in fluid conversational prose, friendly and engaging, examines the prehuman fossil record and reveals what once was and may never be again. . . . This is an important book with a significant message, and dire warnings for a world about to change drastically in the coming decades. Lisa S. Gardiner has done an admirable job in alerting us to impending disaster."---David Gascoigne, Travels with Birds
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