Ever-increasing interest in oceanography and marine biology and its relevance to global environmental issues creates a demand for authoritative reviews summarizing the results of recent research. Oceanography and Marine Biology: An Annual Review has answered this demand since its founding by the late Harold Barnes more than forty years ago. Its objective is an annual consideration of basic areas of marine research, dealing with subjects of special or immediate importance, adding new subjects as they arise.

The volumes maintain a unified perspective on the marine sciences. Physical, chemical, and biological aspects of marine science are dealt with by experts actively engaged in these fields. This essential reference text for researchers and students in all fields of marine science finds a place in libraries of marine stations and institutes, as well as universities. It consistently ranks among the highest in impact factors for the marine biology category of the citation indices compiled by the Institute for Scientific Information.

Volume 42 contains analysis on convective chimneys in the Greenland Sea, spawning aggregations of coral reef fishes, exopolymers (EPS) in aquatic systems, the marine insect Halobates, and much more.