Doctor of Science in marine sedimentology and geochemistry, André Monaco is also emeritus research director at the CNRS. He received the first prize of scientific culture of MEN in 1999.Research Director, Patrick Prouzet took care of the ecosystem approach to the scientific management of Ifremer. In the field of fisheries, he made amphihalin expertise on fish management internationally.

• Foreword ixAndré MARIOTTI and Jean-Charles POMEROL Chapter 1. Marine Biosphere, Carbonate Systems and the Carbon Cycle 1Luc BEAUFORT1.1. Introduction 11.2. Marine organisms and carbon 31.3. Variability in the production of organic matter 41.4. From the biosphere to the atmosphere to climate   71.5. Carbonate production   91.5.1. Importance of biological carbonate production in the evolution of the planet  101.5.2. Carbonate compensation depth  121.5.3. Carbonates and climate 151.6. The coupling of carbonaceous and organic productions 161.7. Modification of equilibria and consequences on marine life  171.8. Conclusion 201.9. Bibliography 21Chapter 2. Biodiversity of Phytoplankton: Responses to Environmental Changes in Coastal Zones  25Tania HERNÁNDEZ-FARIÑAS and Cédric BACHER2.1. Introduction 252.2. Phytoplankton ecology 262.2.1. General characteristics  262.2.2. Lifecycle 282.2.3. Spatial distribution322.2.4. Temporal variability and successions 332.2.5. Adaptive strategies 352.2.6. Functional diversity  402.2.7. Ecological niche   422.3. Phytoplankton responses to anthropogenic pressures  442.3.1. Main sources of anthropogenic variability 452.3.2. Responses with regard to biomass, abundance and species composition   482.3.3. Changes in spatial distribution  542.3.4. Changes in phenology and amplitude of blooms  562.3.5. Size spectrum    592.4. Observation systems for the identification of phytoplankton 602.4.1. Detecting changes in time series  602.4.2. Taxonomic aggregation levels  632.5. Conclusion 652.6. Bibliography 66Chapter 3. Marine Seagrasses (Magnoliophyta) in the Intertropical Zone 81Christian HILY3.1. From plant to habitat   813.1.1. Taxonomy and morphology of marine magnoliophyta 813.1.2. Biogeography    853.1.3. The seagrass habitat  863.2. Role of seagrass beds in the coastal environment 873.3. Functioning of seagrass beds 893.3.1. Production and metabolism 893.3.2. Trophic network   903.4. Challenges in the conservation of seagrass beds   923.4.1. Rare and endangered species 923.4.2. Specific role of seagrasses: ichthyofauna of coastal environments    933.4.3. Services provided by seagrass beds to humans  953.5. Pressures on and threats to seagrasses 953.5.1. Cyclones 963.5.2. Emersion 963.5.3. Global climate change  963.5.4. Fishing 973.5.5. Boating and water sports 983.5.6. The extraction of sandy or coral materials 983.5.7. Amenities 983.5.8. Terrigenous effluents  983.5.9. Harvesting 993.6. Restoration of seagrass beds 1003.7. The functional role of seagrasses in the lagoon ecosystem 1013.8. Conclusion 1033.9. Bibliography 104Chapter 4. Biocomplexity of Coral Ecosystems: Diversity in All its States   107Michel KULBICKI, Mehdi ADJEROUD, Laure CARASSOU, Pascale CHABANET, Valeriano PARRAVICINI, Dominique PONTON, Fanny HOULBREQUE and Laurent VIGLIOLA4.1. Introduction 1074.2. Diversity in the coral world 1114.2.1. Overview. 1124.2.2. Diversity of the main constituents of coral reefs  1194.3. Links between diversities  1384.3.1. From local to regional  1384.3.2. From species to function 1434.4. Conclusion 1544.5. Bibliography 155Chapter 5. Man and Diversity in the Coral Environment 165Michel KULBICKI, Mehdi ADJEROUD, Laure CARASSOU, Pascale CHABANET, Valeriano PARRAVICINI, Dominique PONTON, Fanny HOULBREQUE and Laurent VIGLIOLA5.1. Introduction 1655.2. Diversity and ecological services 1665.2.1. Main ecological services 1665.2.2. Diversity, robustness, resilience and disturbances  1805.3. Local versus global threats: what are local threats and what are their effects?  1865.3.1. Eutrophication    1875.3.2. Pollution by chemical products and hydrocarbons 1895.3.3. Impacts of coastal development  1905.3.4. Coral diseases    1915.4. What are the combined effects of local and global threats on corals? 1925.5. Functions and diversity 1945.5.1. What to protect? 1945.5.2. Protection means   1975.6. Conclusion 2085.6.1. Reefs as a model?   2085.6.2. Do coral reefs have a future? 2095.7. Bibliography 210Chapter 6. Hydrothermal Vents: Oases at Depth 225Jozée SARRAZIN and Daniel DESBRUYÈRES6.1. Introduction to deep-sea ecosystems 2256.2. Discovery of hydrothermal sources  2286.3. Geology and geochemistry of hydrothermal systems  2296.3.1. Formation of hydrothermal vents 2296.3.2. Chemical composition of hydrothermal fluids 2326.4. Microbial chemosynthesis  2336.5. Symbioses and trophic chains 2366.5.1. Symbioses 2366.5.2. Trophic network   2416.6. Distribution of fauna at different spatial scales 2446.6.1. Ridges of the East Pacific 2446.6.2. Ridges of the Northeast Pacific  2456.6.3. Mid-Atlantic Ridge 2466.6.4. Sites in the West Pacific 2486.6.5. Ridges in the Indian Ocean 2506.6.6. Ridges in the Southern Ocean  2526.6.7. Cayman Ridge    2536.6.8. Biogeography of deep hydrothermal vents 2546.7. Faunal microdistribution and interactions 2556.7.1. Environmental conditions 2566.7.2. Biotic interactions 2636.8. Temporal dynamics of hydrothermal ecosystems 2656.8.1. Temporal studies associated with an eruption 2666.8.2. Temporal studies of active sites  2696.8.3. Deep-sea observatories 2726.8.4. Dispersion of larvae and recruitment 2736.9. Mineral resources and exploitation  2756.10. Bibliography 279List of Authors  293Index 295