This book was originally published in 1987. The sublittoral shelf around the British Isles is an area rich in natural resources and of economic and biological value. Subtidal Ecology gives a comprehensive overview of the characteristic features of the shallow sublittoral and the marine life it supports. It explores a complex and varied sea-bed topography, the communities associated with the different types of sea-bed and with open waters, the way these communities develop and interact, and the environmental factors influencing distribution. Exploitation of coastal sea resources, as well as waste disposal and pollution, are issues of importance: their emphasis here completes a fascinating subtidal picture.