Indian Marine Biology

Contents: Preface. 1. Introduction. 2. History of marine biology in India. 3. Chief features of the sea around India. 4. Some common physical and chemical properties of seawater. 5. The organisms of the shore and their mode of life. 6. The plankton. 7. Productivity. 8. A glimpse of the main animal groups in the sea. 9. Fishes and fisheries of our seas. 10. Some of the methods and equipment for research. Bibliography. Index.

The study of living organisms of the seas has become very important in recent years both because they are very interesting and economically important. India has made a considerable progress in marine biology after the attainment of independence.

The present book gives some idea of the present depth of our knowledge in this field.  The book is divided into thirteen chapters. One chapter is devoted to physical and chemical features of the seas around India and another to the peculiarities of shore life which are extremely interesting. This is the area of transition between the sea and land. Most of the animal phyla are represented in the sea and all these creatures as well as the plant living in the sea are well adapted to their environment in various ways. There is a chapter on fishes and fisheries. This being specially important in view of the economic  importance of these creatures as food for mankind. Other aspects such as plankton, benthos productivity and fishery trends are dealt with to a reasonable extent. The data being gathered first hand either from personal experience or based on authoritative scientific publications; very recent ones among these also being included.

Here is s good glimpse into the nature and variety of animal and to some extent plant life in our seas with a brief account of the research methods and equipment currently in use in these researches. This book will be useful in the study of marine biology, fishery research and their administration.