Seamounts

Seamounts are ubiquitous undersea mountains rising from the ocean seafloor that do not reach the surface. There are likely many hundreds of thousands of seamounts, they are usually formed from volcanoes in the deep sea and are defined by oceanographers as independent features that rise to at least 0.5 km above the seafloor, although smaller features may have the same origin. This book follows a logical progression from geological and physical processes, ecology, biology and biogeography, to exploitation, management and conservation concerns. In 21 Chapters written by 57 of the world’s leading seamount experts, the book reviews all aspects of their geology, ecology, biology, exploitation, conservation and management. In Section I of this book, several detection and estimation techniques for tallying seamounts are reviewed, along with a history of seamount research.

This book represents a unique and fresh synthesis of knowledge of seamounts and their biota and is an essential reference work on the topic. It is an essential purchase for all fisheries scientists and managers, fish biologists, marine biologists and ecologists, environmental scientists, conservation biologists and oceanographers. It will also be of interest to members of fish and wildlife agencies and government departments covering conservation and management. Supplementary material is available at: www.seamountsbook.info

Author Biography

Tony J. Pitcher Fisheries Centre, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, Canada Telmo Morato Department of Oceanography and Fisheries, University of the Azores, Horta, Portugal

Paul J.B. Hart Department of Biology, University of Leicester, United Kingdom Malcolm R. Clark National Institute of Water and Atmospheric Research, Wellington, New Zealand Nigel Haggan Fisheries Centre, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, Canada Ricardo S. Santos Department of Oceanography and Fisheries, University of the Azores, Horta, Portugal