A Global Atlas of Atolls

Scattered like dots rising from the deep across vast expanses of the world’s tropical and subtropical oceans, atolls have been the homeland of millions of people for millennia and have captured the public imagination. Developed from satellite data only recently available, A Global Atlas of Atolls presents high-quality details of 473 atolls across the globe, characterizing details of the atoll rim, the lagoon and their coral reef communities in unprecedented detail. In synthesizing and enhancing understanding of these spectacular seascapes, this volume provides a unique compendium of descriptions and images, as well as documentation of the environmental conditions of winds, waves and tides and a summary of the background literature for each atoll area. After an introduction that includes a glossary of terms, each atoll is documented in the form of an atlas written for scientists, but accessible to any diver or reader interested in these spectacular reef-island habitats. The book also describes the current state of affairs and the outlook for their future. It will be useful to marine scientists, as well as providing an informative read to those who are interested in and enamored of science or travelling on a comfortable armchair.There is currently no comparable work documenting the atolls of the world, with their turquoise lagoons and colorful reefs teaming with marine life.