Increasing interest in oceanography and marine biology and its relevance to global environmental issues continues to create a demand for authoritative reviews summarizing recent research. Now in its 49th volume, Oceanography and Marine Biology has addressed this demand for almostA 50 years. This annual review considers the basics of marine research, special topics, and emerging new areas. Regarding the marine sciences as a unified field, the text features contributors who are actively engaged in biological, chemical, geological, and physical aspects of marine science. Including color inserts andA extensive reference lists, this series is essential for researchers and students in all fields of marine science.