The Intertidal Wilderness: A Photographic Journey through Pacific Coast Tidepools

by Anne Wertheim Rosenfeld

The Intertidal Wilderness is a stunning photographic exploration of the tidepools of the Pacific coast, from Baja California to as far north as southeast Alaska. These lush photographs capture in striking color the enormous variety of life and biological detail in the intertidal zone along one of the world's most spectacular coastlines. The interpretative text and captions describe telltale signs of ecological relationships and processes, helping the seashore explorer to appreciate ecological interactions and their consequences. The text delves into the roles of competition, predation, reproduction, natural variation in space and time, and color that characterize this vibrant ecosystem.
This revised edition has been updated throughout, incorporating new scientific information, new photographs, and a new chapter discussing the recent human impact on this threatened environment. Fusing art and science, The Intertidal Wilderness conveys the fragility, complexity, and interdependence of the plants and animals living at the interface of land and sea.
The Intertidal Wilderness vividly animates the surprisingly delicate beauty of the often violent intertidal zone, which daily withstands pounding waves at high tides as well as desiccation and exposure at low tides. With revealing photographs, engaging text, and a solid foundation in marine biology, this book will capture the imagination of the casual seashore visitor as well as the dedicated enthusiast.

Genres: Nature, Photography

156 pages, Hardcover

First published April 12, 1985

Reviews

[Peter Tillman · Rating 4 out of 5]

An impressive photo-atlas of, well, read the header blurb first (as you always should). This was a chance library check-out while looking for another book. It's a winner. First-rate photographs (mostly from the Puget Sound area and SE Alaska), with exceptionally clear and lucid explanations of what's going on. I'm new to the Pacific coast and still learning this stuff, but I think any beach-walker who takes a look in the tide-pools will find this book interesting. Most applicable to the American/Canadian North Pacific coast, but a good overlap into my area, the Central Coast of Calif. Your (west coast) library likely has it. On my reread list.

Don't take my slow progress as a negative. This is a nice book to read a bit at a time.

[Daniel Morgan · Rating 3 out of 5]

I enjoyed this! The book's format is that each pair of pages has plates on the right page and explanatory text on the left. The photographs are spectacular, and they and the text illuminate many of the often-overlooked creatures of the intertidal zone.

[Alice · Rating 5 out of 5]

The ocean is so good for the soul. Tide pools are a gift from the ocean.

[Brian · Rating 4 out of 5]

great book about intertidal zone. cool themes (competition, predation, reproduction, human impact) to make sense of what is there instead of just animal id.

[Mills College Library]

577.699 R8138 2002