Top 10 Marine Biology Books You Must Read
If you have always been in awe of the beauty of marine life and are interested in studying different types of marine organisms, then the subject of marine biology would be of great interest to you.
Learn about the wonders of the aquatic life, their salient features, and the different types of such species that exist under the sea or how coral reefs survive or maintain themselves under the immense pressure and literally no sunlight, and many such important facts in the subject of marine biology.
In a nutshell, Marine biology is the study of marine species and plants, and how these species interact and behave with one another and the environment. It also involves the study of chemical, physical, and geological factors that helps to understand marine organisms better.
Marine biology books are important to understand the living conditions, mechanisms, and the various types of marine lives, and plants. Such books also give us an insight into how to protect these marine lives from global warming and being extinct.
Mentioned below are 10 important marine biology books that are not only useful for undergrads or professors in the field related to marine biology but also for the non-science people.
1. Marine Biology 11th Edition
The Marine Biology 11th edition book is the latest version of the basics of marine biology, authored by Peter Castro (a Professor of Biological Sciences at the California State Polytechnic University) and Michael E. Huber ( a chair of GESAMP). This is basically a one-semester book for all non-majors in marine biology.
The authors have taken a global approach to convey the basics of marine biology, using different regions and ecosystems around the world as examples. It includes basic science content like primary principles of biology, the physical sciences useful general education. This comprehensive and popular textbook comes with colourful illustrations and photos.
- Marine Biology 11th Edition by Peter Castro and Michael Huber
- Castro, Peter (Author)
- English (Publication Language)
- 496 Pages - 10/11/2018 (Publication Date) - McGraw-Hill Education (Publisher)
2. Marine Biology: Function, Biodiversity, Ecology 5th Edition
The Marine Biology: Function, Biodiversity, Ecology is a comprehensive textbook presented in a sophisticated way by Jeffery S. Levinton. The fifth edition of this book is a significate update from the previous version. The book is written is a clear and concise manner that could be easily understood by an undergrad or a person interested in marine biology. The focus of this marine book is the perfect balance between organisms and ecology with the latest developments in the field of global climate change, molecular biology, and ocean processes.
- Levinton, Jeffrey (Author)
- English (Publication Language)
- 592 Pages - 07/14/2017 (Publication Date) - Oxford University Press (Publisher)
3. Introduction to the Biology of Marine Life 11th Edition
This book is perfect for all who are new to this field and interested in Marine Biology. The book Introduction to Biology of Marine Life answers questions such as What is marine biology and why is it important? The authors of the book, John Morrissey, James L. Sumich, and Deanna R. Pinkard-Meier, have adopted a conversational writing style to make easy to understand.
The book includes the latest Case studies and research especially beneficial for the students. The 11th edition is the latest version of this book that comes with 450 new and updated photos and illustrations and includes chapters like Physical and Chemical Oceanography and Polar Seas and Polar Seas to name a few. Hence, making this an appropriate book for the students.
- Morrissey, John (Author)
- English (Publication Language)
- 450 Pages - 11/02/2016 (Publication Date) - Jones & Bartlett Learning (Publisher)
4. Marine Biology: An Ecological Approach (6th Edition)
The Marine Biology: An Ecological Approach (6th Edition) is the perfect book for marine biology professors out there. The book throws light on the ecological principles of marine life around all ocean environments. The authors James W. Nybakken and Mark D. Bertness show the differences between marine and terrestrial ecosystems and try to explain the interaction of marine organisms with their ecosystems and the impact of homo sapiens on the marine life. This marine book is great for all the marine biology and ecology enthusiasts as well. It will help them to deepen their knowledge about Plankton communities, Deep-sea Biology, Tropical communities, Symbiotic relationships to name a few. Another interesting part of this book is that each chapter comes with a list of references from the primary scientific literature.
- Used Book in Good Condition
- Hardcover Book
- Nybakken, James W. (Author)
- English (Publication Language)
- 579 Pages - 04/19/2024 (Publication Date) - Benjamin-Cummings Pub Co (Publisher)
5. Introduction to Marine Biology (3rd Edition)
This marine book is specially designed for all the non-science students interested in marine biology. The authors of Introduction to Marine Biology 3rd Edition, George Karleskint, Richard Turner, James Small, have tried to use as simple language as possible to explain key concepts with pictures and illustrations. This makes sure that the book is interesting and can be understood by everyone. The books talks about the fundamentals of ecology, marine glossary, life in the ocean depths to name a few. Apart from this, it also comes with a glossary for key terms, and questions, websites & articles at the end of each chapter.
- Hardcover Book
- Karleskint, George (Author)
- English (Publication Language)
- 592 Pages - 01/07/2009 (Publication Date) - Cengage Learning (Publisher)
6. Marine Biology: A Very Short Introduction (3rd Edition)
The biologist Philip V. Mladenov has succinctly written this book touching upon all the aspects of marine life. In this latest edition, he talks about the following
- Different aspects of marine life like chemistry & geography of the ocean floor, weather, temperature.
- Conditions affecting each marine life that are unique.
- Discusses the problem of overfishing
- The reason this book is different from others is that Mladenov throws light on the effect of global warming on marine life.
Also, he provides the readers with measures for a sustainable relationship with oceans for the benefit of future generations. He ends the book by asking readers to boldly implement new approaches and offers an inspiring vision for the future of our ocean.
- Mladenov, Philip V. (Author)
- English (Publication Language)
- 224 Pages - 05/01/2020 (Publication Date) - Oxford University Press (Publisher)
7. Oceanography and Marine Biology: An Introduction to Marine Science
The book ‘Oceanography and Marine Biology’ is written by Prof. David W. Townsend and it aims to help the undergrad students understand the physical, chemical & geological aspects of the marine sciences, combining them with the elements of marine biology and ecology. He believes other books on marine biology doesn’t focus much on oceanography or vice-versa. Thus, he wants to bring a balance by giving equal weightage to both the topics. This is achieved by combining biology with physical and mathematical elements, helping students to comprehend better by providing an everyday example. This book is useful for students and professors/instructors.
- Used Book in Good Condition
- Hardcover Book
- Townsend, David W. (Author)
- English (Publication Language)
- 576 Pages - 03/31/2012 (Publication Date) - Sinauer Associates is an imprint of Oxford University Press (Publisher)
8. The Biology of the Deep Ocean
The Biology of the Deep Ocean book is an analysis done and written by Peter Herring. The book talks about the experience of Herring in 60 research cruises and submersible dives, exploring deep-sea in all the world’s oceans. He talks about how our world is different from life in the deep sea. He wants the readers to know about the techniques used to determine the population of inhabitants in the deep sea and the survival measures adapted by these inhabitants.
The book is also about the problems faced by marine life in the deep sea like the reduction of biomass, roles of surface phytoplankton, lifestyle, sex & size, and varieties of species found in the deep ocean as well in the midwater. The Biology of the deep ocean is an interesting book to read for the people doing majors in the marine and oceanography field.
- Herring, Peter (Author)
- English (Publication Language)
- 330 Pages - 02/21/2002 (Publication Date) - Oxford University Press (Publisher)
9. The World Beneath: The Life and Times of Unknown Sea Creatures and Coral Reefs
This is one book where you will be in awe of the beautiful pictures of Sea creatures and Coral Reefs than reading the content. The World Beneath: The Life and Times of Unknown Sea Creatures and Coral Reefs book is written by an award-winning underwater photographer & videographer Dr. Richard Smith. He is also a biologist and conservationist, who has written hundreds of articles. In this book, Smith talks about the jaw-dropping coral reefs in the Atlantic, Pacific, and Indian oceans.
In this book you to see up and close front pictures of:
- Florescent Yellow streak
- Cenderawaish fairy wrasse
- Creatures that change the color within a blink of an eye
- Baby blue sponges
- Daffodil crinoids.
The list will go on. The above are just a few examples; there are over 300 pictures in the book. However, the book also gives useful insights about the food of these creatures, camaraderie, and relationship with the fellow inhabitants of the sea. In the end, Smith talks about the beauty of the marine world and what it has to offer to the terrestrial world, hence, suggesting the readers protect marine life before they go extinct.
- Hardcover Book
- Smith, Dr. Richard (Author)
- English (Publication Language)
- 312 Pages - 09/10/2019 (Publication Date) - Apollo Publishers (Publisher)
10. Advances in Marine Biology
The book Advances in Marine Biology is written by Prof. Charles Sheppard. The latest and up-to-date version of this book is volume 84, which is specifically written for the researchers and postgraduates in marine biology, ecology, biological oceanography, fisheries science. The articles and researches in this book are done by reputed professionals in their respective fields of study and are based on the latest changes in marine biology. This marine book will be extremely useful for students, managers, and academic professionals in the marine sciences.
- Amazon Kindle Edition
- English (Publication Language)
- 101 Pages - 11/25/2019 (Publication Date) - Academic Press (Publisher)
All that is required to read these books is dedication and interest in marine life. These marine books not only gives an insight into marine life but also suggest us to take proper measures to protect them from being extinct.
Over to you..
Do you know any other marine biology books that can be added to this list?
Let’s know in the comments below…
Disclaimer: The authors’ views expressed in this article do not necessarily reflect the views of Marine Insight. Data and charts, if used, in the article have been sourced from available information and have not been authenticated by any statutory authority. The author and Marine Insight do not claim it to be accurate nor accept any responsibility for the same. The views constitute only the opinions and do not constitute any guidelines or recommendation on any course of action to be followed by the reader.
The article or images cannot be reproduced, copied, shared or used in any form without the permission of the author and Marine Insight.
We earn a commission if you make a purchase through an affiliate link, at no additional cost to you.
Do you have info to share with us ? Suggest a correction
Latest Marine career Articles You Would Like:
- A Guide To IMU CET Exam 2024
- A Guide to Merchant Navy Ranks
- What is Marine Engineering: Courses, Job Description & Salary
- Duties of 3rd Officer in Merchant Navy
- What is the Difference between Merchant Navy and Defence Navy?
- Naval Architecture vs Naval Engineering vs Marine Engineering vs Ocean Engineering
Subscribe To Our Newsletters
By subscribing, you agree to our Privacy Policy and may receive occasional deal communications; you can unsubscribe anytime.
Web Stories
