Imperiled Reef: The Fascinating, Fragile Life of a Caribbean Wonder

The beauty and drama of a world beneath the surface of the waves This book brings alive the richly diverse world of an underwater paradise: the Mesoamerican Barrier Reef. Stretching 625 miles through the Caribbean Sea along the coasts of Mexico, Belize, Guatemala, and Honduras, this reef is the second largest coral structure on the planet. Imperiled Reef searches out the breathtaking intricacies of this endangered ecological treasure. Research shows that the future of the reef is at risk, Sheehy explains. Looking closely at threats ranging from global warming to overfishing to irresponsible development, Sheehy draws attention to the inspiring efforts of nongovernmental agencies, scientists, and local communities who are working together to address these challenges. She includes practical actions individuals can take to protect this reef--as well as marine ecosystems everywhere. Celebrating a vast, submerged landscape that has too often been undervalued, Imperiled Reef is both a strong case for protecting an international marvel and a powerful message of hope for the world's oceans.

About the Author :
Sandy Sheehy is a journalist who has dived the Mesoamerican Barrier Reef for four decades. She is the author of Texas Big Rich: Exploits, Eccentricities, and Fabulous Fortunes Won and Lost and Connecting: The Enduring Power of Female Friendship.

Review :
"'All the beauty and drama of the coral ecosystem, and all the forces and follies that imperil coral reefs' are present in the Mesoamerican Barrier Reef, writes journalist Sheehy (Texas Big Rich) in this impassioned study. Extending from Mexico to Honduras, the reef is the second-longest on Earth, and while Sheehy addresses the multitude of threats to the reef's 'symphony of symbiosis'--climate change, ocean acidification, invasive species--she also recognizes that 'people don't protect what they don't value.' To that end, Sheehy outlines in accessible terms reef formation (in the Mesoamerican, larvae found the right temperature waters and reef-forming corals grew) and the flora and fauna that call the reef home (sea turtles, jellyfish, and gorgonians among them). She's at her best when describing how local communities and fishing cooperatives have taken action to improve ecological conditions by moving toward sustainable practices, though less successful are her pedestrian tips for what individuals might do to reduce their 'negative impacts on the Earth's oceans' (recycle, and ditch single-use water bottles). Still, there is much to savor in Sheehy's paean to a unique ecosystem."--Publishers Weekly