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From the mysterious depths of Lake Vostok, Antarctica, to tropical floodplain lakes, inland seas, hydro-reservoirs, and numerous waterbodies in our local environment, lakes encompass a huge diversity of shapes, sizes, depths, colours, and even salinities. Lakes are important, unique ecosystems, providing us with drinking water and food. Lakes: A Very Short Introduction introduces lake science (‘limnology’), discussing the importance of sustaining these complex ecosystems; and the impact on lake biodiversity of features such as climate, seasons, salinity, and sedimentation. It traces the origins of lake science from François Forel’s seminal work on Lake Geneva to modern approaches, such as environmental sensors, satellite observations, stable isotope analysis, and DNA-based technologies.Less

The oceans are critical for life on Earth. They are vital for the regulation of climate, and with global warming and decreasing land area they have become increasingly important as a source of food and of energy in the form of oil and gas, and for their mineral wealth. Oceans also form a key part of the biogeochemical cycles of carbon, nitrogen, and other elements essential to life. Oceans: A Very Short Introduction analyses these important components and considers their relationship with, and exploitation by, humans. It also explores how oceans originate, evolve, and change, including the physical processes that are active within their waters, and the shape and nature of the seafloor.Less

The tide is the greatest synchronized movement of matter on our planet. Every drop of seawater takes part in tidal motion, driven by the gravitational pull of the Moon and Sun. Tides: A Very Short Introduction blends clear explanations of well-known tidal phenomena with recent insights into the dynamics of the deep ocean and coastal seas, considering the tide’s nature and causes, its observation and prediction, and unusual tides and their relevance. It explains the importance of ocean tidal mixing as a key part of our planet’s climate-control system and for enhancing biological productivity. It also considers the effects of tidal processes beyond our own planet on the moons of Jupiter and Saturn.Less