Alan Powderham and Sancia van der Meij’s new book “At the Heart of the Coral Triangle: Celebrating Biodiversity” is now available to pre-order. Featuring Powderham’s photography along with scientific explanations, it concentrates on less observed reef creatures and offers insights into many unique animal behaviors and relationships.
At the Heart of the Coral Triangle: Celebrating Biodiversity is available now to pre-order with a 20% discount from the publisher. 10% of the author’s royalties are being donated to Conservation International.
Press release
At the Heart of the Coral Triangle
Celebrating Biodiversity
Published in hardback, £40.99, by CRC Press/Taylor & Francis
Press date: 10th December 2020
Aimed at marine biologists and the interested general public, At the Heart of the Coral Triangle highlights the diversity, beauty, and need to protect the fauna and flora of the Coral Triangle.
Alan Powderham’s dazzling photography is complemented by Dr Sancia van der Meij’s scientific expertise, creating a scientifically rigorous yet breathtakingly beautiful reference work. Van der Meij is an experienced coral reef specialist while Powderham’s use of rebreather diving technology allows him to get unusually close to his subject matter. Charles Sheppard OBE, Professor of Life Sciences at the University of Warwick, UK, explains,
“Because most people will not see, let alone study and understand coral reefs, we need books whose photographs and text convey their beauty, nature and extraordinary species. Reefs are the canaries in the coal mine in the sense that they are an ecosystem that is forewarning us about the global extinction of species and systems that began ever since we entered this uncharted Anthropocene epoch. The stunning photographs in this book showing images of some of the world’s richest and most intact coral reefs will help to raise awareness, and that is going to be key.”
The spectacular landscapes and natural riches of the Coral Triangle are under threat from overfishing, climate change, unsustainable tourism, habitat destruction and poor governance. This book showcases exactly why we need to protect this unique ecosystem, contrasting its existing beauty with images of the damage already being perpetrated. The book covers many of the groups of animals seen on a reef that has been largely omitted by others. It reports engaging observations giving insights to many unique animal behaviors and relationships, that make it stand out from other books.
10% of the author’s royalties are going to Conservation International to aid their work in the region.
About the authors
Alan Powderham has been a scuba diver and underwater photographer for over 40 years having his first book, Venezuela Submarina, on the marine life of the southern Caribbean published in 1983. By profession he is an engineering consultant specializing in sustainable solutions and environmental engineering, promoting green and low carbon technology. Examples of his stunning work can be found on his Instagram at @alanpowderhamuwphoto.
Sancia van der Meij is a tropical marine biologist. She is an assistant professor at the University of Groningen, where she heads her own lab on diversification and symbiosis on coral reefs, and an honorary researcher at Naturalis Biodiversity Center. She has extensive field experience in the Coral Triangle (and beyond) since 2005.
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