The oceans cover the majority of the Earth's surface; they influence our climate and provide a valuable source of food to billions of people. However, despite its fundamental impact on our lives, many aspects of the marine environment remain a mystery to us. Marine Ecology: Processes, Systems, and Impacts, Second Edition, offers a carefully balanced and stimulating survey of marine ecology, introducing the key processes and systems from which the marine environment is formed and the issues and challenges that surround its future. Opening with an overview of the major processes and interactions of marine ecology, the book goes on to explore the diverse systems from which the marine environment is composed, from estuaries to seabeds and from the deep sea to polar regions. The final section examines human activities that impact the marine environment--fisheries, aquaculture, pollution, and global warming--before considering measures that can be taken to mitigate their adverse effects on it. Marine Ecology: Processes, Systems, and Impacts is an essential resource for any student wishing to develop a well-balanced, informed understanding of this fascinating subject. The second edition offers enhanced coverage of socioeconomic issues and climate change and new "Hot Topic" text boxes that discuss contemporary research.