The ever increasing interest in work in oceanography and marine biology and its relevance to global environmental issues creates a demand for authoritative reviews summarizing the results of recent research. Oceanography and Marine Biology: An Annual Review has catered for this demand since its foundation, by the late Harold Barnes, over 40 years ago. Its objectives are to consider, annually, basic areas of marine research, returning to them when appropriate in future volumes; to deal with subjects of special and topical importance; and to add new ones as they arise. The favorable reception acc.