The Gulf Stream: Tiny Plankton, Giant Bluefin, and the Amazing Story of the Powerful River in the Atlantic

by Stan Ulanski

Overview

Coursing through the Atlantic Ocean is a powerful current with a force 300 times that of the mighty Amazon. Ulanski explores the fascinating science and history of this sea highway known as the Gulf Stream, a watery wilderness that stretches from the Caribbean to the North Atlantic. Spanning both distance and time, Ulanski's investigation reveals how the Gulf Stream affects and is affected by every living thing that encounters it—from tiny planktonic organisms to giant bluefin tuna, from ancient mariners to big-game anglers. He examines the scientific discovery of ocean circulation, the role of ocean currents in the settlement of the New World, and the biological life teeming in the stream.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780807887097
Publisher:	The University of North Carolina Press
Publication date:	06/01/2010
Edition description:	Large Print
Pages:	232
Product dimensions:	7.00(w) x 9.90(h) x 0.70(d)

About the Author

Stan Ulanski is professor of geology and environmental science at James Madison University.

Table of Contents

Contents

Preface Acknowledgments

Part I. Coming Full Circle: Flow in the Atlantic Chapter 1. Swirls and Conveyors Chapter 2. Anatomy of the Gulf Stream Chapter 3. Flowing Down the Hill: The History of Ocean Circulation

Part II. Life in the Gulf Stream Chapter 4. Floaters and Drifters Chapter 5. Bluefin Tuna: The Great Migration Chapter 6. Fishing the Blue Waters

Part III. Sailing the Atlantic Chapter 7. Exploration and Discovery Chapter 8. Colonization of America

Epilogue Bibliography Index

What People are Saying About This

From the Publisher

Here is the amazing story of the ocean river we know as the Gulf Stream, told in a manner the layman can understand.—David Stick, author of Graveyard of the Atlantic: Shipwrecks of the North Carolina Coast

Editorial Reviews

Ulanski is a scientist but doesn't write like one. His book is jam-packed with facts, but they are so gracefully integrated into the text that it's only when you come up for air that you realize you've been learning all along.—The Wall Street Journal



Ulanski takes readers on a dizzying trip within, afloat and around the Gulf Stream. . . . This multifaceted treatment of 'the blue god' offers something for almost every kind of ocean lover.—Publishers Weekly



The book's strength is its versatility. It can be used in an introductory oceanography or environmental science class, and is also geared to nature and outdoor enthusiasts with its section on marine life and fishing. History buffs will appreciate the power of the Gulf Stream in setting the stage for settlement in the Americas.—ForeWord Magazine



Provides the layperson a synopsis of the physical origin, general biology, and rich exploration history of the Gulf Stream. . . . A concise, engaging blend of science and history.—Choice



Will fascinate a wide variety of readers. . . . Ulanski does an inspired job carrying centuries of information to the modern reader.—The Virginian Pilot



Ulanski makes clear the connections between the physical world and human activity through history.—McCormick Messenger



Includes a fascinating account of the Gulf Stream's role in history.—Science News



Valuable. . . . A multilayered and eminently insightful book about the way the natural world works.—The Texas Observer



Takes the reader on a pelagic voyage about the Atlantic Ocean and through time.—California Literary Review



Historical examples add interest. . . . The sections on life and travel in the Gulf Stream are the most interesting and readable and will appeal to general readers.—Library Journal

From the Publisher