Review: The coastal margin is coming under increasing pressure. Developments of all sorts are occurring and the old notion of a pristine beach is fast disappearing. The impact this can have on the environment is considerable. Post-tsunami studies show the recent SE Asian tsunami to have been worse on the areas without mangroves. Population movement to the coast in Australia has become so popular that a new word 'seachange' has been coined to describe it. Whatever it is and wherever it occurs, the result is the same - disruption of natural processes. Thus any book which provides an overview is going to be helpful.

We start with a look at the range of factors that can affect coasts. Despite the chapter title the focus is actually on the Black Sea but for a reason - it has more problems than most other regions! Having set the scene, the book proceeds to examine a range of key ideas. Chapter two look at those changes caused by the atmosphere although, given that the main case is coral bleaching, it's clear that the processes being described are not natural but show anthropogenic origins. A second case study of global warming serves only to emphasise the point. Chapter three continues the issue with a look at sea level rise but the examples are drawn from a wider perspective to include both human-driven change, natural changes in sea level and those where there is a less clearly defined cause! There's also a discussion of the magnitude of the changes and what can be done to address them. Chapter four looks at the impact of freshwater into coastal areas. There's a wide range of cases from the Aral Sea (lack of input) to Nile delta (altered discharge) with ideas on how it can be ameliorated. Chapter five considers sediment movement and the way in which human action can alter sediment flow and thereby change coastal formation. It's not just changes in the nature of flows that can impact upon the coast. Building on it has a key impact as well! Chapter six highlights the problems caused by development, not just in straight land loss but the effects that altering water flows. The next three chapters are linked by pollution. The first two examine petroleum and chlorinated hydrocarbons respectively whilst the third looks at heavy metal impact starting with the (in)famous case of Minamata Bay. Chapter 10 moves from chemicals to biological impacts. Species invasions are becoming key studies in ecology and so the discussion here is a useful pointer. Using a wide range of plant and animal species, the author leaves us in no doubt as to the considerable effects that can be felt. Increasing sea transport will do nothing to reduce this issue. Continuing with the faunal theme, chapter 11 examines the fishing trade starting with the case of the North Sea cod. After this key case other examples of species and practices such as sardines and mariculture highlight smaller changes. Chapter 12 looks not at food but at nutrient sources with an examination of the impact of eutrophication, which has considerable impact especially in more sheltered areas. Chapter 13 wraps up the ain part of the text with a miscellaneous chapter mentioning small but significant sources of issues in coastal waters such as thermal and radioactive pollution. A final chapter summarises the work trying to note the key areas and suggesting how we can critically evaluate future impacts.

This text covers a great deal of material providing a useful mix of classic and modern studies to back up the cases presented. In doing this is one volume, the author has produced a great one-stop introductory resource which is just what is needed if we are to tackle this growing problem.