Two world-class geologists draw on their prolific fifty-year careers in this comprehensive guide to the geology and biology of the Florida Keys and Florida Bay.

Eugene Shinn and Barbara Lidz dive into the past, present, and future of an area that has long been a natural laboratory for learning about coral reef formation and the origins of limestone. They explain how underlying Pleistocene topography controls the shapes of today’s coral reefs, how sea level rise created Florida Bay, and how hurricanes mold lime-mud banks and strip vegetation from the Florida Keys. They discuss the recent decline of coral reefs due to overpopulation, pollution, climate change, and other factors. The book even includes an itinerary for a hands-on three-day field trip, guiding visitors to the best places to see the famous reef formations and geologic processes of the Keys.