Includes bibliographical references and indexes.

The deep-sea floor : an overview / D. Thistle -- The pelagic environment of the open ocean / M.V. Angel -- Reducing environments of the deep-sea floor / V. Tunnicliffe, S.K. Juniper and M. Sibuet -- The deep Atlantic Ocean / L.A. Levin and A.J. Gooday -- The deep Pacific Ocean floor / C.R. Smith and A.W.J. Demopoulos -- The deep Indian Ocean floor / A.W.J. Demopoulos, C.R. Smith and P.A. Tyler -- The polar deep seas / A. Clarke -- The peripheral deep seas / P.A. Tyler -- Large-scale spatial and temporal patterns of deep-sea benthic species diversity / C.T. Stuart, M.A. Rex and R.J. Etter -- Food inputs, utilization, carbon flow and energetics / J.D. Gage -- Reproduction, development and life history traits / C.M. Young -- Anthropogenic impacts on the deep sea / H. Thiel -- Epilogue: Exploration, observation and experimentation / P.A.Tyler.