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Advances in marine biology Vol. 30
Book
Reviews
I J. Exp. Mar. Biol. Ecol.
193 (1995) 277-295
287
in 1982, unfortunately after most fish stocks had already been over-fished and long after the collapse of the whale stocks. CCAMLR takes a laudable ecosystem approach to management of the Southern Ocean resources but as pressures for high quality protein from the sea mount as stocks are exhausted elsewhere in the world’s oceans, CCAMLR will face a difficult task resisting political and other pressures to ignore the best scientific advice on sensible levels of exploitation. This volume is a comprehensive introduction to the biology and ecology of the Southern Ocean ecosystem. The size of the task and the breadth of the subject, which covers several disciplines in marine science, means that although rich in information the book is sometimes lacking in critical appraisal of the science that it presents. For instance, the section treating the food resource of krill contains two paragraphs presenting apparently contradictory views. The first cites papers supporting the assertion that krill are essentially herbivorous while the second presents increasing evidence that krill exploit food other than phytoplankton. No attempt is made to reconcile these apparently conflicting views. Nevertheless, ten years on from Antarctic Ecology edited by R.M. Laws, a decade which has seen considerable progress in understanding of the biology of the Southern Ocean, this book is a timely and well produced milestone and perhaps also a signpost to the next ten years for newcomers as well as specialists needing to broaden their view of the subject. Paul G. Rodhouse British Antarctic Survey Natural Environment Research High Cross Madingley Road Cambridge CB3 OET UK
Advances
Academic back).
Council
in Marine Biology Vol. 30, edited by J.H.S. Blaxter & A.J. Southward;
Press, London;
1994; 364 pp., GBP 48.00, ISBN O-12-026130-8 (hard-
Volume 30 of Advances in Marine Biology maintains the very high standards set by this series. The editors are to be congratulated on bringing together a splendid and stimulating group of topics reflecting both the systems-approach and organism-approach to marine biology. A review of “Meiobenthos of the deep northeast Atlantic” by M. Vincx & eight co-authors from four countries reflects well the systems-approach that is being advanced by the MAST (Marine Science and Technology) Programme of the European Commission. The scale of a MAST project in this field, related to the wider literature, has permitted an impressive assessment of deep-sea meiobenthos in relation to depth, latitude, surface primary production, sediment properties, bottom hydrography, and time. The fauna is shown to be particularly amenable to quantitative study, providing highly
288
Book Reviews I .I. Exp. Mar. Biol. Ecol. 193 (1995) 277-295
appropriate research material for future deep-sea experiments. In contrast A.C. Brown & F.J. Odendaal provide an excellent review of “The biology of oniscid Isopoda of the genus Tylos”, a semi-terrestrial genus which occurs worldwide on mid-latitude sandy beaches. The article is full of fascinating information on fundamental aspects of the behaviour, physiology, and ecology of these isopods, which are highly vulnerable to human pressures from marine pollution and environmental manipulation at high water mark. Members of the genus are omnivorous scavengers feeding most commonly on kelp and wrack on the strandline, which in some localities they are reported to reach as juveniles by ‘surfing’. Of the other articles in the volume, that on “Social aggregation in pelagic invertebrates” by D.A. Ritz usefully compares recent studies of invertebrate swarming behaviour, for example in euphausiid and mysid crustaceans, with schooling of fish. The study of ‘trade-offs’ in fish schooling has all too rarely impinged upon invertebrate studies, but the modelling possibilities which now arise offer good tests of hypotheses about preferred positions of individuals under different conditions. A. Ferron & W.C. Leggett contribute “An appraisal of condition measures for marine fish larvae” emphasizing that there is no “best index” for all circumstances. It is suggested that the refinement of existing methods offers more potential than a search for new methods of condition assessment if larval survival as a correlate of condition is to be fully quantified. The final article on “Biology of seamounts” by A.D. Rogers considers the interactions of seamount faunas and the surrounding pelagic ecosystem, as well as seamount benthic ecology, species diversity, and recruitment. It highlights the commercial exploitation of fish and precious corals, emphasizing that biological resources of these habitats have been consistently exploited at unsustainable levels. Future studies will need to address the fact that environmental and fisheries management of seamounts are at present non-existent or difficult to enforce. As reviews which synthesize information and point the way forward the chapters in this book are all successful. The specialist will find the volume to be an excellent source of reference and ideas, and the student should see in it an impressive reflection of the scope and excitment of modern approaches to aspects of marine biology. E. Naylor School of Ocean Sciences University of Wales Bangor UK
Biology of Fishes, 2nd edition by Q. Bone, N.B. Marshall & J.H.S. Blaxter; Chapman & Hall, London; 1995; 332 pp.; GBP 19.99 (paperback); ISBN 0-75140022-X (paperback), ISBN o-7514-0243-5 (hardback).
Reviews
I J. Exp. Mar. Biol. Ecol.
193 (1995) 277-295
287
in 1982, unfortunately after most fish stocks had already been over-fished and long after the collapse of the whale stocks. CCAMLR takes a laudable ecosystem approach to management of the Southern Ocean resources but as pressures for high quality protein from the sea mount as stocks are exhausted elsewhere in the world’s oceans, CCAMLR will face a difficult task resisting political and other pressures to ignore the best scientific advice on sensible levels of exploitation. This volume is a comprehensive introduction to the biology and ecology of the Southern Ocean ecosystem. The size of the task and the breadth of the subject, which covers several disciplines in marine science, means that although rich in information the book is sometimes lacking in critical appraisal of the science that it presents. For instance, the section treating the food resource of krill contains two paragraphs presenting apparently contradictory views. The first cites papers supporting the assertion that krill are essentially herbivorous while the second presents increasing evidence that krill exploit food other than phytoplankton. No attempt is made to reconcile these apparently conflicting views. Nevertheless, ten years on from Antarctic Ecology edited by R.M. Laws, a decade which has seen considerable progress in understanding of the biology of the Southern Ocean, this book is a timely and well produced milestone and perhaps also a signpost to the next ten years for newcomers as well as specialists needing to broaden their view of the subject. Paul G. Rodhouse British Antarctic Survey Natural Environment Research High Cross Madingley Road Cambridge CB3 OET UK
Advances
Academic back).
Council
in Marine Biology Vol. 30, edited by J.H.S. Blaxter & A.J. Southward;
Press, London;
1994; 364 pp., GBP 48.00, ISBN O-12-026130-8 (hard-
Volume 30 of Advances in Marine Biology maintains the very high standards set by this series. The editors are to be congratulated on bringing together a splendid and stimulating group of topics reflecting both the systems-approach and organism-approach to marine biology. A review of “Meiobenthos of the deep northeast Atlantic” by M. Vincx & eight co-authors from four countries reflects well the systems-approach that is being advanced by the MAST (Marine Science and Technology) Programme of the European Commission. The scale of a MAST project in this field, related to the wider literature, has permitted an impressive assessment of deep-sea meiobenthos in relation to depth, latitude, surface primary production, sediment properties, bottom hydrography, and time. The fauna is shown to be particularly amenable to quantitative study, providing highly
288
Book Reviews I .I. Exp. Mar. Biol. Ecol. 193 (1995) 277-295
appropriate research material for future deep-sea experiments. In contrast A.C. Brown & F.J. Odendaal provide an excellent review of “The biology of oniscid Isopoda of the genus Tylos”, a semi-terrestrial genus which occurs worldwide on mid-latitude sandy beaches. The article is full of fascinating information on fundamental aspects of the behaviour, physiology, and ecology of these isopods, which are highly vulnerable to human pressures from marine pollution and environmental manipulation at high water mark. Members of the genus are omnivorous scavengers feeding most commonly on kelp and wrack on the strandline, which in some localities they are reported to reach as juveniles by ‘surfing’. Of the other articles in the volume, that on “Social aggregation in pelagic invertebrates” by D.A. Ritz usefully compares recent studies of invertebrate swarming behaviour, for example in euphausiid and mysid crustaceans, with schooling of fish. The study of ‘trade-offs’ in fish schooling has all too rarely impinged upon invertebrate studies, but the modelling possibilities which now arise offer good tests of hypotheses about preferred positions of individuals under different conditions. A. Ferron & W.C. Leggett contribute “An appraisal of condition measures for marine fish larvae” emphasizing that there is no “best index” for all circumstances. It is suggested that the refinement of existing methods offers more potential than a search for new methods of condition assessment if larval survival as a correlate of condition is to be fully quantified. The final article on “Biology of seamounts” by A.D. Rogers considers the interactions of seamount faunas and the surrounding pelagic ecosystem, as well as seamount benthic ecology, species diversity, and recruitment. It highlights the commercial exploitation of fish and precious corals, emphasizing that biological resources of these habitats have been consistently exploited at unsustainable levels. Future studies will need to address the fact that environmental and fisheries management of seamounts are at present non-existent or difficult to enforce. As reviews which synthesize information and point the way forward the chapters in this book are all successful. The specialist will find the volume to be an excellent source of reference and ideas, and the student should see in it an impressive reflection of the scope and excitment of modern approaches to aspects of marine biology. E. Naylor School of Ocean Sciences University of Wales Bangor UK
Biology of Fishes, 2nd edition by Q. Bone, N.B. Marshall & J.H.S. Blaxter; Chapman & Hall, London; 1995; 332 pp.; GBP 19.99 (paperback); ISBN 0-75140022-X (paperback), ISBN o-7514-0243-5 (hardback).