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Phytoplankton manual — monographs on oceanographic methodology, 6
are in the present development of world aquaculture. But typical problems of aquaculture in the tropics, connected with high temperatures (evaporation, toxic free ammonia) and the diversity of the fauna (predator control) do not get much attention. On several occasions, the author demonstrates to be fully aware of the problems of world aquaculture, "its role in future will depend on the extent to which the biological promise is tempered by economic reality". The official FAO estimation of a five-fold increase of world aquaculture production in the next 30 years (which is doubted seriously by various experts) is called reasonable, but this positive statement is followed immediately by a rather complete list of the very nasty constraints jeopardizing this FAO prognosis. This approach of the author, to write from an optimistic point of view, mentioning the problems but not taking them too dramatically, corresponds well with the spirit in which projects in aquaculture must be developed. Also the clearly biological standpoint that aquaculture is a series of manipulations of biological processes is very welcome in a field often dominated by technicians, violating the biological demands of the undomesticated species they try to grow, not seldon with disastrous results. In short, I read this book with increasing pleasure. It gives in not much more than a nutshell a lot of reliable information in a clear, comprehensible way. R. Boddeke (IJmuiden)
P H Y T O P L A N K T O N M A N U A L - M O N O G R A P H S ON O C E A N O G R A P H I C METHODOLOGY, 6
A. Sournia (Editor) UNESCO. Paris. 1978. 337pp.
The 6th volume of this SCOR/UNESCO series is dedicated to phytoplankton methodology. The authors, no less than 31 experts on phytoplankton methodology, have presented a comprehensive manual consisting of 50 chapters/subchapters which describe various methods down to the very minutiae. The book deals with sampling strategy and techniques, preservation and concentration of samples, estimation of cell numbers (particularly by counting in the microscope), and interpretation of the results, including
247
statistical treatment. Being a manual it does not deal with the problems of h o w the results should be interpreted in a wider ecological context, neither is it a guide for identification of phytoplankters, although it contains a list of the more important floristic works. Chemical methods for determination of p h y t o p l a n k t o n biomass are not included. In short the manual represents a nearly complete treatment of the "state of a r t " of traditional p h y t o p l a n k t o n m e t h o d o l o g y (with a few additional comments on future perspectives). Determination of p h y t o p l a n k t o n biomass by cell counting is a trade more than 70 years old, and through the years several procedures have been suggested, of which all in present use seem to be covered by the manual. The manual describes not only procedures but also the pro and contra of each are discussed. It is also spiced with all sorts of practical hints which may be well known to the informed but has hardly been published earlier. It is a problem, however, that one has to read large parts of the manual to obtain a full impression of the merits of a given method. It would have been easier to use if it had contained a chapter with a more elaborate descussion on how and why a given procedure is selected among the multitude of methods given. At least this would have been an advantage for the novice. Whatever the purpose of a field study of p h y t o p l a n k t o n is, identification and enumeration of at least the dominating species of a society is a necessity -- whether the study is a traditional biological one or a chemical/biochemical one. One can therefore safely conclude that this manual will be used extensively and that it will become a standard reference h a n d b o o k for years to come. It is recommended to every one working with p h y t o p l a n k t o n , whether professionals or students. One has to be grateful that such a manual finally has arrived. Egil Sakshaug (Trondheim)
OIL AND GAS LAW, THE NORTH SEA EXPLOITATION
H. McN. Henderson, St. John Bates, Patricia Birnie and R. Burgerss Oceano Publications Inc., New York, N. Y., 1979, $ 75.00.
The series of booklets contained in Oil and Gas Law, The North Sea Exploitation brings the practitioner up to the position which prevailed in May 1979. The world of oil is a fast-moving operation and nothing is so constant as
248
P H Y T O P L A N K T O N M A N U A L - M O N O G R A P H S ON O C E A N O G R A P H I C METHODOLOGY, 6
A. Sournia (Editor) UNESCO. Paris. 1978. 337pp.
The 6th volume of this SCOR/UNESCO series is dedicated to phytoplankton methodology. The authors, no less than 31 experts on phytoplankton methodology, have presented a comprehensive manual consisting of 50 chapters/subchapters which describe various methods down to the very minutiae. The book deals with sampling strategy and techniques, preservation and concentration of samples, estimation of cell numbers (particularly by counting in the microscope), and interpretation of the results, including
247
statistical treatment. Being a manual it does not deal with the problems of h o w the results should be interpreted in a wider ecological context, neither is it a guide for identification of phytoplankters, although it contains a list of the more important floristic works. Chemical methods for determination of p h y t o p l a n k t o n biomass are not included. In short the manual represents a nearly complete treatment of the "state of a r t " of traditional p h y t o p l a n k t o n m e t h o d o l o g y (with a few additional comments on future perspectives). Determination of p h y t o p l a n k t o n biomass by cell counting is a trade more than 70 years old, and through the years several procedures have been suggested, of which all in present use seem to be covered by the manual. The manual describes not only procedures but also the pro and contra of each are discussed. It is also spiced with all sorts of practical hints which may be well known to the informed but has hardly been published earlier. It is a problem, however, that one has to read large parts of the manual to obtain a full impression of the merits of a given method. It would have been easier to use if it had contained a chapter with a more elaborate descussion on how and why a given procedure is selected among the multitude of methods given. At least this would have been an advantage for the novice. Whatever the purpose of a field study of p h y t o p l a n k t o n is, identification and enumeration of at least the dominating species of a society is a necessity -- whether the study is a traditional biological one or a chemical/biochemical one. One can therefore safely conclude that this manual will be used extensively and that it will become a standard reference h a n d b o o k for years to come. It is recommended to every one working with p h y t o p l a n k t o n , whether professionals or students. One has to be grateful that such a manual finally has arrived. Egil Sakshaug (Trondheim)
OIL AND GAS LAW, THE NORTH SEA EXPLOITATION
H. McN. Henderson, St. John Bates, Patricia Birnie and R. Burgerss Oceano Publications Inc., New York, N. Y., 1979, $ 75.00.
The series of booklets contained in Oil and Gas Law, The North Sea Exploitation brings the practitioner up to the position which prevailed in May 1979. The world of oil is a fast-moving operation and nothing is so constant as
248