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Reducing the impact of air pollution on the natural environment
112
Book Reviews
scale-dependent, however, and scales have not been applied consistently: in Africa most of the sites are single mountains or forest reserves, whereas in South America (to come in Vol. 3) whole biomes or regions are selected such as 'the eastern slopes of the Peruvian Andes' (why not 'African Equatorial Rainforest'?). Of course a multi-author, compilatory book intended as a 'first-order' study opens itself to endless complaints, but seeing all the hard work that has gone into it it would be churlish to criticize, especially when many of the accounts (for instance that of Socotra) are highly authoritative. There are some (but not many) howlers. For instance we are told that Nesiota (from St Helena) grows on a cliff and that there are 6000 plants in cultivation. In fact it is extinct in the wild and there are three plants in cultivation. None of this will matter if the book accomplishes its avowed aims which are (1) to identify the areas which if conserved would protect the most species; (2) to encourage and to plan in outline the conservation of these areas. The first will always be contentious, particularly if we regard some species as intrinsically more worthy of conservation than others, as some conservationists now do (especially phyletically basal species). For the second we can only wait and see. Whatever the outcome, this book represents a massive undertaking which will be of enormous value to all botanists interested in biodiversity. I look forward to the publication of the further volumes. Quentin Cronk Reducing the impact of air pollution on the natural environment. By A. Farmer. Joint Nature Conservancy Council, Peterborough. 1995.47 pp. ISBN 1 873701 98 5 (pbk). Price £8.00 + £3.00 p&p. This book briefly outlines the effects of air pollution on the natural environment of Britain, the regulatory framework for its control, and current thinking on how such impacts can be reduced. Air quality standards necessary for protecting Britain's natural environment are provided. These differ markedly from those set for human health and are surprisingly low, e.g. 20/zg/m 3 SO 2 annual mean and half-year mean for vegetation. Interestingly many of the pollutants dealt with have the indirect effect of increasing susceptibility to pest insects, pathogens, and some increase sensitivity to drought and frost. It is good to see this recognised. The book contains many ideas for further research. Particularly useful is a section on air pollution and Environmental Impact Assessment with a check-list of items that should be considered. Recovery and restoration of damaged areas is still something of a non-subject. The options are natural reinvasion, reintroduction or management, though simple solutions such as liming against acidity can turn out to be ineffective and even harmful. I found this book useful for updating me on current thinking in the field of air pollution and the natural environment. O. L. Gilbert
Bird llfe of woodland and forest. By Robert J. Fuller Cambridge University Press, Cambridge. 1995. 244 pp ISBN 0 521 33118 8 (hbk). Price: £24.95, US$64.95. This is a stimulating and well-written book which take~ a fresh look at birds in woodlands. The emphasis is of woodland structure and history rather than botanica composition and this approach makes good sens~ because the reader can see how the bird life is influencet by traditional management such as coppicing, dee grazing, coniferisation, clear-felling and even neglect Chapter 1 deals with the woodland environment and i followed by a chapter on the historical perspective usinl previous work by George Peterken and Oliver Rack ham. These are followed by chapters on how birds us woodlands, abundance and distribution of woodlan~ birds, scrub as a habitat for birds, broadleaved hig forest, upland woods and wood pasture, coniferou woodland and woodland in a changing countrysid~ This book should interest amateur naturalists as well a professionals and is delightfully illustrated with lin drawings by Chris Rose. Eric Duffe
Key areas for threatened birds in the neotropics. E David C. Wege & Adrian J. Long. BirdLife Inte national, Cambridge. BirdLife Conservation Serie No. 5. 1995. 311 pp. ISBN 0 946888 31 0. Pric £24.25. This valuable publication from BirdLife Internation has been compiled with the help of over 550 correspol dents who have special knowledge of threatened birdli in the non-Caribbean Neotropics. The aim is to ensu that each threatened species is adequately represent~ with the designated Key Areas. A simple set of criteria used so that wherever possible the three most importa areas from which a threatened species is known we selected as Key Areas. The New World supports a disproportionately hit proportion of bird species. Of the 9700 in the world I fewer than 4130 (43%) occur in this region. Howew profound changes are taking place throughout nearly countries in the New World as forests are felled, w~ lands drained, grasslands cultivated and pristine hal tats fragmented. A number of bird species are alrea, extinct or thought to be, and an estimated 327 sped are threatened with extinction. Birds are importa indicators of biodiversity because they are the bc documented major wildlife group, have great pub appeal and their taxonomy is well developed. Birds ne space, especially the larger species, so that areas aside for conservation purposes protect many ott forms of plant and animal life. One hopes that the are designated in this book will be translated into politil action without delay. Eric Duff
Book Reviews
scale-dependent, however, and scales have not been applied consistently: in Africa most of the sites are single mountains or forest reserves, whereas in South America (to come in Vol. 3) whole biomes or regions are selected such as 'the eastern slopes of the Peruvian Andes' (why not 'African Equatorial Rainforest'?). Of course a multi-author, compilatory book intended as a 'first-order' study opens itself to endless complaints, but seeing all the hard work that has gone into it it would be churlish to criticize, especially when many of the accounts (for instance that of Socotra) are highly authoritative. There are some (but not many) howlers. For instance we are told that Nesiota (from St Helena) grows on a cliff and that there are 6000 plants in cultivation. In fact it is extinct in the wild and there are three plants in cultivation. None of this will matter if the book accomplishes its avowed aims which are (1) to identify the areas which if conserved would protect the most species; (2) to encourage and to plan in outline the conservation of these areas. The first will always be contentious, particularly if we regard some species as intrinsically more worthy of conservation than others, as some conservationists now do (especially phyletically basal species). For the second we can only wait and see. Whatever the outcome, this book represents a massive undertaking which will be of enormous value to all botanists interested in biodiversity. I look forward to the publication of the further volumes. Quentin Cronk Reducing the impact of air pollution on the natural environment. By A. Farmer. Joint Nature Conservancy Council, Peterborough. 1995.47 pp. ISBN 1 873701 98 5 (pbk). Price £8.00 + £3.00 p&p. This book briefly outlines the effects of air pollution on the natural environment of Britain, the regulatory framework for its control, and current thinking on how such impacts can be reduced. Air quality standards necessary for protecting Britain's natural environment are provided. These differ markedly from those set for human health and are surprisingly low, e.g. 20/zg/m 3 SO 2 annual mean and half-year mean for vegetation. Interestingly many of the pollutants dealt with have the indirect effect of increasing susceptibility to pest insects, pathogens, and some increase sensitivity to drought and frost. It is good to see this recognised. The book contains many ideas for further research. Particularly useful is a section on air pollution and Environmental Impact Assessment with a check-list of items that should be considered. Recovery and restoration of damaged areas is still something of a non-subject. The options are natural reinvasion, reintroduction or management, though simple solutions such as liming against acidity can turn out to be ineffective and even harmful. I found this book useful for updating me on current thinking in the field of air pollution and the natural environment. O. L. Gilbert
Bird llfe of woodland and forest. By Robert J. Fuller Cambridge University Press, Cambridge. 1995. 244 pp ISBN 0 521 33118 8 (hbk). Price: £24.95, US$64.95. This is a stimulating and well-written book which take~ a fresh look at birds in woodlands. The emphasis is of woodland structure and history rather than botanica composition and this approach makes good sens~ because the reader can see how the bird life is influencet by traditional management such as coppicing, dee grazing, coniferisation, clear-felling and even neglect Chapter 1 deals with the woodland environment and i followed by a chapter on the historical perspective usinl previous work by George Peterken and Oliver Rack ham. These are followed by chapters on how birds us woodlands, abundance and distribution of woodlan~ birds, scrub as a habitat for birds, broadleaved hig forest, upland woods and wood pasture, coniferou woodland and woodland in a changing countrysid~ This book should interest amateur naturalists as well a professionals and is delightfully illustrated with lin drawings by Chris Rose. Eric Duffe
Key areas for threatened birds in the neotropics. E David C. Wege & Adrian J. Long. BirdLife Inte national, Cambridge. BirdLife Conservation Serie No. 5. 1995. 311 pp. ISBN 0 946888 31 0. Pric £24.25. This valuable publication from BirdLife Internation has been compiled with the help of over 550 correspol dents who have special knowledge of threatened birdli in the non-Caribbean Neotropics. The aim is to ensu that each threatened species is adequately represent~ with the designated Key Areas. A simple set of criteria used so that wherever possible the three most importa areas from which a threatened species is known we selected as Key Areas. The New World supports a disproportionately hit proportion of bird species. Of the 9700 in the world I fewer than 4130 (43%) occur in this region. Howew profound changes are taking place throughout nearly countries in the New World as forests are felled, w~ lands drained, grasslands cultivated and pristine hal tats fragmented. A number of bird species are alrea, extinct or thought to be, and an estimated 327 sped are threatened with extinction. Birds are importa indicators of biodiversity because they are the bc documented major wildlife group, have great pub appeal and their taxonomy is well developed. Birds ne space, especially the larger species, so that areas aside for conservation purposes protect many ott forms of plant and animal life. One hopes that the are designated in this book will be translated into politil action without delay. Eric Duff