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A practical key to the genera of pupal exuviae of the british chironomidae (diptera, insecta)
Water Res. Vot. 18. No. 5, p. 651, 1984 Pergamon Press Ltd. Printed in Great Britain
BOOK REVIEWS merit of oil on water and discusses how it can be contained by booms, removed by a variety of mechanical devices, absorbed, sunk or chemically dispersed; the limitations of the various techniques are also highlighted. The third part deals with the methods employed for cleaning oil from beaches and different coastlines. The final part is concerned with the setting-up of an oil contingency plan and the organisation of "clean-up" operations, incorporating the recommendations made at the IMCO Symposium in 1976. The appendices include detailed procedures for the treatment of oiled sea birds, a list of U.K. approved oil dispersants and the U.K. addresses of suppliers of equipment. Two-thirds of the book are concerned with the practical aspects of controlling oil pollution, and the methods described are those which are approved for use around the British Isles; they are also the methods prescribed and adopted in many other parts of the world. This book should therefore be considered an essential guide and reference for all those concerned with the control of oil pollution.
A Practical Key to the Genera of Pupal Exuviae of the British Chironomidae (Diptera, lnsecta), by R. S. WILSONand J. D. McGtLL. University of Bristol, England, 1982.62 pp. £2.00 Dr Wilson has for many years been advocating the use of chironomid pupal exuviae as a simple means of assessing the pollutional status of rivers. However, progress has been hampered because of the lack of a readily available key for the identification of pupae. The publication of this key to most British genera has now to some extent overcome this difficulty. Although the key is essentially to genera, a number of species are also keyed out, usually because they have particularly distinctive pupae, or because the genus is represented by only one species in Britain. However, the specialist literature will still have to be consulted if detailed descriptions of the chironomid fauna at the species level are required. A colleague and I used the key intensively during a study of the distribution of chironomids in the Wye River System. It worked well and was fairly easy to use. It is very well illustrated and the drawings, although stylized, are effective. We found the juxtaposition of text and drawings a particularly helpful feature of the key, although probably as a consequence of the need to conserve space, abbreviations are frequently used in the test. Initially we found these irritating but we soon became used to them. We would have liked to have seen more details on the best way to mount exuviae to display their diagnostic features. However, these are minor criticisms and there is no doubt that this key is excellent value. The authors state that the key is designed as an identification aid for practical use in connection with their exuvial method of river classification but it is clear that it has a much wider application than this both within and beyond the boundaries of Britain. It should be welcomed by all who are interested in chironomids.
J. W[DDOWS River Basin Development, Editor-in-Chief M. ZAMAN. Tycooly International Publishing Ltd, Dublin, 1983. (Proceedings of the National Symposium on River Basin Development) $55.00 (£35.50) Hardback, $27.50 (£17.75) Developing Country Rate $17.90
M. A. LEARNER
The Control of Oil Pollution. Edited by J. WARDLEY-SMITH. Graham & Trotman Ltd, London, 1983. 285 pp. £19.00/US$35.00 This book is a revised edition of that first published in 1976. During the last seven years there has been further research and development on means to reduce the effects ofoil spills. Consequently, the editor has persuaded the original contributors, all of whom are actively involved in the field of oil pollution, to update their chapters. The revised edition therefore retains its original format and is divided into four parts. The first section is concerned with the source of oil discharged into the aquatic environment, how it can be removed by natural processes and a brief account of the effects of oil and dispersants on different biota and a wide range of environments. The second part covers the treat-
The volume contains the text of fifteen contributions made by well-known authors at the Symposium on River Basin Development held at Dacca in December 1981. The papers are divided into two main sections: l--The River Basin Development and II--International River Law; the latter section has six annexes relevant to the law of international water resources systems. The text of the contributions is preceded by the conclusions and recommendations formulated by a panel of experts on the basis of the papers and discussion at the Symposium with particular reference to the development of the Ganges and Brahmaputra basins. Although the Symposium was orientated towards the river basin development of the Ganges and Brahmaputra and although a number of the papers presented referred specifically to the Bangladesh conditions, the subject of the papers and the book as a whole are by no means limited and are of wider interest. One contribution (A. K. Biswas) discusses the major ~ssues in fiver basin management for developing countries, another (A. Volker) looks at the integrated development of the delta and upland portions of a river basin with examples drawn from Europe (Rhine), Africa (Nile) and Asia (Mekong). The section dealing with international fiver law is particularly of wide interest and its concluding chapter (R. D. Hayton) contains in the text and annexes an up-to-date review of the law of international water resources systems which should prove to be a valuable reference to all concerned with the subject.
651
P. NOVAK
BOOK REVIEWS merit of oil on water and discusses how it can be contained by booms, removed by a variety of mechanical devices, absorbed, sunk or chemically dispersed; the limitations of the various techniques are also highlighted. The third part deals with the methods employed for cleaning oil from beaches and different coastlines. The final part is concerned with the setting-up of an oil contingency plan and the organisation of "clean-up" operations, incorporating the recommendations made at the IMCO Symposium in 1976. The appendices include detailed procedures for the treatment of oiled sea birds, a list of U.K. approved oil dispersants and the U.K. addresses of suppliers of equipment. Two-thirds of the book are concerned with the practical aspects of controlling oil pollution, and the methods described are those which are approved for use around the British Isles; they are also the methods prescribed and adopted in many other parts of the world. This book should therefore be considered an essential guide and reference for all those concerned with the control of oil pollution.
A Practical Key to the Genera of Pupal Exuviae of the British Chironomidae (Diptera, lnsecta), by R. S. WILSONand J. D. McGtLL. University of Bristol, England, 1982.62 pp. £2.00 Dr Wilson has for many years been advocating the use of chironomid pupal exuviae as a simple means of assessing the pollutional status of rivers. However, progress has been hampered because of the lack of a readily available key for the identification of pupae. The publication of this key to most British genera has now to some extent overcome this difficulty. Although the key is essentially to genera, a number of species are also keyed out, usually because they have particularly distinctive pupae, or because the genus is represented by only one species in Britain. However, the specialist literature will still have to be consulted if detailed descriptions of the chironomid fauna at the species level are required. A colleague and I used the key intensively during a study of the distribution of chironomids in the Wye River System. It worked well and was fairly easy to use. It is very well illustrated and the drawings, although stylized, are effective. We found the juxtaposition of text and drawings a particularly helpful feature of the key, although probably as a consequence of the need to conserve space, abbreviations are frequently used in the test. Initially we found these irritating but we soon became used to them. We would have liked to have seen more details on the best way to mount exuviae to display their diagnostic features. However, these are minor criticisms and there is no doubt that this key is excellent value. The authors state that the key is designed as an identification aid for practical use in connection with their exuvial method of river classification but it is clear that it has a much wider application than this both within and beyond the boundaries of Britain. It should be welcomed by all who are interested in chironomids.
J. W[DDOWS River Basin Development, Editor-in-Chief M. ZAMAN. Tycooly International Publishing Ltd, Dublin, 1983. (Proceedings of the National Symposium on River Basin Development) $55.00 (£35.50) Hardback, $27.50 (£17.75) Developing Country Rate $17.90
M. A. LEARNER
The Control of Oil Pollution. Edited by J. WARDLEY-SMITH. Graham & Trotman Ltd, London, 1983. 285 pp. £19.00/US$35.00 This book is a revised edition of that first published in 1976. During the last seven years there has been further research and development on means to reduce the effects ofoil spills. Consequently, the editor has persuaded the original contributors, all of whom are actively involved in the field of oil pollution, to update their chapters. The revised edition therefore retains its original format and is divided into four parts. The first section is concerned with the source of oil discharged into the aquatic environment, how it can be removed by natural processes and a brief account of the effects of oil and dispersants on different biota and a wide range of environments. The second part covers the treat-
The volume contains the text of fifteen contributions made by well-known authors at the Symposium on River Basin Development held at Dacca in December 1981. The papers are divided into two main sections: l--The River Basin Development and II--International River Law; the latter section has six annexes relevant to the law of international water resources systems. The text of the contributions is preceded by the conclusions and recommendations formulated by a panel of experts on the basis of the papers and discussion at the Symposium with particular reference to the development of the Ganges and Brahmaputra basins. Although the Symposium was orientated towards the river basin development of the Ganges and Brahmaputra and although a number of the papers presented referred specifically to the Bangladesh conditions, the subject of the papers and the book as a whole are by no means limited and are of wider interest. One contribution (A. K. Biswas) discusses the major ~ssues in fiver basin management for developing countries, another (A. Volker) looks at the integrated development of the delta and upland portions of a river basin with examples drawn from Europe (Rhine), Africa (Nile) and Asia (Mekong). The section dealing with international fiver law is particularly of wide interest and its concluding chapter (R. D. Hayton) contains in the text and annexes an up-to-date review of the law of international water resources systems which should prove to be a valuable reference to all concerned with the subject.
651
P. NOVAK