- Email: [email protected]
A tropical rain forest feast
BOOK REVIEWS
A tropical rain forest feast An Introduction to Tropical Rain Forests (2nd edn) by T.C. Whitmore Oxford Science Publications, 1998. £45 hbk, £19.50 pbk (224 pages) ISBN 0 19 850148 X / 0 19 850147 1
Tropical Rain Forest: A Wider Perspective edited by F.B. Goldsmith Chapman & Hall (Conservation Biology Series) 1998. £69.00 hbk (xix + 416 pages) ISBN 0 412 81510 9
Vanishing Treasures of the Philippine Rain Forest by L.R. Heaney and J.C. Rigalado Jr University of Chicago Press, 1998. £19.25/$24.00 pbk (96 pages) ISBN 0 91486819 5
W
hile the world’s tropical rain forests shrink, books about tropical rain forests proliferate at an unprecedented rate. Increasing awareness of the complexity, diversity and biological wealth of these forests, coupled with sobering realities of worldwide deforestation and forest degradation, provide a strong impetus toward developing more sustainable management practices. Each of the three new books reviewed here has its own distinctive flavor and aftertaste. I recommend consuming them in the order discussed here, to achieve the optimal effect. In the second edition of An Introduction to Tropical Rain Forests, Tim Whitmore, a highly regarded tropical forest ecologist, provides a broad, up-to-date, highly readable, and authoritative source for both novices and practising ecologists. This new edition includes two new chapters and a third, heavily revised chapter that summarize the current status of biodiversity within tropical rain forests and outline priorities for management and conservation. Of all the books available on tropical rain forests, this is the one I would recommend to university students and educated lay readers for the most current information and the broadest synthesis. I have used the first edition in a short course on tropical rain forests for liberal arts students, with great success. The glossary, index to plants and minor forest products, and 453 text notes provide extensive information in an easily accessible and unintimidating way. In the eight years since the first edition was published, the need to link forest ecology with silviculture has grown increasingly urgent. This book is a testimony to Whitmore’s TREE vol. 13, no. 10 October 1998
unique ability to bridge the gap between foresters and ecologists. The new edition includes updated information on palaeoclimates, plant and animal interactions, forest structure and dynamics, nutrient cycling and patterns of species richness. The 11 chapters are beautifully illustrated, heavily referenced and well organized. The use of historical quotes and rich examples from recent as well as classic literature contribute to a pleasurable reading experience. This book is an excellent companion to the recent new edition of P.W. Richards’ The Tropical Rain Forest 1, which is far more detailed and more heavily focused on vegetation. Detailed examples and graphics from the literature on Neotropical, African and Asian rainforests illustrate major points, although Whitmore’s particular bent toward the dipterocarp forests of Indonesia shines through. In Chapter 10, ‘Tropical rain forests yesterday and today’, Whitmore presents a new synthesis, which is a major part of the new edition. Where previous views contrasted ‘primary’, ‘virgin’, and ‘pristine’ forests with ‘secondary’, ‘degraded’, and ‘humanimpacted’ forests, these distinctions are now becoming less clear as more historical information comes to light. It is estimated that 12% of the Brazilian Amazon forests show signs of former human occupancy2 and that 10 million indigenous people inhabited this region at the time of European contact3. The signs are everywhere, from Sri Lanka to MesoAmerica, of long-term recovery of tropical rain forests following prolonged and intense human impact, including fires. These findings highlight the resilience of tropical forests and give cause to broaden the goals and objectives of the scope of rain forest conservation efforts. Yet, we must be mindful of the ways in which tropical rain forests differ from temperate forests that have suffered similar fates at the hands of humans – many more species in the tropics are vulnerable to extinction following fragmentation and habitat degradation. Whitmore concludes that there is still a chance to save Amazonian and central African rain forests, but the future is far more dismal for oldgrowth Eastern rain forests. For those whose appetite is whetted by Whitmore’s book, I highly recommend Tropical Rain Forest: A Wider Perspective, which presents a smorgasbord of information and perspectives. This is a book that looks decidedly forward, rather than backward. As intended, the book’s appeal extends well beyond the biological realm, into fields of anthropology, geography and environmental science. The introductory chapter by Goldsmith provides a cursory overview of tropical rain forest ecology and deforestation. The next seven chapters cover subjects ranging from use of timber and nontimber products to forest degradation and effects of logging. Many of these chapters
depart from the more typical ‘read it and weep’ rendition and present alternative ways of viewing conservation and utilization of tropical forests. Prance summarizes the potential for use and commercialization of non-timber products, cautioning against unsustainable extraction. The consequences of logging on forest structure and composition are reviewed by Brown, who points out that logging does not have to prove disastrous to tropical forests. Sharpe offers an anthropological perspective on the conflict between forest conservation and the needs of local people in West Africa. In two separate chapters, Eden and Ross discuss concepts of forest degradation and effects of deforestation on soils and vegetation. Causes of deforestation and institutional constraints to the conservation of tropical forests are outlined by Bawa and Dayanandan from a global perspective. Barbier provides an environmental economics perspective in a chapter on the economics of the tropical timber trade and the costs of implementing sustainable forest management. Five chapters follow that focus specifically on economic, political and educational issues. Pearce describes the fragile progress along the path toward sustainable forest management, whereas Mayers and Bass focus on the role of policy and institutions in forest conservation. Theoretical and mathematical trends in deforestation are examined through models presented by Grainger. Clubbe and Juniper illustrate approaches to educating the lay public through environmental organizations, informal education and lobbying . Goldsmith’s succinct synthesis chapter ends the volume with a realistic and sobering tone. As a whole, this book presents many options and viewpoints and is a valuable new contribution to the broadening dialogue on tropical forest conservation. The chapters are well edited and are nicely organized thematically. Unlike most edited volumes, one chapter flows into the next. And now, for a delectable dessert. Vanishing Treasures of the Philippine Rain Forest is a lovely book with exquisite color photographs documenting the highly endangered forest life of this unique archipelago. This volume is certain to generate interest in the amazing flora and fauna of the Philippines and to raise awareness of the current ecological crisis there. Here, we learn that an astonishing 85% of the nonflying mammals of the Philippines are endemic. Moreover, the Philippines has more species of unique mammals than Madagascar, in less than half the land area. This book is itself a jewel, revealing the many faces of biological diversity in a threatened landscape. Following a well-illustrated introduction to the geological history, climate, and ecology of the forests of the Philippines, we meet 37 plant and animal species in a series of onepage biological vignettes. Natural history is
Copyright © 1998, Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved. 0169-5347/98/$19.00
421
BOOK REVIEWS blended with information on conservation status. The impact is that of reading a National Geographic issue with page after page of glorious photographs, but without the lengthy text. This is a gripping experience that leaves the reader simultaneously inspired and sad. I had the same feeling recently while viewing portraits of endangered species at the California Academy of Sciences in San Francisco. The book follows with a detailed description of causes and effects of deforestation in the Philippines and an account of current land-use practices. It is already too late to save all the species that once lived in this lush, mountainous, fertile land. Despite this depressing reality, Heaney ends with a word of hope and outlines some steps needed to reverse trends of destruction and extinction. The authors’ urgent message comes through clearly – it is difficult to imagine how anyone could not be touched by reading this book. Each of these books makes an important contribution to the growing literature on tropical rain forests. I highly recommend all three. Although they raise some unpalatable issues, the richness of information and perspectives make for a fine feast. Bon appétit!
Robin L. Chazdon Dept of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of Connecticut, Storrs, CT 06269-3042, USA ([email protected])
References 1 Richards, P. W. 1996. The Tropical Rain Forest (2nd edn), Cambridge University Press 2 Balée, W. (1987) Garden 11, 12–14 3 Layrisse, M. (1992) Interciencia 17, 274
Hors d’oeuvre Basic Palaeontology by M. Benton and D. Harper Addison Wesley Longman, 1997. £22.99 pbk (xv + 342 pages) ISBN 0 582 22857 3
P
alaeontology can be simply defined as the study of fossils, encompassing almost any aspect of biology or earth science that draws on data from fossils. If one subscribes to this view, then the breadth of scientific endeavour that can be accommodated within palaeontology is huge. Activities at the ‘earthy’ end of the spectrum range from biostratigraphy and geochronology to aspects of low temperature geochemistry and analysis of the thermal maturation history of sediments. More organic themes include analysis of micro- and macroevolutionary processes, patterns of diversity and extinction, and an
422
understanding of the biology and ecology of organisms from the many different worlds that have existed on Earth in the past. Palaeontology certainly blurs at the edges, and the breadth of the subject can be difficult to convey in an introductory textbook such as Basic Palaeontology. One way round this problem, often taken in textbooks of general palaeontology, is to limit coverage to one of the more or less arbitrary subdivisions within palaeontology (plants, invertebrates, vertebrates or microfossils) and approach the fossil record by setting out the major characters and events in evolution group by group through geological time. Some texts take a more dynamic approach, dealing with the nature of evolutionary and ecological processes that are of interest to palaeontologists and the techniques employed in their investigation. More rarely, palaeontology is viewed in terms of its own evolution, focusing on the role of key intellectual developments and the contribution of particular individuals. Basic Palaeontology differs from many texts in that its objective is to cover everything: aspects of the historical development of the science, evolutionary processes, geological applications of fossils, methods of investigation, the history of life and the major fossil groups. By taking this inclusive approach, the authors aim (among other things) to ‘give students a flavour of the excitement of modern palaeontology’. This is an ambitious goal for a paperback volume of less than 350 pages and, given that every palaeontologist has an opinion concerning what is most exciting in modern palaeontology, the frankness with which the authors state their aims also presents critics (and book reviewers) with an easy target. Should the controversy surrounding the different perspectives on evolution provided by analyses of morphological disparity have been included? Would discussion of the importance of the fossil record in understanding present day extinctions and climate change in the broader context of the history of the Earth have highlighted the relevance of palaeontology? With only 350 pages to play with, some things are bound to have been left out, but the few omissions highlight the fact that most things are in there. A substantial chunk of the book deals with fossil organisms group by group in a fairly traditional way. The text is readable, making good use of boxes and illustrations, and references are generally up-to-date (although it is inevitable that in many of the most exciting areas of modern palaeontology the pace of new discoveries and developments is beyond that which even a new textbook can reflect). Perhaps a more serious criticism than omission is that the breadth of coverage attempted here necessitates some sacrifices in depth, and there are aspects of palaeontology and certain systematic groups that receive somewhat cursory treatment. But this is inevitable, given the authors’
Copyright © 1998, Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved. 0169-5347/98/$19.00
approach – Basic Palaeontology provides a sample of almost everything going on in palaeontology but not a surfeit of anything. This is not the book to turn to if you are looking for the last word on something, but the further reading suggestions and references will tell you where to go. The authors are aiming at a particular section of the palaeontological textbook market that is currently not well served. Teachers of introductory level palaeontology will probably find Basic Palaeontology a useful addition to their armoury. Perhaps the most important test of the value of this book is to consider what ‘flavour’ of palaeontology it will leave with those for whom an introductory course will be their only taste. Until all too recently, such courses plodded through the fossil record phylum by phylum, following the traditional recipe for learning by rote endless systematic names and classifications: palaeontology as a dead list. This book is a substantial appetizer of mixed palaeontological morsels which will hopefully encourage many to move on to the main course.
Mark Purnell Dept of Geology, University of Leicester, Leicester, UK LE1 7RH ([email protected])
Behind the pretty face Geographic Information Systems in Ecology by Carol A. Johnston Blackwell Science, Methods in Ecology, 1998. £29.50 (256 pages) ISBN 0 632 03859 4
H
aving described some of my research as ‘spatial ecology’, a colleague recently queried whether there were any other types of ecology. And in many respects he was right. Explicitly or implicitly, most ecological work can be given spatial axes, although the fundamental effects of space on the dynamics and structure of animal and plant communities remains largely unresearched1. It is therefore not surprising that ecologists should have become increasingly interested in technological tools such as Geographical Information Systems (GIS), which allow the capture, storage and manipulation of large and spatially explicit datasets2. GIS differs from conventional mapping systems in its ability to store and analyse details of the spatial relationships or ‘topology’ between objects. This permits a variety of quantitative analyses to be conducted on specified layers of any particular data set. TREE vol. 13, no. 10 October 1998
A tropical rain forest feast An Introduction to Tropical Rain Forests (2nd edn) by T.C. Whitmore Oxford Science Publications, 1998. £45 hbk, £19.50 pbk (224 pages) ISBN 0 19 850148 X / 0 19 850147 1
Tropical Rain Forest: A Wider Perspective edited by F.B. Goldsmith Chapman & Hall (Conservation Biology Series) 1998. £69.00 hbk (xix + 416 pages) ISBN 0 412 81510 9
Vanishing Treasures of the Philippine Rain Forest by L.R. Heaney and J.C. Rigalado Jr University of Chicago Press, 1998. £19.25/$24.00 pbk (96 pages) ISBN 0 91486819 5
W
hile the world’s tropical rain forests shrink, books about tropical rain forests proliferate at an unprecedented rate. Increasing awareness of the complexity, diversity and biological wealth of these forests, coupled with sobering realities of worldwide deforestation and forest degradation, provide a strong impetus toward developing more sustainable management practices. Each of the three new books reviewed here has its own distinctive flavor and aftertaste. I recommend consuming them in the order discussed here, to achieve the optimal effect. In the second edition of An Introduction to Tropical Rain Forests, Tim Whitmore, a highly regarded tropical forest ecologist, provides a broad, up-to-date, highly readable, and authoritative source for both novices and practising ecologists. This new edition includes two new chapters and a third, heavily revised chapter that summarize the current status of biodiversity within tropical rain forests and outline priorities for management and conservation. Of all the books available on tropical rain forests, this is the one I would recommend to university students and educated lay readers for the most current information and the broadest synthesis. I have used the first edition in a short course on tropical rain forests for liberal arts students, with great success. The glossary, index to plants and minor forest products, and 453 text notes provide extensive information in an easily accessible and unintimidating way. In the eight years since the first edition was published, the need to link forest ecology with silviculture has grown increasingly urgent. This book is a testimony to Whitmore’s TREE vol. 13, no. 10 October 1998
unique ability to bridge the gap between foresters and ecologists. The new edition includes updated information on palaeoclimates, plant and animal interactions, forest structure and dynamics, nutrient cycling and patterns of species richness. The 11 chapters are beautifully illustrated, heavily referenced and well organized. The use of historical quotes and rich examples from recent as well as classic literature contribute to a pleasurable reading experience. This book is an excellent companion to the recent new edition of P.W. Richards’ The Tropical Rain Forest 1, which is far more detailed and more heavily focused on vegetation. Detailed examples and graphics from the literature on Neotropical, African and Asian rainforests illustrate major points, although Whitmore’s particular bent toward the dipterocarp forests of Indonesia shines through. In Chapter 10, ‘Tropical rain forests yesterday and today’, Whitmore presents a new synthesis, which is a major part of the new edition. Where previous views contrasted ‘primary’, ‘virgin’, and ‘pristine’ forests with ‘secondary’, ‘degraded’, and ‘humanimpacted’ forests, these distinctions are now becoming less clear as more historical information comes to light. It is estimated that 12% of the Brazilian Amazon forests show signs of former human occupancy2 and that 10 million indigenous people inhabited this region at the time of European contact3. The signs are everywhere, from Sri Lanka to MesoAmerica, of long-term recovery of tropical rain forests following prolonged and intense human impact, including fires. These findings highlight the resilience of tropical forests and give cause to broaden the goals and objectives of the scope of rain forest conservation efforts. Yet, we must be mindful of the ways in which tropical rain forests differ from temperate forests that have suffered similar fates at the hands of humans – many more species in the tropics are vulnerable to extinction following fragmentation and habitat degradation. Whitmore concludes that there is still a chance to save Amazonian and central African rain forests, but the future is far more dismal for oldgrowth Eastern rain forests. For those whose appetite is whetted by Whitmore’s book, I highly recommend Tropical Rain Forest: A Wider Perspective, which presents a smorgasbord of information and perspectives. This is a book that looks decidedly forward, rather than backward. As intended, the book’s appeal extends well beyond the biological realm, into fields of anthropology, geography and environmental science. The introductory chapter by Goldsmith provides a cursory overview of tropical rain forest ecology and deforestation. The next seven chapters cover subjects ranging from use of timber and nontimber products to forest degradation and effects of logging. Many of these chapters
depart from the more typical ‘read it and weep’ rendition and present alternative ways of viewing conservation and utilization of tropical forests. Prance summarizes the potential for use and commercialization of non-timber products, cautioning against unsustainable extraction. The consequences of logging on forest structure and composition are reviewed by Brown, who points out that logging does not have to prove disastrous to tropical forests. Sharpe offers an anthropological perspective on the conflict between forest conservation and the needs of local people in West Africa. In two separate chapters, Eden and Ross discuss concepts of forest degradation and effects of deforestation on soils and vegetation. Causes of deforestation and institutional constraints to the conservation of tropical forests are outlined by Bawa and Dayanandan from a global perspective. Barbier provides an environmental economics perspective in a chapter on the economics of the tropical timber trade and the costs of implementing sustainable forest management. Five chapters follow that focus specifically on economic, political and educational issues. Pearce describes the fragile progress along the path toward sustainable forest management, whereas Mayers and Bass focus on the role of policy and institutions in forest conservation. Theoretical and mathematical trends in deforestation are examined through models presented by Grainger. Clubbe and Juniper illustrate approaches to educating the lay public through environmental organizations, informal education and lobbying . Goldsmith’s succinct synthesis chapter ends the volume with a realistic and sobering tone. As a whole, this book presents many options and viewpoints and is a valuable new contribution to the broadening dialogue on tropical forest conservation. The chapters are well edited and are nicely organized thematically. Unlike most edited volumes, one chapter flows into the next. And now, for a delectable dessert. Vanishing Treasures of the Philippine Rain Forest is a lovely book with exquisite color photographs documenting the highly endangered forest life of this unique archipelago. This volume is certain to generate interest in the amazing flora and fauna of the Philippines and to raise awareness of the current ecological crisis there. Here, we learn that an astonishing 85% of the nonflying mammals of the Philippines are endemic. Moreover, the Philippines has more species of unique mammals than Madagascar, in less than half the land area. This book is itself a jewel, revealing the many faces of biological diversity in a threatened landscape. Following a well-illustrated introduction to the geological history, climate, and ecology of the forests of the Philippines, we meet 37 plant and animal species in a series of onepage biological vignettes. Natural history is
Copyright © 1998, Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved. 0169-5347/98/$19.00
421
BOOK REVIEWS blended with information on conservation status. The impact is that of reading a National Geographic issue with page after page of glorious photographs, but without the lengthy text. This is a gripping experience that leaves the reader simultaneously inspired and sad. I had the same feeling recently while viewing portraits of endangered species at the California Academy of Sciences in San Francisco. The book follows with a detailed description of causes and effects of deforestation in the Philippines and an account of current land-use practices. It is already too late to save all the species that once lived in this lush, mountainous, fertile land. Despite this depressing reality, Heaney ends with a word of hope and outlines some steps needed to reverse trends of destruction and extinction. The authors’ urgent message comes through clearly – it is difficult to imagine how anyone could not be touched by reading this book. Each of these books makes an important contribution to the growing literature on tropical rain forests. I highly recommend all three. Although they raise some unpalatable issues, the richness of information and perspectives make for a fine feast. Bon appétit!
Robin L. Chazdon Dept of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of Connecticut, Storrs, CT 06269-3042, USA ([email protected])
References 1 Richards, P. W. 1996. The Tropical Rain Forest (2nd edn), Cambridge University Press 2 Balée, W. (1987) Garden 11, 12–14 3 Layrisse, M. (1992) Interciencia 17, 274
Hors d’oeuvre Basic Palaeontology by M. Benton and D. Harper Addison Wesley Longman, 1997. £22.99 pbk (xv + 342 pages) ISBN 0 582 22857 3
P
alaeontology can be simply defined as the study of fossils, encompassing almost any aspect of biology or earth science that draws on data from fossils. If one subscribes to this view, then the breadth of scientific endeavour that can be accommodated within palaeontology is huge. Activities at the ‘earthy’ end of the spectrum range from biostratigraphy and geochronology to aspects of low temperature geochemistry and analysis of the thermal maturation history of sediments. More organic themes include analysis of micro- and macroevolutionary processes, patterns of diversity and extinction, and an
422
understanding of the biology and ecology of organisms from the many different worlds that have existed on Earth in the past. Palaeontology certainly blurs at the edges, and the breadth of the subject can be difficult to convey in an introductory textbook such as Basic Palaeontology. One way round this problem, often taken in textbooks of general palaeontology, is to limit coverage to one of the more or less arbitrary subdivisions within palaeontology (plants, invertebrates, vertebrates or microfossils) and approach the fossil record by setting out the major characters and events in evolution group by group through geological time. Some texts take a more dynamic approach, dealing with the nature of evolutionary and ecological processes that are of interest to palaeontologists and the techniques employed in their investigation. More rarely, palaeontology is viewed in terms of its own evolution, focusing on the role of key intellectual developments and the contribution of particular individuals. Basic Palaeontology differs from many texts in that its objective is to cover everything: aspects of the historical development of the science, evolutionary processes, geological applications of fossils, methods of investigation, the history of life and the major fossil groups. By taking this inclusive approach, the authors aim (among other things) to ‘give students a flavour of the excitement of modern palaeontology’. This is an ambitious goal for a paperback volume of less than 350 pages and, given that every palaeontologist has an opinion concerning what is most exciting in modern palaeontology, the frankness with which the authors state their aims also presents critics (and book reviewers) with an easy target. Should the controversy surrounding the different perspectives on evolution provided by analyses of morphological disparity have been included? Would discussion of the importance of the fossil record in understanding present day extinctions and climate change in the broader context of the history of the Earth have highlighted the relevance of palaeontology? With only 350 pages to play with, some things are bound to have been left out, but the few omissions highlight the fact that most things are in there. A substantial chunk of the book deals with fossil organisms group by group in a fairly traditional way. The text is readable, making good use of boxes and illustrations, and references are generally up-to-date (although it is inevitable that in many of the most exciting areas of modern palaeontology the pace of new discoveries and developments is beyond that which even a new textbook can reflect). Perhaps a more serious criticism than omission is that the breadth of coverage attempted here necessitates some sacrifices in depth, and there are aspects of palaeontology and certain systematic groups that receive somewhat cursory treatment. But this is inevitable, given the authors’
Copyright © 1998, Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved. 0169-5347/98/$19.00
approach – Basic Palaeontology provides a sample of almost everything going on in palaeontology but not a surfeit of anything. This is not the book to turn to if you are looking for the last word on something, but the further reading suggestions and references will tell you where to go. The authors are aiming at a particular section of the palaeontological textbook market that is currently not well served. Teachers of introductory level palaeontology will probably find Basic Palaeontology a useful addition to their armoury. Perhaps the most important test of the value of this book is to consider what ‘flavour’ of palaeontology it will leave with those for whom an introductory course will be their only taste. Until all too recently, such courses plodded through the fossil record phylum by phylum, following the traditional recipe for learning by rote endless systematic names and classifications: palaeontology as a dead list. This book is a substantial appetizer of mixed palaeontological morsels which will hopefully encourage many to move on to the main course.
Mark Purnell Dept of Geology, University of Leicester, Leicester, UK LE1 7RH ([email protected])
Behind the pretty face Geographic Information Systems in Ecology by Carol A. Johnston Blackwell Science, Methods in Ecology, 1998. £29.50 (256 pages) ISBN 0 632 03859 4
H
aving described some of my research as ‘spatial ecology’, a colleague recently queried whether there were any other types of ecology. And in many respects he was right. Explicitly or implicitly, most ecological work can be given spatial axes, although the fundamental effects of space on the dynamics and structure of animal and plant communities remains largely unresearched1. It is therefore not surprising that ecologists should have become increasingly interested in technological tools such as Geographical Information Systems (GIS), which allow the capture, storage and manipulation of large and spatially explicit datasets2. GIS differs from conventional mapping systems in its ability to store and analyse details of the spatial relationships or ‘topology’ between objects. This permits a variety of quantitative analyses to be conducted on specified layers of any particular data set. TREE vol. 13, no. 10 October 1998