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Advances in microbial ecology, vol. 8
Ecological Modelling, 37 (1987) 317-325 Elsevier SciencePublishers B.V., Amsterdam- Printed in The Netherlands
317
Book Reviews
MICROBIAL ECOLOGY Advances in Microbial Ecology, Vol. 8. K.C. Marshall (Editor). Plenum, New York, 1985. 307 pp., US$45.00. ISBN 0-306-41877-0. The series Advances in Microbial Ecology presents the latest research on the roles of microorganisms in natural and artificial ecosystems, emphasizing microbial processes and interactions, the effects of environmental factors on microbial populations, and the economic impact of these organisms. The modeller needs always to be acquainted with recent progress in quantitative descriptions of ecological processes. Ecological modelling is not a mathematical exercise, but needs to give as good a description as possible with the data available of the system considered. Consequently, such books as Advances in Microbial Ecology, Vol. 8 will arouse the modeller's interest, provided that they give a better understanding of processes he wants to incorporate in his model. The present book has been reviewed from this point of view. The first chapter deals with microbial interactions among aerobic and anaerobic sulfur-oxidizing bacteria. A detailed description of the ecology of these bacteria is given. Although the chapter does not contain any quantitative models, it gives an overview of all the processes which might influence these bacteria. Modellers who want to model the reactions of sulfur components in ecosystems will find useful information in this chapter. The second chapter deals with parameter estimations in microbial ecology. It is very model-oriented and modellers who want to find parameters in microbiological components of their models can find many useful methods of microbiological data interpretation therein. The chapter does not give any new parameter estimation methods but touches upon the problem related to the use of parameter estimation estimation methods in microbiology. The title of the third chapter is 'Neglected niches: The microbial ecology of the gastrointestinal tract'. It scarcely contains any useful knowledge for the ecological modeller. The fourth chapter is devoted to ecological constraints on nitrogen fixation in agriculture. It gives an overview of the factors which may effect the very important process of nitrogen fixation. In many nitrogen models these factors are neglected, but in this chapter the modeller can find basic information on which factors modellers should consider using in their models.
318
The fifth chapter focuses on heavy metals responses of microorganisms. The treatment of this topic is, to a certain extent, quantitative and is therefore very useful to those who want to model the effect of heavy metals on ecosystems. Effects models are very difficult to develop, but the important effects on microbiological processes should, at least, not be forgotten. In this chapter, the modeller has a chance to become acquainted with some of these effects, which might allow him to include them in his model. The last chapter deals with microbial cellulose degradation. The chapter is not quantitative but it contains a little information important to those who need to include a good description of cellulose decomposition. The book is well written and can be recommended to those requiring more information about the microbiological processes covered; however, it is of course not of general interest to ecological modellers. S.E. J~RGENSEN
Royal Danish School of Pharmacy, Department of Pharmaceutical Industry AD 2 Universitetsparken, DK-2100 Copenhagen, Denmark POLLINATION BIOLOGY
Pollination Biology. Leslie Real (Editor). Academic Press, Orlando, FL, 1983. 330 pp., hardcover US$49.00/softcover US$35.00. ISBN 0-12-5839804/0-12-583982-0. The past 15 years have seen a remarkable change in the style of pollination research. Prior to this time, most research was rather descriptive. Long lists of visitors to flowers were compiled, the individual breeding systems were evaluated, and mechanisms of pollen transfer guaranteeing specific cross-pollination were considered. Field biologists have now recognized in pollination systems a unique opportunity to test many of the current hypotheses presumed to hold generally for ecological and evolutionary processes. The peculiarities of the pollination system, which so amazed early naturalists, are no longer the central focus. Emphasis is now placed on uncovering the general principles that underlie all ecological and evolutionary changes. The book contains twelve chapters, written by twelve different authors. Three of the chapters are of particular interest for modellers, namely Chapters 7, 11 and 12. In Chapter 7, David Mulcahy presents a computer model simulating the process of sexual selection through gametic competition in Geranium maculatum. The model has been used to evaluate the evolutionary consequences of altering different floral traits for the outcome of gametic competition.
317
Book Reviews
MICROBIAL ECOLOGY Advances in Microbial Ecology, Vol. 8. K.C. Marshall (Editor). Plenum, New York, 1985. 307 pp., US$45.00. ISBN 0-306-41877-0. The series Advances in Microbial Ecology presents the latest research on the roles of microorganisms in natural and artificial ecosystems, emphasizing microbial processes and interactions, the effects of environmental factors on microbial populations, and the economic impact of these organisms. The modeller needs always to be acquainted with recent progress in quantitative descriptions of ecological processes. Ecological modelling is not a mathematical exercise, but needs to give as good a description as possible with the data available of the system considered. Consequently, such books as Advances in Microbial Ecology, Vol. 8 will arouse the modeller's interest, provided that they give a better understanding of processes he wants to incorporate in his model. The present book has been reviewed from this point of view. The first chapter deals with microbial interactions among aerobic and anaerobic sulfur-oxidizing bacteria. A detailed description of the ecology of these bacteria is given. Although the chapter does not contain any quantitative models, it gives an overview of all the processes which might influence these bacteria. Modellers who want to model the reactions of sulfur components in ecosystems will find useful information in this chapter. The second chapter deals with parameter estimations in microbial ecology. It is very model-oriented and modellers who want to find parameters in microbiological components of their models can find many useful methods of microbiological data interpretation therein. The chapter does not give any new parameter estimation methods but touches upon the problem related to the use of parameter estimation estimation methods in microbiology. The title of the third chapter is 'Neglected niches: The microbial ecology of the gastrointestinal tract'. It scarcely contains any useful knowledge for the ecological modeller. The fourth chapter is devoted to ecological constraints on nitrogen fixation in agriculture. It gives an overview of the factors which may effect the very important process of nitrogen fixation. In many nitrogen models these factors are neglected, but in this chapter the modeller can find basic information on which factors modellers should consider using in their models.
318
The fifth chapter focuses on heavy metals responses of microorganisms. The treatment of this topic is, to a certain extent, quantitative and is therefore very useful to those who want to model the effect of heavy metals on ecosystems. Effects models are very difficult to develop, but the important effects on microbiological processes should, at least, not be forgotten. In this chapter, the modeller has a chance to become acquainted with some of these effects, which might allow him to include them in his model. The last chapter deals with microbial cellulose degradation. The chapter is not quantitative but it contains a little information important to those who need to include a good description of cellulose decomposition. The book is well written and can be recommended to those requiring more information about the microbiological processes covered; however, it is of course not of general interest to ecological modellers. S.E. J~RGENSEN
Royal Danish School of Pharmacy, Department of Pharmaceutical Industry AD 2 Universitetsparken, DK-2100 Copenhagen, Denmark POLLINATION BIOLOGY
Pollination Biology. Leslie Real (Editor). Academic Press, Orlando, FL, 1983. 330 pp., hardcover US$49.00/softcover US$35.00. ISBN 0-12-5839804/0-12-583982-0. The past 15 years have seen a remarkable change in the style of pollination research. Prior to this time, most research was rather descriptive. Long lists of visitors to flowers were compiled, the individual breeding systems were evaluated, and mechanisms of pollen transfer guaranteeing specific cross-pollination were considered. Field biologists have now recognized in pollination systems a unique opportunity to test many of the current hypotheses presumed to hold generally for ecological and evolutionary processes. The peculiarities of the pollination system, which so amazed early naturalists, are no longer the central focus. Emphasis is now placed on uncovering the general principles that underlie all ecological and evolutionary changes. The book contains twelve chapters, written by twelve different authors. Three of the chapters are of particular interest for modellers, namely Chapters 7, 11 and 12. In Chapter 7, David Mulcahy presents a computer model simulating the process of sexual selection through gametic competition in Geranium maculatum. The model has been used to evaluate the evolutionary consequences of altering different floral traits for the outcome of gametic competition.