- Email: [email protected]
Desert Puma: Evolutionary Ecology and Conservation of an Enduring Carnivore
Biological Conservation 108 (2002) 129–132 www.elsevier.com/locate/biocon
Book reviews
Desert Puma: Evolutionary Ecology and Conservation of an Enduring Carnivore By Kenneth A. Logan and Linda L. Sweanor. Island Press, Washington DC, 2001, 463 pp, ISBN 55963 866 4 (pbk), Price US$45.00. The distribution of the puma encompasses a very broad latitudinal range and a diverse array of habitats ranging from arid desert to tropical rainforest to cold coniferous forest, and from sea level to high Andes. This is an exceptionally successful generalist predator, whose adaptability probably helped it survive the late Pleistocene extinctions of other large North American felids. Whereas much research effort has previously focused on populations inhabiting temperate areas, this study documents an impressive long-term (10 year) study of puma ecology and behaviour in a desert environment. The book is undoubtedly valuable as an original and potentially influential contribution to our knowledge of this predator in an arid environment. However, somewhat unfortunately it is written somewhat in the style of a dissertation and there is little attempt to make the results accessible to a general audience. The study was based on an American missile base in the Chihuahua Desert of New Mexico where, at least for the duration of the study, puma persecution was outlawed. The study is particularly special not only due to its long duration. Generous funding by the
Hornocker Institute and the obvious technical expertise and commitment of the scientists allowed a large number of pumas to be captured and radio-tracked. In addition an immense effort was simultaneously employed in monitoring the prey population, principally desert mule deer, to investigate the puma’s impact on their population dynamics. Furthermore the study allowed for the manipulation of the puma population by the permanent removal from vast areas to serve as a control. Most carnivore biologists can only dream of being able to carry out such manipulations or have to wait for a natural experiment to arise. The authors emphasise that an understanding of puma evolutionary ecology can and must inform conservation strategy. The book concludes that the major threats to pumas are similar to those affecting all large carnivore species—habitat loss and persecution. Education programmes, zoned management and possibly sport hunting and experimental control of populations are all advocated as possible solutions to these threats. Nigel Dunstone Department of Biological Sciences University of Durham South Road Durham, DH1 3LE UK E-mail address: [email protected]
PII: S0006-3207(02)00076-9
Biological Soil Crust: Structure, Function, and Management Edited by J. Belnap and O.L. Lange. Springer, Berlin & Heidelberg, 2001. 503 pp, ISBN 3 540 4107/5 9 (hbk), Price £95.00. Between the sparse higher plant vegetation of arid and semi-arid lands throughout the world there is often a partial or complete cover of a community of highly specialised micro-organisms forming biological crusts. The crusts consist of a close association between soil particles and cyanobacteria, algae, lichens, micro-fungi
and bryophytes living on or in the uppermost millimeters of soil. The 34 chapters assembled by the editors are the first comprehensive account of the topic within a single book. Not only do they provide a broad overview of the huge and scattered literature, but many add considerably to the general understanding of microbial processes. Crusts are a topic where it is especially helpful to see examples, so the seven pages with 61 colour photos are welcome. The original photos and the colour balance used for their reproduction are all excellent, though it was a pity more space was not allocated to show some of the general views at a larger scale. Ideally such pho-
Book reviews
Desert Puma: Evolutionary Ecology and Conservation of an Enduring Carnivore By Kenneth A. Logan and Linda L. Sweanor. Island Press, Washington DC, 2001, 463 pp, ISBN 55963 866 4 (pbk), Price US$45.00. The distribution of the puma encompasses a very broad latitudinal range and a diverse array of habitats ranging from arid desert to tropical rainforest to cold coniferous forest, and from sea level to high Andes. This is an exceptionally successful generalist predator, whose adaptability probably helped it survive the late Pleistocene extinctions of other large North American felids. Whereas much research effort has previously focused on populations inhabiting temperate areas, this study documents an impressive long-term (10 year) study of puma ecology and behaviour in a desert environment. The book is undoubtedly valuable as an original and potentially influential contribution to our knowledge of this predator in an arid environment. However, somewhat unfortunately it is written somewhat in the style of a dissertation and there is little attempt to make the results accessible to a general audience. The study was based on an American missile base in the Chihuahua Desert of New Mexico where, at least for the duration of the study, puma persecution was outlawed. The study is particularly special not only due to its long duration. Generous funding by the
Hornocker Institute and the obvious technical expertise and commitment of the scientists allowed a large number of pumas to be captured and radio-tracked. In addition an immense effort was simultaneously employed in monitoring the prey population, principally desert mule deer, to investigate the puma’s impact on their population dynamics. Furthermore the study allowed for the manipulation of the puma population by the permanent removal from vast areas to serve as a control. Most carnivore biologists can only dream of being able to carry out such manipulations or have to wait for a natural experiment to arise. The authors emphasise that an understanding of puma evolutionary ecology can and must inform conservation strategy. The book concludes that the major threats to pumas are similar to those affecting all large carnivore species—habitat loss and persecution. Education programmes, zoned management and possibly sport hunting and experimental control of populations are all advocated as possible solutions to these threats. Nigel Dunstone Department of Biological Sciences University of Durham South Road Durham, DH1 3LE UK E-mail address: [email protected]
PII: S0006-3207(02)00076-9
Biological Soil Crust: Structure, Function, and Management Edited by J. Belnap and O.L. Lange. Springer, Berlin & Heidelberg, 2001. 503 pp, ISBN 3 540 4107/5 9 (hbk), Price £95.00. Between the sparse higher plant vegetation of arid and semi-arid lands throughout the world there is often a partial or complete cover of a community of highly specialised micro-organisms forming biological crusts. The crusts consist of a close association between soil particles and cyanobacteria, algae, lichens, micro-fungi
and bryophytes living on or in the uppermost millimeters of soil. The 34 chapters assembled by the editors are the first comprehensive account of the topic within a single book. Not only do they provide a broad overview of the huge and scattered literature, but many add considerably to the general understanding of microbial processes. Crusts are a topic where it is especially helpful to see examples, so the seven pages with 61 colour photos are welcome. The original photos and the colour balance used for their reproduction are all excellent, though it was a pity more space was not allocated to show some of the general views at a larger scale. Ideally such pho-