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Micropropagation of orchids
Biological Conservation 68 (1994) 75-77
BOOK REVIEWS
Marked Individuals in the Study of Bird Population. Edited by J.-D. Lebreton & Ph. M. North. Birkh/iuser Verlag, Basel, Boston, Berlin. 1993. ISBN 3 7643 2780 4 (hbk). Price: Swiss F118.00.
Economic Values and the Natural World. By D. Pearce. Earthscan, London. 1993. 129 pp. ISBN 1 85383 152 2 (pbk). Price: £10.95. It is often maintained that nature ought not to be implicated with the realm of money. Therefore, it is sometimes difficult to acquaint conservationists with economic ideas. David Pearce, Britain's leading environmental economist, puts the problem as follows: 'If the earth's resources were available in infinite quantities, and if they could be deployed at zero cost, there would be no economic problem. Everyone could have everything they wanted without compromising each other's or later generation's wants and needs. It would not be necessary to choose' (p. 1). Economics, in its proper meaning, is the art of rational decisions on scarce resources. Conceived thus, it is of course highly relevant to conservation. Pearce's booklet is probably the best reference available to date addressed to the economic non-specialist. In five chapters plus two appendices, the economic approach to conservation is explained. The author makes clear that economic valuation does account for ethical considerations, that aesthetic and other subtle value components are not neglected, nor are the needs of future generations. The intricacies of valuation in practice (chapter 4) are illustrated by numerous examples from all fields of environmental economics, including the ecological functions of wetlands, preferences for peace and quiet, for unique habitats, endangered species, rural water supplies, improved sanitation, fuelwood planting and others. Problems of the developing world are dealt with in special detail. Presenting persuasive data, appendix I rejects the popular myth that environmental policy is a constraint to economic well-being and, in particular, growth. Appendix II is a concise account of monetary valuation techniques available. The bibliography includes almost 100 relevant titles, and there is an index. A great number of important studies undertaken in recent years throughout the world are mentioned; their results are concisely presented and commented upon in 19 boxes and 21 tables. This compilation of material makes the book valuable also to the economist who is already familiar with the theoretical reasoning. To sum up, the book is highly recommended to everyone involved in conservation and will certainly contribute to filling the gap between natural and social sciences.
Ring recoveries have long been used as a source of information on the movements and mortality of birds. Over the years, bird ringing has grown in popularity, and nowadays more than four million individuals are ringed each year in Europe and more than one million in North America. The resulting recoveries provide an unparalleled source of information so, not surprisingly, the methodology for analysis is developing all the time. This multi-author volume is based on papers presented at the fourth of a series of conferences, concerned entirely with analytical procedure and held at Montpellier in France in 1992. The book provides a good 'stateof-the-art' snapshot of current methodology, with examples of its application on wild populations. Some chapters are concerned primarily with means of estimating mortality from recoveries of dead birds, and others with attempts to merge different sources of information (such as recoveries of dead birds and recaptures of live birds) to provide more refined experimental designs and mortality estimates. Yet other chapters deal with procedures for estimating recruitment and dispersal. In an interesting chapter by Kenward, the use of radio-tags to estimate demographic parameters is discussed, and revealing comparisons are made with results from ringing data. To end the book, Lebreton provides a useful review of the software currently available for the analysis of demographic data. There can be little doubt that relevant statistical and modelling methodology will continue to develop rapidly in the coming years, particularly as interest grows in metapopulation theory and in estimating movements between different subpopulations. In the meantime, however, this book gives a good indication of the current state of the methodology. It will be useful to anyone concerned with estimating deomographic parameters from capture-recapture or recovery data. Because of the nature of the material, however, parts of the book could be heavy-going for the non-mathematical reader. I. Newton Micropropagation of Orchids. By J. Arditti & R. Ernst. John Wiley & Sons, New York. 1993. 682 pp. ISBN 0 471 54905 3 (hbk). Price: £95.00.
Ulrich Hampicke
Micropropagation has been defined as an aseptic procedure for the asexual production of plantlets from
Biological Conservation 68 (1994) © 1994 Elsevier Science Limited, England. Printed in Great Britain 75
76
Book reviews
organs, tissues, and cells bypassing the sexual process or other means of asexual propagation. Most of the orchids sold in commerce are produced using a variety of micropropagation methods, thereby reducing the need for the continued collection of orchids from the wild. This book serves two useful purposes: it gets rid of much of the mystery and secrecy which has until now been a feature of orchid micropropagation; and secondly, it provides an up-to-date account of the media and methods which have been used, and are still being used, for propagating orchids. The book consists of four chapters. The first describes the history of tissue culture and defines the terms used in micropropagation. The second gives a general account of the techniques and procedures employed in micropropagation and lists the composition and properties of many of the chemicals added to the various media. The authors give detailed instructions on how to prepare different media and also provide lists of apparatus needed together with the names and addresses of suppliers. The bulk of the book (some 522 pages) deals in some detail with the methods used for propagating 84 genera of orchids, the majority of which are epiphytes, although some terrestrials, such as Barlia, Dactylorchis, Disa, Ophrys and Orchis are also included. The genera are arranged alphabetically which makes finding them easy. The level of detail provided for each genus is high and should enable other workers to use the techniques with some degree of success. The final chapter provides a useful summary of tissue culture and stresses that it is still very much an empirical science. This volume is an essential reference work for anyone engaged in the micropropagation of orchids and should find a place in all laboratories and libraries. It should also become an essential reference book for the dedicated amateur. Terry Wells
Fundamentals of Orchid Biology. By J. Arditti. John Wiley & Sons, New York. 1993. 691 pp. ISBN 0 471 54906 1 (hbk). Price £80.00. Books on orchids fall into three broad categories. There are those which provide an illustrated guide to the species which occur in a particular region or country; there are those which deal with the cultivation and propagation of orchids in general or which focus on a particular genus. Thirdly, and much smaller than the other two, are volumes which deal with the scientific aspects of orchid biology. This book clearly falls into the last category. In the preface of this book, Professor Arditti states that he set out to write an introduction to orchid biology aimed at first-year botany students but the book grew as he wrote and the result is this large and lavishly illustrated volume which attempts to encompass the whole of orchid biology in a textbook manner. The volume is divided into 15 chapters, each with a separate bibliography, and there are also indexes to authors, organisms and subjects at the end of the book.
There are chapters on the history of orchids, classification, evolution, cytology, physiology, phytochemistry, morphology, anatomy, mycorrhiza, pollination, embryology, reproduction, heredity and breeding ecology, and finally on the commercial and ethnobotanical uses of orchids. The layout of the book is such that the reader has easy access to subject areas in which he or she may be interested and each chapter more or less stands on its own. The subject matter of each chapter is curious and idiosyncratic. Processes and general principles which are characteristic of all living plants are dealt with in great detail and are used to augment the available information about orchids. One may question, for example, whether it is really either necessary or sensible to use space to give detailed accounts of the Krebs cycle, pathways of carbon fixation and similar physiological processes which are readily available in standard textbooks. On the other hand, one of the strengths of this book is that it brings together, from the most diverse sources, information on all aspects of orchid biology which the reader might otherwise not be aware of or which might not be found in the average library. The text is liberally sprinkled with diagrams, drawings and black and white photographs which the author has ingeniously culled from a great variety of sources and attractively reproduced in the book. However, incorporating the illustrations, tables and captions into the text has often resulted in pages having up to one-third of their total area blank and the book could have been considerably less bulky and less expensive. This book is unlike any other which deals with orchids and you will either love or dislike its idiosyncratic approach. Personally, I found the thumb-nail sketches and details of distinguished orchidologists fascinating and I enjoyed seeing their photographs. I like being distracted by footnotes and always read them but am less fascinated by pages of drawings and photographs of chromosomes. I am disappointed with the chapter on ecology and the apparent disregard or ignorance of the work on orchid demography and population biology. This area of research has blossomed in the past decade or more but does not get a mention in the book. In conclusion, Fundamentals of Orchid Biology brings together a wealth of information on orchids much of which is not readily accessible and on these grounds alone is worthy of note. Its unusual style and layout sets it aside from other books on orchids but its price may deter individuals from purchasing it. Terry Wells
The Spiders of Great BriUfin and Irehmd, Compact Edition. Part 1--Text. By Michael J. Roberts. Harley Books, Colchester. 1993. 220 pp. ISBN 0 94658927 5. Price: £49.95. (Parts 1 and 2 complete: ISBN 0 946589 46 1; price: £80.00. Part 2 (colour plates)ISBN 0 946589 45 3; price: £39.95.) This is the paperback edition of Mike Roberts' excellent monograph in which Volumes 1 and 2 of the
BOOK REVIEWS
Marked Individuals in the Study of Bird Population. Edited by J.-D. Lebreton & Ph. M. North. Birkh/iuser Verlag, Basel, Boston, Berlin. 1993. ISBN 3 7643 2780 4 (hbk). Price: Swiss F118.00.
Economic Values and the Natural World. By D. Pearce. Earthscan, London. 1993. 129 pp. ISBN 1 85383 152 2 (pbk). Price: £10.95. It is often maintained that nature ought not to be implicated with the realm of money. Therefore, it is sometimes difficult to acquaint conservationists with economic ideas. David Pearce, Britain's leading environmental economist, puts the problem as follows: 'If the earth's resources were available in infinite quantities, and if they could be deployed at zero cost, there would be no economic problem. Everyone could have everything they wanted without compromising each other's or later generation's wants and needs. It would not be necessary to choose' (p. 1). Economics, in its proper meaning, is the art of rational decisions on scarce resources. Conceived thus, it is of course highly relevant to conservation. Pearce's booklet is probably the best reference available to date addressed to the economic non-specialist. In five chapters plus two appendices, the economic approach to conservation is explained. The author makes clear that economic valuation does account for ethical considerations, that aesthetic and other subtle value components are not neglected, nor are the needs of future generations. The intricacies of valuation in practice (chapter 4) are illustrated by numerous examples from all fields of environmental economics, including the ecological functions of wetlands, preferences for peace and quiet, for unique habitats, endangered species, rural water supplies, improved sanitation, fuelwood planting and others. Problems of the developing world are dealt with in special detail. Presenting persuasive data, appendix I rejects the popular myth that environmental policy is a constraint to economic well-being and, in particular, growth. Appendix II is a concise account of monetary valuation techniques available. The bibliography includes almost 100 relevant titles, and there is an index. A great number of important studies undertaken in recent years throughout the world are mentioned; their results are concisely presented and commented upon in 19 boxes and 21 tables. This compilation of material makes the book valuable also to the economist who is already familiar with the theoretical reasoning. To sum up, the book is highly recommended to everyone involved in conservation and will certainly contribute to filling the gap between natural and social sciences.
Ring recoveries have long been used as a source of information on the movements and mortality of birds. Over the years, bird ringing has grown in popularity, and nowadays more than four million individuals are ringed each year in Europe and more than one million in North America. The resulting recoveries provide an unparalleled source of information so, not surprisingly, the methodology for analysis is developing all the time. This multi-author volume is based on papers presented at the fourth of a series of conferences, concerned entirely with analytical procedure and held at Montpellier in France in 1992. The book provides a good 'stateof-the-art' snapshot of current methodology, with examples of its application on wild populations. Some chapters are concerned primarily with means of estimating mortality from recoveries of dead birds, and others with attempts to merge different sources of information (such as recoveries of dead birds and recaptures of live birds) to provide more refined experimental designs and mortality estimates. Yet other chapters deal with procedures for estimating recruitment and dispersal. In an interesting chapter by Kenward, the use of radio-tags to estimate demographic parameters is discussed, and revealing comparisons are made with results from ringing data. To end the book, Lebreton provides a useful review of the software currently available for the analysis of demographic data. There can be little doubt that relevant statistical and modelling methodology will continue to develop rapidly in the coming years, particularly as interest grows in metapopulation theory and in estimating movements between different subpopulations. In the meantime, however, this book gives a good indication of the current state of the methodology. It will be useful to anyone concerned with estimating deomographic parameters from capture-recapture or recovery data. Because of the nature of the material, however, parts of the book could be heavy-going for the non-mathematical reader. I. Newton Micropropagation of Orchids. By J. Arditti & R. Ernst. John Wiley & Sons, New York. 1993. 682 pp. ISBN 0 471 54905 3 (hbk). Price: £95.00.
Ulrich Hampicke
Micropropagation has been defined as an aseptic procedure for the asexual production of plantlets from
Biological Conservation 68 (1994) © 1994 Elsevier Science Limited, England. Printed in Great Britain 75
76
Book reviews
organs, tissues, and cells bypassing the sexual process or other means of asexual propagation. Most of the orchids sold in commerce are produced using a variety of micropropagation methods, thereby reducing the need for the continued collection of orchids from the wild. This book serves two useful purposes: it gets rid of much of the mystery and secrecy which has until now been a feature of orchid micropropagation; and secondly, it provides an up-to-date account of the media and methods which have been used, and are still being used, for propagating orchids. The book consists of four chapters. The first describes the history of tissue culture and defines the terms used in micropropagation. The second gives a general account of the techniques and procedures employed in micropropagation and lists the composition and properties of many of the chemicals added to the various media. The authors give detailed instructions on how to prepare different media and also provide lists of apparatus needed together with the names and addresses of suppliers. The bulk of the book (some 522 pages) deals in some detail with the methods used for propagating 84 genera of orchids, the majority of which are epiphytes, although some terrestrials, such as Barlia, Dactylorchis, Disa, Ophrys and Orchis are also included. The genera are arranged alphabetically which makes finding them easy. The level of detail provided for each genus is high and should enable other workers to use the techniques with some degree of success. The final chapter provides a useful summary of tissue culture and stresses that it is still very much an empirical science. This volume is an essential reference work for anyone engaged in the micropropagation of orchids and should find a place in all laboratories and libraries. It should also become an essential reference book for the dedicated amateur. Terry Wells
Fundamentals of Orchid Biology. By J. Arditti. John Wiley & Sons, New York. 1993. 691 pp. ISBN 0 471 54906 1 (hbk). Price £80.00. Books on orchids fall into three broad categories. There are those which provide an illustrated guide to the species which occur in a particular region or country; there are those which deal with the cultivation and propagation of orchids in general or which focus on a particular genus. Thirdly, and much smaller than the other two, are volumes which deal with the scientific aspects of orchid biology. This book clearly falls into the last category. In the preface of this book, Professor Arditti states that he set out to write an introduction to orchid biology aimed at first-year botany students but the book grew as he wrote and the result is this large and lavishly illustrated volume which attempts to encompass the whole of orchid biology in a textbook manner. The volume is divided into 15 chapters, each with a separate bibliography, and there are also indexes to authors, organisms and subjects at the end of the book.
There are chapters on the history of orchids, classification, evolution, cytology, physiology, phytochemistry, morphology, anatomy, mycorrhiza, pollination, embryology, reproduction, heredity and breeding ecology, and finally on the commercial and ethnobotanical uses of orchids. The layout of the book is such that the reader has easy access to subject areas in which he or she may be interested and each chapter more or less stands on its own. The subject matter of each chapter is curious and idiosyncratic. Processes and general principles which are characteristic of all living plants are dealt with in great detail and are used to augment the available information about orchids. One may question, for example, whether it is really either necessary or sensible to use space to give detailed accounts of the Krebs cycle, pathways of carbon fixation and similar physiological processes which are readily available in standard textbooks. On the other hand, one of the strengths of this book is that it brings together, from the most diverse sources, information on all aspects of orchid biology which the reader might otherwise not be aware of or which might not be found in the average library. The text is liberally sprinkled with diagrams, drawings and black and white photographs which the author has ingeniously culled from a great variety of sources and attractively reproduced in the book. However, incorporating the illustrations, tables and captions into the text has often resulted in pages having up to one-third of their total area blank and the book could have been considerably less bulky and less expensive. This book is unlike any other which deals with orchids and you will either love or dislike its idiosyncratic approach. Personally, I found the thumb-nail sketches and details of distinguished orchidologists fascinating and I enjoyed seeing their photographs. I like being distracted by footnotes and always read them but am less fascinated by pages of drawings and photographs of chromosomes. I am disappointed with the chapter on ecology and the apparent disregard or ignorance of the work on orchid demography and population biology. This area of research has blossomed in the past decade or more but does not get a mention in the book. In conclusion, Fundamentals of Orchid Biology brings together a wealth of information on orchids much of which is not readily accessible and on these grounds alone is worthy of note. Its unusual style and layout sets it aside from other books on orchids but its price may deter individuals from purchasing it. Terry Wells
The Spiders of Great BriUfin and Irehmd, Compact Edition. Part 1--Text. By Michael J. Roberts. Harley Books, Colchester. 1993. 220 pp. ISBN 0 94658927 5. Price: £49.95. (Parts 1 and 2 complete: ISBN 0 946589 46 1; price: £80.00. Part 2 (colour plates)ISBN 0 946589 45 3; price: £39.95.) This is the paperback edition of Mike Roberts' excellent monograph in which Volumes 1 and 2 of the