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Response of marine animals to petroleum and specific petroleum hydrocarbons
Book reviews
117
quantitative meteorological forecast, and from the solution of the surge dynamic equations with the meteorological input data in real time. This book describesthe latest developments in this subject, together with a review of the surge warning organization, and the Thames Barrier scheme. This book consists of 6 papers and 2 abstracts. J. Townsend reviews the history and organization of the storm surge warning service in the U.K., and alsooutlines surgeprediction by an empirical method currently used, and a numerical-model method under experimental use. B. Golding describesthe principle of routine forecasting of the pressure and wind fields over the sea, by use of a numerical model of the atmosphere. This output is used for the prediction of surgesas well as waves. R. A. Flather describesan operational scheme for surge prediction, up to some 30 hours ahead, around the U.K. This usesa depth-integrated numerical model with forecast wind/pressure fields. A summary of its experimental operation over three winters is also given. A. M. Davies describeshis threedimensional modelling, using a finite differences method in the horizontal spacedomain, and the Galerkin method in the vertical. Results obtained by applying this technique to the North Sea are shown with observational data. J. Wolf describessurge-tide interaction in the North Sea, particularly in the Thames Estuary, including a statistical study and a numerical model study. R. W. Horner describesthe Thames Barrier schemefor the protection of a part of London from flooding causedby storm surges. It is due for completion by the end of 1982. The paper also includes a brief history of flood defences, and the structure of the barrier which is related to river navigation. J. Graff gives an abstract of his paper, ‘Long term statistics of extreme sea levels’ and B. Johns of his, ‘The modelling of friction and other aspectsof numerical models that might be improved’. This book is basedon the proceedings of a one-day conference on this subject, arranged by the Environmental Mathematics Group of the IMA, held at the University of Bristol in 1980. Although the contributors and the seaareasare limited to U.K., the contents of the book will certainly be useful when considering similar problems in different seas.The generalized title of the book is justified in this sense.Although this book is a volume of an applied mathematics seriesand somechapters contain mathematical expressions, clear descriptions with many good illustrations will help even those who are less familiar with mathematics to understand their physical concepts. The compact nature of the book and the variety of topics discussed,make it useful for obtaining an insight into the whole subject fairly quickly. S. ISHIGURO
Response of Marine Animals Specific Petroleum Hydrocarbons
to
Petroleum
and
J. M. Neff and J. W. Anderson Applied Science Publishers Ltd, London, 1981, 177pp, klS.00
Those following research into the biological effects of oil in the marine environment will have seen a steady stream of papers emerge from Jerry Neff and Jack Anderson at the Texas A & M Laboratory. This book presents the major results and conclusions of the
118
Book reviews
research performed there between 1972 and 1977, and discussesthem in relation to other published information on the subject. The coverage of the literature, though not intended to be comprehensive, is thorough up to 1979and it is a measureof the recent importance of this subject that of the 250 references, 186 are from 1974 onwards. There have been few errors during publication although several of the Latin namesof organismsare wrongly spelled in the text and faithfully reproduced in the Index. The glossary of 45 terms, presumably intended for the non-specialist, itself usesat least 17 terms-such as prototroch, tetrapyrrole and triplobastic-that are unlikely to be understood, which somewhatreduces its usefulness, but the numerous tables and text figures are clear, generally well sited, and carefully entitled. Chapter 1 provides a balanced summary of the sources, distribution and concentrations of hydrocarbons in the marine environment. The following four chapters present Neff and Anderson’s experiments and results on the ‘Toxicity of petroleum hydrocarbons’; their effects on reproduction, development and growth; the ‘Accumulation and release of petroleum hydrocarbons’; and the ‘Effects of petroleum on the behaviour of marine animals’. Each chapter provides a good summary of the literature and a detailed report of the materials and methods usedessential to a publication of this kind. It is particularly satisfying to seethorough chemical analysesand characterizations of the toxicants used. As the authors themselvessay of much of the information published elsewhere:‘comparisons of relative toxicities. . . are difficult because. . . the actual concentration of hydrocarbons. . . was not measured’, ‘bioassaysin which results are reported in terms of ‘oil added’ are of little comparative value’. But although careful to detail how their watersoluble fractions (WSF) and oil in water dispersions(OWD) were prepared, and to analyse them chemically, they do rather fall under their own condemnation! Having pointed out that ‘a significant proportion of the hydrocarbons in the OWD is present as micro oil droplets.. . probably less bioavailable than hydrocarbons in solution’ they present many of their test media asdilutions of a stock WSF or OWD, prepared in a standard way, and extrapolate the test concentrations from those previously determined from stock from this method. Except for Bunker C oil OWD, no details of any filtration or particle sizing are given, but it is certain that the concentrations in the stocks were present largely in particulate form and the concentrations of both total and specific hydrocarbons are not predictable when such media are diluted. Similarly, without more details of how some of the experiments to distinguish between uptake of hydrocarbons from water and sedimentswere carried out, and the samplestreated, the ingestion of particulate matter by animalssuspended in the water column cannot be ruled out. One could also criticize some of the work on behavioural effects which used media of 5-100% of a stock WSF said to contain 19.8 ppm total hydrocarbons, having already stated that most exposures in the literature have been to concentrations higher than those to be expected from oil pollution in the field! It must also be pointed out that since chapter 4 was written it hasbeen demonstrated that bivalve molluscs do possessthe enzyme systems necessary to metabolize aromatic petroleum hydrocarbons, albeit at very low levels of activity. With these provisos in mind, the book forms a valuable record of very thorough laboratory investigations into the many variables which can modify the toxicity and effects of oil on a wide range of marine organismswithout losing sight of field conditions or the ecological significance of the results.
R. A. A. BLACKMAN
117
quantitative meteorological forecast, and from the solution of the surge dynamic equations with the meteorological input data in real time. This book describesthe latest developments in this subject, together with a review of the surge warning organization, and the Thames Barrier scheme. This book consists of 6 papers and 2 abstracts. J. Townsend reviews the history and organization of the storm surge warning service in the U.K., and alsooutlines surgeprediction by an empirical method currently used, and a numerical-model method under experimental use. B. Golding describesthe principle of routine forecasting of the pressure and wind fields over the sea, by use of a numerical model of the atmosphere. This output is used for the prediction of surgesas well as waves. R. A. Flather describesan operational scheme for surge prediction, up to some 30 hours ahead, around the U.K. This usesa depth-integrated numerical model with forecast wind/pressure fields. A summary of its experimental operation over three winters is also given. A. M. Davies describeshis threedimensional modelling, using a finite differences method in the horizontal spacedomain, and the Galerkin method in the vertical. Results obtained by applying this technique to the North Sea are shown with observational data. J. Wolf describessurge-tide interaction in the North Sea, particularly in the Thames Estuary, including a statistical study and a numerical model study. R. W. Horner describesthe Thames Barrier schemefor the protection of a part of London from flooding causedby storm surges. It is due for completion by the end of 1982. The paper also includes a brief history of flood defences, and the structure of the barrier which is related to river navigation. J. Graff gives an abstract of his paper, ‘Long term statistics of extreme sea levels’ and B. Johns of his, ‘The modelling of friction and other aspectsof numerical models that might be improved’. This book is basedon the proceedings of a one-day conference on this subject, arranged by the Environmental Mathematics Group of the IMA, held at the University of Bristol in 1980. Although the contributors and the seaareasare limited to U.K., the contents of the book will certainly be useful when considering similar problems in different seas.The generalized title of the book is justified in this sense.Although this book is a volume of an applied mathematics seriesand somechapters contain mathematical expressions, clear descriptions with many good illustrations will help even those who are less familiar with mathematics to understand their physical concepts. The compact nature of the book and the variety of topics discussed,make it useful for obtaining an insight into the whole subject fairly quickly. S. ISHIGURO
Response of Marine Animals Specific Petroleum Hydrocarbons
to
Petroleum
and
J. M. Neff and J. W. Anderson Applied Science Publishers Ltd, London, 1981, 177pp, klS.00
Those following research into the biological effects of oil in the marine environment will have seen a steady stream of papers emerge from Jerry Neff and Jack Anderson at the Texas A & M Laboratory. This book presents the major results and conclusions of the
118
Book reviews
research performed there between 1972 and 1977, and discussesthem in relation to other published information on the subject. The coverage of the literature, though not intended to be comprehensive, is thorough up to 1979and it is a measureof the recent importance of this subject that of the 250 references, 186 are from 1974 onwards. There have been few errors during publication although several of the Latin namesof organismsare wrongly spelled in the text and faithfully reproduced in the Index. The glossary of 45 terms, presumably intended for the non-specialist, itself usesat least 17 terms-such as prototroch, tetrapyrrole and triplobastic-that are unlikely to be understood, which somewhatreduces its usefulness, but the numerous tables and text figures are clear, generally well sited, and carefully entitled. Chapter 1 provides a balanced summary of the sources, distribution and concentrations of hydrocarbons in the marine environment. The following four chapters present Neff and Anderson’s experiments and results on the ‘Toxicity of petroleum hydrocarbons’; their effects on reproduction, development and growth; the ‘Accumulation and release of petroleum hydrocarbons’; and the ‘Effects of petroleum on the behaviour of marine animals’. Each chapter provides a good summary of the literature and a detailed report of the materials and methods usedessential to a publication of this kind. It is particularly satisfying to seethorough chemical analysesand characterizations of the toxicants used. As the authors themselvessay of much of the information published elsewhere:‘comparisons of relative toxicities. . . are difficult because. . . the actual concentration of hydrocarbons. . . was not measured’, ‘bioassaysin which results are reported in terms of ‘oil added’ are of little comparative value’. But although careful to detail how their watersoluble fractions (WSF) and oil in water dispersions(OWD) were prepared, and to analyse them chemically, they do rather fall under their own condemnation! Having pointed out that ‘a significant proportion of the hydrocarbons in the OWD is present as micro oil droplets.. . probably less bioavailable than hydrocarbons in solution’ they present many of their test media asdilutions of a stock WSF or OWD, prepared in a standard way, and extrapolate the test concentrations from those previously determined from stock from this method. Except for Bunker C oil OWD, no details of any filtration or particle sizing are given, but it is certain that the concentrations in the stocks were present largely in particulate form and the concentrations of both total and specific hydrocarbons are not predictable when such media are diluted. Similarly, without more details of how some of the experiments to distinguish between uptake of hydrocarbons from water and sedimentswere carried out, and the samplestreated, the ingestion of particulate matter by animalssuspended in the water column cannot be ruled out. One could also criticize some of the work on behavioural effects which used media of 5-100% of a stock WSF said to contain 19.8 ppm total hydrocarbons, having already stated that most exposures in the literature have been to concentrations higher than those to be expected from oil pollution in the field! It must also be pointed out that since chapter 4 was written it hasbeen demonstrated that bivalve molluscs do possessthe enzyme systems necessary to metabolize aromatic petroleum hydrocarbons, albeit at very low levels of activity. With these provisos in mind, the book forms a valuable record of very thorough laboratory investigations into the many variables which can modify the toxicity and effects of oil on a wide range of marine organismswithout losing sight of field conditions or the ecological significance of the results.
R. A. A. BLACKMAN