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Sustainable development of the biosphere
parts, centring on the observed climate, its physical explanation, and, finally, its releVanceto human activity. The ground covered is extensive and reconsiders much of that covered in an earlier text (0. Ojo, ‘The Climates of West Africa’, Heinemann, 1977), but in the light of the considerable improvement in our knowledge of West African regional climate and weather afforded by the intense research activity of the past decade. The book’s extensive range leads to an uncomfortable feeling that it is attempting to be ‘all things to all men’. In addition, the division between parts one and two is occasionally an uncomfortable one: some elements in part one - for example, line squalls beg premature explanation. Some of the diagrams are a little crude or difficult to interpret quickly when reading through the text. However, there is an excellent bibliography, from which the text draws extensively, which incorporates both English and French language publications. The book is on balance a very useful one, but would benefit, in a second edition, from the inclusion of satellite imagery of cloud formations associated with the major climate and weather elements, and from an expanded treatment of the Sahelian drought problem. G. N. Sumner Sources and Fates of Aquatic Pollutants. Edited by Ronald A. Hites and S. J. Eisenreich. Pp. 558. American Chemical Society, Washington DC. 1987. $99.95 (USA & Canada), $119.95 (Export).
This l&chapter, multi-author text is No. 216 in the well known and respected ACS Advances in Chemistry Series. It provides a quantitative account of the interacting physical mixing, transport, and deposition processes and chemical reaction rates relevant to pollutant fate in air/water/sediment systems. The main thrust, in spite of the title, is on fates rather than sources. The book is, therefore, divided into four main sections: air/water processes, including a useful picture of pollutant behaviour in fog and intercepted cloud; water column processes;water/sediment processes; and some case studies. Following a symposium in September 1985,the individual contributions were all received in May or June the following year, most authors taking advantage of the interim period to update their chapter. The coverage is generally impressively comprehensive, but with occasional hint of bias toward studies from the USA or Canada. The overall impression is of a wellplanned work of high quality, which must be highly recommended reading and a useful source of data to government, academic, or industrial scientists or research students concerned with the interaction of organic or inorganic pollutants with any component of the atmosphere/water/sediment system, or with plants and soils. In any book of this type, contents reflect primary interests of individual authors. For example, surfactants are virtually ignored. The approach is strictly chemical, with little on biological involvement at the process level except in the most
94
general terms. This does not detract significantly from a valuable compilation, however. M. Cresser Environmental Biotechnology, Edited by Christopher F. Forster and D. A. John Wase. pp. 453. Ellis Horwood, Chichester. 1987. f65.00.
Environmental biotechnology is of increasing importance, in particular for pollution control, for increasing process efficiencies and in the development of new production techniques less harmful to the environment. These different applications are all dealt with in this book. The first part of the book is, essentially, a review of the subject and deals with the treatment of waste waters and solids, composting techniques, and agricultural and mining applications. These chapters are most informative and easy to read. One is left with the impression than there is much scope for further investigation; for example, in the handling of organisms for aromatic pesticide degradation, in finding antibiotic alternatives, and in developing bacterial mineral leaching- the contributions are full of suggestions. The latter part of the book deals rather more with the theory and process details of particualr aspects of environmental biotechnology. These chapters are themselves well presented but will have more appeal to the specialist. In general, the book is well written and edited, I only detected one minor error. Adequate references are provided, mostly to recent literature. As the preface (hopefully) suggests, it is a book that should appeal to a wide range of readers. S. E. Allen The Antarctic Treaty Regime. Law, Environment and Resources. Edited by Gillian D. Triggs. Pp. 239. Cambridge University Press. 1987. f30.00 ($54.50).
Antarctica has flourished as a continent dedicated to science, protected since 1959 by the Antarctic treaty. Now, with the Treaty due for review in 1991,and a growing international awareness of potential economic resources in the region, it is vital that the Treaty can develop in order to accommodate these new pressures, while preserving the quality of this unique environment for future generations. This book comprises a series of papers presented at an international conference, ‘Whither Antarctica’, organized by the British Institute of International and Comparative Law in London in April 1985to consider the future of Antarctic management. The authors reflect the diversity of opinion on the issues that must be resolved and include leading scientists, diplomats, andlawyers, and representatives of the commercial and conservationist lobbies. Although perhaps inevitably in a book of this type, there is some repetition of material. This does not detract from the book, which gives a broad and authoritative perspective to the major problems that must be faced and
offers a well-balanced discussion of the options available for their solution. The reader is guided through the complexity of the issues involved by well-placed introductory reviews to each section of the book. It will be an essential source of information for individual lawyers, scientists, and politicians directly concerned with the future of Antarctica and for government departments and conservation pressure groups. A wider audience will benefit by appreciating this case-study of successful international cooperation. D. Peel Sustainable Development of the Biosphere. Edited by W. C. Clark and R. E. Munn. Pp. 491. Cambridge University Press, for the IIASA. 1987. f25.00.
This comprehensive volume, initiated by a Task Force meeting at the International Institute for Applied SystemsAnalysis, presents a synthesis of our understanding of global ecological and geophysical systems, as they are linked to resource development. The 17 contributions also characterise issues of global environmental change and their influence on regional development, while exploring institutional and organisational designs of resource management. There are five parts: an ‘Overview’ of one chapter followed by sections on ‘Human development’, ‘The world environment’, ‘Social response’, and ‘Usable knowledge’. Individual chapters addressenormous and complex fields such as ‘World environmental history and economic development’, ‘Change in the natural environment of the Earth: the historical record’, and ‘Usable knowledge, usable ignorance: incomplete science with policy implications’. Many chapters offer a clear explanation of such worldwide and often complex, issues and processes. Also, many interesting ideas are displayed in the later sections. Good illustrations and a computer modelling approach enhance communication throughout. The volume is too detailed for the policy and decisions makers - those who most need to read it - but it is an essential reference text for those institutions concerned with human ecology and the environment. At f25, this important collation and synthesis of matters of central relevance to the development of mankind, is good value. T. V. Callaghan Silent Spring Revisited. Edited by G. J. Marco, R. M. Hollingworth and W. Durham. Pp. 214. ACS, Washington, DC. 1987. Clothbound $29.95 (USA & Canada), $35.95 (export); Paperback $17.95 (USA & Canada) ($21.95 (export).
This book is based on contributions to a symposium held by the American Chemical Society in August 1984. The consensus that emerges is that ‘Silent Spring’ was a crystallization of views that were gathering in the scientific community in the late 1950s. However, its publication was a catalyst for research and governmental and political con-
This l&chapter, multi-author text is No. 216 in the well known and respected ACS Advances in Chemistry Series. It provides a quantitative account of the interacting physical mixing, transport, and deposition processes and chemical reaction rates relevant to pollutant fate in air/water/sediment systems. The main thrust, in spite of the title, is on fates rather than sources. The book is, therefore, divided into four main sections: air/water processes, including a useful picture of pollutant behaviour in fog and intercepted cloud; water column processes;water/sediment processes; and some case studies. Following a symposium in September 1985,the individual contributions were all received in May or June the following year, most authors taking advantage of the interim period to update their chapter. The coverage is generally impressively comprehensive, but with occasional hint of bias toward studies from the USA or Canada. The overall impression is of a wellplanned work of high quality, which must be highly recommended reading and a useful source of data to government, academic, or industrial scientists or research students concerned with the interaction of organic or inorganic pollutants with any component of the atmosphere/water/sediment system, or with plants and soils. In any book of this type, contents reflect primary interests of individual authors. For example, surfactants are virtually ignored. The approach is strictly chemical, with little on biological involvement at the process level except in the most
94
general terms. This does not detract significantly from a valuable compilation, however. M. Cresser Environmental Biotechnology, Edited by Christopher F. Forster and D. A. John Wase. pp. 453. Ellis Horwood, Chichester. 1987. f65.00.
Environmental biotechnology is of increasing importance, in particular for pollution control, for increasing process efficiencies and in the development of new production techniques less harmful to the environment. These different applications are all dealt with in this book. The first part of the book is, essentially, a review of the subject and deals with the treatment of waste waters and solids, composting techniques, and agricultural and mining applications. These chapters are most informative and easy to read. One is left with the impression than there is much scope for further investigation; for example, in the handling of organisms for aromatic pesticide degradation, in finding antibiotic alternatives, and in developing bacterial mineral leaching- the contributions are full of suggestions. The latter part of the book deals rather more with the theory and process details of particualr aspects of environmental biotechnology. These chapters are themselves well presented but will have more appeal to the specialist. In general, the book is well written and edited, I only detected one minor error. Adequate references are provided, mostly to recent literature. As the preface (hopefully) suggests, it is a book that should appeal to a wide range of readers. S. E. Allen The Antarctic Treaty Regime. Law, Environment and Resources. Edited by Gillian D. Triggs. Pp. 239. Cambridge University Press. 1987. f30.00 ($54.50).
Antarctica has flourished as a continent dedicated to science, protected since 1959 by the Antarctic treaty. Now, with the Treaty due for review in 1991,and a growing international awareness of potential economic resources in the region, it is vital that the Treaty can develop in order to accommodate these new pressures, while preserving the quality of this unique environment for future generations. This book comprises a series of papers presented at an international conference, ‘Whither Antarctica’, organized by the British Institute of International and Comparative Law in London in April 1985to consider the future of Antarctic management. The authors reflect the diversity of opinion on the issues that must be resolved and include leading scientists, diplomats, andlawyers, and representatives of the commercial and conservationist lobbies. Although perhaps inevitably in a book of this type, there is some repetition of material. This does not detract from the book, which gives a broad and authoritative perspective to the major problems that must be faced and
offers a well-balanced discussion of the options available for their solution. The reader is guided through the complexity of the issues involved by well-placed introductory reviews to each section of the book. It will be an essential source of information for individual lawyers, scientists, and politicians directly concerned with the future of Antarctica and for government departments and conservation pressure groups. A wider audience will benefit by appreciating this case-study of successful international cooperation. D. Peel Sustainable Development of the Biosphere. Edited by W. C. Clark and R. E. Munn. Pp. 491. Cambridge University Press, for the IIASA. 1987. f25.00.
This comprehensive volume, initiated by a Task Force meeting at the International Institute for Applied SystemsAnalysis, presents a synthesis of our understanding of global ecological and geophysical systems, as they are linked to resource development. The 17 contributions also characterise issues of global environmental change and their influence on regional development, while exploring institutional and organisational designs of resource management. There are five parts: an ‘Overview’ of one chapter followed by sections on ‘Human development’, ‘The world environment’, ‘Social response’, and ‘Usable knowledge’. Individual chapters addressenormous and complex fields such as ‘World environmental history and economic development’, ‘Change in the natural environment of the Earth: the historical record’, and ‘Usable knowledge, usable ignorance: incomplete science with policy implications’. Many chapters offer a clear explanation of such worldwide and often complex, issues and processes. Also, many interesting ideas are displayed in the later sections. Good illustrations and a computer modelling approach enhance communication throughout. The volume is too detailed for the policy and decisions makers - those who most need to read it - but it is an essential reference text for those institutions concerned with human ecology and the environment. At f25, this important collation and synthesis of matters of central relevance to the development of mankind, is good value. T. V. Callaghan Silent Spring Revisited. Edited by G. J. Marco, R. M. Hollingworth and W. Durham. Pp. 214. ACS, Washington, DC. 1987. Clothbound $29.95 (USA & Canada), $35.95 (export); Paperback $17.95 (USA & Canada) ($21.95 (export).
This book is based on contributions to a symposium held by the American Chemical Society in August 1984. The consensus that emerges is that ‘Silent Spring’ was a crystallization of views that were gathering in the scientific community in the late 1950s. However, its publication was a catalyst for research and governmental and political con-