- Email: [email protected]
The diatoms: application for the environmental and earth sciences
Journal of Experimental Marine Biology and Ecology 260 Ž2001. 271–272 www.elsevier.nlrlocaterjembe
Book review The diatoms: application for the environmental and earth sciences Eugene F. Stoermer and John P. Smol, Cambridge University Press, 1999, ISBN 0-521-58281-4 ŽHbk.; GBP 70
Research on diatoms—the most numerous and ubiquitous aquatic microscopic algae —has undergone a resurgence with the establishment of an International Society, and publication of a dedicated journal and several books within the last 25 years. A wide range of scientists, to mention a few: algologists, geographers, microscopists, oceanographers, palaeoecologists, archaeologists, forensic scientists, climatologists and water quality managers, have focused their attention on diatoms. It is pleasing to see that the information on applications and uses of diatoms scattered in several publications have now been compiled into a single accessible volume edited by Professors Stoermer and Smol, published by Cambridge University Press. The editors provide an excellent introduction—a welcome ‘prologue’ to the 22 chapters written by 36 specialists in their fields of expertise and conclude the book with an epilogue pointing to future directions of applied diatomology. The bulk of the papers in the book deal with the use of diatoms as indicators of lakes, rivers, streams and marine waters to decipher the effects of ecological disturbances. Seven chapters of the book deal with diatoms as indicators of environmental change in flowing waters and lakes; three chapters on diatoms as indicators in extreme environments, such as aerial habitats and high arctic and antarctic waterbodies. To my surprise, extreme environments, such as arid land, salt lakes Žsaline and hypersaline. and acidic lakes and thermal springs, were not included in this section. Many of the arid land lakes are currently being exploited for mining and diatoms are essential biomonitors of these extreme environments. Diatoms as indicators in marine and estuarine environments is the theme of five chapters. Most of the authors of these chapters have compiled up-to-date information in a reasonable manner. The uniqueness of the volume is, however, due to the chapters on diatoms in archaeology, oil and gas exploration, forensic science and as markers of atmospheric transport as these are very rarely discussed in the literature. The chapters on diatomite and toxic harmful marine diatoms are worthy of special mention due to their economic impacts and topical interest. Each chapter starts with an introduction and concludes with a summary with extensive references. Many of the authors have given details of methods and case histories, whereas others have treated their topics as superficial reviews. Chapter 2 on assessing environmental conditions in rivers and streams, Chapter 5 on diatoms as indicators of surface water acidity, Chapter 14 on diatoms and environmental change in 0022-0981r01r$ - see front matter q 2001 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved. PII: S 0 0 2 2 - 0 9 8 1 Ž 0 1 . 0 0 2 3 9 - 8
272
Book reÕiew
brackish waters, and Chapter 21 on toxic and harmful marine diatoms are among the best treated topics in this volume. Most of the authors are from the American and European continents. Exclusion of Japanese and Australian perspectives on the use of diatoms is an obvious gap in this book, as some excellent work has been accomplished in these two countries in recent years and would have expanded the scope of the volume further. An abiding theme running through most of the papers and well emphasized by the editors in their ‘epilogue’ is the importance of accurate identification of diatoms and the need for sorting out Aa virtual morass of nomenclatorial problemsB. While applied diatom studies are enjoying rejuvenated popularity, training in diatom systematics has been on the decline. Most of the applied diatom work relies heavily on diatom systematics, a fact to which editors have rightly drawn attention. The publication ‘The diatoms: applications for the environmental and earth sciences’ is an extremely useful reference book for students of environmental sciences, algology, limnology, aquatic ecology, palaeoecology, oceanography, archaeology and forensic science. As diatoms contribute to the primary productivity of marine waters more than any other single group of algae, this book, I believe, can be of great value to all marine biologists. Jacob John Department of EnÕironmental Biology, Curtin UniÕersity of Technology, GPO Box U 1987, Perth WA 6845, Australia E-mail address: [email protected]
Book review The diatoms: application for the environmental and earth sciences Eugene F. Stoermer and John P. Smol, Cambridge University Press, 1999, ISBN 0-521-58281-4 ŽHbk.; GBP 70
Research on diatoms—the most numerous and ubiquitous aquatic microscopic algae —has undergone a resurgence with the establishment of an International Society, and publication of a dedicated journal and several books within the last 25 years. A wide range of scientists, to mention a few: algologists, geographers, microscopists, oceanographers, palaeoecologists, archaeologists, forensic scientists, climatologists and water quality managers, have focused their attention on diatoms. It is pleasing to see that the information on applications and uses of diatoms scattered in several publications have now been compiled into a single accessible volume edited by Professors Stoermer and Smol, published by Cambridge University Press. The editors provide an excellent introduction—a welcome ‘prologue’ to the 22 chapters written by 36 specialists in their fields of expertise and conclude the book with an epilogue pointing to future directions of applied diatomology. The bulk of the papers in the book deal with the use of diatoms as indicators of lakes, rivers, streams and marine waters to decipher the effects of ecological disturbances. Seven chapters of the book deal with diatoms as indicators of environmental change in flowing waters and lakes; three chapters on diatoms as indicators in extreme environments, such as aerial habitats and high arctic and antarctic waterbodies. To my surprise, extreme environments, such as arid land, salt lakes Žsaline and hypersaline. and acidic lakes and thermal springs, were not included in this section. Many of the arid land lakes are currently being exploited for mining and diatoms are essential biomonitors of these extreme environments. Diatoms as indicators in marine and estuarine environments is the theme of five chapters. Most of the authors of these chapters have compiled up-to-date information in a reasonable manner. The uniqueness of the volume is, however, due to the chapters on diatoms in archaeology, oil and gas exploration, forensic science and as markers of atmospheric transport as these are very rarely discussed in the literature. The chapters on diatomite and toxic harmful marine diatoms are worthy of special mention due to their economic impacts and topical interest. Each chapter starts with an introduction and concludes with a summary with extensive references. Many of the authors have given details of methods and case histories, whereas others have treated their topics as superficial reviews. Chapter 2 on assessing environmental conditions in rivers and streams, Chapter 5 on diatoms as indicators of surface water acidity, Chapter 14 on diatoms and environmental change in 0022-0981r01r$ - see front matter q 2001 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved. PII: S 0 0 2 2 - 0 9 8 1 Ž 0 1 . 0 0 2 3 9 - 8
272
Book reÕiew
brackish waters, and Chapter 21 on toxic and harmful marine diatoms are among the best treated topics in this volume. Most of the authors are from the American and European continents. Exclusion of Japanese and Australian perspectives on the use of diatoms is an obvious gap in this book, as some excellent work has been accomplished in these two countries in recent years and would have expanded the scope of the volume further. An abiding theme running through most of the papers and well emphasized by the editors in their ‘epilogue’ is the importance of accurate identification of diatoms and the need for sorting out Aa virtual morass of nomenclatorial problemsB. While applied diatom studies are enjoying rejuvenated popularity, training in diatom systematics has been on the decline. Most of the applied diatom work relies heavily on diatom systematics, a fact to which editors have rightly drawn attention. The publication ‘The diatoms: applications for the environmental and earth sciences’ is an extremely useful reference book for students of environmental sciences, algology, limnology, aquatic ecology, palaeoecology, oceanography, archaeology and forensic science. As diatoms contribute to the primary productivity of marine waters more than any other single group of algae, this book, I believe, can be of great value to all marine biologists. Jacob John Department of EnÕironmental Biology, Curtin UniÕersity of Technology, GPO Box U 1987, Perth WA 6845, Australia E-mail address: [email protected]