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The distribution and diversity of soil fauna
240
B O O K REVIEWS
Vegetation and the Atmosphere, Vol. 2, Case Studies. Edited by J. L. Monteith. London, Academic Press. 1976. xwiii + 439 pp., 15.5 x 23.5cm. Price: £15.00. This is the second of a two-volume review, which examines the concepts and measurements in micrometeorology which have a direct bearing on the problems of plant ecology. The first volume dealt with basic principles of radiation, heat, mass and particle transfer in vegetation. Volume 2 contains thirteen case studies for different types of vegetation illustrating how the principles discussed in Volume 1 are put into practice. The first five chapters discuss the micrometeorology of a number of agricultural crops which have been intensively studied: wheat and other cereals, maize, rice, sugar beet, potatoes, sunflower and cotton. Townsville stylo (Stylosanthes humilis), an important tropical annual legume, is dealt with in the next chapter. Chapters 6 to 9 describe work on different types of forest: coniferous, deciduous and tropical rain forest. This is followed by a chapter on citrus orchards and the last three chapters show how micrometeorological concepts can be applied to whole ecosystems represented by swamps, prairie grassland and tundra. This is a well-produced book which should be useful to honours students, research workers and others interested in the detailed micrometeorology of plants. Each chapter stands on its own, and the use of a common set of symbols throughout the two volumes makes cross-reference to other chapters easy. T. C. E. WELLS
The Distribution and Diversity of Soft Fauna. By John A. Wallwork. London, Academic Press. 1976. 355 pp. 15.5 x 23.5cm. Price: £11-00. A very useful follow-up to the author's 1970 book 'Ecology of Soil Animals'. The present volume brings together a great deal of scattered literature dealing with a diverse array of different invertebrate animal groups. The specialist will find it valuable because it will show him how his own group relates to the rest of the soil fauna and the student will find an excellent introduction to a complex subject. After the first two chapters, which deal briefly with the different groups of soil animals and methods for studying distribution and diversity, the rest of the book discusses in turn the special features of the soil fauna.in grasslands, agricultural soils, moorland and fenland, heathland and sand dunes, forest soils, decaying wood, rocks and trees, and cold and hot deserts. Each chapter ends with a useful summary of the main points. The last chapter is a synthesis of the foregoing accounts and ends with a summary of the main factors affecting the species diversity of the soil fauna. In the summary diagram some readers will be surprised to see the suggestion that competition is not important because resources are in excess. It's my guess that when more is known about the biology of individual species this will prove to be false. Perhaps the main
BOOK REVIEWS
241
deficiency in the book is an adequate account of the characteristics of leaf litter, which for some reason does not seem to be regarded as an integral part of the soil complex. A useful section on the biochemistry of litter is included in the final chapter but in general its importance in the soil profile does not emerge from the text of the book. E.D.
Bears---Their Biology and Management. Edited by M. R. Pelton, J. W. Lentfer and G. E. Folk. International Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources, Morges, Switzerland. 1976. 467 pp., 16cm x 24cm. Price: US$12.00. This report includes the papers (or abstracts of papers) read to the Third International Conference on Bear Research and Management held in New York, USA and Moscow, USSR in June 1974. American activity and interest in bears is shown by the balance of papers--33 North American to 12 Eurasian. Most of the papers on behaviour, bears in National Parks and bear management are from American sources and a great!dealof useful information has been brought together. Part iV of the volume (Status of Bears) includes a majority of papers from Eurasian sources and showshow rare the indigenous (brown)~bear has become in central and. western Europe. Some figures quoted are: 25-50 in Norway, 8-10 in the Italian Alps, 150 in 'Estonia and 70 in the Cantabrians, although accurate population measurements are notoriously difficult to make. The reasons' most frequently given for its decline are increased disturbance, particularly by forestry operations, road building and tourists. In the Soviet Union, however, it is claimed that there are about 100,000 + 10,000 brown bears and there are now numerous areas where it is protected, and controlled exploitation for fur forms part of the management policy. The last section of the volume includes 10 papers on bear biology and again emphasises the research lead of North American biologists. E.D.
Environment and Development. Edited by Daniel M. Dworkin. SCOPE Miscellaneous Publication, Indianapolis, Indiana, USA. 1974. 412pp., 17.5cm x 25 cm. Price: $5.00. This volume includes the collected papers, summary reports and recommendations of the SCOPE/UNEP symposium o0 Environmental Sciences in Developing Countries held in Nairobi, 11-23 February 1974. The thirty papers read at the meeting were arranged in twelve Topics each of which ends with a Summary Report and Recommendations. A very useful source of information on environmental problems in Africa, Asia and South America, although many papers are published in an abbreviated form. E.D.
B O O K REVIEWS
Vegetation and the Atmosphere, Vol. 2, Case Studies. Edited by J. L. Monteith. London, Academic Press. 1976. xwiii + 439 pp., 15.5 x 23.5cm. Price: £15.00. This is the second of a two-volume review, which examines the concepts and measurements in micrometeorology which have a direct bearing on the problems of plant ecology. The first volume dealt with basic principles of radiation, heat, mass and particle transfer in vegetation. Volume 2 contains thirteen case studies for different types of vegetation illustrating how the principles discussed in Volume 1 are put into practice. The first five chapters discuss the micrometeorology of a number of agricultural crops which have been intensively studied: wheat and other cereals, maize, rice, sugar beet, potatoes, sunflower and cotton. Townsville stylo (Stylosanthes humilis), an important tropical annual legume, is dealt with in the next chapter. Chapters 6 to 9 describe work on different types of forest: coniferous, deciduous and tropical rain forest. This is followed by a chapter on citrus orchards and the last three chapters show how micrometeorological concepts can be applied to whole ecosystems represented by swamps, prairie grassland and tundra. This is a well-produced book which should be useful to honours students, research workers and others interested in the detailed micrometeorology of plants. Each chapter stands on its own, and the use of a common set of symbols throughout the two volumes makes cross-reference to other chapters easy. T. C. E. WELLS
The Distribution and Diversity of Soft Fauna. By John A. Wallwork. London, Academic Press. 1976. 355 pp. 15.5 x 23.5cm. Price: £11-00. A very useful follow-up to the author's 1970 book 'Ecology of Soil Animals'. The present volume brings together a great deal of scattered literature dealing with a diverse array of different invertebrate animal groups. The specialist will find it valuable because it will show him how his own group relates to the rest of the soil fauna and the student will find an excellent introduction to a complex subject. After the first two chapters, which deal briefly with the different groups of soil animals and methods for studying distribution and diversity, the rest of the book discusses in turn the special features of the soil fauna.in grasslands, agricultural soils, moorland and fenland, heathland and sand dunes, forest soils, decaying wood, rocks and trees, and cold and hot deserts. Each chapter ends with a useful summary of the main points. The last chapter is a synthesis of the foregoing accounts and ends with a summary of the main factors affecting the species diversity of the soil fauna. In the summary diagram some readers will be surprised to see the suggestion that competition is not important because resources are in excess. It's my guess that when more is known about the biology of individual species this will prove to be false. Perhaps the main
BOOK REVIEWS
241
deficiency in the book is an adequate account of the characteristics of leaf litter, which for some reason does not seem to be regarded as an integral part of the soil complex. A useful section on the biochemistry of litter is included in the final chapter but in general its importance in the soil profile does not emerge from the text of the book. E.D.
Bears---Their Biology and Management. Edited by M. R. Pelton, J. W. Lentfer and G. E. Folk. International Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources, Morges, Switzerland. 1976. 467 pp., 16cm x 24cm. Price: US$12.00. This report includes the papers (or abstracts of papers) read to the Third International Conference on Bear Research and Management held in New York, USA and Moscow, USSR in June 1974. American activity and interest in bears is shown by the balance of papers--33 North American to 12 Eurasian. Most of the papers on behaviour, bears in National Parks and bear management are from American sources and a great!dealof useful information has been brought together. Part iV of the volume (Status of Bears) includes a majority of papers from Eurasian sources and showshow rare the indigenous (brown)~bear has become in central and. western Europe. Some figures quoted are: 25-50 in Norway, 8-10 in the Italian Alps, 150 in 'Estonia and 70 in the Cantabrians, although accurate population measurements are notoriously difficult to make. The reasons' most frequently given for its decline are increased disturbance, particularly by forestry operations, road building and tourists. In the Soviet Union, however, it is claimed that there are about 100,000 + 10,000 brown bears and there are now numerous areas where it is protected, and controlled exploitation for fur forms part of the management policy. The last section of the volume includes 10 papers on bear biology and again emphasises the research lead of North American biologists. E.D.
Environment and Development. Edited by Daniel M. Dworkin. SCOPE Miscellaneous Publication, Indianapolis, Indiana, USA. 1974. 412pp., 17.5cm x 25 cm. Price: $5.00. This volume includes the collected papers, summary reports and recommendations of the SCOPE/UNEP symposium o0 Environmental Sciences in Developing Countries held in Nairobi, 11-23 February 1974. The thirty papers read at the meeting were arranged in twelve Topics each of which ends with a Summary Report and Recommendations. A very useful source of information on environmental problems in Africa, Asia and South America, although many papers are published in an abbreviated form. E.D.