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What is Natural? Coral Reef Crisis, Jan Sapp. Oxford University Press, New York and Oxford, UK, 1999. XV+275 pp. ISBN 0-19-512364-6
PII: S0025-326X(99)00126-5
What is Natural? Coral Reef Crisis, Jan Sapp. Oxford University Press, New York and Oxford, UK, 1999. XV+275 pp. ISBN 0-19-512364-6 At the time when this volume was being reviewed, a popular movie, based on a historical novel with an environmental theme, ``A Civil Action'', was being played in numerous theatres world-wide. Dr. SappÕs volume was even more interesting, and, while I doubt seriously that it will ever become a movie, it should be required reading for every inquiring student and practitioner of biology and, especially, ecology. As many good mystery stories, ``What is Natural?'' starts at the apparent scene of the crime and spreads rapidly to other venues, eventually bringing into place all those who had ever touched that ``tar-baby'' called the crown-of-thorns episode. The early chapters detailed the ®rst observations (late 1950s) of the crown-of-thorns seastar, and supposed damage done to reefs o Queensland, Australia, especially at Green Island, a tourist enclave. Early on, the Chairperson of the Great Barrier Reef Committee, Robert Endean, became involved with the toxic seastar, warning tourists and others to be aware. Moreover, as word of the damage to coral reefs spread, new studies were organized on the previously poorly known phenomenon; data started to be collected including information on the extent of seastar infested reefs, feeding rates, food preferences and movement of the stars, as well as their season of breeding and fecundity. Infestations were reported on 23 of the 86 reefs visited; by 1967 only 20% of the coral around Green Island remained alive. The initial cause of the problem was judged to be consequences of human actions. There were theories of over®shing aecting certain predaceous (on seastars) snails which earlier had fed on seastar early life-history stages. Soon thereafter the crown-of-thorns was reported active at Guam Island and an international cast of experts became involved, including stas from large environmental companies such as Westinghouse, Inc. Biological and coral reef luminaries such as the late Sir Maurice (C.M.) Yonge, Tom Goreau and Siro Kawaguti quickly were consulted through organizations such as the International Biological Programme (IBP) to organize workshops and site visits. Finally, Richard Cheshir in 1969 published a paper in Science concerning coral reef destruction by the crown-of-thorns. The ``genie was out of the bottle'', and remains so today!
Marine Pollution Bulletin Vol. 38, No. 8, pp. 743±744, 1999 Ó 1999 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved Printed in Great Britain 0025-326X/99 $ - see front matter
Several hypotheses were formulated as to the distant and proximal causes; were these events natural? Maninduced? Could they be contained, and if so how? The historical, scienti®c and managerial approaches to all this are brilliantly covered by Professor Sapp. The details have been stated in a manner such that any biologist, lawyer or well-read lay person could understand all reported events. Most importantly, he lays out the facts and the ever present hyperbole, as well as the often misdirected thinking. For the uninitiated, there are good black and white photos and ®gures, as needed to appreciate life-cycles, habitats and corals, before and after an invasion. Later chapters not only continue the story to this moment, but also provide knowledge about the concepts of ecological stability and how species richness might be related to the former. Again, the author introduces us to some of the centuryÕs ®nest scientists and their thinking about communities, large ecosystems and ManÕs role in these. Finally, our attention is drawn to three main hypotheses which might explain the observed consequences: (1) The predator-removal hypothesis, (2) The juvenile recruitment hypotheses; and (3) The adult aggregation hypothesis. Moreover, these and other concepts are focused through contemporary scienti®c evaluation so that the thinking of persons such as Donald Potts could be used to propose various alternatives and options for management. Finally, the emerging scenarios are bridged to global climate change, temperature change and other variables which might aect coral reef stability and sustainability. The early chapters conclude in a fascinating narrative of scientists at work, their formulation of hypotheses, their rejection or acceptance and the development of observations and experiments. Perhaps two summary sentences best re¯ect the preceding two hundred some pages: ``The crown-ofthorns controversy is about coral-reef scientists struggling to come to grips with new technology, encountering new phenomena, developing theories, establishing techniques and building institutionally'', and ``The Crown-of-Thorns problem was as important for understanding fundamental aspects of reef ecology as for emerging environmental policy.'' While we do not have clear answers as to why the seastar suddenly appears, or corals abruptly bleach, the results of scores of investigations brought on by the voracious seastar have added signi®cantly to our understanding of reef ecology, marine communities and the activities of Man as he attempts to manage these. ``What is Natural'' will remain as a classic case study long after many of the research studies have faded into the memories of the abstracting services.
743
What is Natural? Coral Reef Crisis, Jan Sapp. Oxford University Press, New York and Oxford, UK, 1999. XV+275 pp. ISBN 0-19-512364-6 At the time when this volume was being reviewed, a popular movie, based on a historical novel with an environmental theme, ``A Civil Action'', was being played in numerous theatres world-wide. Dr. SappÕs volume was even more interesting, and, while I doubt seriously that it will ever become a movie, it should be required reading for every inquiring student and practitioner of biology and, especially, ecology. As many good mystery stories, ``What is Natural?'' starts at the apparent scene of the crime and spreads rapidly to other venues, eventually bringing into place all those who had ever touched that ``tar-baby'' called the crown-of-thorns episode. The early chapters detailed the ®rst observations (late 1950s) of the crown-of-thorns seastar, and supposed damage done to reefs o Queensland, Australia, especially at Green Island, a tourist enclave. Early on, the Chairperson of the Great Barrier Reef Committee, Robert Endean, became involved with the toxic seastar, warning tourists and others to be aware. Moreover, as word of the damage to coral reefs spread, new studies were organized on the previously poorly known phenomenon; data started to be collected including information on the extent of seastar infested reefs, feeding rates, food preferences and movement of the stars, as well as their season of breeding and fecundity. Infestations were reported on 23 of the 86 reefs visited; by 1967 only 20% of the coral around Green Island remained alive. The initial cause of the problem was judged to be consequences of human actions. There were theories of over®shing aecting certain predaceous (on seastars) snails which earlier had fed on seastar early life-history stages. Soon thereafter the crown-of-thorns was reported active at Guam Island and an international cast of experts became involved, including stas from large environmental companies such as Westinghouse, Inc. Biological and coral reef luminaries such as the late Sir Maurice (C.M.) Yonge, Tom Goreau and Siro Kawaguti quickly were consulted through organizations such as the International Biological Programme (IBP) to organize workshops and site visits. Finally, Richard Cheshir in 1969 published a paper in Science concerning coral reef destruction by the crown-of-thorns. The ``genie was out of the bottle'', and remains so today!
Marine Pollution Bulletin Vol. 38, No. 8, pp. 743±744, 1999 Ó 1999 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved Printed in Great Britain 0025-326X/99 $ - see front matter
Several hypotheses were formulated as to the distant and proximal causes; were these events natural? Maninduced? Could they be contained, and if so how? The historical, scienti®c and managerial approaches to all this are brilliantly covered by Professor Sapp. The details have been stated in a manner such that any biologist, lawyer or well-read lay person could understand all reported events. Most importantly, he lays out the facts and the ever present hyperbole, as well as the often misdirected thinking. For the uninitiated, there are good black and white photos and ®gures, as needed to appreciate life-cycles, habitats and corals, before and after an invasion. Later chapters not only continue the story to this moment, but also provide knowledge about the concepts of ecological stability and how species richness might be related to the former. Again, the author introduces us to some of the centuryÕs ®nest scientists and their thinking about communities, large ecosystems and ManÕs role in these. Finally, our attention is drawn to three main hypotheses which might explain the observed consequences: (1) The predator-removal hypothesis, (2) The juvenile recruitment hypotheses; and (3) The adult aggregation hypothesis. Moreover, these and other concepts are focused through contemporary scienti®c evaluation so that the thinking of persons such as Donald Potts could be used to propose various alternatives and options for management. Finally, the emerging scenarios are bridged to global climate change, temperature change and other variables which might aect coral reef stability and sustainability. The early chapters conclude in a fascinating narrative of scientists at work, their formulation of hypotheses, their rejection or acceptance and the development of observations and experiments. Perhaps two summary sentences best re¯ect the preceding two hundred some pages: ``The crown-ofthorns controversy is about coral-reef scientists struggling to come to grips with new technology, encountering new phenomena, developing theories, establishing techniques and building institutionally'', and ``The Crown-of-Thorns problem was as important for understanding fundamental aspects of reef ecology as for emerging environmental policy.'' While we do not have clear answers as to why the seastar suddenly appears, or corals abruptly bleach, the results of scores of investigations brought on by the voracious seastar have added signi®cantly to our understanding of reef ecology, marine communities and the activities of Man as he attempts to manage these. ``What is Natural'' will remain as a classic case study long after many of the research studies have faded into the memories of the abstracting services.
743