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BOOKREVIEWS Recent books on invasive and synanthropic plants J. O, Luken & John W. Thieret (eds.): ASSESSMENT AND MANAGEMENT OF PLANT INVASIONS; Springer Verlag, New York, Series on Environmental Management, 1997, 324 pp. Price DEM 144.-, ATS 1051.20, SFR 127.-, ISBN 0-387-94809-0 "In short, we know why plant invasions occur but we do not know what should be done or even if something should be done." This sentence from James Luken's paper characterizes the imbalance between the theory (plant invasions are an issue very attractive from the viewpoint of pure science) and practice (practical outcomes are expected more than in any other field of ecology) in studies of plant invasions. This book takes a very serious and innovative approach to the practical part of the issue. I think that in this respect it has been more successful than any of its predecessors. The Springer series on Environmental management has been concerned with applied ecology in the widest sense. As pointed out by David E. Alexander, series editor, environmental problems are interdisciplinary almost by definition. Hence books in the series attempt to shed light on the problems of the modern environment and contribute to the further development of solutions. Plant invasions represent the 22nd title in the series and it undoubtedly achieves its objectives. The volume hopes to inspire greater interactions among horticulturalists in the plant industry (who may produce new invaders), ecologists (who may elucidate the ecological effects of plant invasion) and resource managers (who may use designed disturbances to achieve goals for natural resources). Twenty three authors, all from USA, produced 18 papers which are arranged in the following sections: Human perceptions, Assessment of ecological interactions, Direct management, Regulation and advocacy. Throughout the whole volume there is a consistent practice of using the terms indigenous and non-indigenous, while the term "invasive" is, in a number of papers, used for both natural and man-induced changes of species distribution. The introductory paper by Mark W. Schwartz is on the definition and understanding of these terms. It is interesting to compare the American approach with the European one, given the different history of both continents. It is true that the terminology used in research on invasions is rather complicated, but in Europe, traditionally more concerned with classifications and definitions, there is a long tradition going back into the last century, of defining particular categories of man-accompanying plants. As the basic criteria to be taken into account are the same everywhere (i.e. time of introduction, mode of introduction, state of spread and communities invaded), the European authors working in this field in the beginning of this century (see HOLUB & JIRASEK1967) could have been at least mentioned. Mark Schwartz's definition of native species is based on the work of WEBB (1985) but does not always interpret it correctly. Had this been done, answers to some controversial issues could have been found there. For example, Webb's definition of native (indigenous) species includes those "... which arrived there [....] by a method entirely independent of human activity." Such a statement does not imply that all "those with recent distributions, and with origins from other continents, are readily categorized as non-indigenous" (as interpreted by Schwartz), but still concerns only those "dependent on humans". Similarly, adopting a temporal boundary does not mean that every species that arrived before European settlements should be considered native (including crops such as corn and squash). Both criteria must be considered simultaneously, i.e. before European settlement and independently of humans. The answer to the problem "at what point do we cease to define human dispersal of species as being external to natural processes, therefore creating non-indigenous species" was also reasonably suggested by Webb, i.e. "... as soon as he began to herd flocks and to till the ground [...] he ceased to be in any ordinary sense a part of nature but became a phenomenon sin generis." (WEBB 1985: 231). More serious misinterpretation represents the statement "Webb recommends that plants with paleosynathropic distribution [introduced before 1550] be considered indigenous". This is simply not true. What Webb wrote is that "some botanists ... distinguish between palaeosynanthropic and neosynanthropic plants, and for most purposes lump the former with natives." Webb himself, however, considers such an approach as "obscuring important differences" and his definition clearly indicates that he does not follow it those species "that reached the British Isles as a consequence of the activities of neolithic or postneolithic man

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or his domestic animals" are considered aliens (WEBB 1985: 232). European literature makes a difference between archaeophytes (introduced before 1500) and neophytes (introduced after that date), but both groups belong among aliens. Obviously, the crucial factor in the definition of indigenous/non-indigenous species is the role of humans. To define whether the mode of introduction was or was not independent of humans is undoubtedly rather difficult, but I believe that, at least in theory, we must have strict criteria to be followed and used as "reference situations". Of course, assessing particular cases always means making a compromise between the theory and the situation to which it is being applied. The paper of Mark Schwartz demonstrates that it is not always easy. Still, to me Petromyzon is a clear example of a non-indigenous species because had it not been for human activity (i.e. had the Welland Canal not been constructed), it would not have appeared in other lakes. The same holds for wind-dispersed plants taking advantage of wind currents of passing trains although they are dispersed "for the most part on their own." John Randall's paper (Defining weeds of natural areas) is more concerned with the effects on ecosystems, regardless of status. Comparison of his paper with that of Schwartz demonstrates how the theoretical discussions are poorely related to practice. The management usually does not care much about the theoretical definitions. However, especially in the case of plant invasions, the status is important because the management of aliens might require a different array of methods to be used. There is no "ghost of the competition past", and also pests and pathogens, sources of diaspors, genetic variation, can all differ and change the outcome of the action taken. The practical attitude is reflected in the definition: "A natural-area weed is a plant interfering with management goals of a site or having the potential to do so if not controlled. Management goals must be established before plants subverting them can be identified." Charles E. Williams presents an important different view on plant invasions by assessing the potential ecological values of non-indigenous plants. European literature on urban ecology (namely German) is largely ignored. Kerry D. Woods in his chapter "Community response to plant invasions" discusses the complex relationships between invasion, disturbance and succession. The paper reveals how few rigorous data on this topic are available and illustrates the general problem of experimental work in invasion biology. Laura Foster-Huenneke in her outlook into the future concludes that we will have to change our approaches, in terms of decision making and assessing the balance between contradicting goals and processes, and stresses syaergistic relations among the factors that are supposed to affect the arrival and establishment of aliens. She points out that ecologists working on invasions to a large extent fail to discuss connections with those working on global change. However, I was able to find quite a few papers dealing with the relationship between invasions and global change that are not referred to (e.g. MACDONALD 1988, THOMPSON 1994, BEERLING 1993, 1994, BEERLING & WOODWARD1994). Another interesting difference between attitudes to invasions in America and Europe is mentioned in her paper: in America, they tend to focus on the preservation of "pristine" ecosystems. and "man-made equals not worth preventing", but in Europe there is an explicit recognition that some of the landscapes of greatest conservation interest (heathlands, chalk grasslands) have been shaped by human activities over centuries or millenia. Michael L. Morrison nicely outlines the aspects of formal design to study non-indigenous plants, as well as basic questions to be asked and how to answer them. The work of Brian McCarthy represents the only "classical" case study in the book. It is on the experimental removal of Alliaria petiolata which is a serious invader of hardwood forests in eastern and midwestern USA. The paper is well designed and represents valuable data. I had a problem with Figure 10.1 showing that a touch-me-not species took over after the removal. However, the species identification is not given and one may ask, what if it was Impatiens noli-tangere (as it looks to me in the picture) which is probably not native in the study area? If one non-indigenous species was replaced by another, might the conclusions be rather different? James Luken's paper "Management of plant invasions: implicating ecological succession" is focused on terrestrial communities where invasion has already occurred and caused undesirable change in system structure and function. Any attempt to manage ecological systems must concentrate efforts on the rates of system change. However, although the problem of plant invasions is superbly suited to the application of these guidelines, such application has not occurred to any greater extent. In particular, there are few data on the long-term effect

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of management practices, and when these are known, typically one fmds that plant invasions have been favoured rather than inhibited! Other papers deal with the management of aquatic plants (John Madsen) and biological control (Jack DeLoach). Ronald D. Hiebert's paper is about decision making: which species to prioritize for control? A ranking system is presented based on the present level of impacts and the potential of a species to be a threat weighed against the cost and feasibility of control. The system seems reasonable and applicable. I must admit that although I do not share the optimism of Sarah E. Reichard (Prevention of invasive plant introductions on national and local levels) with respect to the predictive power of criteria used to predict invasiveness, I very much agree that the "global information available" should be brought together in accessible databases. Also, Sarah Reichard makes another important point: a species should be prohibited from introduction until it is shown to have a low probability of invasiveness (i.e. not vice versa - prohibited if proved to have a high probability). This is a crucial legislative point and we should not get discouraged by economical lobbies and opinions that the flux of germplasm in the contemporary world is uncontrollable anyway. The volume is completed by information on teams conducting co-ordinated work on Arundo donax in California, and Miconia calvescens in Hawaiian rain forests. An Appendix comprising species interferring with resource management goals in North American (north of Mexico) and Hawaiian natural areas adds further value to this excellent book. Growth form, indigenous range, invaded range in North America, introduction data, and important references are provided for each species. The list of references is extensive; almost 40 printed pages give an estimate of about 1200 titles. An index is provided as well. To summarize, I can see the following main achievements of this book. First of all, it is very successful in fulfilling its goal contained within the title. It is very much about assessment and management, i.e. practical issues, while keeping a high scientific standard. It is obvious that the structure of the volume is a result of careful thinking and selection. The majority of chapters represent a comprehensive review of the topic, with stimulating ideas. In this respect, the book differs from those compiled as conferrence proceedings. The book is also innovative in its focus on decision-making. So far, the majority of published practical studies has been on control, i.e. starting after the decision had been made. The reviewed book not only provides us with guidelines on how to make a decision but also explains why to be concerned with making it. This is nicely put by James Luken: "The management of plant invasions has historically occurred in natural vegetation with an assumption that plant control will eventually allow establishment of a balanced system dominated by indigenous species. This is not likely to occur". There is a strong need for information exchange among scientists, governement officials, the nursery industry, reserve managers and the public. "Assessment and management of plant invasions makes an important step on the way to improve such communication. Every scientist studying plant invasions as well as every manager involved in their practical consequences should read this book. Many reviewers conclude their reviews with a sentence like that but I really do not want to be polite - I mean it. REFERENCES BEERLINGD.J. (1993): The impact of temperature on the northern distribution limits of the introduced species Fallopia japonica and Impatiens glandulifera in north-west Europe. J. Biogeogr. 20: 45-54. BEERLING D.J. (1994): Predicting the response of the introduced species Fallopia japonica and Impatiens glandulifera to global climatic change. In: DE WAAL L. et al. (eds.), Ecology and management ofinvasive riverside plants, John Wiley & Sons, Chichester, pp. 135-140. BEERLINGD.J. & WOODWARDEl. (1994): Climate change and the British scene. J. Ecol. 82: 391-397. HOLUB J. & JIRASEKV. (1967): Zur Vereinheitlichung der Terminologie in der Phytogeographie. Folia Geobot. Phytotax. 2:69-113. MACDONALDI.A.W. (1988): Biological diversity and global change. S. African J. Sci. 88: 62-65. THOMPSON K. (1994): Predicting the fate of temperate species in response to human disturbance and global change. In: BOYLE T.J.B. & BOYLE C.E.B. (eds.), Biodiversity, temperate ecosystems and global change, Springer Verlag, Heidelberg, pp. 61-76. WEBB D.A. (1985): What are the criteria for presuming native status? Watsonia 15: 231-236. Petr Pyiek

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Q.C.B. Cronk & J . L Fuller: PLANT INVADERS. THE THREAT TO NATURAL ECOSYSTEMS; Chapman & Hall, London, 1995, 241 pp. Price GBP 17.99, ISBN 0-412-48380-7 Most of the books on plant invasions that have appeared in the last decade focused rather on theoretical aspects and the description of particular invasions. Although those dealing primarily with control and management also do exist (e.g. STONE et al. 1982), I do not know of any other attempt to synthesize scientific background with practical aspects in the way this book does. Quentin Cronk and Janice Fuller have produced an ambitious manual (in Chapman & Hall's People and Plants series) whose aim was not only to draw attention to the growing problem of plant invasions but also to stress practical aspects of the issue. The book is conveniently arranged, the major part consists of accounts of particular invasive species. If there are enough data available, the following information is given for a species: life form, dispersal mode, seed weight, breeding system, invasive category (on a 10 degree scale adopted for the purposes of the present manual), region of origin, region invaded, and references. For many of the species listed, however, the information is insufficient - in such cases, only the life form, the region of origin and the region invaded are provided. The map of the World at the beginning helps the reader to refresh his geographical knowledge. The appendices are also useful, including a glossary of terms (which will be appreciated especially by practitioners), a list of relevant addresses, and important environmental cautions on the use of common herbicides. Cronk and Fuller's definition of invasive species is "plants introduced by people to new areas in which they then have become established and spread into natural or seminatural ecosystems" (actually following that of STIRTON 1979 or MACDONALD et al. 1989). Impact on the invaded habitat and on the native flora is a crucial point here; they also deliberately avoid discussion of agricultural weeds. Nevertheless, I believe that limiting invasion to "natural or seminatural habitats" is rather questionable (see PYSEK 1995) because (1) vigorous spreading of alien species into man-made habitats can also completely change the character of the place invaded (e.g. Heracleum mantegazzianum), and (2) very often it is difficult to distinguish a (semi)natural habitat from a man-made one. The authors are aware of the latter problem, but their field experience obviously has been mainly in the tropics, where the division between natural and man-made is clearer - their view can therefore be justified. However, the complexity of the problem is actually demonstrated by the fact that the authors themselves are not absolutely consistent with their definition (or in excluding non-natural habitats) had they been, all the species with the invasive category score 2 and 2.5 in the list of "representative invasive species" could not be considered as invasive because they are "weeds of pastures managed for livestock, forestry plantations, or artificial waterways" (p. 127), i.e. not of seminatural habitats. Using the term "invasion by a native species" (p. 3) makes the issue even more obscure. The book claims to review the problem of invasive plants worldwide, but the focus is on the tropics - this is not intended as a criticism since the tropics are the part of the world severely suffering from biological invasions. One can understand that the authors did not avoid some regional bias - Central Europe is rather poorly covered, though I must admit that, being a Central European, I can see the inaccuracies related to this region more sharply. Examples are numerous - Robinia pseudoacacia (which is not a shrub but a tree) is a very vigorous invader (even according to the authors' definition) not only in the countries mentioned but also in the Czech Republic and Slovakia. Similarly, Lupinus polyphyllus, reported as invasive in New Zealand only, is invasive in Central Europe. The most remarkable case of this regionally-biased approach is Heracleum mantegazzianum - this species is probably the most noxious (and certainly the best-known) invader in Central and western Europe but the only region invaded given on p. 189 is the British Isles. The same holds for Impatiens glandulifera (not only Britain), and Orthodontium lineare (not only NW but also Central Europe). Rudbeckia laciniata represents another case of an alien invading Central Europe (i.e. not only Japan as stated on p. 193), and Solidago gigantea, though not listed, is an invader of similar importance as S. canadensis (p. 196) in that region. All these species are certainly better representatives of invasive plants in Central Europe than Helianthus tuberosus which is, on the other hand, reported here as an example of a Central European invader. In some cases, references are missing for important invaders whose invasion has been described, e.g. Lythrum salicaria in North America (STUCKEY 1980). One might also ask why some invasive species are missing but anyone else would certainly produce a list more or less different from that of Cronk & Fuller. Moreover, the authors say they have not aimed at producing an exhaustive list.

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However, there is no point in criticising particular details - undoubtedly everybody working on any particular invasive species could add something not only on its distribution but biology and ecology as well (e.g. the seeds of Impatiens glandulifera sink in water, as mentioned on p. 193, but are transported near the channel bottom which contributes to this species' success as an invader in riparian habitats, see PY~EK & PRACH 1995). As to formal mistakes, misprints could have been avoided at least in the names of cooperating scientists poor Pierre Binggeli, whose name opens the Panel of Advisers, unfortunately became Biriggeli, and Professor Sukopp was given an extra "k" to his surname. The running headline on p. XIII is misplaced. References by numbers might have saved a couple of printing pages but are less convenient than the conventional names-plus-years-of-publication way of citation, which saves the reader's time. To conclude, I would like to stress that the criticism expressed here means very little compared to the value of the reviewed book. The information summarized here for 206 invasive species is an invaluable first step on the way to a more representative list of invaders worldwide (which can hardly be compiled without close cooperation between workers from different regions). The book is extremely useful because of its focus on practical aspects and the success achieved in providing practitioners with a solid scientific background. I like the book, found it very special in the context of the field and would like to congratulate to the authors. Well done!

REFERENCES MACDONALD I.A.W., LOOPE L.L., USHER M.B. & HAMANN O. (1989): Wildlife conservation and the invasion of nature reserves by introduced species: a global perspective. In: DRAKE J.A. et al. (eds.), Biological invasions: a global perspective, John Wiley & Sons, Chichester, pp. 215-255. PYSEK P. & PRACH K. (1995): Invasion dynamics of Impatiens glandulifera - a century of spreading reconstructed. Biol. Conservation 74: 41-48. PY~EK P. (1995): On the terminology used in plant invasion studies. In: PYSEK P. et al. (eds.), Plant invasions - General aspects and special problems, SPB Academic Publ., Amsterdam, pp. 71-81. STIRTON C.H. (1979): Taxonomic problems associated with invasive alien trees and shrubs in South Africa. In: Proc. 9th Plenary Meeting AETFAT, pp. 218-219. STONE C.P., SMITH C.W. & TUNISON J.T. (eds.) (1992): Alien plant invasions in native ecosystems of Hawaii: management and research. Univ. Hawaii Press, Honolulu. STUCKEY R.L. (1980): Distributional history of Lythrum salicaria (purple loosestrife) in North America. Bartonia 47: 3-20.

Petr Py~ek P. PyP,ek, K. Prach, M. Rejmfinek & M. Wade (eds.): PLANT INVASIONS, GENERAL ASPECTS AND SPECIAL PROBLEMS; SPB Academic Publishing, Amsterdam, 1995, 263 pp., 66 Figs., 45 Tabs. Price USD 50.-, NLG 80.-, ISBN 90-5103-097-5 This book is the Proceedings of a symposium on Plant invasions: theory and application; it contains 19 papers largely based on contributions presented there. The papers are included in five chapters according to thematic units that present various aspects of the study of plant invasions. The first chapter "General aspects of plant invasion" is introduced by the paper of M. Rejm~inek who deals with the question - What makes a species invasive? The following paper by I. Kowarik deals with time lags in biological invasions with regard to the success and failure of alien species follows. In the following two papers, V.V. Andersen, P. Pygek, K. Prach and P. ~milauer devote themselves to aspects of invasive species in local floras of the Czech Republic and Denmark. The chapter is closed by the paper of P. Pygek concerning the terminology used in plant invasion studies. In the second chapter "Invasive species in plant communities", I. Kowarik describes the role of alien species in urban floras and vegetation. Post-fire recovery and invasion by alien plant species in a South American woodland-steppe ecotone is a theme of the paper by M. Gobbi, J. Puntieri and S. Calvelo. The invasive component of a river flora under the influence of Mediterranean agricultural systems is described by M.T. Ferreira and I.S. Moreira.

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The third chapter "Biology and ecology of invasive plants" is devoted to the study of vegetative regeneration

of Fallopia japonica (J.H. Brock, L.E. Child, L.C. de Waal and M. Wade). J.P. Bailey, L.E. Child and M. Wade deal with the assessment of the genetic variation and spread of British populations of Fallopia japonica and Fallopia xbohemica. H. Sukopp and V. Staffinger compare the ecology of Reynoutria sachalinensis in its native area of distribution range in the Far East and in Europe. Invasion history and ecology of Lythrum saticaria in North America are described by K.R. Edward, M.S. Adams and J. Kv~t. The distribution of Lemna minuta within the British Isles is presented by J.L. Bramley, J.T. Reeve and GB.J. Dussart. T. Herben describes the persistence of an invasive moss Orthodontium lineare in communities of indigenous cryptogams. The fourth chapter "Control and management of invasive plants" examines possibilities of limiting invasive plants. L.E. Child and D. Spencer-Jones describe the treatment of Crassula helmsii, and L.C. de Waal deals with that of Fallopia japonica. The possibilities of limiting Rhododendron ponticum and some other invasive plants in the Snowdonia National Park are studied by R.H. Gritten. In the fifth chapter "Research in plant invasions: present and future" P. Py~ek gives a summary of recent trends in studies on plant invasions (1974-1993) and D.J. Beerling presents an overview of general aspects of this topic. The book is a set of interesting and inspiring contributions and it can be recommended to anybody who deals with the problems of plant invasions.

Ji~i Dostdlek H. Sukopp, M. Numata & A. Huber (eds.): URBAN ECOLOGY AS THE BASIS OF URBAN PLANNING; SPB Academic Publishing, The Hague, 1995, 218 pp. Price NLG 75.-, ISBN 90-5103-096-7 The book brings together papers presented at the INTECOL Congress in Yokohama, Japan, in 1990, and several lnvited papers. The papers are of a different quality and various scope, ranging from reviews, through case studies, to a short essay-like contribution. The book is introduced by a review written by L. Trepl: "Towards a theory of urban biocenoses - some hypotheses and research questions". Unfortunately, the clearly presented hypotheses and questions are only sporadically dealt with in the subsequent sections of the review. I regret that the comprehensive review is not illustrated by any data, figures or tables. Thus, many conclusions are speculative only. Moreover, some old ghosts of ecology are awoken, such as the controversy between organismal and individualistic approaches (p. 7-8) now overcome. Despite certain criticism, this plant-based contribution is useful, mapping well the particular field of urban ecology. The next chapter presents an exhaustive review: "Approaches to studying the spontaneous settlement of flora and vegetation in central Europe: a review", written by E Py~ek. The remaining papers (11) are grouped into the following sections: cities, villages, green spaces, and human ecology. Among the papers I appreciate especially the contribution of D. Brandes on "The flora of old town centres in Europe". I do not understand, however, how the paper dealing with vegetation changes in a rural environment is connected with urban ecology (H. Kehl: Vegetation dynamics of macchie and their derivatives under the influence of a small settlement near Antalya, SW-Turkey). The paper written by A. Py]ek and S. Hejn~, (Flora and vegetation of various types of settlements in the Czech Republic: a concise comparison) is unexciting. The authors compare 11 settlements, selected ad hoc, ranging from lonely houses to a large town. The low number of study sites, mostly without replication in the respective size categories, does not facilitate any "concise comparison" as indicated in the title. The other case studies deal mostly with vegetation in towns in various parts of the world, but one paper reconstructs changes in the occurrence of animals in the Tokyo conurbation. The concluding paper brings a broader context to the topic, i.e. urban ecology, including human perspective (L.W. Vandruff et al.: Urban wildlife and human well-being). Despite the promising title, the book is in fact a heterogenous set of specific papers which are not mutually connected. Urban planning as stated in the title is nearly completely omitted. On the other hand, the book includes several good papers which can be highly recommended to (plant) ecologists interested in settlement habitats.

Karel Prach

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213

M. Williamson: BIOLOGIGAL INVASIONS; Chapman &Hall, Population and community biology series 15, London, 1996, 244 pp. Price GBP 24.99, ISBN 0-412-59190-1 Biological invasions have become one of the most intensively studied fields in ecology and this has resulted in a number of volumes published on the topic (PY~EK 1995). Nevertheless, to me this book is much more than another one in the series. The majority of these have been multi-authored volumes, more or less carefully edited. Since Charles Elton's book (1958), the workers who have provided us with a consistent one-man-view on plant or animal invasions are very exceptional. For example, the book of CRONK & FULLER(1995), though summarizing the basic principles of plant invasions, is a catalogue of problem species. The importance of Williamson's book lies in its conceptuality, which is always a weak point of multi-authored volumes. Another point increasing the value of the book is the balanced approach with respect to both the plant and animal kingdoms. Examples are taken from both and the reader will soon find out that the title of the book corresponds well to its content, i.e. it is about "biological" rather than "plant" or "animal" invasions. In the preface, Mark Williamson describes the route which lead him from his "Island populations" (Oxford University Press 1981) to the reviewed book. Those involved in biological invasions know the author from numerous publications and as one of the editors of the classic "Biological invasions: a global perspective" (John Wiley 1989), the volume resulting from the SCOPE project. The book reviewed resulted from the undergraduate lectures he gave at the University of York. The book is based on a clearly stated conceptual framework of the study of invasions. Going step by step through particular stages of the invasion process, it summarizes present-day knowledge and makes statements, which are later discussed in particular chapters, provided with examples, and subjected to testing when possible. The particular phases distinguished are (i) arrival and establishment, (ii) spread, and (iii) equilibrium. The book is reasonably well structured and starts with the two usual questions which invasion biologists attempt to answer, i.e. what are the reasons for the success or failure of a particular species, and which communities are invaded and by which type of species? The next chapters discuss the process of spread, ecological consequences of invasions, and genetic and evolutionary effects. Biological control and release of genetically controlled organisms are also taken into account. Being just a reader of this book, I need not to be as modest as its author. To me, Mark Williamson's hope, expressed in the preface, that the book will be of interest to both students, academics and other professionals in ecology and conservation, is fulfilled.

REFERENCES CRONK Q.C.B. & FULLER J.L. (1995): Plant invaders: the threat to natural ecosystems. Chapman & Hall, London. DRAKE J.A., MOONEY H.A., DI CASTRI E, GROVES R.H., KRUGER EJ., REJMANEKM. & WILLIAMSONM. (eds.) (1989): Biological invasions: a global perspective. John Wiley and Sons, Chichester. ELTON C. (1958): The ecology of invasions by animals and plants. Methuen, London. PY~EK P. 0995): Recent trends in studies on plant invasions. In: PY~EKP., PRACH K., REIMANEKM. & WADE M. (eds.), Plant invasions: general aspects and special problems, SPB Academic Publishing, Amsterdam, pp. 223-236. WILLIAMSONM. (1981): Island populations. Oxford University Press, Oxford.

Petr Pyiek

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Recent books in phytosociology H. Passarge: PFLANZENGESELLSCHAFTEN NORDOSTDEUTSCHLANDS 1. Hydround Therophytosa; J. Cramer in der Gebriider Borntraeger, Berlin et Stuttgart, 1996, 298 pp., 72 Tabs., Price DEM 48.-, ISBN 3-443-50020-X This work presents a systematically arranged inventory of plant communities of north-east Germany. The author classifies the vascular plant communities into 8 "coenoformations" and the first volume deals with the first two: Hydrophytosa and Therophytosa. In the concise introductory chapters the following topics are considered: General conditions of the composition of vegetation (climate, soils, flora, influence of man), Plant communities and their investigation, Evaluation of vegetation analyses, Syntaxa (vegetation units), Coenoformations of vascular plant communities. The coenoformation Hydrophytosa, which includes fresh-water vegetation, is divided into two subformations. The Pleustohydrophytenosa is formed from floating plants and the plant communities belong to the following classes: 1. Lemnetea minoris, 2. Utricularietea intermedio-minoris and 3. Ceratophylletea. The Rhizohydrophytenosa are formed from rooting aquatic plants and contains the classes: 4. Zosteretea,

5. Ruppietea, 6. Potamogetonetea and 7. Nymphaeetea. The coenoformation Therophytosa contains terrestrial pioneer plant communities rich in annual plants; the plant communities belong to the following classes: 8. Thero-Salicornietea, 9. Saginetea maritimae, 10. Cakiletea maritimae, 11. Bidentetea tripartitae, 12. Sisymbrietea, 13. Stellarietea mediae, 14. Sedo-Scleranthetea and 15. Polygono-Poetea annuae. Within each class the associations are classified into orders, alliances, sometimes also into suballiances or groups of associations. The associations and lower syntaxa of an alliance are documented by constancy tables with an indication of the constancy class and of the range of dominance of each species. In the heading of each table the number of synthetized relev6s and mean number of species are given. The origin of vegetation relev6s is cited. The description of each association is very concise barely exceeding one page. It contains information on important diagnostic species, on the earlier publication of the syntaxon, on its distribution and on lower syntaxa. For syntaxa described as new the nomenclatural type is given. In the nomenclature of syntaxa the author only partly follows the Code of Phytosociological Nomenclature; the adaptation of some association names (e.g. the Lemnetum trisulcae into Lemnetum (minori-) trisulcae) is not in accordance with the Code. A list of literature cited, an index of plant names and an index of syntaxon names close the book. As the first volume of a broader work this book contains a very complete regional survey of fresh-water and therophytic plant communities of north-east Germany. Thus it represents a big step towards the "European vegetation survey" as planned by the International Association of Vegetation Science. Additional volumes bringing surveys of further vegetation formations will surely be welcomed.

Jaroslav Moravec B. Egger: V#GCTATION ET STATIONS ALPINES SUR SERPENTINE PR#S DAVOS; Ver6ffentlichungen des Geobotanischen Institutes der ETH, Stifiung Riibel, Ziirich, 1994, 117. Heft, 275 pp., 96 Figs. Price USD 46.-, SFR 65.-, ISSN 0254-9433 Serpentine areas are unique in the extreme physical and chemical properties of the bedrock and soils, in their insular geographical distribution and in the specific development of their flora. Recently, studies have been undertaken dealing with plant ecology, demography, chorology, population genetics and taxonomy, all based on the extraordinary ecological features and specific history of serpentine areas. The present book summarizes a comprehensive research project on the flora, vegetation and habitats of serpentine outcrops of the alpine arc near Davos. The book begins with the description of the topography, climate, history of the flora, geomorphology and geology of the studied area. The particular methods of investigation (chemical analyses of the soils and plants, analyses of vegetation, mathematical processing) are then explained in detail.

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The following chapters containing the results may be divided into three parts. The first part deals with the properties of the serpentine soils. The author describes the soil groups, soil chemical and physical properties, pedochemical profiles and pedogenesis. The soil sequence was found to range from widespread lithosols to a few brown-earth-like alpine rankers. Pedogenesis is slow and soils remain skeletal in this area. The results of soil chemical analyses show the high content of magnesium and nickel and the high Mg/Ca quotient. This agrees with values obtained from other serpentine outcrops in the world. The results of the vegetation analyses are summarized in the second part. On the basis of 138 relevrs the author concluded that the vegetation units cannot be assigned to any hitherto described phytosociological unit because the individual species which constitute them occur principally in other associations diverging greatly in habitat and sociology. However, due to the local character of the relevrs, the creation of new associations is not proposed. The most detailed chemical analyses of plants of serpentine sites have been made in the course of this study. These data are given in the third part. Great attention has been paid to the rate of accumulation of 19 elements in the plants growing on serpentine, carbonate and silicate substrates. Ninety six populations belonging to 34 species were tested. There are consistent interspecific differences which are clear evidence of different responses of particular species to the properties of the ultramafic soils. It would be interesting to discuss these differences in more depth in the text. One of the last chapters of this book, Discussion, is devoted to a comparison of the flora and vegetation, soil properties, phytochemical characters and site conditions on serpentine and non-serpentine substrates in alpine sites near Davos and in the adjacent region of the Alps. An interesting part of this chapter, from the viewpoint of the Czech serpentine flora, is the survey of the best represented families in localities near Davos and comparison with the serpentine flora in the Czech Republic (Moravia, Mohelno), Sweden and Austria. Finally, on the basis of all the results, the author analyses both the impact of specific factors acting interactively on the vegetation and its responses to the multiplicity of stresses on serpentine sites. All tlte data given in the appendix, as well as an exhaustive list of the literature document the author's investigations of serpentine phenomenon very well. This book is a comprehensive treatment of the serpentine vegetation of the alpine arc near Davos. Such a multidisciplinary approach and the detailed field investigation presented in the book, together with the comparison of the data from other serpentine areas of the world, give a complex insight to the problems of the "serpentine phenomenon" in general and may thus provide another dimension to our understanding of the evolutionary forces that create and maintain biotic diversity.

Jitka .~t~pdnkovd Javier Loidi (ed.): AVANCES EN FITOSOCIOLOG|A (Advances in Phytosociology); Servicio Editorial de la Universidad del Pals Vasco, Bilbao, 1996, 191 pp. Price not given, ISBN 84-7585-836-8 This volume brings together papers presented at the 1st Symposium on Advances in Phytosociology, organized in November 1995 in Bilbao, Spain. This symposium was one of the events prepared in honour of Prof. S. Rivas-Martfnez, President of the International Federation of Phytosociology, on the occasion of his being awarded an honorary doctorate of the University of Bilbao. S. Rivas-Martfnez belongs to those scientists and teachers who have made a great contribution to the development of phytosociology, above all synphytosociology or phytosociology of vegetation complexes, as well as bioclimatology. This is the reason why most of the contributions from his friends and students are dedicated to this branch of the science. The book is divided into two parts. The first of them is devoted to the talks on the Symposium, the second one to the information of the representatives of various Associations of Phytosociology. The papers are (with one exception) written in francophone languages (mostly Spanish). In the first contribution by E. Biondi, a phytosociological analysis of integrated studies of a landscape is given. Attention is paid to phytosociological mapping and the use of vegetation maps for the preparation of derived maps of landscape productivity, an idea realised in the last few decades with maps at different scales (e.g. HOFMANN 1985 former E Germany, GRATANIet al. 1994 for pastures of the Campo Imperatore in Gran

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Sasso, Italy). A group of authors headed by J.M. Moreno present the results of research on forest fires and their influence on ecosystems in Spain. The definition of "landscape" from an historical point of view, above all that by Bertrand, is explained by A. Asensi, and the relationships between (syn)phytosociology and landscape are elucidated. E Alcaraz Ariza examines the relationships between integrated phytosociology, landscape and biogeography, and P. Montserrat Recoder looks at landscape integration. In the second part of the book, J.-M. Grhu reflects on the current state of phytosociology and its future. He considers not only the description of world vegetation, but among other new developments, the possibilities for further practical application of this environmental science. The volume is completed with information on the editorial activity of the "Association Amicale Francophone de Phytosociologie", founded in 1970 on the initiative of J.-M. Grhu (E Pedrotti), with a short survey of phytosociological studies in Germany (R. Pott), and with information on the activity of the Lusitanian (M. Lousa & C.J. Pinto Gomes) and Spanish (T.E. Dfaz Gonz~les) Associations of Phytosociology. In conclusion, the scientific activity of S. Rivas-Martinez is characterised by J. Loidi. The presentation by S. Rivas-Mart~nez, dedicated to the history of phytosociology in Spain, a Geobotanical glossary of basic terms (above all from phytosociology and its branches, i.e. integrated phytosociology, synphytosociology and geosynphytosociology), and a list of publications by S. Rivas-Martfnez close this volume. This volume includes interesting information on vegetation research from relatively new branches of phytosociology i.e. integrated phytosociology and phytosociology of vegetation complexes, and it will serve as a source of inspiration, especialy in the francophone area. The short English summary should facilitate its more widespread use in the non-Spanish speaking area.

REFERENCES HOFMANN G. (1985): Potentielle natiirliche Nettoprim~irproduktion (an oberirdischer Pflanzentrockenmasse) - ihre Quantifizierung und Kartierung ftir das Gebiet der DDR. Beitr Forstw. 19/3:110-116. GRATANIL. et al. (1994): Carta della biomassa vegetale dei pacoli di Campo Imperatore (Gran Sasso d'ltalia). Tip. Borgia, Roma.

Zdenka Neuh~iuslovd E.O. Box, R.K. Peet, To Masuzawa, I. Yamada, K. Fujiwara & P.F. Maycock (eds.): VEGETATION SCIENCE IN FORESTRY. GLOBAL PERSPECTIVE BASED ON FOREST ECOSYSTEMS OF EAST AND SOUTHEAST ASIA. Handbook of Vegetation Science, Vol. 12/1; Kluwer Academic Publ., Dordrecht, Boston, London, 1995, 663 pp. Price USD 262.-, GBP 175.50, NLG 450.-, ISBN 0-7923-2679-2 When in 1982 Prof. Gisela Jahn completed Vol. 12 of the Handbook of Vegetation Science series (JAHN 1982) no one thought that this publication would lead to a subseries on forestry. The need for this subseries arose from the reaction of experts. It was quite rightly pointed out that Vol. 12 addresses almost only European forests (and the forestry of these), which are only a small part of the world's forests. Thirteen years has had to pass however, before the follow-up, a comprehensive volume presenting mainly East and Southeast Asian forests, managed to be compiled and completed. Even though forests from areas other than East and Southeast Asia are also presented here to a greater degree than in Vol. 12, the malicious question remains: how long will it take before volumes 12/2 to 12Ix addressing other forests or other forestry problems come to open? From both of the above-mentioned publications, two clearly evident problems emerge and these could be solved in the upcoming volumes of the subseries: firstly, botanists and foresters use different approaches to classification and secondly, they use different forms of observation. Firstly, as already mentioned, there is an obvious difference between the approaches of botanists and foresters to classification. In Volume 12/1, we meet these differences in approaches to classifying forests, even though they were already covered in the explanation in Volume 5 of the differences to classifying communities (including, of course, forests), and even though they were strongly focused on in Volume 12. Just as in Volume 12, Volume 12/1 addresses these differences in classifying forest communities in various countries and additionally sometimes even within the same country. To reach a level where these various approaches to

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classification are comparable is extremely difficult (indeed, they often come from different basic premises), and the contributing authors, who have compared the vegetation of some European regions to other regions of the world (e.g. Pignatti & Pignatti, pp. 199-210; Neuh~iusl, pp. 345-352), have elegantly avoided the topic. As is shown in this volume and is partly pointed out by Grabherr (pp. 441-451), prospective classifications are those which consider environmental factors as the basic premise. There still exists, of course, a question for further discussion; which of these factors, and mainly in which hierarchical order (if at all) will they be divided? Secondly, botanists and foresters differ in their approach to the study of objects. While botanists characterize communities (formations, etc.) by species content, etc. (e.g. Yim, pp. 273-298), foresters almost never exclude descriptions of the detailed features of the tree layer i.e. often including stand characteristics (tree height, diameter at breast height (DBH), stand (or tree) canopy, stand regeneration, etc.) (e.g. Sahunalu & Dhanmanonda, pp. 465-494; Kanzaki et al., pp. 495-513; Sukardjo, pp. 585-611) and the possible human impacts from clear-cutting or from changes in the tree (layer) species, respectively (e.g. Yang & Wen, pp. 299-305; Chen, L-Z., pp. 353-365). This publication is of great benefit for those who as of yet have no command of the Asian languages (mainly Chinese). In many cases, the publication presents the initial information about some regions in English! (e.g. Yang & Wen, pp. 299-305; Chou & Liu, pp. 307-315; Chen, W.-L., pp. 317-323; Jiang, pp. 433-439; Kamo et al., pp. 515-528). Even phytogeographers and others interested in the flora of this part of the world will find this publication to be of value. In the overview, Iwatsuki presents, assesses and cites all published Floras from the region of East and Southeast Asia. The volume includes 35 contributions divided into 5 main sections that consider evergreen forest region, summergreen forest region, mountainous/boreal regions and tropical forest region. The work of the editors who have managed to arrange such a large quantity of different contributions atid to put them into a subject section is admirable. They have even managed to organize the work in such a way that the gontent of the final contribution of each section introduces the following section. The high scientific level of this publication is slightly marred by the following mistakes in formalities: a) The reader must annoyingly turn to the end of the article in order to find out the Latin (scientific) names mentioned in the text (as in Meurk, pp. 151-197), and in some articles one discovers only some of them (as in Ashton, pp. 453-464) or one cannot discern if the name cited is the species name or the name of some community (as in Yamada, pp. 529-544). b) Pignatti et Pignatti's contribution presents plots in South Africa which are then compared to plots in West Australia. In the title of this article, however, all plot regions are named except those from South Africa. c) Citations are missing (e.g. Kltitzli et Zarzycki, Bruening et Csomos). d) There are mistakes due to the translation of the original text. For example, in the Abstract for Kamo et al. (p. 515), as a result of the translation it seems that the annual amount of precipitation is dependent on the annual stem volume increment rather than vice versa, which is not even mentioned in the Discussion of this particular contribution (p. 527). e) The complicated names of the authors, mainly the Chinese ones, where it is difficult to discern the first name from the surname, can cause problems with citation (for example, Jiang Hong or Hong Jiang [Jiang, H. or Hong, J.], p. 433). f) There is a difference in the citation of the contributions in the Content (pp. v-vii) and in the text of the publication (e.g. Pignatti, S. or Pignatti G. et Pignatti, S; Chen, W.-L et Lin, J.-W. or Chen W.-L.). The publication is printed on high quality paper, which however, makes it very heavy and which, of course, also puts it into a higher price level. REFERENCES JAHNG. (1982): Application of vegetation science to forestry. Handbook of Vegetation Science 12. Dr. W. Junk Publ., The Hague, Boston, London. JiF( Viewegh

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Other books W.E. Kunin & K.J. Gaston (eds.): THE BIOLOGY OF RARITY, Causes and consequences of rare-common differences. Population and community biology series 17; Chapman & Hall, London, etc., 1997, 280 pp. Price GBP 55.-, ISBN 0-412-63380-9 This book aims to record and explore the differences between rare and common species. The contributions document and analyse the pattern of differences found in various aspect of the biology of rare and common species e.g. morphology, ecology or reproductive system. The book is organized into three main parts. Part one is devoted to the explanation of the subject of rarity, its causes and consequences in general. Chapter two gives a review of the literature concerning the above mentioned topics. Part two, the largest part of this book, brings together the articles concerning mechanisms which are responsible for rare-common differences. Rosenzweig and Lomolino in their article try to explore eight traits of species which may be considered as ecological causes of rarity. Speciation and rarity is,the main subject discussed by Chown in his paper. He assumes some causal relationships between species-level characteristics and speciation, which may be responsible for the non-random patterns partially resulting from differential speciation rates associated with commonness and rarity. The paleontological view on the problem is given in the article "How do rare species avoid extinction" by McKinney. In the example of selected species of birds G. Mace and M. Kershaw discuss the role of different aspects of rarity in relation to the threatened status of rare species. Articles 9 and 10 focus on the phenomenon of rarity at the population level, and review such important subjects in relation to rarity as population size, population density, population purity or genetic consequences of small population size. Special attention is paid to the relationships between rarity and breeding systems of plants in the article by Orians. Holt outlines some evolutionary consequences of both spatial and local rarity. The last part of this book, part 3 "Future directions", contains two papers: the article by Cotgreave and Pagel is about a crucial question - how to identify evolutionary correlates of rarity. To give the answer, they demonstrate different comparative methods which can be used to study rarity. The concluding article by Gaston and Kunin summarizes and discusses the most important conclusions resulting from the study of rare-common differences presented in this book. "Our ignorance about the world's organisms is astonishing. For many species, we do not even know whether they are rare or common" says one of the authors. In this respect "The biology of rarity" contributes significantly to our knowledge of this theme. It should be welcomed by all biologists who are interested in modem approaches to population biology, genetics and evolution in relation to rare species. It also provides much useful information and stimulation for all who are interested in conservation and the preservation of nature.

Jitka ~t~pankova H, Meusel & K~istner A.: LEBENSGESCHICHTE DER GOLD- UND SILBERDISTELN: MONOGRAPHIE DER MEDITERRAN-MITFELEUROP,~ISCH EN COMPOSlTEN-GATTUNG CARLINA, Band II, Artenvielfalt und Stammesgeschichte der Gattung; Denkschr. Osterr. Akad. Wissensch., math.-naturwiss. Kl., 128. Band; Springer-Verlag Wien & New York, 1994, 657pp,, 179 Figs., 32 Plates. Price DEM 380.-, ISBN 3-211-86558-6, 0-387-86558-6 A detailed monograph of the Mediterranean-Central European genus Carlina appeared in two volumes. The first deals with generic problems (see Folia Geobot. Phytotax. 27: 444-445, 1992) and the second discusses intrageneric classification in detail, concentrating on detailed analyses of the species (28 in number) and subspecies. The results of many years work, it includes collaboration with, and contributions from eight specialists. Dozens of other collaborators from a number of countries participated, both at the expert and technical level. The volume reviewed here is not only a classical monograph with keys to all the taxa from subgenus to variety, with synonyms, lists of types, morphological and anatomical descriptions, analysis of variation and

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karyology, but also a detailed study of ecomorphology, phytosociology and ecogeography. The genus Carlina, with life forms ranging from dwarf trees and shrubs to therophytes, seems to be particularly suitable for this purpose. The authors studied most of the taxa in the field. Geographical distribution is shown using dot maps and lists of specimens seen. Area diagnoses of distributional range are proposed and area types are defined. Much attention is paid to the impact of climatic factors on geographical distribution. The authors have gathered together and analysed an admirable number of phytosociological relev6s of communities with various Carlina taxa. Some space is devoted to the evolution of the genus and an expert survey of paleogeographical, paleontological and paleobotanical knowledge of the history of the Mediterranean area in the late Tertiary is presented. All 28 species of Carlina were subjected to a cladistic analysis of 30 characters. The results of both cladistic and phylogenetic analyses are compared. To conclude the monograph the conservation of various Carlina species is discussed. There are an unusual number of perfect drawings of vegetative and generative organs, vegetation profiles of plant communities with Carlina taxa, black and white photographs of herbarium specimens and taxa in their natural habitats, colour photographs, distribution maps of all the taxa discussed and of many other species with the same area type characteristic. It would have been helpful if species and intraspecific taxa were numbered in the main part and in the keys. The distribution map of Thymelaea hirsuta (p. 129) does not include Cyprus, even though the species has been known to occur there for a long time. Similarly the occurrence of Viburnum tinus (p. 151) in Cyprus is not shown although was found there as late as 1990 (VINEY 1994) and could not therefore be considered. The transcription of herbarium labels, mainly from Slavonic languages, is full of errors (e.g.p. 294, 480) and some names are altered beyond recognition. Perhaps native speakers could have been consulted. The authors should be congratulated on presenting such a thorough survey of.all species of this interesting genus. The monograph is not only a source of knowledge but it can also serve as an example for similar works. The publishers and printers also did a very good job.

REFERENCES VINEY D.E. (1994): An illustrated flora of North Cyprus. Koeltz, Koenigstein.

Bohumil Slavik

J. Arditti (ed.): ORCHID BIOLOGY. Reviews and perspectives, Volume V; Timber Press, Portland, 1990, 451 pp. Price USD 58.-, ISBN 0-88192-170-X The reviewed book continues the four volumes published earlier by Comell University Press during the period 1977-1987. It comprises seven chapters and an Appendix, like the previous volumes; including the editor, twelve authors participated in the output of this book. The unifying topic of the whole series is orchid biology, but, in comparison with volumes I-IV, the chapters contained in the fifth volume are a little more diversified thematically. The following subjects are represented in this book: the history of research work on orchids and their cultivation (according to the personal experience of a well-known plant scientist), the natural history of one mysterious species, physiology, reproduction mode, systematics and evolution of orchids, the arts (the role of orchids in classical and contemporary literature), space research (orchids as model plants in space experiments) and the phenology of flowering of orchids under cultivation. The first chapter "Orchids in My Life" by E Went gives an account of the important role orchids have played in the life of this famous research botanist. It deals mainly with research on the physiology of tropical orchids imported into Europe and with the history of their successful cultivation. The study on the Western Australian fully subterranean orchid species RhizantheUa gardneri constitutes the following chapter. The detailed information about the history of investigation, geographical distribution, morphology, anatomy, nutrition, seed morphology, germination, symbiosis and taxonomy of this remarkable and extremely rare species is given, followed by ways recommended for its conservation and management. The chapter "Water relations in orchids" deals with water supply, uptake of water and its storage, with emphasis on special structures related to these functions in epiphytes; it discusses the main differences between

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terrestrial and epiphytic orchids in this respect. The last section of this chapter is devoted to the role of water in seed germination of epiphytic orchids and to touch-sensitive movement in flowers ensuring pollination and caused by rapid changes in turgor. Although the various adaptations ensuring cross-pollination are well-known in orchids, some species have become secondarily modified for self-pollination without the aid of pollinators. This genetically based phenomenon is analysed in the fourth chapter "Auto-pollination in the Orchidaceae" The methods of recognition of self-pollination, the character and functional differences in flowers between auto-pollinating orchids and their pollinator-dependent relatives, followed by a list of auto-pollinating species, are presented here. Auto-pollination, widespread in the orchid family (350 species), is more common among terrestrial orchids than among epiphytes and is frequently associated with more extreme living conditions compared to cross-pollination (higher altitudes and latitudes, distributional limits, geographically isolated situations or newly available habitats). The fifth chapter by L.V. Averyanov focuses on the genus Dactylorhiza; it will probably be one of the most interesting parts of this book for Europaean taxonomists. This, the largest genus of the group of genera of the "'Dactylorhiza alliance" or "dactylorchids" is reviewed here, including the anatomy and morphology, features of the flower and pollen, characters of seeds, karyology, phylogeny, taxonomy and distribution. A special part of this chapter considers hybridization, which very often takes place in the genus. More than 140 interspecific, intersectional and intergeneric natural hybrids with binominal names are listed here. The subject of art is represented by the chapter "Power and Passion: The Orchid in Literature". The summary of the images which orchids have projected in the literature in Britain, France, Germany and the United States are recorded from various genres (e.g. science fiction, mystery, detective and adventure stories, poetry, drama, musical), covering mainly the period from the 19th century to end of the year 1986. The last chapter "Tropical Orchids in Space Research" introduces tropical epiphytic orchids as plants suitable for improving human comfort within the closed artificial system during long-term space flights. The adaptation of orchids to space flight conditions was tested, involving predominantly the study of growth characteristics and development, physiological changes under stress and phytodesign of orbital stations. The species Epidendrum radicans and Doritis pulcherrimma proved to be most adaptable to the conditions of prolonged space flight. The Appendix "Flowering Months of Orchid Species Under Cultivation" summarizes a list of orchids (almost 6,000 species including the synonyms) and their flowering dates recorded over the past 150 years or more; the orchids grown in greenhouses in the northern hemisphere, predominantly in the United States, Great Britain, Germany, France, Canada and Switzerland, are included here. The fifth volume "Orchid Biology: Reviews and Perspectives" will be undoubtedly appreciated not only by plant scientists, but also by professional and amateur orchid growers. All the time, the orchids have been an attractive subject of interest as representatives of a highly specialized plant group, still undergoing evolutionary changes.

Anna Krahulcova D.G. Lloyd & S.C.H. Barrett (eds.): FLORAL BIOLOGY. Studies on floral evolution in Chapman & Hall, London, etc., 1996, 14 + 410 pp. Price GBP 59.-, ISBN 0-412-04341-6

animal-pollinated plants;

Floral biology, also including research on reproductive systems, has two centuries of history. This volume under review was initially produced as a work celebrating the bicentenary of the publication of Christian Konrad Sprengel's book "Das entdeckte Geheirnnis der Natur im Bau in der Befruchtung der Blumen" (The Secret of Nature in the Form and Fertilization of Flowers Discovered). In this pioneering work published in 1793 the structural floral adaptations of hundreds of species, along with the functional interpretations of floral mechanisms, were described for the first time. On the occasion of this anniversary, the Symposium on Floral Biology was held in 1993 at the XVth International Botanical Congress in Yokohama, Japan. The eight presentations given in Yokohama form the basis of the book under review; additional authors were invited to complete the other chapters. A total of 25 contributors, predominantly from the United States, but also from Canada, Japan, Sweden, Spain, Germany and New Zealand, took part in the production of this volume. During the last ten years, floral biology has became one of the most advanced and fast-moving disciplines, connecting

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ecology, evolutionary biology and population genetics. The outline of the research subjects in floral biology in recent years with the presentation of the most important new information is the main topic of this interesting and clearly arranged book. Many chapters are accompanied with historical perspectives of the subjects under research. The book is divided into three parts: (1) Historical Perspective (two chapters), (2) Conceptual Issues (six chapters) and (3) Model Systems (six chapters). The first part is devoted to the work of Christian Konrad Sprengel: the first chapter contains the English translation of the introduction of his book mentioned above and published in Berlin in 1793. Several original figures are very precise, illustrating the fine structures of the flower in detail. The second chapter appraises Sprengel's work, together with his life history and the philosophical backgroud of his work. The second part discusses the following topics: phenotypic variation in floral traits (corolla depth) in relation to pollinator selection in nature, influenced by ecological mechanisms; interaction between the pollinator species and floral morphology and the extent of the adaptive character of floral diversity; variation in floral longevity as an important factor in the reproductive ecology of plants; pollen dispersal and reproductive patterns in animal-pollinatedplants and their evolutionary implications; the ecology of geitonogamous pollination and its consequences in self-compatible compared with self-incompatible species (connected here with the interference of self- and outcross-pollen); flower size dimorphism in plants with unisexual flowers emphasizing its patterns in dioecious and monoecious species. The last six chapters comprising the third part of the book present case studies on the evolution of floral morphology (including the evolution of heterostyly), pollination traits in monoecious plants, reproductive success related to gender variation in the conditions of limited pollination and on evolution of reproductive systems in island versus mainland populations. The model plants belong to the families Euphorbiaceae,

Polemoniaceae, Begoniaceae, Orchidaceae, Amaryllidaceae and Campanulaceae. Each of the individual chapters is furnished with an extensive list of literature: the whole book contains more than 1100 literature references. The plant species mentioned in this book cover more than 200 genera of vascular plants. The book provides a good review of the present state of research on floral biology in vascular plants, which are pollinated by insects or birds. Indisputably, the pollination of flowers by animals provides an illustrative example of "selection in action"; from this point of view, this book dealing with interactions between plants and insects will be especmlly rewarding for evolutionary biologists, as well as for ecologists, population genetists and botanists interested in the evolution of flowering plants.

Anna Krahulcovd J.M. Caffrey, P.R.F. Barrett, K.J. Murphy & P.M. Wade (eds.): MANAGEMENT AND ECOLOGY OF FRESHWATER PLANTS. Reprinted from Hydrobiologia, vol. 340 (1996) as Developments in Hydrobiology vol. 120; Kluwer Ac~lemic Publishers, Dordrecht, etc., 1996, xvi+354 pp. Price NLG 350.-, USD 224.-, GBP 137.-, ISBN 0-7923-4433-2 This publication contains the Proceedings of the 9th International Symposium on Aquatic Weeds held in Dublin, Ireland, in September 12-16, 1994, which was organized by the European Weed Research Society. In total this book includes 56 original papers covering different aspects of the ecology and management of freshwater macrophytes and algae. A shift of interest away from aquatic weed control alone towards studying ecology, plant-environmentinteractions and the distribution of (potential) aquatic weeds demonstrates a growing recognition of the need for aquatic plant management in the last decade. In the first section of the book, important ecological processes (e.g. photosynthesis) in aquatic plants, both in the field and laboratory, are dealt with in 8 papers. In the second section, 7 papers deal with plant-environment interactions in aquatic habitats, including the ability of aquatic plants to act as bioindicators, the influence of water level fluctuations (floods) on aquatic vegetation dynamics, and root-soil interactions. In the third section (8 papers), aquatic vegetation as potential weeds are described in various habitats in different parts of the world. The next section with 26 papers covers various aspects of the control of aquatic vegetation: strategic approaches after the ecology of individual aquatic weeds, "classic" chemical and physical approaches and, also, biological and biomanipulative approaches. Special attention is devoted to the control of algae using

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barley straw. The last section of the book (7 papers) deals with the practical utilisation of aquatic (weed) vegetation as valuable food, for waste water treatment, or for mechanical stabilisation of banks. The book is valuable not only to hydrobotanists and aquatic plant ecologists, but to all who look for new environmentally-friendly ways to control or utilize aquatic weeds in freshwaters.

Lubomir Adamec A. Seitz & V. Loeschcke (eds.): SPECIES CONSERVATION: a population-biological approach; Birkhiiuser Verlag, Basel, Boston, Berlin, 1991, 281 pp. Price DEM 108.-, SFR 88.-, ISBN 3-7643-2493- 7 The loss of diversity has recently drawn increased attention from scientists, politicians and also a portion of the general public. In this book population biologists have contributed to issues relevant to the preservation of species diversity from their field of experience. Though species extinction is a global problem, this book focuses mainly on the European situation that has not received the same attention as conservation problems in tropical regions. The source of this book was a symposium entitled "Populationsbiologische Aspekte des Artenschutzes" held in October 1989 at the Akademie der Wissenschaften und der Literatur in Mainz, Germany. The book consists of 18 contributions. Most of the papers are very clearly written. The book can serve as a good source of information for conservation managers, scientists interested in various aspects of nature conservation and to both under- and post-graduate students.

SELECTEDCONTRIBUTIONS Genetics and conservation biology; Gene conservation and the preservation of adaptability; Population extinction by mutational load and demographic stochasticity; Ecological risk analysis for single and multiple populations; Genetic and phenotypic variation in relation to population size in two plant species; Allozyme variation and conservation; Conservation of amphibian populations in Britain; Population biology of an invading tree species; An experiment on dynamic conservation of genetic resources with metapopulations; Are there minimal areas for animal populations? etc.

Pavel Kindlmann O.E. Rhodes, R.K. Chesser & M.H. Smith: POPULATION DYNAMICS IN ECOLOGICAL SPACE AND TIME; The University of Chicago Press, Chicago, 1996, 388pp. Price USD 17.95, GBP 14.25, ISBN 0-226-71058-0 While populhiion dynamics must to be studied in time, traditional population models assumed time to be homogeneous. In addition to that, most of the classical models (such as Lotka's matrix model of population dynamics or the Verhulst-Pearl logistic equation) do not consider any spatial stmcture in populations, assuming instead "global mixing" (i.e. any individual being equally likely to interact with any other individual). As a result of this, any index of population density (and thus of density dependence) is defined for the whole population; individuals cannot differ in their values of the local crowding index. The realism of these assumptions varies depending on the group of organisms which is studied but they are always a simplification. In simplifications one is often interested in assessing the associated risk: how does the behaviour of my model change if I omit this or that? The reviewed book covers several such simplifications and deals with models that account for them. Most of the chapters are of the review style; they present data and verbal or formal models (already published, in most cases) that incorporate either spatially explicit dynamics (Hamrick, Hanski, Pulliam, O'Connor, Harris) or temporally structured models (Wilbur, Hairston). I found the chapter on storage effect particularly illuminating; the inclusion of chapters on subjects ecologists rarely think about (McArthur) is also rewarding. Though the book is well written and its subject is timely, most of its chapters do not provide very new insights or data. They are thoroughly written, but many of them essentially repeat what their authors (in most

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of the cases) have already published elsewhere. This makes the book more of the textbook type. On the other hand, it is too patchy and selective for a textbook; the editors do not seem to have striven for a complete cover of temporal and spatial phenomena (for example, one would like to read a chapter on spatially constrained plant competition). However, it provides really good reviews of the subjects that are covered and its scope makes it accessible both for theoreticians and for field biologists.

CONTENTS Metapopulation ecology (I. Hanski) Sources and sinks: empirical evidence and population consequences (H.R. Pulliam) Multistage life cycles (H.M. Wilbur) Overlapping generations: the storage effect and the maintenance of biotic diversity (N.G. Hairston Jr., S. Ellner, C.M. Keams) Sources of variation in migratory movements of animal populations: statistical inference and a selective review of empirical results of birds (J.D. Nichols) Consequences of dispersal in plants (J.L. Hamrick, J.D. Nason) Gene conservation (R.K. Chesser, O.E. Rhodes, M.H. Smith) Spatial and temporal aspects of bacterial population genetics (J.V. MacArthur) Toward the incorporation of spatiotemporal dynamics into ecotoxicology (R.J. O'Connor) Landscape processes and their significance to biodiversity conservation (L.D. Harris, T.S. Hoctor, S.E_ Gergel)

Tomd~ Herben

A.A.

Hoffmann

&

P.A.

Parsons:

EXTREME

ENVIRONMENTAL

CHANGE

AND

EVOLUTION; Cambridge Univesity Press, Cambridge, 1993, 259 pp. Price GBP "19.95, USD 29. 95, ISBN 0-521-44659- 7 Charles Darwin and many other biologists demonstrated that evolutionary change results from environmental change. Therefore, we can assume that extreme environments have a special role in the evolutionary process. The problem of the evolutionary effects of extreme conditions on the pattern of organism diversity, divergence, and extinction has become topical particularly in recent times. The apparent reason for this is the ever-growing influence of human activities on natural habitats resulting in a rapid increase in the general rate of extinction of organisms. The authors consider extreme environments to be largely ignored in the current evolutionary literature and their aim is to provide a book that is both useful for teaching and of general interest. The book is introduced by the description of the direct and indirect effects of environmental change, and the four major evolutionary consequences are characterized. Rates of evolution in populations, dependent on the amount of phenotypic variation and the extent to which it is genetic, are discussed further with respect to stressful conditions. Special emphasis is given to interactions among traits and tradeoffs between environments that can restrict the extent to which populations respond to selection. Considerations of the effects of environmental extremes on the types of life history pattern, reflected in the comparative and optimality approaches, close the first part of the book which may be characterized as more theoretical than the following chapters. These are devoted to evolutionary changes in the fossil record, with particular attention to the role of extinctions, and issues of conservation. The weak point of the book is the generally loose interpretation and poor argumentation of the conclusions summarized in the end of each chapter. Trivial knowledge and well known relationships are often mentioned in the concluding remarks. Certain unorthodox and/or controversial expIanations are suggested, e.g. the role of mutation rates in adaptation, associations of transposable elements with regulatory genes, interdemic selection in fragmented environments. However, it is not convincingly substantiated why the authors believe in their existence. Without doubt the theme of the book is particularly exciting and important. It certainly opens new areas for further complex investigations but, at the same time, the book demonstrates that the directions are certainly not easy to follow.

Jan Zima

224

Bookreviews

R. Bijlsma & V. Loeschcke (eds.): ENVIRONMENTAL STRESS, ADAPTATION AND EVOLUTION; Birkhiiuser Verlag, Basel, Boston, Berlin, 1997, xviii + 325 pp. Price SFR 148.-, ISBN 3- 7643-5695-2 Major environmental changes caused by the impact of human population on the biosphere at a global scale are a serious threat to the existence of life on this planet. This fact emphasizes the exceptional importance for understanding the nature and consequences of environmental stresses from ecological and evolutionary perspectives. These practical implications apparently represent the basic reason why this subject is addressed in a number of recent bobks and publications. The issue of environmental stress and its evolutionary consequences in the response of organisms also encompasses a diverse choice of questions of scientific importance in biology and ecology. Environmental stress undoubtedly has a significant role in the evolution of biological systems, from molecules and proteins to individuals, populations, species and ecosystems. The term "stress" can be understood either as a syndrome of physiological response to environmental disturbances, or as an environmental situation that impairs the fitness of an organism.The contributions in the reviewed book consider stress mainly in an evolutionary context, with special respect to evolving adaptive mechanisms to overcome it. The editors made a careful selection of contributors and the book contains reviews as well as original research reports. Some of the papers were presented at a symposium on stress and evolution held at the Fifth International Congress of Evolutionary Biology and Systematics, Budapest, Hungary, in August 1996. The individual contributions reflect varied approaches to the study of environmental stress with the aim of exploring how organisms adapt to extreme conditions, how stress changes the genetic structure and life histories, how selection pressure is shaped and population extinction is determined. Valuable information, new data and new insights from various research areas can be found in individual contributions. However, except for the introductory remarks, there is no general conclusion or summary of the future perspectives in this field. The highly topical theme of the book makes it nevertheless attractive for a broad circle of readers, from researchers and graduate students in biology to nature conservationists and environmentalists.

Jan Zima

BOTANICA LITHUANICA; Institute of Botany, Zaliqjg e~er~ 49, LT-2021 Vilnius, Lithuania, 1(1995), 136pp., 2(1996), 440pp. In November 1995 the Institute of Botany (Vilnius), Vilnius University and Vilnius Pedagogical University published the first issue of a botanical journal of Lithuania entitled, "Botanica Lithuanica". The Editor-in-Chief is Romas Pakalnis, Director of the Institute of Botany (Vilnius).The editorial board consists of 16 members: 9 from Lithuania and one from each of the following countries: Czech Republic, Estonia, Finland, Latvia, Poland, Sweden and Germany. The journal publishes botanical research papers dealing with general problems of botany, botanical diversity, plant and fungi systematics, cenology, ecology and geography, economic botany and conservation of botanical diversity. Scientific papers are published either in English or in Lithuanian. The first volume (1995) contains a foreword from the editor in Lithuanian and English, 5 scientific papers and several brief articles and papers (short notes, reviews and notices of publications). The second volume ( 1996, 4 issues) contains 19 scientific papers, 9 short notes and many reviews and other papers. The breakdown of the papers into the various fields is as follows: mycology and lichenology - 12, vascular plants (taxonomy, phytosociology, dendrology, history of botany) - 4, hydrobotany - 2, bryology - 1. Even though the first issue of the journal has only recently been published, it is already indexed in several important reference periodicals and we sincerely hope that in the future the journal will become a scientific forum of local and foreign botanists working particularly in the Baltic region of Europe. We congratulate our Lithuanian colleagues on their successful editorial work and we believe that the new journal will contribute to better communication not only among the botanists of the Baltic region, but also among those of other European regions.

Vladimir Jehl~