Bookrevicws

JAMES WHITE (ed.) STUDIES

ON

IRISH

VEGETATION

Royal Dublin Society, Dublin 1982, 368 pp. Sub-heading of this book -- Contributions from participants in the vegetation exkursion to Ireland, July 1980 organisc(t by the International Society for Vegetation science -- might give the impression of the papers connected by the same region only. However, due to the Irish botanists, namely the editor, was written very comprehensive and clearly arranged work including almost cverything known a[x)ut the Irish vegetation so far, either by the form of original works, surveys and keys or by literacy references at least. The papers have been arranged in four sections. The first section deals with the historical ~tspects. G. F. MITC~tEL makes us acquainted with the influence of man on vegetation since he reached Ireland, till the contemporary history. The studium of the human impact on the vegetation especially in Ireland is very important, because the Irish vegetation is one of the most changed in all Europe. History of Irish veg(,tation studies is treated by J. WI~TE. Especially the development of vegetation science from the bcgirming of 20th century, the role of R. L. PP~-EG~.Rand penetrating of various scientific schools was studied in detail. "Narrative of the exkursion" by G. J. DOYLE will make us acquainted not only with most important vegetation units of Ireland (map of main vegetation types, phytosociological designation of the types), but by means o f reports from field discussion we are drawn into the problems of Irish vegetation very lively. The second section deals with the phytosoeiological aspects of Irish vegetation. It is prefaced by a key for the identification of Irish plant communities by J. WHITe. I t is the first, but praiseworthy approximation--there are not many of countries having such a key at all. Attention should be paid to the fact t h a t not only the features of the vegetation alone are used, b u t often the features of the h a b i t a t or the management (mown meadows or pastures) as well. Next phytosociological papers follow according to the sociological progression of described vegetation. The overseas participants of excursion O. WILLMA-NS and J. BRuN-HooL describe plant communities of h u m a n settlement in two papers. The first deals with the vegetation of wall crevices and cra~s of walls, the second one describes the vegetation of tilled areas--gardens and flower beds-- and vegetation of foot path and treesurrounds. J. WHIT~- defines symtaxonomicaly Plantaginetum coronopo-maritimi, a strange community of exposed coastal elifs in western Ireland, described firstly as Plantago sward by R. L. Pm*mOEm An interesting paper b y E. Nf-LAMm~A deals with the vegetation of salt marshes and sand-dunes at Malashide island, county Dublin. The vegetation is described in connection with the geological and geographical changes of the island, sketched on the maim, so the syndynamical and causal dependences are traced. The paper by A. M. O'SuLLIVA.~ brings the survoy~)f all grasslands in the lowlands of Ireland, with the map of distribution of the more common Irish grassland types.This survey is based on author's previous detailed studies and brings some nomenclatural changes. Very peculiar vegetation of heavy metal soils (Violetea ccdaminariae) is reported b y G. J. I)oYl~E from lead and zinc mine spoils. The next paper by the same author deals with the vegetation of Atlantic blanket [~)g in western Ireland. The ombrotrophic vegetation of deep peat, Pleurozio purpureae-Erie,etura tetralicis--claseificd to subassociations, and the h u m a n impact on floristic composition are discussed. The authors of the next two papers O. W~LI~tA.'~s, J. BRuI~-bIoor. and I-I. DXEaSC~KE describe "mantel and saum" vegetation of the classes Tri]olio-Geranietea and Artemisietea. Since the authors are continental botanists, their studies bring also an interesting comparison with t h e analogous continental communities.

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FOLIK GEOBOTAN*ICA ]~T PHYTOTKXONO~flCA 20, 1985

The studies dealing with t h e tree vegetation of Ireland meet almost always with the problem of its n a t u r a l character. So does the paper b y D. L. KELLY and E. N. KmBY, solving the problem of Irish native woodlands over limestone. The authors use not only the phytosociologieal but t h e historical a n d palynological methods as well and bring the sctructural a n d d y n a m i c information about the woods. The paper b y H. DmRSCnKE discusses the role of some introduced E u r o p e a n broad-leaved trees, especially of Fayus sylvatica and Acer pseudoplalanus, for the present potential n a t u r a l vegetation of Ireland and compares the native and new developed c o m m u n i t i e s w i t h the analogous atlantic woods on the Continent. A special problem of invasion and i m p a c t of Rhododendron pomicum especially in Irish acidic oakwoods, h e a t h s and dried out bogs solves t h e artical b y J. R. GROSS. T h e impact of this species on the vegetation socms to be very similar to t h a t of the Robinia pseudoaaacia in east parts of Europe. The t e a m of authors, J. M. v a n GROENE~DAEL e t a l . , analyses the distribution of lake p l a n t communities which lie on a gradient from ealcareot~u beach to the inland to find o u t t h e influence of the sea on the vegetation of lakes in s o u t h w e s t Connemara. As a result, three types of lakes were distinguished and t h e spatial zonation of lake vegetation reflecting t h e vegetation history was determined. Papers especially on ecological topics follow in the third section. W. EBER in t h e contribution on the ecology of bogs and bog plants discusses the specific h a b i t a t of bog soil condition and adaptations of bog p l a n t s to these extreme conditions. In ecological c o m m e n t s on some Irish plants,.W. LLTSC~[ERTgives on t h e basis of his obssrvalion very ingenious causal explanations of a seemingly absurd occurrence of halophytic plants a n d c o m m o n occurrence of calcareous and non-calcareous plants. The s a m e author c o m m e n t s t h e h(;avy metal content of some Irish plants in the n e x t paper. The fourth section is devoted to t h e phytogcographieal topics. M. J. P. S e A , NELL on t h e basis of historical review of the eoneept of floristic elements in Ireland gives the s u r v e y on southern elements in t h e cryptogamic flora of Ireland. J. MALATO-BELIZdetermines t h e ecological causes of dispersal of some m e d i t e r r a n e a n plants in Ireland as decisive. FI. WAONER and P. HEISELMAYXR give a statistical analysis of the species common to the flora of Ireland and Austria with phytosociological comparison. The framework of all the book closes a n amaotated list of all described and suspected vegetation u n i t s of Irelands by J. WroTE and G. DOYLE. This very valuable s u r v e y is introduced b y theoretical p r e s u m p t i o n s following B r a u n - B l a n q u e t approach to phytosociology. Outline of t h e sociological progression was arranged into 13 formations with 43 classes. The s u r v e y contents e n u m e r a t i o n of all units from classes to associations with authors, character and diagnostic species, concise characteristics and i n f o r m a t i o n on the dispersal in Ireland. The s u r v e y is v e r y clearly arranged, complemented with the alphabetical index of species a t the end. And last, b u t not least! Foreword and introduction are n o t read nsualy, b u t in this case t h e y are really worth reading. I n toreword b y J. WroTE yOU will get acquainted with the concept and origin of the whole work and in introduction the sceptic D. A. W~.~B will draw your a t t e n t i o n to the fact, t h a t a l m o s t n o t h i n g of w h a t is written on this book is 100 % valid. Nevertheles it will only cheer your interest up. Studies on Irish vegetation have not only e m u l a t e d "Die Pflanzenwelt I r l a n d s " from 1952 according to the editor's wish, but it h a s s h o w n the new aspects and perspectives of vegetation science in this country. This work will be not only the basic h a n d b o o k for a n y filrther s t u d i u m of the Irish vegetation, but the m a i n source of information about the Ireland for t h e comparative studies in all the world. DE.NISA B LA~KOV.~.

BOOKRliiVIEWS

215

KT, AUS KUBITZKI (ed.)

DISPERSAL

AND DISTRIBUTION

An International Symposium Sonderb/~nde des Naturwissenschaftlichen Vereins in Hamburg 7; Verlag Paul Parey, Hamburg a n d Berlin 1983, 407 pp., Price 108. DM. Dispersal and distribution, one of the central points in present-d,~y biology, was the subject of an international symposium held in June 1982 in the University of Hamburg. Most of the contributions (21) presented at the symposium were published in the reviewed volume of Sonderb/inde des naturwissenschaflichcn Vereins in Hamburg. The introductory lecture (Plant distribution as seen from plant dispersal: General principles and basic modes of plant dispersal) was given by 14. Y. BERG. He gave a general view of the various aspects of dispersal. He stressed the role of the establishment for effective dispersal, the importance of ecological demands during the whole life cycle, and discussed the problems of long-distance dispersal. He emphasized the number of distribution irregularities caused by long-distance dispersal; this type of dispersal seems to be chance dispersal and the most important specialization for it is the absence of specialized disp6rsal mechanisms. The remaining contributions were combined into four sections. The section "Approaches from different disciplines" contains four interesting contributions. S. CARLQUmT analyzed amphitropical disjunction between California and Chile. B. O. VAN Za~TE~r (Possibilities of long-range dispersal in Bryophytes with special reference to the Southern hemisphere) discussed the role of plate, tectonics and long-distance dispersal for the pattern of Bryophytes in the southern hemisphere. Be strea~cd t h a t spore resistance is an important factor infuencing effective long-distance dispersal. Genetic analysis of evolution associated with dispersal in plants is the title of K. BACHMA~r'S contribution. He gave some nice examples of genetic events connected with dispersal. Some were taken over from the literature (e.g. those in Epilobium, Gossypium), but some of them are the result of the author's original studies of the genus Microseris. F. W~ITE gave a clear picture of afromontane flora (Long-distance dispersal and the origins of afromontane flora). He analyzed various components and gave evidence t h a t only a portion of Afromontane flora is adapted to long-distance dispersal, the remainder consisting of migratory species. Seven contributions t h e n form the section "Systematic and evolutionary aspects". I n his original contribution R. M. SCaUSTEr~ shows the most important distribution types of Hepatics which are not capable of long-distance dispersal. Other papers were devoted to the dispersal and distribution of some selected taxa: Lecythi~laceae and Chrysobalanaceae (G. T. PRANCE et S. A. Mo]~i), Bignoniaceae (A. H. GENTRY), some archaic families (Au~trobaileyaceae, Eupomatiaceae, Himantandrae2~e, Calycanthaceae) in Australia (P. K. E~-DRESS), Urticales (C. C. BERG), a Californian and Chilean genus Crypta~tha (J. GRAU~ and tthiT$alinae (W. B~TH,OT'r). The following section (Impact of special vectors of diaspores) contains three contributions: Distribution of ant-dispersed plants (A. J. BEaTTIE), The role of fishes in seed disp3rsal and plant distribution in Amazonian floodplain ecosystems (M. GGULDn~G), Dispersal and distribution in crop plants (B. PICKERSOIL~). The community relationships is the name of the last section containing five contributions. Four of them deal with dispersal ecology of some special communities in South America: neotropieal forests (A. H. G~.WTRY), cerrado vegetation (G. GOTTSB~.RGER and I. SrLBERBAUER-GccrrsBERGER), savanna vegetation in Amazonia (K. KUSITZKI), and coastal sand and xeric woodland in Brazil (W. MORAWETZ).The fifth paper deals with dispersal of Messembryanthemaceae in arid habitats (H.--D. I~LE~F~LDT). The summary lecture was given by F. EHRr'NDORFErr The whole book is fascinating reading. I cannot agree with Prof. BER~, in his introductory lecture: "Facts arc rare and speculation plentiful; the literature is boundless; and a firm stand on anything means heating discussions for the rest of your life." The whole book shows t h a t the opposite is true. There is no disagreement between long-distance and migratory theories of plant dispersal. Examples presented gave strong evidence for both processes (e.g. cxamples by BACHMA~'N and BAItTrtLOTT gave strong evidence for long-distance dispersal and SC~USTRR shows some examples of very conservative distribution types of Hepatics). I t is a pity that some of the papers mentioned in EB-aW..WDOF~R'Slecture were not published. There are examples in the book which show t h a t some phenomena are stochastic

F O L I A GEOBOTA.N~ICA :ET PI=IYTOTAXONOMICX 20, 1985

216

e v e n t s a n d t h a t t h e s e e v e n t s are a n e s s e n t i a l feature of n a t u r e . A n d t h e s h i f t in t h e m i n d of biogcographers is e x p r e s s e d by t h e l a s t s e n t e n c e of F. E~RE.~'DOaFEa'S c o n t r i b u t i o n : " T h e r e m u s t n o t be a n e x p l a n a t i o n for e v c r y t h i n g " . I t h i n k t h i s is a r a t h e r n e w view in c o n t e m p o r a r y biogeography. FRANTI~EK KRAHULEC L~IA S(:HEL~VAR LA FAMILIA

DE

LAS

CACTACEAS

EN

EL

VALLE

I)E

MEXICO

U n i v e r s i d a d N a c i o n a l A u t o n o m a de Mexico, Mexico 1982, 730 pp., 29 T a b s . , 414 Figs. (drawings, nlaps, b l a c k a n d 'whit~, p h o t o g r a p h s ) . " T h e f a m i l y o f Cactaceae in t h e V a l l e y o f Mexico" is a detailed t a x o n o m i c s t u d y o f t h e cactip l a n t s o c c u r r i n g i n a p a r t o f t h e C e n t r a l M e x i c a n u p l a n d , g e o g r a p h i c a l l y specified as " d e p r e s i 6 n b~custre do Mdxico" or " c u e n c a dcl Valle de M6xieo". T h e are~ covered, a b o u t 7,500 sq. k m . , includes t h e following M e x i c a n s t a t e s : D i s t r i t o Federal, t h e g r e a t e r p a r t of E s t . M6xico, s o m e m i n o r p a r t s of E s t . H i d a l g o a n d Est. T l a x c a l a . G e o m o r p h o l o g i e a l l y , t h e a r c s r e p r e s e n t s a b a s i n s u r r o u n d e d b y h i g h m o u n t a i n ranges r e a c h i n g a l t i t u d e s from 3,000 to 5,500 m. No d r a i n e d b o t t o m of t h e b a s i n a t a n a l t i t u d e of a p p r o x i m a t e l y 2000 m w i t h its c h a r a c t e r i s t i c c l i m a t e a n d w e a t h e r p a t ~ r n , m a k e s s o m e w h a t peculiar c o n d i t i o n s for p l a n t s a n d v e g e t a t i o n . I n t h e g e n e r a l p a r t of t h e book, t h e c l i m a t e a n d v e g e t a t i o n are d e a l t with a n d a c o m p a r a t i v e s t u d y of t h e v e g e t a t i o n of v a r i o u s arid a r e a s b o t h from :b,~orth a n d S o u t h A m e r i c a is given. Separate s e c t i o n s are d e v o t e d to e x t i n c t a n d e n d a n g e r e d p l a n t s a n d t h e i m p o r t a n c e of cacti for m a n as well as t h e i r practical u s e is also discussed. I t is n e c e s s a r y to p o i n t o u t t h a t t h e Cactaceae are n o t v e r y a b u n d a n t t h r o u g h o u t t h e Valley. T h e c h a r a c t e r i s t i c s e m i - d e s e r t p l a n t c o m m u n i t i e s c o m p a r a b l e w i t h " m a t t o r a l " or " i s o t a l " veget a t i o n w i t h h i g h d e n s i t y a n d d i v e r s i t y o f cacti a n d o t h e r s u c c u l e n t p l a n t s are developed in a few, l i m i t e d s i t e s o n l y (e.g. n e a r P a c h u c a ; Sierra de G u a d a l u p e ) . I n t h e a r e a s t u d i e d , t h e a u t h o r d i s t i n g u i s h e d 13 g e n e r a w i t h 59 n a t i v e species in a d d i t i o n to 5 n a t u r a l i z e d t a x a of t h e f a m i l y Cactaceae c o n t r a r y to 10 g e n e r a w i t h 44 species g i v e n in t h e Valley in h e r previous papers. T h e m o s t i m p o r t a n t a n d t h e m o s t v o l u m i n o u s p a r t of t h e b o o k (p. 71 -- 62l) is o f course d e v o t e d to i n d i v i d u a l g e n e r a w h i c h a p p e a r in a l p h a b e t i c a l order w i t h t h e i r species also listed a l p h a b e t i c ally. Besides t h e d e t a i l e d d e s c r i p t i o n s a n d s y n o n y m y o f all species concerned, t h e n e c e s s a r y i n f o r m a t i o n s u c h as v a r i a t i o n p a t t e r n , a n a n n o t a t e d list of s p e c i m e n s e x a m i n e d a n d t y p e l o c a l i t y are. provided, a n d o t h e r v a l u a b l e d a t a are g i v e n w h e r e v e r a p p r o p r i a t e . T h e d i s t r i b u t i o n m a p s o f species in t h e V a l l e y a n d t h e good d r a w i n g s a n d p h o t o s are also p r o v i d e d . T h e b o o k e n d s w i t h a g l o s s a r y o f m o r p h o l o g i c a l t e r m s u s e d in Cactaceae. T h i s work is p r i m a r i l y based u p o n t h e c o m p a r i s o n of h e r b a r i m n collections, a g r e a t deal of i n f o r m a t i o n w a s o b t a i n e d from t h e a u t h o r ' s o w n field s t u d i e s a n d also e x t e n s i v e l i t e r a r y d a t a h a s b e e n utilized. H o w e v e r , s o m e i m p o r t a n t w o r k s were overlooked, e.g. t h e s e by RAUH a n d TROLL, which are n o t referred to in t h e b i b l i o g r a p h y . R e c e n t l y , t h e a r e a u n d e r c o n s i d e r a t i o n h a v i n g been s t r o n g l y u r b a n i z e d a n d o v e r p o p u l a t e d , rapid a n d d r a s t i c c h a n g e s in t h e l a n d s c a p e h a v e occurred. I t c a n n o t be e x p e c t e d t h a t s u c h a detailed s t u d y could be carried o u t in t h e f u t u r e . I t c a n be said t h a t t h e Cactaceae o f t h e Valley of Mexico h a v e b e e n d o c u m e n t e d in t h e l a s t m o m e n t before t h e i r t o t a l e x t i n c t i o n . ,IAN ~{iHA J. Me,rAvEr e t al. ROSTLINN2~ SPOLE(~ENSTVA A JEJICH OHRO~EN:[

(~ESKI~" S O C I A L I S T I C K I : ~

HEPUBLIKY

R e d list o f p l a n t c o m m u n i t i e s of t h e Czech Socialist R e p u b l i k a n d t h e i r c n ( t a n g e r m e n t SeveroSeskou p H r o d o u , O k r e s n l v l a s t i v ~ d n 6 m u z e u m v L i t o m ~ t i c i c h a SeveroSeskgt poboSka (~SBS, Litom5~ice, Suppl. 1983/1, 110 W X V I I I pp. Price 2 0 . - - KSs.

~ 0 o x ~ v , VlV.WS

217

The reviewed booklet, compiled at the suggestion of the Czechoslovak Botanical Society, summarizes long-term vegetation studies of the Czech Socialist l%epublic. I t includes a survey of all associations and higher syntaxa known from the area of (~SR or assumed t o be found there. This small but very valuable publication was prepared by the team of outstanding Czechoslovak phytosociologists. This survey of vegetation units aims to present the present state and the prospects for the development of plant communities on the territory of (~SR. The protection of plant and animal species and populations in the communities of stabilised ecosystems is seen as the only way of protecting the genetic resources. The basic unit dealt with in the survey is the association, defined b y floristic-phytosociological methods. I t is characterised by the data of its distribution over the area of (~SR as well as by the degree of endangerment expressed in a scale with respect to its abundance or rarity in this territory. Analysing the nature of the threat to particular associations the authors show what steps have to be taken to save and preserve the investigated plant communities as a whole. Only the protection of whole ecosystems enables us to conserve important natural assets for further generations. Higher syntaxa are eharacterised very briefly: the classes and orders b y a short ecological description, the characteristics of alliances and suballiances are completed by groups of diagnostic taxa, characterlsing or differentiating the given syntaxon in the investigated area. The reviewed survey of plant communities represents a very rare publication of its kind in the world. The "Red lists of plant communities" were prepared for smMler territories only and in some eases have only not been published (for instance Lower Saxony). At the same time as this survey of plant communities of (~SR was published the "Rote Liste dcr Pflanzengesellschaften Schleswig-Holsteins" appeared, prepared by K. DIERSSEN (in: Schrifteureihe des Landcsamtes fiir Natursehutz und Landsehaftspflege Sehleswig-Holstein, Kiel 1983). I t confirms the assumption t h a t red lists of plant communities which help to establish a network of biogenetic reserves, will become an important part of world strategy for the conservation of the E a r t h ' s biotic riches. This booklet is important not only from the point of view of its possible use in nature conservation or in other branches specialising in landscape planning. I t is an important synthesis of phytosociological and synecological studies of the Czech and Moravian vegetation, coming almost t h i r t y years after KLIKA'S textbook edition (KLIKA J., Nauka o rostlinn#ch spoleSenstvech, Praha 1955). ZDElqKA NEUHAUSLOVA K. A. PIROZYNSKI and J. WALXEX (eds.) PACIFIC

MYCOGEOGRAPHY:APRELIMINARYAPPROACH

Austr. Journ. Bet., Melbourne, Suppl. No. 10, 172 p., 1983. Every contribution to the geography of fungi is welcome as such studies are only rarely published. This is due to the scarcity of reliable d a t a on the distribution of fungi. The booklet reviewed comprises 6 papers presented at a special symposium of the X I I I t h International Botanical Congress, Sydney, August 1981. They are indeed original and scientifically valuable papers, documented by examined specimens as well as distribution maps. The first paper b y E. HORAK deals with the mycogeography of agarics and boleti of the South Pacific, based mainly on his own field work, and the examination of types. The occurrence, in Poland, of Phialocybe improvisa HOR~kK, a minute agaric rather widely distributed in the South Pacific, is very interesting for European mycologists. The second contribution b y P. M. JS•GENSEI~ deals with lichens of the Pacific region. I t is richly illustrated b y a number of instructive but mostly badly reproduced distribution maps (partly from xerocopies). The third contribution (by J. KoirL~mY~l~) is devoted to marine fungi, a group of plants which, however, follow a quite different principle of distribution t h a n the other groups of fungi. R. P. KGXF'S consideration of discomycetons genus Cyttaria concentrates on its co-evolution with the host tree -- Nothofagus. This study puts forward arguments on the taxonomic position of these fungi within Ascomycetes. One of the largest contributions in the booklet reviewed is t h a t on the distribution of plant parasitic fungi b y J. WALKEI~. The author stresses the fact t h a t a number of groups of parasitic fungi are very rare or absent on native plants of Australia and New Zealand; this concerns the

218

FOLIA GEOBOTA~ICA ET PHYTOTAXONO~ICA 20, 1985

genera Synehitrium, Physoderma,and t h e orders P eronosporales, Taphrinales and Erysiphales. The last paper b y K. A. PmozY~sxI synthetizes the general basis of the geographical distribution of fungi in the studied area. He compares especially the parallelism between higher plants and fungi as regards evolution and geographical distribution. This booklet summarises present knowledge of the geography of fungi and lichens especially of the South Pacific, and could serve as a model for similar works dealing with other regions of our globe. FRANTI~EK KOTI.~BA ZD El~i~,lr POIYZ/LR

D. HEss DIE BL?~TE Eugen Ulmer Verlag, Stuttgart 1983. 458 pp., 157 colour photographs, 152 Figs., The author of this work has made it his task to acquaint the reader -- in his own words -with the "secret of flowers", and he has provided it with the sub-title Structure, Function, Ecology, Evolution. The topic is treated in ~n understandable and vivid manner, so t h a t the book is comprehensible not only to scientists, but also to the general public. The book is divided into eleven chapters, which the author amplifies and treats with more precision in a number of sections. The individual chapters cover topical complexes, e.g. Flowers and s y s ~ m a t i c botany, Sexuality in the realm of plants, Biotic and abiotic ways of pollination, Ecological types of flowers; two chapters deal with self-pollination, further c h a p t e r s w i t h new methods of plant improvement and with the development of flowers. Within the framework of the chapters mentioned above, the entire range of problems of the biology of blooming is presented in a logically arranged survey. Both generally and in relation to systematics and taxonomy, the analysis, structure and flower diagram, t h e fruit type and features regarding the whole plant (including utility properties) are illustrated b y individual examples, representatives of families. The structure and function of the cell, sexual propagation and hybridization on the basis of Mendelian laws are explained. The cycles of sexual propagation of lower plants and fungi are also treated in a systematic context. I n this chapter, particularly two- and three-coloured drawings are maximally and effectively used for the elucidation of individual phases of development. The author deals with the question of blooming from various viewpoints; he also treats questions which are only marginally connected with blooming. Most extensive is the chapter on pollination b y animals; there the flower is described with all its external and internal features. The chemical formulas of individual components (colours, fragrances) are given. A thorough account of insects from t h e viewpoint of their adaptation to the pollination of various flower types is also given. Furthermore, the author deals in more detail with the eolour vision of insects and birds, with the significant role of nectar and fragrances and with their synergic effect; he also includes here the behaviour of insects and birds, the way they draw near the flowers, the possibility of their being adapted to one species only, etc. Very instructive is the graphical illustration of the relation between various times of flower opening and the activity of diurnal and nocturnal insects. The field observations are verified by experiments described at the end of individual chapters. The second p a r t of the book is devoted to the morphology of flowers. For individual types the examples of species are set in tables w i t h ' t h e Latin and German terminology. Flower ecology as a relation between flowers and pollinators (insects, birds, bats) is put in the context of the morphological properties of both partners as well as other factors. A number of examples o f species pollinated b y bees, flies, wasps, diurnal and nocturnal butterflies, bats and birds are enumerated here. The mechanisms of flowers and the adaptation of their pollinators encourage or mediate allogamy. The author therefore devotes a special chapter to ways of preventing self-pollination. Dioecia, dichogamy, proterandry, proterogyny, hercogamy, heterostyly, incompatibility and its mechanisms -- these are the headings of individual sections of this chapter. The last p a r t of the book deals with new methods of plant improvement -- with vegetative

219

BOOX~WEWS

hybridization by means of isolated parte of protoplasts, pollen grains etc. The book ends with the evolution of flowers, where the individual expositions follow up the foregoing chapters. The book is ilb~strated with very numerous pen drawings of extraordinarily good quality; In some cases they are coloured, which makes t h e m more effective. Skilful eoloured illustrations with precise details add to the intelligibility of individual chapters and contribute largely to the excellent general arrangement of the book. I4eferences to individual topics are added at the end of end chapter and once more at the end of the book. Howoww, it is surprising t h a t the author has not taken into account the papers b y DAUM^NN, which were published in German both in Czechoslovakia and abroad and are frequently quoted in the world literature. Moreover, the thematically related, interesting hook b y SZAFE~t W. and WOJTUSICHOWA H.: K w i a t y i zwierzeta ( ~ Flowers and Animals), Warszawa 1969, should certainly be mentioned. Pollination by birds, to be sure, is troth necessary and interesting from the general point of view; however, in our conditions the main role of pollinator of entomophilous plants is played by the honeybee. From m a n y papers it is evident t h a t about 100 species of crgp plants both in the temperate and in the tropical zones are dependent upon the pollination activity of bees; I believe t h a t adequate atta~ntion should be paid to this aspect. However, apart from these little objections, HEss' book "Die Bliite" is to be appreciated as a modern treatise of blooming problems. I t covers more than is usually understood by the term "flower". In individual chapters new knowledge and working methods have been included, so that the book will serve well not only for study, but also for practical purposes. I)*-'~ASvoBo~ovk

Sz. PRISZTER

ARBORES

FRUTICESQUE

E]i l R O P A E

Vocabularium octo linguis redaetum Akaddmiai Kiad6, Budapest, 1983, 300 pp. The book reviewed represents a very useful source of information regarding the nomenclature of European woody plants. Tim bulk of the publication forms a list of these plants with their names in 8 languages. The Latin name is followed by the names, if known, in English, French, German, Hungarian, Italian, Spanish and Russian. This is the first time t h a t the I 200 trees, shrubs and semi-shrubs of the continent covering an area of 10 million sqlmre kilometres have been collected and supplied with an up-to-date nomenclature. The dictionary has been based on the botanical system and nomenclature adopted in Flora Europaea, including synonyms found in this five-volume work. I t contains all woody species grown naturally in Europe. Wild or cultivated species of non-European origin have been omitted, even though naturalized in Europe, as in the case of Robinia pseudoacacia, Acer negundo, Ailanthus altissima, and others. The preface in 7 languages ~ t h a list of abbreviations, describing geographical distribution and other features used in the text, precede the dictionary itself. The system of woody plants including genera and higher taxonomical units, accompanied b y a list of abbrevfiations of individual families and subfamilies follows. The dictionary gives the names of genera and species, the latter with information about their natural distribution. The scientific names are followed by the names of the authors. The generic and specific names are followed b y three- or four-letter abbreviations in pointed brackets, indicating the family, in the case of Compositav and Leguminosae the subfamily. For detailed information concerning the geographical territories the reader is referred to the maps of Flora Europaea. I n the ease of French, German, Italian, Spanish and l~.nssian names the grammatical gender is given by means of the abbreviations: m, f, n. I n some cases equivalents have not been found in all languages, ia spite of great effort. This concerns mainly some West and Southeast Mediterranean as well as a few East European species, mostly dwarfs and semishrubs. On the other hand, in some species well known to the general public more t h a n one name is given, according to their imt~rtance. Obsoh~te and dialectal names have been excluded. New names, not yet in general use so far, as well as improper and misleading names are indicated by special symbols.

220

FOLIA G:EOBOTAI~ICA :ET PHYTOTAX0zN'OMICA 20. 1985

Alphabetical indexes for each of the 7 languages used in the dictionary, with numbers referring to the Latin entries enable better and more rapid orientation in the text. The index of full authors' names, with birth and death dates of the authors, if known, forms a separate part of the book. Th~ last part contains the bibliography of works consulted. The publication represents the result of a cooperative work. The edition and cmnpilation of the general parts were mudo by Sz. P,~Iszr~.~ who is also the) author of the L a t i n entries and Hungarian names in the dictionary. Four others contributed to the list of generic and specific names in foreign langnlages. The dictionary can serve as a very useful aid in dendrological studios. Its advantage is a relatively great number of woody species included in the book and up-to-date nomenclature. Thanks to several indaxea and informative d a t a it offers rapid and broad information for specialists and translators as well as to nonspaclalists interested in the study of dendrology. MILENA ROUDN~. B. M. MTaKI~ et G. S. ROZENBFatO TOLKOVYJ SLOVAR SOVI~EMENNOJ FITOCENOLOGII [An explanatory dictionary of contemporary phytocoonology] Nauka, Moskva, 1983, 134 pp., Price Rubl. 0.80. This book m a y be considered as a supplement to the textbook of phytocoenology (Nauka, Moskva 1978) b y the same authors. The book contains explanations of about 500 terms from different fields of plant ecology. The t e r m s used in all Russian, European (including classical Braun-Blanquet) and modern quantitative approaches (originating mostly from English speaking authors) are included. Hence, the range of topics in this book is wider t h a n those usually included under "phytocoenology"; it is much closer to geobotany (in Central European sense) or to plant ecology. (For example, such terms as diversity, productivity, ordination, different numerical expressions etc. are included.) The English, German or French equivalents are given for terms originating from schools other than Russian. The dictionary is very useful, above all because it brings together and compares terms of different origins;this helps to avoid the use of different t e r m s for the same concept and enables b e t t e r understanding between researchers of different schools. JAN L~P~ H. "~VA~TERand S.-W. BRECKLE 0 K O L O G I E D E R E R D E , V O L . 1. O K O L O G I S C H E IN GLOBALER SICHT

GRUNDLAGEN

Gustav Fischer Verlag, Stuttgart 1983, 238 pp., 130 Figs. Professor 1I. WALTFR and his collaborators keep surprising the ecologists' world by resourceful textbooks, manuals and compendia. Coming from this prolific workshop a brand new series called "Okologie dor Erde" has recently been started by the publication of its first volume in G. Fischer's Publishing House in Stuttgart. Following earlier successful attempts, H. WALTER and his co-author intend to synthesize the fundamental knowledge about the relationships between life and geographical zones. Stressing the "global" view the authors faced a trcmendou~ didactic problem arising from tile two different meanings of the term: (1) "global" as a s y n o n y m for "planetary, worldwide", and (2) "global" as an equivalent for "integrated, total, universal", i.e. covering b o t h the botanical and zoological aspects. As it appears from the introductory volume, H. WALTE~ and S.-W. BRECKLE intend to develop a broad blogeographical coverage, with plants as "producers" of the ecosystems remaining in the focus of their attention. The introductory volume is a collection of major ecological, geographical and geophysical concepts and terms which dominate present-day science. The captions of the main chapters may illustrate the logical thread of the book: 1. Introduction. 2. The geobiospherc in the geological

221

B f)()KR]~VIEWS

past. 3. Ecological classification of the geobiosphere. 4. Terrestrial ecosystems and their particularities. 5. Basic prerequisites of the livc precedes: Temperature and hydrature. 6. The competition factor and root competition. 7. Science of succession--climax--zonal vegetation. 8. Process of assimilation and primary production in the humid and arid regions, from the ecological view. 9. Law of the relative habitat stability, ecotypes and ecocline. 10. Venezuela: an example of the vegetation pattern. These chapters are followed by a list of essential literature and a useful index of terms and names. Except for a few photographs, the majority of figures are drawings elucidating interesting structures and processes in sample ecosystems. The terminological system applied by the authors logically develops earlier WALTER'S vocabulary, widely used by different ecological teams and schools. I n recent decades, "continental" Europ(~an ecological papers have been pervaded by much younger yet very progressive concepts and notions of Anglophone scholars which led to a profound gap between the two terminological systems. For example, plant sociology (Ziirich-Montpellier School) is hardly compatible with quantitative ecology (British-American approach), mainly because of overlapping terminology. There should he also greater harmony hctween field ecology and laboratory ecophysiology what incidentally is an aim for the achievement of which Professor Walter has long worked. The book under review, no doubt, will enhance further progress in coupling underestimated field observations with experimcntal procedures. The planet called the Earth, in its vast space and time scales, is a good object for observations, yet a troublesome and rather dangerous object for large-scale experiments. In the preface of the book, H. WALTER and S.-W. BREC~LE emphasize their deductive approach: "Nur von Ganzen ausgehend sind die einzelnem Tells verst~ndlich und nicht umgekehrt" (p. V.). The reviewe~" cannot accept this statement without referring to a recent paper by J. B. PAssmtrR.~ (Accountability, Philosophy and P l a n t Physiology, Search 10/10 : 347--350, at 1979). Perceiving the world as being organised into conceptual layers, we manage to make sense of it by using such terms as "molecular lcvcl", '*cellular level", "whole organism level", "community level", "ecosystem level"-- and let us continue in the terminology of H. WALTZER and S.-W. BRECKLE, "biogeocene" level, "biome" level, "geobiosphere" level and "biosphere" level. Each layer of the layered system of the Earth has its own language, concepts and principles. Discovery at a given level is stimulated by thinking of adjacent levels. Translating of a phenomenon to a language of a lower layer provides us with e x p l a n a t i o n s , translating to a higher level provides us with the s i g n i f i c a n c e of the phenomenon we are studying. Thus, both deductive and inductive approach are worthwhile and necessary. I t is true, however, t h a t the translation of ecological phenomena to higher, worldwide levels is very rare in the current l i t e r a t u r e - biegeographical works included. We feel t h a t the great merit of the book under review is in She brilliant inter-translation of languages and data of various organisation levels in ecological works. And particularly, in the translation to the tdghest level of the "geobiosphcre" which provided us with t h e s i g n i f i c a n c e of many phenomena studied by ecologists all over the world. JAN ,IENiK

O. L. LAh'GE, P. S. NOBEL, C. B. OS~IO~'D and H. Z[EGLER (Eds.) P H Y S I O L O G I C A L P L A N T E C O L O G Y , IV. E C O S Y S T E M P R O C E S S E S , MINERAL CYCLING, PRODUCTIVITY A N D MAN'S I N F L U E N C E EncycloFedia of Plant Physiology edited by A. PIRSON, M. H. ZIblMERMA.N~', New Ser., Vol. 12D. Springer-Verlag, Berlin, Heidelberg and New York 1983, 644 pp. The volume Physiological Plant Ecology of the series Encyclopedia of Plant Physiology has bcen completed by the fourth subvolume (part 12 D) dealing with ecosystem processes, productivity and man's influence. The volume contains 16 widely different chapters written by famous specialists on ecosystem functioning at primary production level. The editors explain why some chapters not dealing with the ecosystem flmctioning in physiological terms were omitted as for example, the problems of plant succession or dynamics of plant populations which are treated in other special monographs. On the other hand, all chapters are focussed on the processes connect-

222

FOLIA G~EOBOTA.N'ICA ET PHYTOTAXO.N*O~rICA 20, t985

ed with physiological mechanisms such as solar energy conversion or mineral nutrient uptake cycling and release. From this point of view the chapters are grouped into those dealing with nutrition ecology and the productivity of the terrestrial, freshwater and marine ecosystems. Many of the problems included were studied and summarized in the results of the IBP decade. Physiological processes as the basis of primary ecosystem productivity are therefore the major subject of discussion in the first three general chapters. Chapter 1, entitled Nutrient Allocation in Plant Communities (by J. L. C ~ Y and B. N. RICm~RDS) includes soil metabolism and its central position in mineral cycling; sources of mitrients from the atmosphere, parent material, nutrient stocks in the soil, vegetation and litter; nutrient uptake and return; organic matter decomposition, nutrient release from residues; factors affecting the decomposition of detritus and nutrient losses in the geochemical cycle. Chapter 2 (by A. MELZER and C. STEINBERO) deals with nutrient cycling in freshwater ecosystems. I t is arranged according to the cycles of individual macro- and micronutrients: inorganic and organic carbon, the role of detritus, nitrogen input, fixation, transformation and losses, forms of phosphorus, their dynamics and cycles, the role of different consumers, the cycle of sulphur, silica and heavy metals, especially of iron and manganese. Unfortunately, very little information is provided on higher aquatic plants. Chapter 3 (by T. R. PEA~SONS a i d P. J. H~LRRmON) dealing with marine ecosystems is also arranged according to nitrogen, phosphorus and silicon cycles. In this chapter, the role of maerophytic vegetation (marine algae) is respected. Chapters on production and primary productivity are introduced b y a treatment of agricultural ecosystems (by R. S. LooMm). The following chapters concern the productivity of grassland and tundra ecosystems (by L. L. TIESSEN and J. K. DETLINU), desert ecosystems and mediterranean climate plants (by J. ElmER~OER and H. A. MooNEs). Two chapters on the productivity of forest ecosystems conclude the treatment of the productivity of terrestrial ecosystems (Temperate Deciduous and Evergreen Forests by P. G. J~_RVIS and J. W. LEVF_.aE~Z, and Tropical Woodlands and Forests b y E. MEDL'~Aand H. KL~NGE). The treatment of aquatic ecosystems primary productivity (by W. R. BOY~To.~, C. A. I4_AL~, P. G. FALKOWSKr,C. W. K~.EFE and W. M. K~:~P) includes only the productivity of phytoplankton; the productivity of higher plants is not discussed. The remaining chapters are oriented more physiologically and biochemically, rather t h a n ecologically. This is especially true of the first part of the chapter on the effects of biocides and growth regulators (by K. PFISTER and W. URBACH), which is more extensive and documented by numerous references, discussing the biochemical basis of these substances. The second p a r t of this chapter (by E. SCHUBERT), limited of course, deals with their ecological implications in different ecosystems. I n other chapters, the eutrophication and pollution of freshwater ecosystems, complemented by the effect of waste heat, is discussed b y A. KOHLER and B. C. LABUS. The effects of atmospheric pollutants are treated by K. J. LEIgDRIAN and M. H. UNSWORTH. All the questions discussed concern more the metabolic reactions in plants than their ecological implications. The changes in atmospheric CO2 concentrations (by D. M. GATES, B. 1~. SKAI.'~ and J. A. WEBER) are discussed with r e s t a r t to the atmospheric heat balance and the global carbon cycle in the atmosphere, and in both terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems, respecting the plant's response to C02 enrichment. The last chapter (by W. D. BILLn~QS), deals with the influence of m a n on ecosystem structure, functioning and ecophysiological processes. This chapter, more speculative and philosophical, compares in a highly enlightening way the evolution and structure of natural ecosystems and their driving priuciples with the action of man as it has appeared and spread in natural ecosystems. The dil%rent specializations of the authors, oriented more physiologically t h a n ecologicalJy, cause a certain diversity in the elaboration of some chapters which to some extent spoils the (miform character of the volume. But all materials are ~ r y extensive and important especially for those ecologists who are insufficiently oriented in plant physiology. The technical set up of the w~lume is excellent as in all preceding volumes of Springer's Encyclopedia of Plant Physiology. The book is provided with three indexes: of the authors, of taxonomic names and with an exhaustive subject index. DAGMAR DYKYJOV.~

BOOXl~EVlEWS

223

C. M. SCHONXWALD-Cox,S. M. CB.AMBERS,B. MACBRYDE, and W. L. THOMAS (OiS.) GENETICS

AND CONSERVATION

A reference for managing wild animal and plant populations The Benjamin/Cummings Publishing Company Inc., Menlo Park (California), London, Amsterdam, Don Mills, Ontario, Sydney and Tokyo 1983, 722 pp., 64 Figs. About one wild species becomes extinct every day because of continuous human pressures exerted all over the world. Man has already recograizod his "evolutionary responsibility" outlined by O. H. FRANKV.Land M. E. SouL~. in their inspiring work "Conservation and Evolution" ( 1981). Conditions of long-term survival of species in their broadest genetic diversity are still little understood. Population and evolutionary genetics thus have a significant role in conservation biology. The first volume of t h e newly started Biological Conservation Series of the Benjamin/Cummings Publishing House presents basic information about g(~netic processes which play an eminent role in the survival and evolution of plant and animal species, and about the consequences of these processes in conservation management. More t h a n thirty participating authors produced a remarkable work. I n the introductory part, the desirable place of management in conservation, and the general principles of the genetics for managers are reviewed. The fundamental processes and factors of isolation promoting genetic divergence between populations are explained in the first part of the book. The direct or indirect consequences of isolation, e.g., extinction, founding, bottlenecks, merging, and the means of preserving of the diversity of populations are analyzed and discussed in the remaining four parts of the volume. The causes of extinction-- how to mitigate. the loss of fitness--the probability of extinction in small populations--the founder effect--the evolutionary consequences of inbreeding and h y b r i d i z a t i o n - - w h a t is m e a n t b y diversity and how to measure i t - - t h e relevance of captive populations to the conservation of biotic diversity--these are only a few of the m a n y interesting problems described, examined, explained, and/or discussed in the book. The reviewers believe t h a t the authors of several chapters, such as Chap. 5 (Differentiation ... over short distances), Chap. 7 (... about extinction), Chap. 14 (Molecular approaches ...), Chap. 19 (Preserving natural diversity), Chap. 25 (Quidelines to management ...), deserve special thanks for their translation of the genetic conceptual and language level into a clear message to all conservationists and managers. A glossary is attached to help the reader with unfamiliar terms. I n the appendix, some symbols and abbreviations are given as well as equations of important parameters t h a t must be considered in the conservation of populations, an overview of concerns presented by wildlife managers, data on the distribution of variations within and among the plant populations, calculations of inbreeding coefficients from pedigrees, and monogamy and polygyny models. A list of references offers an additional source of detailed information on the subject. (:omprehensive author, species, and subject indexes make the book still more vahmble. The up-to-date approach of the authors and the high didactic standard of their contributions should generally be appreciated. Briefly, this book can be recommended as a graduate-level rcading material for everybody working in wildlife and plant conservation, as well as in resource management. The high academic quality and applicability of the conclusions make this book a valuable source of data, suggestions and techniques which can be employed in all territories suffering by a progressive decline of their biotic diversity. MARIE NAU~DA KONS~LLOV/L J ~ JF~SiK KLAUS DIEICSSEN DIE WICHTIGSTEN NW-EUROPAS

PFLANZENGESELLSCHAFTEN

DER MOORE

Editions des Conservatoire e t Jardin botaniques de la Ville de Gen~ve, No~ 6, Chamb6sy-- Gen~ve 1982, 382 pp., 55 Figs., 57 Tabs., 104 Maps, 32 Plates; about 440 DM, 350 sfr. One of the expensive modern scientific books has just appeared and a n y b o d y who faces the decision whether to buy or not to buy asks if the content of the book is worth its price. The

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FOLIA G~0BOTANICA ET PHYTOTAXON0~fICA 20, 1985

answer is unambiguous: yes. The book is of high scientific standard and presents a unique amount of authentic analytical phytosociological material concerning all mire types of the Boreo-Atlantic part of Europe. The volume opens with a chapter of general character, explaining the methodological principles used, describing the environmental background of the areas studied, viz. Iceland, Norway, the Faroes, Great Britain and Ireland, informing about the mire t y p e s in the above-mentioned regions, presenting a survey and genesis of morphological structures of mires, and showing the links between the microclimate and regional distribution of mire types. The main body of the book is devoted to the description of p l a n t communities of mires and their contact sites. This means that, in addition to plant communities of the Scheuchzerio-Caricetea ]uscae and the Oxycocco-Sphagnetea, some vegetational units of the classes Littorelletea uni/lorae and Phragmitetea are included. Each s y n t a x o n is characterized b y a list of character species, a list of synonyms, by syntaxonomical notes, and the nomenclatural type is determined. Data on synmorphology, synchorology, syndynamics and synecology are added to the characterization of associations; in this case, phytosociological variability with references to subassociations, variants, races, etc., is also indicated. The following sections concern the relation of the vegetational units in the region under study, the problems of mapping the mire vegetation complexes and the h u m a n impact on the mire vegetation. The final part of the book includes taxonomic notes, a list of about 1200 mires with their descriptions and geographical positions, a full bibliography and very useful indexes. Professor DIERSSE~ has chosen the more or less traditional Central European approach to the delimitation of associations, using the presence of one or several character species as the main criterion for determination of the relevance of concrete phytocoenosis to an association. This approach, however, results in forming very broad basic syntaxa w i t h several subassociations, representing stands of very (or quite) different fioristic composition, syndynamics, synchoroIogy and synecology. This is especially true in the case of the class Scheuchzerio-Caricetea ]uscae, where, in m a n y instances, one character species is the only common taxon for marginal phytocoenoses within an association (cL, e.g., Caricetum limosae, Tab. 5 C: 6 and 33; Caricetum lasiocarpae, Tab. 9 C: 5 and 26; Caricetum rostratae, Tab. 10 D: 6 and 28, etc.). Counting the Sorensens coefficient of similarity we get values between 10 and 15, indicating very low homotoneity of those relev6s. The author abstains from an exact determination of nomenclatural types for an association; he does not choose one concrete relev6 only as required b y the Code of phytosoeiologieal nomenclature. Instead, he tries to typify an association using the whole phytosoeiological table, even in those cases he himself describes a new association. This, of course, makes later lectotypization necessary and will possibly cause misunderstandings and bring about a complication if someone else suggests any syntaxonomic alteration at some later date. The changes of the original names of syntaxa, using the present correct names of species, help to enlarge the llst of synonyms. Even though the author gives a more m" less acceptable explanation for his nomenclatural attitude (p. 13), the following remarks have to be taken into consideration; the name Carex chordorrhiza-Amblystegium revolvens Ass. OSVALD 1925:37 (Drepanoclado revolventis-Caricetum chordorrhizae in DIERSSEN, p. 128) was not published validly (relev~ missing). Campylio-Caricetum dioicae (in an original form Carex dioica-Amblystegium stellatum Ass.) was published by OSVA~D in 1925 (erroneously 1923 in DIE~SSEN, p. 157). There is no reason to change the original name b y OSVA~D (Calluno vulgaris-Sphagnetum magdlanici) in Erico-Sphagnetum magellanici (OsvA/~D 1923) MOORE 1968, cf. p. 204. The names of the order Sphagnetalia as well as of the alliance Sphagnion ]usci are mentioned by PAW~OWSXI 1928 as nomina nuda only, so their use as basionyms is not correct. These more or less formal or subjective comments cannot detract from our admiration for the precision of DIERSSE~'S work as a whole and of its extent. Thanks to the author and a~so t o the Swiss publisher, the geobotanlsts have at their disposal over 6000 full phy~osociological relev~s from those parts of Europe which have so far been "terrae incognitae". We do not know of any other printed book concerned with the phytosociology of fens and bogs which could compare with DXERSSEN'S monograph. There is no doubt t h a t the book will be regarded, for a long time, something like a bible b y all those who s t u d y mire vegetation and mire typology in Europe and who have something to do with nature conservancy and the protection of mire environments in N W Europe. K ~ X L RYBNibE~ ROBERT NEUH~_USL