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Bookreviews K. KOPECK? & S. HE.IN? RUDF__aL~N~ SPOLEC~NSTVA BYLIN (~ESK~ REPUBLIKY Studies of the Czechoslovak Academy of Sciences, Academia, Praba 1992, 128 p. Price 60.- K~s, ISBN 80-200-0175-1 This overview of herb mderal communities of the Czech Republic may be considered as the second edition of the previous publication of the "Survey of the ruderal communities of the Czech Republic" (HE.IN'/el al. 1979). There is, however, one principle difference between the editions, and this is that the vegetation was treated by the so-called "deductive methed of the phytosociological classification". Compared to the previous version, introductory chapters remained basically the same, providing an insight into the classification rr~Lhod, brief description of ~nct/ons of ruderal vegetation (i.e. that occmxing in m a n - m a ~ habitats, more or less excluding the types under agricultural managemem0 in present landscape, and comments on vegetation dynarrocs with respect to the aspects of nature conservancy, Currently, mderal phytosociology is mostly identified with syntaxonomy and it is frequendy understood as being only a means of classifying communities. Attempts to cope with classification problems resulted in modifications of classification attitudes; of these attempts the so-called deductive method (KOPEOC~? & H O ~ 1974, 1978) may be considered most promising. It has been used quite frequently to date (see KOPECKs 1988 for review) and its strengths were demonstrated in the series of papers by the first author. The method makes it possible to classify most of the stands found in the field. Furthermore, the deductive methed is much more able to record vegetation dynarmcs as exemplified by description of the gradual spread of native species to man-made habitats (so-called apophytization process) (KOPECK? 1984). On the contrary, the method allows the recognition of a large number of units which in fact, may lead to the loss of clarity of the phytosocio•gical system. The final product of phytosocio[ogical research of a given area is a survey of commnnitms. This may, however, range from a simple list of units re,corded in a single village to an extensive survey critically evaluating vegetation over a large area. The former case is nothing more than "vegetation floristics" but the latter one, in which the reviewed book surely belongs, is undoubtedly of great value. Having studied the issue, a couple of ideas came to mind; these are suggestions for future research rather than a criticism. To me. adding the authors' names to the names of units described by the deductive method is not wise. If we resist rigidly on nomenclatural rules, one of the method's principle advantages will be lost, i.e. that it may be used freely as a tool for making inventories of plant communities (PYgEK 1992). Given the name of a dominant species and the position of the community in the phytosociological system an experienced phytosociologist can develop an impression of the community being considered. Necessity to search the vast body of phytosociological literature, as to whether the given community has been already reported or not, makes using the method less comfortable and less flexible. It should be stressed, at least for some of the communities included, that what is presented as the area of community dis~bution refers rather to its known distribution range than to its absolute occurrence, Thig is a result of the fact that there ar~ still some regions in the Czech Republic that have not presently been sufficiently investigated in detail, or if they had been, the deductive method was not used but rather the traditional approaches of the phytosociological classification. Including shrub communities would certainly increase the volume's scientific value. The reason shrubs are excluded presumably is that there is not sufficient knowledge about this type of vegetation in the area studied This remains a challenge for both authors and their successors.

108

Boo~e~ews

I would appreciate a comprehensive English summary. I am fearful that a one-page German summary of the method and the survey itself will not gain much respect in the English language scientific world. This is a shame, in particular if we consider the increasing interest in phytosociology currently raising in the British Isles (RODWELL 1991). The reference list contains only sources that have not been referred to in the first edition. To be honest, I am not very happy about this decision, since not everyone who may use this issue can obtain the fhst one, which is, as far as I know, no longer available. The disadvantage caused of this fact seems to me rrmch larger than the advantage of saving a couple of printed pages which was probably the reason for arranging the reference list as it is. I am really happy that, despite of current difficulties with getting funds for printing any scientific book. the authors managed to have this work published. Undoubtedly, the reviewed book is extremely useful for phytosociology. It is nice to have it as an argument in the still lasting "phytosociology-yes-or-no" discussion.

REFERENCES HKII,,q? S. et al. (1979): Pi~ehled ruderhlnich rostlinn~ch spol~enstev ~eskosloveuska. - Rozpr. (~s. Akad. Wed, ser. math.-nat., 89/2: 1-100. KOPECKS? K. (1984): Der Apophytisierungsprozess und die Apophytengesellschaften der Galio-Urticetea nfit einigen Beispielen aus der stidwestlichen Umgebung yon Praha. - Folia Geobot. Phytotax. 19:113-138. KOPECK~ K. (1988): Pou][itf tzv. deduktivnf metody syntaxonomick~ klasifikace ve fytocenologick~ literatuge. - Preslia 60: 177-184. KOPECK~ K. & HF.,JN~S. (1978): Die Anwendung einer deduktiven Methode syntaxonomischer Klassifikation bei tier Bearbeitung der strassenbegleitenden Pflanzengesellschaften Nordostlithmens. - Vegetatio 36:43-51. PY~EK P. (1992): Approaches to studying spontaneous settlement flora and vegetation in central Europe: a review. - In: SUKOPP H. [ed.]: Urban ecology. - Dr. W. Junk Publ. RODWELL J. et al. (1991): British plant communities 1. - Blackwell, Oxford. Pm'R PV~EK

P. BOYCE THE GENUS ARUM The Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew A Kew Magazine Monograph, London 1993, 196 pp., 43 Figs., 25 Maps. Price GBP 30.-, ISBN 0-11-250085-4 The monographic elaboration of the attractive genus Arum appears in the series of monographs of this botanical institution of high reputation. Let us recall the characteristic features - flowers arranged in a simple spadix with a significant appendix and covered with a green spathe with a purple tinge; the shoots grow up from the horizontal tuber, leaf stems from the base of the plant. The leaf blade is arrow-like, with a net of veins, the fruit being orange-red berries. The genus comprises, according to the study reviewed, 25 species growing from the Azores to western China, and, according to the geographical latitude, from Sweden to Morocco. Pollination is a very special and attractive mechanism, especially its relation to the inflorescences. The ecological demands are also remarkable; most species prefer alkaline substrates rich in nutrients both in the.deciduous forests of the temperate zone and in the communities of the garrigue and maquis in the F_.tesian vegetation of the Mediterranean region. Taxonomy is, however, the pivotal part of the monograph reviewed:

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suprageneric relations are shown fast. The genusArum is the only one with parietal placentation. The infrageneric classification divides the genus into 2 subgenera, 2 sections and 6 subsections. Subsection Dischroochiton is the richest in species number with its 15 species noted for the spadix-appondix long-stipitate, pistilledes very well developed, with long, filiform, flexuous bristles, staminodes either similar or with stiff, mistate brisdes, and inflorescence foetid, sweetoily or smelling of fermenting fruit. It also includes the species A. omnta/e BIEB whose area reaches to the Pannonian region of Slovakia. For the flora of this country, the species A. maculamm L. and A. atpinum SCHOTT et KOTSCHY come into consideration. At the end of the monograph, unclear or questionable species are noted, as well as hybrids, and survey of bibliography is given. Here, the significant work of A. TERP0 (1973) on the Arum genus is cited, which covers the Cmpathian phytogeographic region relating to both the Czech and Slovak republics. The literature cited covers only the subfamily Aro/deae, of course. "fuming over the leaves of this very concise and easy to survey monograph enriched with excellent drawings of the diagnostic characters and with colour tables of the habitats of the species, one is rather puzzled by the graphic interpretation of geographical areas - these are hatched both on the continental and regional scales, in principle; this mode is rather vague and especially the edges of the area are not clear. In any c.a~, the approach to this question as well as the resulting elaboration and the perfect typography, makes this book an invaluable source of information on the genus Arum. BOHDAN KI~SA

A.H. M t ~ LEHRBUCH DER PAL.~OZOOLOGIE Band I, AIIgemeine Gmndlagen Gustav Fischer Veflag, Jena, Stuttgart, 1992, 5. Auflage, 514, pp., 280 Figs., Price DEM 98_-, ISBN 3-334-60378-4 The Lehrboch der Pal~iozoologie by Arno H. Miiiler, Professor at Bergakademie Freiberg, consists of three volumes (Allgemeine Gmndlagen, Invenebraten - three books, and Vertebmten - three books). The overall structure of the volume clearly shows to the year of its fast issue - 1957. The improvement of the fifth edition on the previous editions was achieved much more by "accretion" than by general revision. The body of the Allgerneine Grundlagen is divided into nine major sections that vary in amount of detail and balance. The first two chapters give the definition of paleontology and a short review of its history. The interdisciplinary character of paleontology, the biological nature of the studied subjects and their preservation in the geological record, is explicitly stated. The third chapter, thoroughly treating taphonomy, i.e. all about the processes by which dead organisms were transformed to fossils: transportation, deposition, decomposition, mineralization, diagenesis, deformation etc., is a fundamental part of the book both by its extent (152 pages) and its scope, not surprising in the author of a volume on taphonomy in the voluminous Treatise on Invertebrate Paleontology. The fourth chapter concerns biological sysmmatics and zoological nomenclature. In a short overview of cladistic systematics, Mililer has criticized this method following the arguments of Mayr, Schindewolf and others. He mentioned several different proposals of phylogenetists on the systematic position of the Saurischia, Ornitischia and Ayes (e.g. their lumping together in the class Dinosauria) as evidence of disturbance of the classification stability. In this light, however, all improvements of classifieafion tending to better reflection of recognized phylogeny might he considered harmful. Of the objections mentioned, the exaggerated stressing of cladogenesis over anagenesis underlying cladistic taxonomy seems to he more serious. Besides no~es on cladistic taxonomy, it would have been appropriate to give some information about numerical

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taxonomy. In my opinion, it would be more important to inform students about its methods and shortcomings than to waste room on what is now a somewhat trivial fifth chapter, the "Kurze Einfiihrung in die Variationsstatistik", dealing in essence only with the arithmetical mean, standard deviation and standard error. The author's reluctance to accept the recent tendency towards mathematical modelling is clearly declared: "[es] fi~hn h~ufig zur Verschleierung und tibermiissigen Vereinfachung schon bekannter Einsichten, nur selten zu gmndlegend neuen Erkenntnissen." The section on phylogeny covers typical paleontological topics concerning the determination of geological time and evolutionary theory. There are many interesting diagrams showing time-intervals over which different systematic categories survived. The events of explosive evolutions and mass extinctions are clearly recognizable and the explanations of the possible causes are discussed. TI~ still popular impact hypothesis of the 1980's is considered "unsicher und zweifelhaft". Nevertheless I believe that there is now enough evidence for the impact of an extraterrestrial body at the Cretaceous/I'ertiary boundary. The contradictions in data on this mass extinction show that still other causes could be involved - most probably climatic deterioration connected with extensive volcanic activity known on the subcontinent of India at that time. An accidental coincidence of these independent processes offers a reasonable explanation of the observed data. Short information on SCmNDEWOLF'S (1947) typostrophic theory, which influenced the evolutionary thinking of the author of the volume (see p.320), is presented together with Beurlen's and Simpson's macroevolutionary theories. The typostrophic theory supposes a short, explosive phase of evolution after the origin of a new "Bauplanmuster" (via proterogenesis - the heterochronic origin of novelty at early ontogenetic stages - as a rule) followed by typostasis and after the existence of lineage was finished by typolysis (a result of the loss of evolutionary plasticity, e.g. due to overspecializatiou). This conception reverses cause and effect. The degree of specialization is not a function of time. Even the most viable extant taxonomic groups have their roots in Precambrian. Therefore the generalization suggesting that phyletic lineages grow old (p. 250) until they reach the stage of "phylogenetischer Senilit~it" cannot correctly explain evolutionary displacements. The next two chapters concern paleoecology, physiology, taxiology (study of trace fossils - footprints, burrows etc.), and paleobiogeography. It should be pointed out that the Paratethys - a system of the inland seas extending through Europe - came into existence in Early Miocene and not in Middle Miocene: this is several million years difference. On the other hand, what was in reality the Upper Miocene in age - the Tortonian stage - is erroneously assigned to Middle Oligocene on p. 318. There is an appendix describing many useful paleontological preparation techniques. Even if there are some doubtful opinions, this volume is a very good textbook of the principles of paleontology. JAN KRHOVSK~

J.R. NORRIS, D.J. READ & A.K. VARMA [eds.] METHODS IN MICROBIOLOGY VOL. 24 Techniques for the Study of Mycorrhiza Academic Press, San Diego, CA, 1992, 450 pp., Price USD 99.- (hardback), ISBN 0-12-521524-X Mycorrhiza are associations between plant roots and fungi and both potentially benefit from the association. Mycorrhizal symbiosis is nearly universal in terrestrial plants and it is the norm for the nutrition of most terrestrial plant species. Experimental work on mycorrhiza has gained deserved ascendancy during the last fifteen years, partly at the expense of field surveys and ecological studies needed to expand and sharpen our knowledge of the place of mycotrophy in nature ecosystems, partly for the possible use of mycorrhiza in agriculture, particularly to enhance its sustainability.

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A previous review of methods of mycorrhizal research "Methods and principles of mycorrhizal research" edited by N.C. SCHENCKwas published in 1982. The basic methods of sampling strategies, observation and evaluation of ende- and ectomycorrhizal fungi were described. Since then a tremendous increase of interest in mycon-hiza as well as many quantitative improvements in research methods have arrived. Through the last decade new methods e. g. NMIL immunochemistry and DNA transformations have been applied in mycorrhizal research to extend knowledge of plant-fungus interactions, fungal physiology and biochemistry. The major emphasis of the volume is laid techniques applicable in the research of vesicular-arbuscular mycorrhiza (VAM). The volume is a medley of 22 papers by several authors focusing particularly on up-to-date methods. The guideline of the described methods is their use in the fundamental research of mycorrhizal fungi e. g. their identification and taxonomy (isozyme analysis of fungi, cytological, immunocytochemical methods etc.) and also the use of fungi in agricultural and silvicultural practices (selection of fungi for inoculation, inoculum production). The methods described in the book might he divided according to those groups, addressing several steps related to various experimental and applied goals: 1 - observation and evaluation of mycorrhiza (chapters - Methods for the study of the population biology of VAMF; Quantification of external liyphae of VAM; Ergosterol analysis as a means of quantifying mycorrhizal biomass); 2 - isolation of fungi from the ecosystem (chapters - Wet sieving and decanting techniques for the extraction of spores of VA fungi; Enzymic separation of VAMF from roots); 3 - identification and taxonomy of VAMF (chapters - Isozyme analysis of mycorrhizal fungi and their mycorthiza; Use of monoclonal antibodies to study mycorrhiza); 4 - study of the ecophysiology of VAMF (chapters - A cuveue system designed to enable monitoring of growth and spread of hyphae of VAMF; Cytology, histocheimstry and immunochemistry as tools for studying structure and function in endomycorrhiza; Phytohormone analysis by enzyme immunoassays, etc.); 5 - inoculum production, selection and application of mycorrhiza in practice (chapters - Axenic culture of AMF; Inoculum production of VAMF for use in tropical nurseries; Selection of inoculant VAMF; VAM-application in agriculture). It can he concluded that progress in mycorrhizal research goes along with the development of the new techniques and methods used. Among all relatively new approaches particular stress should he laid on the investigation of the external phases of mycorrhiza - the exwamatrical mycelium and its metabolic and physiological stage. The use of vital staining and evaluation of enzyme activity reflects the physiological function of fungus and thus makes prediction of plant response better than the estimation of mycorrhizal infection so far employed. The use of electrophoretic analysis of isozyme variation could also extend the possibilities of separation and identification of VAM fungi within plant roots while the taxonomy of fungi has been until now based only on the morphology of resting spores. Immunochemical techniques of monoclonal antibodies and other techniques at the tissue and cellular level can provide tools for diagnosing the functional state of the symbiosis. Furthermore the application o f / n situ hybridization using RNA or DNA probes to mycorrhizal research could provide more direct information about genes and gene expression in the fungus and plant symbionts. These methods have only recently been used and they in fact represent a come-back to the very fundamental base for understanding the mechanisms of mycorrhizal symbiosis. Despite the gaps in our knowledge of fungus-plant interactions there has been made considerable progress in applying mycorrhiza in agriculture. This needs appropriate selection and production of pure fungal inoculants. In the book a new modification of classic methods of fungal inoculum production with the host plant has been described (hydroponics in expanded clay particles), as well as improvements and new recommendations for a highly desirable method of axenic inoculum production without a host plant. The book provides a good overview of the common classical methods used in mycorrhizal research and gives not ouly a description of new methods applicable but also offers possible prospects and summarizes the needs of mycord~iza research. To sum up, mycorrhizat conditions are the natural state for most plants and therefore should not he ignored in any plant studies from physiological to population level. This book can therefore be recommended not only for scientists working in the field of mycorrhiza but also for plant physiologists, botanists and plant ecologists who will find much valuable information on plant and soil biota interaction which may not always be obvious. MIROSLAVVOS./~TKA

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R.E. RICKLEFS THE ECONOMY OF NATURE: A TEXTBOOK IN BASIC ECOLOGY W.H. Freeman, New York, 1993.3rd Ed., ix + 576 pp., Price GBP 27.95, ISBN 0-7167-2409 Prof. Ricklefs's textbooks tend to come by the kilogram; this one is no exception. Although the massiveness of this new edition may intimidate the American college student at whom it is aimed, every effort has been made to make the weight of information inside it more palatable to today's less dogged readers. The text is well illustrated with tables and figures, including several color plates of high artistic quality. The style is entertaining and pleasurable reading. Drier and more technical bits are often isolated in separate "boxes", as in an intellectual magazine. (This is particularly true for anything involving mathematics!) Figures and tables both show the liberal use of computer graphic, making the layout of the book very eyecatching. Underneath all the razzle, I was pleased to find out that Prof. Ricklefs has maintained his usual high standards for the actual content of this textbook. The material is logically organized (although I was rather startled by the sequential jump from ecosystem ecology down to physiological ecology, then working back up to communities and conservation issues. Was this an effort to keep his students guessing which way he is headed??). The material is well-balanced, without giving undue preference to the author's pet research interests (the usual sin of ecology textbooks, along with a tendency toward polemics). I was pleased to fmd a clear and fair presentation of my own small area of speciality - quantitative analysis of plant community structure and composition - despite its current unpopularity. Such subjects are after entirely omitted from general ecology textbooks, and Prof. Ricldefs deserves kudos for his impartial overview in this one. As a teaching text, this book is organized with summary and suggested readings at the end of each chapter. My only real criticism of this book is the desire that, in addition to this, a full bibliography and/or author index should be added in the Appendix. Given the scope and size of the textbook, this would undoubtedly add quite a few more pages. However, I think this would be a great help to the more serious student who wishes to follow up subject in the text beyond the suggested readings, as well as those professional ecologists (like me) who will hide in a corner and use this book as a handy reference manual for those things we OUGHT to remember but must bone up about without admitting we don't! LINDA OLSVIG-WHITYAKER

Plate 1 J. Chrtek jun.

Chromosome numbers in Hieracium

Hieracium nigrescens, mitotic metaphasis, (2n=36), scale = 10 ~tm.

Hieracium rohlenae, plant with olivaceous styles, mitotic metaphasis, (2n=27), scale = 10 Ixm.

Plate 2 V. Jarolimov&

Chromosome counts from Cuba

a

b

C

I Somatic metaphases. - a, b: Lysiloma Scale = 10 ~tm. - Photo L M~sf~ek.

latisiliqua

(L.) BENTH., c:

Casuarina equisetifolia

FORST.