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BOOKREVIEWS

J.A. Bissonette (ed.): WILDLIFE AND LANDSCAPE ECOLOGY. Effects of pattern and s c a l e ; Springer Verlag, New York, 1997, 115 Figs., 410 pp. Price DEM 98.-, GBP 37.50, ATS 716.-,

USD 69.95, SFR 89.50, ISBN 0-387-94789-2 Landscape ecology is a relatively new branch of ecology and maybe that is why the progress here seems to be enormous in the last few years. The need for a book which would integrate new developments in this field and which could serve primarily as a texbook for graduate students and wildlife managers was the main stimulus for producing the present volume. As pointed out by the editor, when he began teaching a landscape ecology course at Utah State University, he realized how much a book like this was missing so he produced it by organizing a symposium and assembling a series of papers presented. The book was later completed by some others invited to fill in the gaps on missing important topics. The sleeve says that "this book is the first to provide the conceptual basis for learning how larger scale patterns and processes can influence the biology and management of wildlife species". Be this particular statement true or not (sleeves usually say that the book is the first in something), I consider this volume very valuable because it attempts to integrate a number of approaches, including those newly used in ecology such as fractal geometry or chaos theory. Thus far, the traditional emphasis of research and management of wildlife was on smaller scales, while this book provides the evidence that landscape-level patterns affect demographic processes in wild animal species. Although the book is focused upon wildlife animal species, the theoretical chapters on underlying concepts (concentrated in the first of the three sections), especially those dealing with metapopulation dynamics, patch dynamics, disturbance or landscape pattern will be interesting for plant ecologists as well. The volume will be appreciated by both scientists and managers who are in charge of biodiversity and nature protection.

Petr Py{;ek

J.M. Moreno (ed.): LARGE FOREST FIRES; Backhuys Publishers, Leiden, 1998, 239pp. Price NLG 125.-, USD 69.50, ISBN 90-73348-80-3 Fires are an integral part of many natural terrestrial ecosystems, and also of many types of man-made ecosystems, which have been managed by deliberate burning for several centuries. However, large accidental fires, occurring now and then in various parts of the world, can devastate landscapes for many years. During the 1990s, several large fires received the world-wide attention of the media, general public and politicians. Many research projects were initiated to improve our understanding of large fire episodes, mainly including the study of meteorological processes and fire-vegetation relationships. The current book is a result of the summer course on large forest fires held in Ronda, Spain. It includes ten case studies related to the large fire problem. The geographic origin of the case studies reflects the global pattern of large-fire distribution. Most attention is devoted to the Mediterranean-type ecosystems, with studies from south-western Europe, California and a world-wide review by G. Davis. One study (A.M. Gill & P.H.R. Moore) reports on the bushf']res of greater Sydney in 1994. The other large area of the world frequently suffering from large forest fires is the boreal zone, which is represented by one study from Canada (M.G. Weber & B.J. Stocks). The problems of fire prevention, fire fighting and post-fire restoration are interdisciplinary, and so is the present volume. Attention is paid, for example, to the meteorological processes relevant to fire dynamics, fuel status in the landscapes, description of individual fire episodes, and regional history of forest fires. Vegetation scientists will fred information most relevant to their field in two papers on posffire ecosystem recovery (J.E. Keeley and R. Vallejo & J.A. Alloza) and in a review of relationships between biodiversity and fire regimes in Mediterranean-type ecosystems (G. Davis). "Large forest fires" is a well-edited book of high scientific standard. Spanning the fields of meteorology, landscape ecology, vegetation science and practical fire-fighting, it significantly contributes to our understanding of the fire problem.

Milan Chytr~

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B.L. Gartner (ed.): PLANT STEMS. Physiology and Functional Morphology; Academic Press, San Diego, New York, 1995, 440 pp. Price USD 89.95, ISBN 0-12-276460-9 The book gives a comprehensive review of the current state of knowledge in research on plant stems, and covers many scientific fields: plant physiology, plant morphology, biomechanics, ecology, entomology, plant pathology and anatomy. The aim of this book is to synthesize insights on stems from these disparate fields. The authors cover an admirable range of stem functions including structural, physiological and ecological functions. Even though the main focus is on terrestrial woody tree stems, primarily of temperate and boreal zones, stems of shrubs and herbaceous species are not overlooked there. The presented volume is divided into five parts including altogether eighteen chapters. Each chapter presents one point of view. Usually, a general introduction preceeds a more thorough discussion of the topic using selected plant groups. Then the conclusions are given, pinpointing further questions to be addressed. The book originates from a small workshop held in Newport, Oregon, U.S., which was devoted to research into stems. Its great value is in its multidisciplinary approach. Many reviews have been published on other plant organs, such as leaves or roots, but this belongs to the first such far-reaching reviews on stems, making it highly original. It emphasizes the inseparability of the link between form and function - a current indispensable approach in modem science. Even though the authors may not completely cover the list of stem functions, and sometimes necessarily omit some groups of plant species, the book provides new insights into complexity of the research. Thus, it is of great value to any plant scientist focusing on physiology, morphology, biomechanics, anatomy, ecology, developmental botany, genetics, pathology, molecular biology, palaeobotany, etc. I can strongly recommend this inspiring book, as it may give you new ideas for your research, as it did for me.

CONTENTS Part I. Roles of stem architecture in plant performance: 1. Plant stems: Biomechanical adaptation for energy capture and influence on species distributions (T.J. Givnish); 2. Opportunities and constraints in the placement of flowers and fruits (D.M. Waller & D.A. Steingraeber); 3. Biomechanical optimum in woody stems (C. Mattheck); 4. Shrub stems: Form and function (B.E Wilson). Part II. Roles of stems in transport and storage of water: 5. Limitations on stern water transport and their consequences (J.S. Sperry); 6. Patterns of xylem variation within a tree and their hydraulic and mechanical consequences (B.L. Gartner); 7. Stem water storage (N.M. Holbrook). Part III. Roles of live stem cells in plant performance: 8. Role of stems in transport, storage, and circulation of ions and metabolites by the whole plant (J.S. Pate & W.D. Jeschke); 9. The low profile directors of carbon and nitrogen economy in plants: Parenchyma cells associated with translocation channels (A.J.E. Van Bel); 10. Stem photosynthesis: Extent, patterns, and role in plant carbon economy (E.T. Nilsen); 11. Microflora and microfauna on stems and trunks: Diversity, food webs, and effects on plants (E.R. Ingham & A.R. Moldenke); 12. Developmental potential of shoot buds (J.P. Stafstrom); 13. Hormonal control of radial and longitudinal growth in the tree stem (C.H.A. Little & R.P. Pharis). Pan IV. Roles of stems in preventing or reacting to plant injury: 14. Stems and fires (A.M.GiU); 15. Response of stem growth and function to air pollution (J.A. Weber & N.E. Grulke); 16. Chemical antiherbivore defense (J.P. Bryant & K.F. Raffa); 17. Stem defense against pathogens (L. Shain). Part V. Synthesis: 18. Stems in the biology of the tissue, organism, stand, and ecosystem (T.M. Hinckley & P.J. Schulte).

Jana Albrechtova H.A. Jensen: BIBLIOGRAPHY ON SEED MORPHOLOGY; A. A. Balkema, Rotterdam, Brookfield, 1998, 310 pp. Price NLG 150.-, ISBN 90-5410-450-3 Is it ever possible to summarize acomplete bibliography on seed morphology in the contemporary publication boom? The author expressed his own opinion to the reviewed book: "To compile a complete bibliography is not possible, I know, but hopefully the information given can assist and inspire you in your work with seeds". We can add that Jensen's book gives much more. It is very important tool for different aspects of work in seed morphology in relation to seed identification, seed testing, seed poisoning, seed banks, forensic and quarantine works, archeobotanical studies, etc. This is the first bibliography on seed morphology which brings together 3775 references of important publications from the first half of 19th century up to 1990. It represents a nearly complete list of all important works published in this field except of descriptions and drawings of the

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seeds published in floras and botanical textbooks where they are easy reachable. However the author has also included the references of publications with titles giving no obvious imagine about their connection to seed morphology. The references are clearly split into two parts: part 1 - "Handbooks", part 2 - '~,i'ticles and monographs". The first part presents handbooks describing seeds of many families, articles with seed description from more than four families and monographs containing more than 50 genera. The references are grouped alphabetically author by author. The second part gathers articles and monographs dealing with seeds of one to four families (up to fifty genera). Every citation is completed by the names of genera involved in the relevant publication. Here, references are arranged first alphabetically by family and within family by author. Needful references can easily be found according to the index of authors or index of genera. All references are complete with exceptions of those where the author did not have an entire original publication at his disposal. References in both parts are accompanied with abbreviations informing the user whether the given publication contains identification keys, descriptions, drawings, photographs, scanning electron micrographs, anatomical information or if chemical or physical methods were employed. The book is supplemented by 368 beautiful line drawings of seeds and fruits which serve as an useful tool for determination. This arrangement also highly improves the aesthetic value of the book. The bibliography will be particularly appreciated by specialists dealing with seed biology and plant taxonomy as well as by people working in different fields of applied botany. Lenka Moravcov4

M. Thulin (ed.): FLORA OF SOMALIA, VOL.1 ; Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, 1993, 493 pp. Price GBP 39.-, ISBN 0-9447643-55-9 A brief look at UNESCO's Vegetation map of Africa suggests that the area of the Somali Republic can potentially be covered either by "semi-desert grassland and shrubland" or by "Acacia-Commiphora deciduous bushland and thicket". Few people would assume that the Somali flora would contain as many as 3000 species of vascular plants, the estimated total of the editor of a new Flora series resulting from a project run by the Department of Systematic Botany of the Uppsala University, Sweden, and published by Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, on behalf of the National Herbarium of the National Range Agency in Mogadishu. The add, densely inhabited and much grazed Somalia is considerably richer in tracheophyte taxa than one would expect in a semi-desert country. Its diversity is apparently due to the (1) topographical variety of the coastlands and the more rugged northern regions whose peaks surpass 2000 m altitude, and (2) its positioning at a historical and biogeographical crossroads, within sight of the Ethiopian mountains, near the East African uplands and not far from the mountains in Arabia, lying across the Gulf of Aden. Surprisingly, Somalia harbours about 600 endemic species and the total of its vascular flora possibly overcomes the species-richness of the entire Sahel zone of Africa. Volume one contains Pteridophyta (only 7 families with 24 species in 13 genera), Gymnospermae (Cupressus procera and Ephedra foliata being the only representatives) and 62 angiospermous families, including some of the species-richest families occupying the majority of the volume: Capparaceae (p. 37-60),Amaranthaceae (p. 141-167), Euphorbiaceae (267-339), and Fabaceae (p. 341-465). The sequence and circumscription of families largely follows Hutchinson's "Families of flowering plants" (1926), a step justified by the endeavour to ensure compatibility with other African Floras. The lay-out of the text referring to particular genera and species is consistent and reasonably concise: only selected references to literature are given, merely authors and year of first publication of the taxa are cited, synonyms are generally omitted, only three reference specimens (if available) are indicated. Cultivated and ornamental species are described only briefly. Wherever relevant, however, interesting notes are added for future taxonomical work and local botanists. As expected, the authors obviously faced difficulties with the spelling of vernacular names of plants and localities, however, they found a compromise between standard Somali orthography and earlier well-known spellings. An identification key follows the description of all polyspecific genera - a difficult step in the species-richer genera, such as Indigofera with 50 species recorded in Somalia. The specific name, its author and year of description, are followed by the vernacular name and reference to pertinent drawing. In a volume containing 1092 species, there are 249 figures devoted to individual species, which means that nearly a quarter of the taxa are illustrated - a feature much appreciated by less-experienced botanists in the area. [A considerable number of drawings have been taken from other regional Floras, namely from "Flora of Tropical East Africa". The generous exchange of drawings between the editors of various Flora projects points out a welcome solidarity

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and cooperation in less-sponsored areas of science.] Morphological descriptions contain traits of the life-form and all usual vegetative and reproductive organs. The second paragraph briefly presents the topographical characters of localities, soil, altitudinal range, relevant geographical region (8 sections of Somalia are outlined in Fig.l), occurrence outside Somalia, and reference to specimens defined by the collector and collection number. The description of critical species is completed by notes pointing out doubtful specimens and unusual phenomena. Undoubtedly, the treatment of all families contained in Volume 1 will be a valuable contribution to the taxonomy, distribution and ecology of vascular plants in the NE territory of Africa, particularly to the 'gffrican Horn" and neighbouring Arabia. Elaboration of the above-named dominant families is worth mentioning. The chapter on Amaranthaceae (by C.C. Townsend) is an important contribution to the botany of all arid parts of the tropics and subtropics of the Old World. The extensive section on Euphorbiaceae, a result of precise taxonomic and chorological work of M.G. Gilbert (majority of genera), S. Holmes and M.Thulin; will facilitate - in connection with the Floras of East Africa and Ethiopia - the evolutionary and biogeographical considerations. The legumes have been described by the volume's editor, except for the genus Acacia treated jointly by A.S. Hasan and late B.T. Styles (the authors of an earlier Conspectus in 1990). Elaboration of the acacias invites a comparison with the most extensive elaboration by J.P.M. Brenan who described 63 species (and 4 insufficiently known species) in the "Flora of Tropical East Africa" (published in 1959). Brenan compiled a set of 5 separate keys based on floral and vegetative characters, and 4 keys based mainly on pods and vegetative characters (with 2 comparative figures of the pods). For Somalia, the above-named taxonomists distinguished 40 acacia species (with a comparative figure of pods and 9 species illustrations). According to the reviewer's personal experience, the less-experienced botanist using Brenan's treatise was a little bit confused by the broad choice of identification procedures. Difficult as it is, the unified key in "Flora of Somalia" (with 9 species fully illustrated) appears as a more straightforward procedure. With regard to other families the reader will acknowledge the enormous work accomplished by Mats Thulin, whose clear and consecutive taxonomical work filled up all gaps left after the employment of all specialists available for the task. Supported by local botanists Thulin undertook important field trips which very much enriched the collections in Uppsala and Mogadishu herbaria. In a country endangered by species losses due to grazing and other human-affected changes, new herbarium sheets are most welcome. Close cooperation between taxonomists, herbaria and musea in Mogadishu, Uppsala, Addis Abeba, Kew, London and Florence, as demonstrated by this new Flora, is a memorable event in current science. In the period of much appreciated experimental work in "functional" biology, "Flora of Somalia" proves the importance of observational-comparative biology and the value of classification in biological sciences (sensu Ernst Mayr). Adventurous field work in remote areas lasting many decades, combined with careful storage of collections and detailed comparative taxonomy, matures in successful achievements only after a long period. Hopefully this unavoidably long-term methodology will be acknowledged also by grant agencies which frequently offer, as in the case of the "Flora of Somalia", their funding merely for three years!

Jan Jen~ N.J. Turland, L. Chilton & J.R. Press: FLORA OF THE CRETAN AREA. Annotated checklist and atlas; HMSO, The Natural History Museum, London, 1993, 439 pp. Price GBP 29.95, ISBN 0-11-310043-4 Since ancient times the island of Crete has attracted botanists by its location in the Mediterranean Sea, by the various natural conditions and, above all, by its floristic richness. It is the largest island in the Aegean and the fifth largest in the Mediterranean; it is 256 km long in the east-west direction. The Cretan area includes not only Crete but also the Karpathos islands 50 km to the north-east. Although many botanists have made considerable efforts to study the flora of the Cretan area no complete work has appeared till now. In the last decade only a preliminary checklist covering Crete and the Karpathos islands was published. Following the suggestion of J.R. Press (Botany Department, Natural History Museum, London) M.J. Turland and L. Chilton worked in Crete between 1982 and 1991. The result is the presentation of this complete survey of vascular plants. The book is divided into three parts: introduction, special part and maps of distribution of all taxa growing on Crete and the Karpathos islands. In the introduction the authors explain the method of mapping and briefly refer to the geography, geological conditions and soils, climate, floristic elements and vegetation cover. This section is usefully complemented by ten plates showing 40 species mostly endemic to the Cretan area.

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The special part covers from the Pteridophytathrough Gymnospermae,dicotyledones and monocotyledones. The families are arranged alphabetically within these groups, and genera and species are treated in the same order. Each species is given complete citation, habitat and distribution in the area, altitudinal range, time of flowering, and (if necessary) selected localities; at the end general distribution is noted. Comments on variation, phytogeography, nomenclature and taxonomy are added to many species. Endemic taxa are marked by a circle. The volume also includes introduced and commonly cultivated plants as well as doubtfully reported taxa. Altogether, 1706 native species are treated, 1624 from Crete and 905 from the Karpathos group. Endemic species represent ca. 10% (171 species), 76 species are introduced and 75 species doubtfully present. The most species rich genera are Trifolium (34 species), Silene (29), Medicago (25), Galium and Euphorbia (23). Distribution maps of all taxa are presented in the third part. The mapped records mostly fall into two categories, (i) field observations and collections of the authors, and (ii) literature records which unambiguously refer to a particular taxon. The volume is concluded by an extensive list of references. The reviewed book is the result of long-time field work complemented by excerptions from literature sources. It is well arranged and is important for all botanists studying the Mediterranean flora.

JindHch Chrtek sen. Flora of North America Editorial Committee [N. M. Morin (Convening Editor)]: FLORA OF NORTH AMERICA NORTH OF MEXICO. Vol. 3. Magnoliophyta: Magnoliidae and Hamamelidae; Oxford University Press, New York and Oxford, 1997, 590 pp. Price not given, ISBN 0-19-511246-6 The third volume of the "Flora of North America north of Mexico" deals with the primitive families of vascular plants from the Magnoliaceae to the Casuarinaceae. Fifty-seven specialists participated in the preparation of this volume that covers 741 species of 128 genera and 32 families. The Flora follows the standard format. The main taxonomic part, including keys and descriptions of taxa, follows a short introduction and the book is completed by a list of the cited literature and an index of species names (with Latin and common names). General information is given in the introduction by N.M. Morin. This includes a summary of the objectives of the Flora, basic concepts and an explanation of the abbreviations used. The number of taxa presented in this volume (total number of genera and species, number of endemic, introduced species and species (and infraspecific taxa) of conservational concern) are given in a well-organized table. All native species occurring within the area studied, along with native species which have recently become extinct, well-established or frequent hybrids and waifs and cultivated plants often found outside cultivation are described in the book. Waifs and naturalized plants known only from old records or non-native important cultivated plants are mentioned in the discussion. The Flora is compiled in a uniform manner. All taxonomic categories above the species level (family, section, genus) are characterized by their Latin name, name of the author and common names (if they exist). The information continues with a description of the taxon, a list of selected references and a key to determine the closest lower taxonomic rank. Information about the distribution, pollination and total number of genera and taxa in each family is given, as well as the number of genera and taxa occurring in the area studied. It is pity that the family determination key is not an integral part of the Flora but it will be prepared as a separate publication. Similar data (number of species, distribution) are presented in the genus descriptions, as well as the basic chromosome number and notes about taxonomy (problematical taxonomic classification, necessity of detailed study). After the genus name the title of the publication and the year of the description and an explanation of the etymology of the Latin name are added. I appreciate that in the determination keys the page numbers of the beginning of the genus descriptions are given. Some species rich genera are firstly divided into sections and then the key for determination to species level follows. The species descriptions include the valid name, the name of the author, place and year of publication as well as selected synonymy, common names and the plates stating the weediness, endemicity, threat and the taxa illustrated in the Flora. The description includes morphological description, chromosome numbers, information about phenology and habitats, the range of altitudes of occurrence and abbreviations of states where the species grows. When necessary, comments on economic uses, toxicity, taxonomy, etc. are added. If

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the species is divided into subspecies or varieties the determination key and their descriptions are shown. The distribution maps of all taxa (species, subspecies, varieties) in the studied area are very valuable. Some taxonomic ranks (especially the higher ones) are treated more broadly in the presented Flora in comparison with European Floras. For example, the family Ranunculaceae includes also genera traditionally included in the Helleboraceae in a European concept and the genus Anemone includes (beside others) Anemonoides, Anemonastrum, Hepatica, and Pulsatilla. In Europe, reputable genera, e.g. Ficaria, Batrachium and Ceratocephalus are treated as subgenera of the genus Ranunculus. The first impression on opening the book is very positive: well-arranged division, words in bold letters making the orientation in the text easier, distribution maps for all species, etc. The wealth of literature referring to the particular taxa is also very valuable. However, this book has unfortunately one weakness: the small number of illustrations. Approximately only one third of the taxa described are illustrated. It is a great pity, because good drawings provide important information about taxa and especially for non-specialists are almost essential. The main reason for this is probably to keep the reasonable size of the book, but I think that even if all taxa were illustrated (especially in the size used) it would not increase the size too much. It is good that at least one species per genus is illustrated. The "Flora of North America north of Mexico" presents an excellent botanical compendium elaborated in a professional way and it may serve as the standard for the preparation of comprehensive Floras of other regions.

Jan Suda Ji~i Kolbek et al.: POTENTIAL NATURAL VEGETATION OF THE BIOSPHERE RESERVE KRIVOKLATSKO; Publishing House ACADEMIA in cooperation with the Ministry of Environment of the Czech Republic, Prague, 1997, 234pp., 8Figs., 16 Tabs., 32 colour photos. ISBN80-200-0610-9 Ji~[ Kolbek & Jaroslav Moravec (eds.) et al.: MAP OF POTENTIAL NATURAL

VEGETATION OF THE BIOSPHERE RESERVE KI~UVOKLATSKO; Institute of Botany, Academy of Sciences of the Czech Republic in cooperation with the Ministry of Environment of the Czech Republic, Pr~honice, 1995, 12 colour maps (scale 1:25 000). Price Cz crowns 180.- (both parts) This publication on the potential natural vegetation of the area Kfivokl~itsko along with the set of 12 detailed maps of vegetation units represent the most extensive, specially aimed monograph devoted to the Czech biosphere reserves to date. As it is a work which far exceeds the limits of botany by its significance, it deserves to be evaluated with a wider approach. The biosphere reserve is an area where the protection of gene pools and the research of use, but also of misuse of natural resources can be realized. It includes well-preserved examples of the main biome characteristic for the region under study, examples of exceptional ecosystems with remarkable species of reasonable exploitation of natural resources and of deteriorated nature demanding revitalization measures. The choice of the Protected Landscape Region Kfivoklfitsko was very felicitous, because this region represents a unique example of a hilly to upland landscape in the territory of the Czech highlands with an extraordinarily high diversity of sites and with well-preserved nature, for which a comparable counterpart is hard to find in the Czech Republic. The scientists dealing with the flora and vegetation of this region, had to exert great effort to explore this territory and to present its diversity to the full extent. They did, however, have the opportunity to become familiar with a number of various problems and to enrich substantially the knowledge of nature in central Bohemia. The diversity of the geological substrates and the forming of landscape relief conditioning the full development both of the fluvial and of the top phenomena contributed to it. A significant part was also played by the dry climate, which together with the factors mentioned above favoured the rise of a varied mosaic of elements mutually penetrating into each other. Also the unusually sparse primeval settlement and the fact that a good deal of the region previously enjoyed a certain kind of protection as the hunting grounds of the Czech kings must not be omitted. A number of ecosystems which usually were injured by various kinds of human activity elsewhere have been preserved here. As examples the well-preserved flood plains with meandering brooks or the hill tops and precipices with almost natural stands, where not only the original floristic riches

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have been preserved, but also the tiny soil and dendrophilous fauna belonging to the factors significantly influencing the ecosystems, are to be mentioned. As result of the high natural site diversity, relics from the individual development phases of the postglacial epoch have survived in an unusual number in the Protected Landscape Area Kfivokhitsko. The team of authors studied with great care these complicated ecological problems and endeavoured to trace the mutual relations between the plant communities and the site and development conditions. Both from the texts and from the maps it is evident that their effort was fully successful. The monograph can be evaluated not only as the start of a new stage in the knowledge of the UNESCO biosphere reserves, but also as a prominent contribution to geobotany and to the knowledge of nature in general. Everybody who deals with the nature of the K/'ivokl~itsko region, especially with the studies of fauna, soils or landscape development, will find this a solid manual helping to solve a wide range of problems. Moreover, it should be emphasized that the work under review demonstrates how the appearance of our landscape would be if only nature managed it. This by itself is a very valuable enrichment of knowledge, because most inhabitants of Central Europe know only the landscape already transformed to some degree by man, so that they have not got a correct image of the potential original nature and its qualities. Regrettably, this insufficiency is to be found in many naturalists or foresters, too.

Vojen Lo~ek B. Frenzel (ed.), B. Stauffer & M. M. WeiB (co-eds.): PROBLEMS OF STABLE ISOTOPES IN TREE-RINGS, LAKE SEDIMENTS AND PEAT-BOGS AS CLIMATIC EVIDENCE FOR THE HOLOCENE (European Palaeoclimate and Man 10); Gustav Fischer Verlag, Stuttgart, Jena, New York, 1995, 189 pp., 48 Figs., 6 Tabs. Price DEM 75.-, ISBN 3-437-30817-3 (Stuttgart), ISBN 1-56081-436-5 (New York) The analysis of stable isotopes in natural archives, such as tree-rings, peat-bogs, and lake or sea sediments, is flourishing at the present time. The scientific programme "European palaeoclimate and man since the last glaciation" (EPC) was launched by the European Science Foundation in 1989. The aim of the programme is to obtain a better understanding of European climatic variation in the last 11 500 years. One important tool is the isotopic analysis of samples from the above mentioned natural archives. A workshop focusing on "Problems of stable isotopes in tree-rings, lake sediments and peat-bogs as climatic evidence for the Holocene", organized by EPC, was held in 1993 in Bern. In the presentations, which focused mainly on lake sediments and tree-rings, not only the state of the art but also important studies on processes were discussed. They are now available in the reviewed book. The basis for p alaeoclimatic reconstructions is the correlation of the stable isotope ratios of oxygen (5 18O) and hydrogen (5 2H) with the local temperature. The correlation is widely discussed in the last chapter of the reviewed work, namely in the paper by K. Rozanski. Therefore, I recommend to readers of the book to begin with the last chapter. The book is divided into four separate parts comprising a total of fourteen chapters. The first part of the book, "Stable isotopes in lake sediments", consists of four chapters. The paper by J.R. Gat & G.S. Lister deals with the "catchment effect" on the isotopic composition of lake waters. The stable oxygen- and deuterium-isotope compositions in runoff from a catchment differ from that of the precipitation. This is due to hydrological processes selecting contributions from different precipitation events on a seasonal and/or rain intensity basis, and to processes (primarily evaporation) which fractionate the isotopic species in the waters. This "catchment effect" introduces an isotopic signal into the lake waters ~and derived carbonates). Lacustrine carbonate sediments as an object of stable oxygen 5180 and carbon 513Cisotope analysis is a problem discussed in the papers by U. Eicher and V. Nikolaev & V. Strizhov. The paper by D. Ariztegui & J.A. McKenzie is devoted to temperature-dependent carbon-isotope fractionation of organic matter as a potential climatic indicator in Holocene lacustrine sequences. A carbon-isotope study during an annual productivity cycle in the water column of a eutrophic lake (Switzerland) has shown that temperature is a dominant factor controlling changes in 513C. A fractionation factor was obtained for the high productivity months, when diatoms dominate phytoplankton blooms. This fractionation factor is identical to the calculated factor for organic matter produced below +16°C both in the laboratory and the ocean. Another part, "Stable isotopes in bones", has a chapter b3( A. Longinelli, dealing with the 5180 ratio in phosphate from mammal bones and teeth as climatic indicators.

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The third part of the book, "Parameters determining carbon isotope ratios in plants" contains only one paper, namely that by G.H. Schleser. The ratio of the stable carbon isotopes 813Cin plant organic matter is significantly different from the corresponding isotope ratio of atmospheric CO2. The principal causes of this difference are isotope fractionation during the incorporation of CO2 by plants. According to present day knowledge, physical and chemical processes such as diffusion, dissolution, and the carboxylation reaction are basically responsible for the effects observed. In order to explain these effects, the author suggests models which are based on multiple compartments, each compartment comprising a single fractionation step or a set of steps. Weather conditions such as temperature, humidity or precipitation, as well as different site conditions, such as soil moisture, nutrient availability, pollutants, etc., additionally govern the ratio of the carbon isotopes. For example, warm and dry conditions during the vegetation period often lead to high ratios of 8t3c when compared to time periods of cold and wet conditions. This indicates that climatic signals may be deduced on the basis of ~13C ratios in plant organic matter, which is highly interesting for climate reconstruction. The fourth part, "Isotopes in tree-rings and other plants as palaeoclimatic indicators", is the most extensive part of the book and amounts to one half of the text. It is represented by eight papers. Variations of ~13C in wood cellulose could record environmental changes as well as changes in the ecophysiological functioning of trees. J.-L. Dupouey suggests current models which show that, at the leaf level and on a short time scale, assimilation rate and stomatal conductance are the two factors controlling the level of discrimination. At the inter-annual level and in wood cellulose, ~13Cvariations are highly related to the water balance of the stand. J.M. Welker & al. examined the extent to which Arctic winter and summer weather affected the ~13C characteristics of annual growth segments of the long-lived arctic clonal plant, Cassiope tetragona. Plants were sampled from the high arctic (Norway] 79°N) and dual isotopic analysis conducted on cellulose from annual increments extending back to 1976. ~ C-values were significantly correlated with April + May precipitation with ingber " 13C fract~onauon . . m. summer. . . Their . findings . . indicate . . condtt~ons . . .m winter indirectly affect the' that physiological plant performance of Cassiope tetragona in summer, including both gas exchange and plant water relations. E. Sonninen & H. Jun~ner measured 813C from tree-rin~s of Pinus sylvestris from the tree line in Northern Finland. The observed ~13C record shows a decreasing trend from the end of the 19th century to theoresent reflecting the change in the isotopic composition of atmospheric CO2. A temperature dependence for 813C values was found when short-term fluctuations were compared with July temperatures. The preliminary results obtained on~uercus robur from East Anglia, presented by R. Switsur & al. are very interesting. They demonstrate that 8 C in cellulose from thin sections within the tree-ring mirrors the local meteorological observations. J.R. Pilcher shows that long oak tree-ring chronologies from Europe offer great potential for climate reconstruction from stable isotopes ratios. The cellulose of the earlywood in Quercus sp. is formed from photosynthates from the previous year; this necessitates the separation of early- and latewood. The above mentioned paper by K. Rozanski concludes the book. The book is up-to-date and the first to summarize new knowledge in relation to stable isotopes and evidence of Holocene climates.

Josef Kyncl Neil Roberts: THE HOLOCENE. AN ENVIRONMENTAL HISTORY. 2nd ed.; Blacl~el! Publishers, Oxford, 1998, 316 pp., Price GBP 65.-, USD 69.95, ISBN 0-631-186-379 The first edition of this well-written book appeared in 1989 and since then has become a major and broadly-based textbook of Quaternary science. The first edition provided undergraduate and graduate students with a coherent account of the great transformation of nature that had taken place during the last 10 000 years. The scope of both editions covers the climatic changes, faunal extinctions, geomorphological development and co-evolution of human culture and environment. The second edition is revised and updated with substantial new parts dealing with chronology, ice core records, abrupt climatic changes and many minor modifications. During the last decade the book has won the position as a standard text dealing with general problems on the Holocene and giving an excellent detailed introduction to natural history since the Late Glacial. New important data found in the book concem such important topics as the beginning of the Holocene. There are different schools of thought on how the beginning should be formally defined. The most influential schools believe that the beginning of the Holocene is easily recognized on the basis of biotic changes as reflected by pollen diagrams. The age of deglaciation is different at different parts of the world so the boundary between Pleistocene and Holocene is time-transgressive. The compromise says the Holocene began some 10 000 years ago. However, it is difficult to know what 10 000 I4C years BP really means in calendar years.

Bookreviews

105

The date - 10 000 years happens to coincide with the 14C isotopic "plateau" when the radiocarbon date stood still for at least 400 years because of the isotopic shift caused by the degassation of the ocean and the massive CO2 transfer to biota. Other methods such as tree-ring calibration, counting the annual layers in ice cores and varve calibration display the dates of appr. 11500 calendar years for the beginning of the Holocene. This date is likely to change many results of previous studies and correlations. All the presented problems cannot be included in this short reference but let me mention at least the problem of flood plain development which is extensively studied in the Czech Republic. Braided streams river were characteristic for the increased discharge of both water and sediment at the end of the last glaciation but gradually the gravel and sand sedimentation of wild rivers was replaced by the meandering sinuous silty-clay sedimentation of the Early Holocene. The discharge quantity dropped by up to 1% of the previous river capacity and the sharply-incised valleys gradually became filled with sediments. The dry valleys developed for example in the Koko[fn area and elsewhere in the Czech Republic have their analogues in Southern England where relict valleys produced by seasonal snow-melt, solifluction and enhanced discharge developed. The transition between Pleistocene to Holocene can be characterized by a geomorphic disequilibrium associated with erosion and simultaneous sedimentation in flood plains of the lower lying areas. The major part of the book describes the "step by step" Holocene evolution since the Pleistocene prelude to the return of forests, the first farmers "taming of the nature" between 5000-500 calendar years BP and the impact of the modem times. The monograph contains the calibration table for 14C dates, glossary and a bibliography of about 700 entries. The book is intended as a textbook; the major body covers information on the topics well known to experts but for minor themes (such as Holocene in Polynesia) is worthy of inclusion in any experts library.

Vdclav Cflek V. Raghavan: MOLECULAR EMBRYOLOGY OF FLOWERING PLANTS; Cambridge University Press, Cambridge, 1997, 690 pp. Price GBP 95.-, USD 150.-, ISBN 0-521-55246-X The book of V. Raghavan - a professor of plant biology at Ohio State University - is the third in a series of handbooks dealing with the embryology of angiosperms. His previous works on this topic were published in 1976 (Experimental embryology of vascular plants, Academic Press) and 1986 (Embryogenesis of angiosperms: a developmental and experimental study, Cambridge University Press). "Molecular embryology of flowering plants" may be considered as a synthetic review of the molecular and cellular aspects of reproductive biology in flowering plants. The book helps in the molecular understanding of the reproductive processes in angiosperms with particular emphasis on embryology. On the basis of classical embryological knowledge, the book not only provides molecular genetic investigations on the development of the male and female reproductive units, on fertilization, and on the embryo and endosperm development of flowering plants, but it also includes fundamental information on the manipulation of embryological processes to improve the quality and quantity of plant food products as one of the goals of plant biologists. The text of the book is organized into five sections with 18 chapters, 136 pages of references and an index. The introductory chapter is dedicated to the retrospective and prospective views on problems in reproductive biology of angiosperms. The first section (Gametogenesis - 5 chapters) examines the morphological, cytological, biochemical and molecular aspects of the anther and ovule development, that result in the formation of functional male and female gametes. Special chapters are given to pollen allergenes, male sterility and apomixis. The second section (Pollination and fertilization - 5 chapters) deals with the processes of pollination and fertilization, including the phenomena of self- and cross-incompatibility, pollen germination and pollen tube growth. Special attention is given to the study of fertilization in vitro beginning with intraovarian pollination and test tube fertilization and ending with the actual stand of the study of in vitro fusion of isolated egg and sperm cells. The third section (Zygotic embryogenesis - 4 chapters) is concerned with the growth of the embryo and endosperm. The introductory chapter of this section is dedicated to the developmental biology and cytology, histology, the nutritional role and storage proteins of the endosperm. The following three chapters pay attention to the differentiation and physiology of the embryo (beginning with the zygote), genetic control of the embryogenesis, expression of genes in embryogenesis, reserve deposits and the storage protein synthesis in embryogenesis.

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In the section "Adventive embryogenesis" (2 chapters) the accent is put on the developmental and molecular aspects of somatic embryogenesis and pollen embryogenesis. The last section "Applications" addresses to genetic transformations through pollen grains and ovules and transformations of zygotic and somatic embryos. General comments at the end of each section bring the attention to some actual or basic problems and elucidate their solutions. The book of V. Raghavan is a valuable reference and source book for use by researches (biotechnologists, plant cell and molecular biologists, genetists, physiologists) but above all represents a perfectly documented, comprehensive and highly intelligible reference for graduate level courses of plant embryology. Orga Erdelska

D.J. Futuyma: EVOLUTIONARY BIOLOGY. 3rd ed.; Sinauer Associates, Inc., Sunderland, Massachusetts, 1998, 763 pp. Price not given, ISBN 0-87893-189-9 Evolution provides a framework for understanding all the features of living things, and illuminates all the biological disciplines. Training in evolutionary biology emphasizes concepts, general principles, and broad generalizations. Evolutionary biology is not a static collection of facts and verities, but instead a dynamic enterprise in which new questions arise, old questions remain only partially answered, and almost all conclusions are incomplete and somewhat tentative. That is why many students at first find the study of evolution difficult because it includes more abstract thinking and reasoning than they have encountered in most other biology courses. The quality of textbooks of evolutionary biology is thus an important condition for successful education in this field. The previous editions of D.J. Futuyma's "Evolutionary biology" have already become one of the most widespread and influential textbooks on evolutionary thinking. In the present book, the author reacts to criticisms raised to certain parts of the preceding editions, and several chapters are added on topics which were previously omitted or only briefly treated. This approach has resulted in considerable extension in size, and the content of this comprehensive book can be hardly assigned for a one-term course. However, a lecturer can select the core of the subject. The arrangement of the book has changed as compared to the 1986 edition, and the sequence of topics applied in the 1979 edition has been readopted. The book is divided into five major parts. After an introduction of backgrounds to the study of evolution in Part I, the exposition begins with the phylogeny and patterns of historical evolution (Part II), turns then to evolutionary processes (Part HI), and after treating character evolution (Part IV) returns to macroevolution considered in the light of the theory of the processes (Part V). Usually, the theory underlyinga particular topic is described first, followed by one or more examples of studies that have been done to test the theory. These examples are important for illustrating general methods of evolutionary research and for showing how the theory has been validated. Evolutionary theory is presented cumulatively, and later parts and/or chapters build on concepts and principles introduced in earlier chapters. A reader will not understand particular topics unless he/she is thouroughly familiar with the concepts explained in the preceding chapters. Well-designed problems and discussion topics are raised at the end of each chapter and working through them and finding correct answers should help students to achieve a better understanding of evolution. A brief summary of the most important ideas and concepts concludes each chapter, along with a list of major references. Concluding remarks focused on evolutionary biology in the future are summarized in the Epilogue. This research area is progressing at an accelerating pace, nevertheless, many long-standing questions about evolution remain unanswered, and whole new areas of inquiry are being opened to exploration. The author predicts that, in the next few decades, traditional knowledge and training will remain important, but that evolutionary studies will be affected by changes in research tools and methods. Methodological advances in the areas of molecular biology and information technology will be particularly important in this respect. Two useful appendices dealing with elementary statistics and contending with Creationism, are attached at the end of the book. The book can be highly recommended to all instructors and students looking for a fundamental reference. It is apparent that this book will deeply influence this and the next generation of the students of evolution. Jan Zima