WETLANDS, Vol. 25, No. 2, June 2005, pp. 500–503 䉷 2005, The Society of Wetland Scientists

REVIEWS

AFRICAN FRESH WATERS

for resource users is a formula for aquatic environmental stress and a challenge for management especially for many impoverished national governments in Africa. The book brings together the contributions of two separate symposia organized around the common theme of African surface waters. The first symposium was at the annual AAAS meeting in 1998, where a small group of experts from across Africa and North America came together to assess the current environmental status and management approaches to African waters. The second and larger symposium, held at the University of Florida in 2000, spanned the spectra from ecology through economics and from research to active management. The papers are divided into four parts. Part 1, the shortest with only two contributions, gives an historical perspective on the effects of climate on African waters and a detailed landscape history of the interaction of different cultures impacting small lakes west of Lake Victoria over the past 3000 years. These chapters emphasize the antiquity and dynamic environmental history of many African lakes, emphasizing that humans have been impacting these lakes for a very long time. Part 2 consists of five chapters giving current regional perspectives on aquatic resource impacts and challenges to management. These are authored by very experienced scientists from across Africa. Strikingly, these regional perspectives lead to the emergence of a consistent set of aquatic stresses from east to west and north to south: deforestation, increasing consumptive and non-consumptive water use, eutrophication, species introductions, et al. The other omnipresent issue in these perspectives is water scarcity, even when there is plenty, because of the lack of infrastructure for distribution and treatment. It is estimated that 240 million Africans are at or below the minimal level of water use to support human habitation, and this number is growing. It is difficult for societies to progress economically when hours are spent every day just gathering minimal amounts of water to sustain and maintain households. Water will continue to be a top priority for development in Africa, and this book is ensured of relevance for the forseeable future. In part 3, the focus is on ecosystems and processes. Fisheries get the primary attention because of their importance to the economies and subsistence of riparian peoples. Ongoing processes such as deforestation and its affects on streams and rivers and eutrophication of

Crisman, T. L., L. J. Chapman, C. A. Chapman, and L. S. Kaufman (eds.). 2003. Conservation, Ecology, and Management of African Fresh Waters. University Press of Florida, Gainesville, FL, USA. US$34.95 (paper), US$75.00 (cloth), ISBN 0-8130-2597-4. The book by Crisman et al. attempts to give an overview of the broad range of issues affecting the conservation and management of African surface waters while maintaining an ecological perspective. Given the diversity of African waters and the size of Africa, this is an ambitious if not audacious undertaking for a single book, but the editors are to be complimented for recognizing the need for such a book. Africa is the second largest continent and might be considered one of the oldest—in terms of pride of place on the globe, it has been in nearly its present position since Gondwanaland broke up. As a consequence of its geological immobility, it can be conveniently thought of as a high plateau of relatively low relief dissected by several very old drainage systems that spill off the plateau. This geologic stability has been interrupted in the past 10 million years by development of the rift valley systems in eastern Africa, which has led to the formation of two of the largest, deepest, and most ancient lakes on the planet, Tanganyika and Malawi. Despite the presence of 25% of earth’s surface freshwater in the East African lakes, Africa is, in fact, a dry continent. It is second only to its wandering continental cousin, Australia, in aridity, and Africa’s Sahara is the largest desert in the world. Rainfall is highly seasonal over most of the continent. Even in areas with substantial rainfall, long dry seasons can make water a scarce resource. Wetland scientists will not be surprised that, given the low relief and highly seasonal rainfall over most of the continent, wetlands are important, accessible reservoirs of fresh water, especially in dry seasons. The Victoria basin is the heartland of extensive papyrus wetlands, the most productive plant community on earth, but papyrus and many other wetland types are widespread. Perhaps less well-appreciated to those studying wetlands elsewhere is that the African wetlands are spectacular reservoirs of biodiversity. In addition, they provide critical resources, including often highly productive fisheries that can sustain riparian human populations through the long dry season when agriculture is dormant. Water scarcity and necessity 500

REVIEW lakes receive special attention in individual chapters. The chapter by Seehausen on the complex interaction of the eutrophication of Lake Victoria with visibility, fish vision, behavioral ecology, and species coexistence was a particular highlight for me, as the explanation for the loss of fish species from Victoria becomes more intertwined with water quality and less with simple predation impacts by the introduced Nile perch. Equally absorbing is the chapter by Smith, which gives a concise impact assessment for the Aswan High Dam, with 30 years of observation and hindsight. Some of the impacts are well-known (e.g., decline of the sardine fishery in the Mediterranean), but the problems of soil salinization and the continuing threat to the ancient monuments are especially sobering. Wetlands come to the fore in part 4, which addresses the human dimensions of water management. The wetland jewel of Africa, the Okavango delta and its tributary systems, is the focus of three of the five chapters. The stresses on the Okavango are typical of many wetlands, great and small; in Africa, water withdrawal and agricultural encroachment are especially important. What offers hope to the Okavango is the marvelous wildlife it supports and the still relatively low human population directly dependent on its natural resources. Two of the chapters make the thought-provoking case that the water in the Okavango has more value in supporting ecotourism than in any other direct use. This is, of course, good news for the wildlife but sometimes hard to sell to those whose livelihoods are at stake. The big challenge remains equitable sharing of ecotourism dollars to satisfy the expectations of all. Throughout all chapters in the book, the often desperate straits of the African populations dependent on these aquatic resources are emphasized, and this leads to a rather somber outlook. Perhaps the most hopeful chapter in the book is the last, in which a long-term program to control black flies and more specifically the river blindness they vector is reviewed. This program is remarkable in Africa for its longevity and its success in its primary objective. More success stories like this, which wed medical and ecological knowledge, are required. The only unexpected outcome from this program was the environmental impact from accompanying resettlement of areas that had been uninhabitable. This impact serves as a reminder, if needed, that ecosystem analysis must always monitor human behavioral responses to any change, especially as a result of a management action. This book will likely be used primarily by researchers new to Africa, although some of the chapters will attract practicing specialists. It is not overly rich in factual detail except in the most general way (e.g., national summaries). Also, some of the facts are some-

501 what conflicting. For example, two different chapters cite quite different statistics for national deforestation rates in various countries. However, this likely wellillustrates the imprecision of most estimates of resource extraction and depletion around Africa, where resource management departments are chronically under-funded. I would want this book in my university library but not necessarily on my shelf. This may be especially true for wetland scientists, as only four of 21 chapters deal specifically with wetlands, and three of those are on management. As a quick general introduction for the non-specialist to the biology and ecology of tropical African wetlands, I would still recommend Beadle’s (1981) chapters on tropical swamps and temporary waters, but Conservation, Ecology, and Management of African Fresh Waters by Chapman et al. provides a useful current overview of aquatic resource issues in Africa. Robert E. Hecky Biology Department University of Waterloo 200 University Avenue West Waterloo, Ontario, Canada N2L 3G1 Reference Beadle, L. C. 1981. The Inland Waters of Tropical Africa: an Introduction to Tropical Limnology, 2nd edition. Longman, New York, NY, USA.

WATERSNAKES Gibbons, J. W. and M. E. Dorcas. 2004. North American Watersnakes: a Natural History. University of Oklahoma Press, Norman, Okalahoma, USA. 438 pp., US$49.95 (hardcover). ISBN 0-8061-3599-9. Reptiles, particularly snakes, have historically been overlooked in wetland science. These cryptic and misunderstood organisms tend to be under-appreciated and are often persecuted unjustly. In ‘‘North American Watersnakes: a Natural History,’’ J. Whitfield Gibbons and Michael E. Dorcas attempt to dispel these misconceptions and stereotypes. This timely and useful resource is a valuable tool for those working in various aspects of wetland science and wildlife biology. The exhaustive and comprehensive bibliography (nearly 1,800 references) complements the wealth of information provided on a species by species basis. For ease of use, a number of historic and current synonyms for species are provided for the reader. Clean, wellphotographed pictures of all 14 species, their subspecies, and examples of intraspecific variability in color and patterns are provided. In addition, detailed range maps to the county level for the United States and

502 point accounts for Canada, Mexico, and Cuba are provided for each species covered in the text, as well as sources for the distribution data. The book, which is broken into two parts, is prefaced by a pleasant forward by Roger Conant, who discusses the motivation and evolution of the book. Part 1 is conveniently divided into four chapters, which address various facets of watersnake biology. The first chapter discusses the taxonomy, systematics, and phylogenic relationships of watersnakes. This section is technical and very detailed. Although it is a useful resource, it is better suited to those working directly on watersnake research than to those working in other areas of wetland science. In chapter two, field and laboratory techniques are provided, as well as information regarding husbandry of watersnakes in captivity. This chapter was an enjoyable read because the authors presented these techniques using humorous real life scenarios. These case studies were relatable, and the lessons learned could be useful when considering the logistics involved in designing a study. Chapter 3 was devoted to the basic biology of the North American watersnakes. A plethora of data covering the three North American genera was provided, including life history, habitat types and use, physiology, behavior and activity patterns, diet and feeding, predation, and parasitism. Defensive mechanisms, growth and size patterns, and reproduction and population biology are also included in this chapter. The fourth chapter focused on conservation of watersnakes. This chapter not only provides a historical perspective on how these species have been viewed and victimized, but more importantly, it offers current research accounts and suggestions for areas of future research needs. This information is useful to the student as well as at the professional level in habitat and species conservation. In addition, this chapter also contained a convenient table listing all of the species (and subspecies) of watersnakes found in North America and various rankings (Natural Heritage Ranking System, U.S. Endangered Species Act, Committee on the Status of Endangered Wildlife in Canada, and Local State Status) at the time of printing. Part 2 provides in-depth and detailed accounts, on a species by species basis, for all species (and most subspecies) of watersnake found in North America. The wealth of information explores all facets covered in the third chapter in greater detail and then some! Each species and subspecies account is well-written and complete. In each case, intriguing and useful information, accompanied by nicely illustrated line drawings, is provided. The writing is sufficiently technical for the more advanced reader, yet straightforward enough for the novice wetland scientist to enjoy.

WETLANDS, Volume 25, No. 2, 2005 In my opinion, this book has succeeded in providing a rare, positive perspective on watersnakes. The authors obviously took a great deal of time and care in producing this project, and it shows. This book will serve as an excellent resource guide for wetland scientists and the herpetological community for years to come! David A. Mifsud, Herpetologist Natural Area Preservation City of Ann Arbor 1831 Traver Rd Ann Arbor, Michgan, USA 48104 E-mail: [email protected] NATIVE PLANTS FOR GARDENING AND CONSERVATION Leopold, D. J. 2005. Native Plants of the Northeast: a Guide for Gardening and Conservation. Timber Press, Portland, Oregon, USA. 308 pp., US$39.95 (hardcover). ISBN 0-88192-673-6. When this book arrived at my office to be sent out for a book review, it took me about three seconds to decide that I would do the review myself. All I had to do was turn a few pages, see the incredible color photographs, and read a few of the species descriptions— I knew that I wanted to keep this book. When you throw in the fact that the author and I were contemporary doctoral students at Purdue long ago and that he is a professor at my alma mater, SUNY College of Environmental Science and Forestry, I consider writing this review to be a privilege. The book starts with an Introduction that reviews ‘‘native’’ plants vs. introduced species and the rationale for selecting the native species covered in this book. The Introduction then moves on to discuss the ecology of plant communities and the relations to climate, bedrock geology, physiography, and soils. A variety of forest types, grasslands, and wetlands are then described briefly, and the discussion continues with community composition, structure, function, and dynamics. Since one of the thrusts of the book is to tie native plants to gardening opportunities, the Introduction concludes with some general instructions and observations on that topic. The bulk of the book is devoted to species descriptions (425 full descriptions and 261 shorter entries). Each full description includes scientific, common, and family names; zones; soil and light preferences; attributes such as height, color, and shape; means of propagation; range; and notes that could prove useful for gardening efforts. More importantly, the book contains close-up color photographs of most, but not all, species

REVIEW described. The photos are the highlight of the book; they are truly works of art. The full species descriptions are grouped as ferns, grasses, wildflowers, vines, shrubs, and trees. All groups contain many wetland species, ranging from cinnamon fern, royal fern, and marsh fern to sweetflag, softrush, and prairie cord-grass to swamp milkweed, marsh marigold, and spotted joe-pye weed to climbing hydrangea and American wisteria to speckled alder, buttonbush, and leatherleaf to red maple, tamarack, and northern white cedar. These are common wetland plants; there are literally dozens and dozens more that should be recognizable immediately upon looking at the photo only. Anyone that has a bit of botanical background and has spent much time in wetlands, woods, and fields should recognize over half of the species covered in this book. If you have perennial flower beds, you will recognize many of the others also.

503 The Appendix lists plants that tolerate wet and dry soil, sorted by sun and shade preferences. It also lists shade-tolerant species and those that attract butterflies, hummingbirds, birds, and mammals. My only problem with this book is that it serves a dual purpose, and I only have one copy. I want to keep it because of its scientific value, but I also want to give it to my youngest son, who seems headed toward a career in the landscaping business and has already learned some of these species in his college courses. I guess that I will have to buy another copy. It will be money well spent. Douglas A. Wilcox, Ph.D., PWS U.S. Geological Survey–Great Lakes Science Center 1451 Green Road Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA 48105 E-mail: douglas㛮[email protected]