Book reviews

Global Biodiversity in a Changing World

Edited by F.S. Chapin, O.E. Sala and E. Huber-Sannwald. Ecological Studies 152, Springer-Verlag.2001. ISBN 0 387 95286 (pbk). 376 pp. Price: $48.00,US $49.95.

This is the latest volume in Springer’s well known andacclaimed Ecological Studies series and as such certainlylives up to the reputation of its predecessors. The overallframework of this volume is an analysis of the relation-ships between the two most conspicuous concerns ofcontemporary environmental scientists. These are onthe one hand, global change in our physical environ-ment and on the other, the issue of conservation ofbiodiversity. The evidence intimately linking the twotogether is increasingly compelling and there is now abroad understanding that past changes in biodiversityhave been both the cause of, and a response to, changesin the earth’s environment. The purpose of the book isto develop future scenarios for biodiversity in 10 terres-trial biomes and in freshwater ecosystems, based onpredictions of global environmental change.The book’s 15 chapters fall into three main themes.

The first three chapters provide an overview and set thecontext, the next 11 consider specific biomes, and finallythere is a synthesis of common patterns and themes.Chapter 1 sets out the overview and poses four funda-mental challenges—How do humans influence biodi-versity? What are the causes of these influences? Whatare the socio-economic and ecological consequences ofchanges in biodiversity? The ultimate and consequentialfourth question relates to the effects on ecosystem ser-vices of such changes. Although this is the shortestchapter in the book it is important in its contribution toestablishing a common framework and approach inthe ‘biome’ chapters, making the whole book a verycoherent and logical read. The achievement of this isalways a challenge in multi-authored books such as thisand the existence of such a framework reflects tighteditorial control and direction. Chapter 2 provides anexcellent review and discussion of the current modelsused to predict responses of vegetation to climatechange and this theme is further developed in chapter 3

which moves the emphasis towards land use changesand socio-economic impacts on biodiversity caused by,for example, increased agricultural expansion.The next 11 chapters move on to consider specific

biomes—soil, arctic and alpine tundra, boreal forest,temperate grassland, tropical savanna, mediterraneanclimate systems, deserts, tropical forests, temperate for-ests, lakes and rivers (with particular reference to fish)are each highlighted. The editors have done an excellentjob of establishing a more or less common frameworkfor each of these chapters so that overall there is a con-tinuity of style. Thus for each biome the general pat-terns of biodiversity are described, the expected changesin the drivers, the sensitivity of biodiversity to suchchanges and the expected future patterns of biodiversitychange are considered. The result is a treasure chest ofinformation that will be of interest and food for thoughtfor a wide variety of readers. The authors of eachchapter communicate an infectious enthusiasm thatmakes for compelling reading and each chapter is sup-ported by an accurately referenced and comprehensivebibliography. The final chapter is a synthesis of thesimilarities and differences among biomes and developsthe global biodiversity scenarios. These aspects are use-fully summarised in a series of tables and figures and areused to throw down the gauntlet of the need for inte-grated research at an appropriate scale related to that atwhich the drivers of change operate. The result is sti-mulating and thought provoking.The quality of production is extremely high and I

could only find one minor typographical error. Thisvolume is destined to become essential reading for anyuniversity course that includes consideration of biodi-versity conservation, environmental change and ecosys-tem functioning.

Barry MeatyardEnvironmental Sciences Research and Education Unit

Institute of Education, University of WarwickCoventry CV4 7AL

UKE-mail address: barry.meatyard@warwick.ac.uk

PII : S0006-3207(02 )00114-3

Biological Conservation 109 (2003) 311–312

www.elsevier.com/locate/biocon

Florida’s Fragile Wildlife—Conservation and Manage-

ment

Don A. Wood. University of Florida Press, 2001,240pp. ISBN 0 8130 1888 9 (hbk). Price US$ 39.95.

The publication of this book is timely given that cur-rently 25% of the land area of Florida (in excess of8,660,000 acres) is under some form of public ownership(Basili, 2001). Given the mounting spatial pressures (e.g.citrus production, housing development, leisure indus-tries) this book should be commended as a practicalguide for the land manager and as a basic source textfor those with an interest in the state’s wildlife.Each chapter discusses a native species of Florida.

Each species was selected on the basis of three criteria:occurrence on Florida public lands; frequency of enqui-ries fielded by government agencies about welfare issues;ease of carrying out management initiatives to the spe-cies’ benefit. As a result, the book contains 14 chapters,10 of which focus on birds (e.g. crested caracara, Floridascrub-jay, wood stork), three on mammals (bats, foxsquirrel and beach mouse) and one on the gopher tor-toise. Each chapter begins with a current status reportfor the species, followed by sections outlining morpho-logical features, habitat requirements and life historyparameters. Perhaps most useful, each chapter con-cludes with final sections on census techniques andmanagement approaches for conserving the species.Herein lies the strength of this book. Working specifi-cally on the Florida scrub-jay, I know where to findmuch of the earlier chapter information in the scientificliterature, and in much greater detail, but, as the book

emphasises in its sleeve notes, the ‘how-to’ informationis rarely readily accessible. I was particularly intriguedby the chapter on bats which is pervaded by practicalinformation on encouraging bats to certain areas whileexcluding them from others (i.e. homes).The book is well laid out, presented in a large legible

font and, atypically for a hardback, is affordable.However, this is not a rigorous scientific text—biologi-cal information is of limited use in its condensed formand, to my frustration, ‘Relevant Literature’ providesan extensive list of supporting literature but no refer-ences are contained within the text. Consequently, thereader is sometimes left to consult each citation on anad hoc basis to find specific information about beha-viour, physiology, etc. Despite these minor criticisms,this book is certainly a valuable resource for those peo-ple effecting changes on the ground in Florida, ameli-orating conditions for many species that might justpersist against all the odds.

References

Basili, G., 2001. Review of Florida’s fragile wildlife—conservation and

management. Florida Field Naturalist 29, 99.

Jim ReynoldsDepartment of BiologyUniversity of MemphisMemphis TN 38152

USAE-mail address: jreynlds@memphis.edu

PII : S0006-3207(02 )00135-0

312 Book reviews / Biological Conservation 109 (2003) 311–312