508 Book Reviews

Marine carbonates, by J. D. MILLIMAN, 1974. Springer-Verlag, Berlin, Heidelberg, New York, 375 pp., 94 Figs., 39 Plates, $25.20.

THE PAST 20 years have witnessed a tremendous growth of knowledge about depositional environments, chemical composition, and subsequent diagenesis of calcium carbonate in the marine environment. An acute need for Recent depositional models to understand ancient carbonates prompted this research. More recently, marine geologists and carbonate petrologists alike have studied carbonate deposition to decipher observed Recent sedimentation patterns in the World Ocean. Both approaches have led marine geologists and carbonate petrologists down some exciting pathways towards a greater understanding of the marine carbonate system. In this book, Milliman has attempted the awesome and overdue task of synthesizing our knowledge about all aspects of calcium carbonate sedimentation, composition, and diagenesis.

He has divided his book into four parts: III the marine chemistry of the carbonate system and methods of studying carbonates; (2) general biology, composition, petrographic characteristics, and details about calcification (if known); (3) distribution of non-skeletal and skeletal carbonates in different depositional regions of the World Ocean ; and (41 carbonate diagenesis vathin the marine environment.

The portion on marinechemistry ofthecarhonate system (Part I) is an excellent, concise treatment that synthesizes old and new literatu re skill fully, leaving the reader with a fairly accurate summary ofou r present (1973) knowledge in this area. While the section on methods of study certainly cannot, and does not attempt to be, the authoritative methods manual, it is an adequate and useful compilation. In places, it details particularly useful and often-needed techniques.

Part II, dealing with carbonate components, treats the petrographic and compositional characteristics of non- skeletal carbonate components extremely well. The chapter on skeletal components is systematic, but unwieldy. It is a little too much like a treatise on invertebrate paleontology, but without the helpful drawings of an organism's morphology that might prevent terminology from becoming cumbersome and confusing in such a treatise. Termin- ology is especially ill-explained and confusing for sections on Coccolithophorids and red algae. Nonetheless. there is a comfortable order in which characteristics of calcium carbonate are discussed for each major taxonomic level: ( 1 ) an explanation oftaxonomy andcharacteristics of discussed taxonomic levels, sometimes with listings ofcommon genera; (2)ecology, sedimentary distribution or significance, and aspects of growth or calcification ; (3) petrographic characteristics: and (4)chemical composition. Of these four parts, the latter two are the best. and most adroitly written. Considering the mammoth task Milliman has attempted in the former two parts, this section of the book is still quite successful. As a practical overview of carbonate-secreting organisms. Part II is a place to begin searching the literature.

Milliman's synthesis in Part III, on marine carbonate sedimentation, is enhanced by his background in marine geology and considerable research on this subject. Coral reef. continental shelf, and deep-sea carbonates are all treated in a thorough and quite readable fashion. Part lI will thus be necessary reading for a wide spectrum of researchers in Recent and ancient carbonates.

The fourth and final part of the book, on carbonate diagenesis, is presented in three chapters: (1) degradation, (2)cementation, and(3)dolomitization. The section ondegradation containsa poignant and especially timely section on biological erosion, along with sections on mechanical degradation and chemical alteration. In treating cementa- tion, Milliman has presented an even and commendably thorough treatment. However. his treatment of shallow- water submarine lithification is admittedly too cursory. The detailed synthesis of deep-water submarine lithi- fication may be of special interest to JOIDES workers.

In conclusion, although Milliman has attempted to summarize available knowledge of marine carbonates 'from the eyes of a marine geologist', this book will be valuable to the carbonate petrologist, sedimentologist, and marine biologist, as well as to the marine geologist. In addition, this book is recommended as a text for graduate courses in carbonate petrography and petrology. All photomicrographs and SEM photomicrographs are of excellent quality. It was a joy to see all this material skillfully synthesized from a formidable number of references, which give adequate coverage of both older and more recent works.

Department of Geological Sciences, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA 90007, U.S.A.

SCOTT E. THORNTON