I 1nt.Revue ges. Hydrobiol. I 73 1 1988 1 1 1 123-128 I

Book Reviews

Sediments and Water Interactions. Proceedings of the Third International Syniposium on Interactions between Sediments and Water, held in Geneva, Switzerland, -\ugiist 27-31, 1984. Ed. P. G. S~y.-276 figs., 521 pp. Berlin-Heidelberg-PewYork-London -Paris-Tokyo: Springer-Verlag 1986. ISBN 3-540-96293-X. DM 254,-

Three symposia on sedimentifreshwater interactions within a period of 8 years indicate that substantial scientific advances have been achieved in this field. The research work presented in this volnme mainly is concerned with nutrient exchange and with the distribution, speciation and availability of heavy metals. However, the strncture and functioning of sediments as microbial systems still seems to be largely unknown.

This book covers 44 contributions which are arranged according to the different processes which govern the materials distribution: 1. Sediment dynamics, transport, and material distribution, 2. Land use and loadings regulation effects, 3. Contaminant accumulation, mineralogy, and ma- terials speciation in sediments, 4. Modelling, 5. Material cycling, 6. Manipulation and disposal techniques, 7 . Sedimentation rates, fluxes, and dating.

Those who are interested in contributions on the factors which control the seasonal release of phosphorus from bott,om sediments will find thesc in sections 1 , 3, 4, and 5. Thus, the subject index is very important' for the nser of the book. There is also an index of lakes, rivers and other locations.

I n the introductory section, commcnts are provided by 1'. G. SLY in which the contents of the contributions are sammarised. To give an impression of the different aspects dealt with in this volnme, some examples ~vill be presented in t,he following. Interesting results on heavy metal partioning and mobility are recorded by EL GHOBARY and LATOT~CHE. From the analysis of trace elements in core samples from 12 Italian lakes, PREDIAZZI et a1 derived tlie conclusion that none of these lakes has a low ecological risk. Radionuclides as tracers for sedimentation and remobiliza- tion processes in the ocean and in lakes are considcred by SAXTSCHI. Factors which control the interstitial ion concentrations and potential P release from lake sediments are discussed, inter aha, by HOLDREN and ARXSTRONG, PETTERSSOK, and JAKSSOX. After exhaustion of' nitrate, iron may be used as an clectron acceptor by denitriEicating bacteria, and be mobilized together with phos- phate. For the calibration of a niathematical model to calcnlate nntrient fluxes across the sediment/ water interface, VAX ECK and SDIITS constriicted an in-situ interstitial water sampler. On the basis of model simulations and by spiking mixed sediments with NH,f and NO, KLAPWIJK and SNOD- GRASS suggested that a maximum nit,rificat,ion capacity of 140 g N m-3 day-1 and a carbonaceous oxidation rate of 250 g 0,m-:2 day-' may be achieved. Such values are sin-prisingly high.

AS sediment-water interactions in many cases are governed by transient conditions, this has to be considered by future model development t o a higher extent. The knowledge on the complex co- metabolical interactions of the sediment micrabiota still is too limited to become a snbject, of mathematical models.

The book i s an important sotirce of information for those who are concerned with tlie geo- chemistry. toxicology and limnology of sediments, or with lake modelling. I t is well illustrated and printed.

D. UHLMAXN