TANKARD, A. J., SUAREZ SORUCO, R. & WELSINK, H. J. (eds) 1996.Petroleum Basins of South America. AAPG Memoir no.62. xiii + 792 pp. Tulsa: American Association ofPetroleum Geologists. Price US $74.00 (members’ priceUS $49.00) plus shipping and handling; hard covers. ISBN0 89181 341 1.

Petroleum Basins of South America is dedicated to the memoryof Juan Keidel (1877–1954). Dr Keidel was the first head of theArgentinian Geological Survey. He was a staunch supporter ofWegener’s ideas of continental drift, in the days when suchideas were considered heretical, before the plate tectonic revo-lution. This fact sets the stage for the book, because it is muchmore than a volume on South American Petroleum Basins. Oneof its most useful attributes is the way in which paper after paperset South American basins into their wider setting inGondwanaland.

The book is divided into four parts: Regional Setting,Paleozoic Basins, Mesozoic Rifts, Andean Basins, and NorthernSouth America. Each part consists of about ten papers. Theseare largely co-authored by a mixture of indigenous and exoticgeologists. The first part, Regional Setting, is particularly use-ful. It opens with a paper by Tankard and a whole field party ofco-authors, on ‘Structural and Tectonic Controls of BasinEvolution in Southwestern Gondwana During the Paleozoic’.This gives an account of the separation of South America fromsouthern Africa supported by details of the geology of the tworegions. This paper is followed by one on ‘Oil and GasDiscoveries and Basin Resource Predictions in Latin America’.This short paper provides a succinct statistical review of the his-tory of discovery and distribution of South American oil and gasfields. Then comes a paper on ‘Petroleum Basins of SouthernSouth America: An Overview’. This helpful paper presents aseries of palaeogeographic maps that extend out into theAtlantic Ocean to include the Falkland Islands, sorry, Malvinas,basin. Williams then presents ‘A Tectonic Subsidence Analysisand Paleozoic Paleogeography of Gondwanaland’. This paperincludes global plate and palaeogeographic reconstructionsthroughout Phanerozoic time. These extend beyondGondwanaland to include the continents of the present NorthernHemisphere, making this a very valuable contribution. After apaper on the ‘Evolution of the Andes, and its Control onHydrocarbon Habitat’, Part 1 concludes with a paper on the‘Correlation of the Phanerozoic strata of South America’. Thishelps readers of the later papers in the volume to see how thevarious stratigraphic terminologies relate from basin to basin.

The 161 pages that together make up the first part of this volume justify its publication irrespective of the merit of thesubsequent papers. These will not be reviewed in detail. Sufficeto say they provide an excellent intimate account of the habitatof oil and gas in South American petroleum basins. The papersare illustrated with maps, cross-sections, burial history curves,seismic lines, and photographs of cores, photomicrographs andeven rocky outcrops. There is a considerable number of pull-outpages for the display of regional seismic lines and their geologi-cal interpretation. Colour printing is sparingly used, and islargely restricted to landscape water colours at the commence-ment of each part. These are in the primitive style that some willadmire. The book concludes with a full subject index.

Considered overall, Petroleum Basins of South America is an

essential source of information for any petroleum explorationistinterested in Gondwanaland in general and South America inparticular. Juan Keidel would be well pleased.

R. C. Selley

TURNER, P. & TURNER, A. (eds) 1995. PalaeomagneticApplications in Hydrocarbon Exploration and Production.Geological Society Special Publication no. 98. vi + 301 pp.London, Bath: Geological Society of London. Price£65.00, US $108.00 (hard covers); members’ price £39.00,US $65.00. ISBN 1 897799 42 X.

Because most sedimentary rocks possess only tiny amounts offerromagnetic minerals they could not be properly studied dur-ing the first three decades of palaeomagnetic research. Only redsediments were considered to be widely usable, and even in thiscase it was quickly recognized that protracted histories of lithifi-cation and diagenesis, as well as sensitivity to later tectonism,were often responsible for multiple magnetization and oftencomplete overprinting. Since the 1980s the advent of sensitivecryogenic magnetometers and improved techniques of demag-netization and analysis have opened up the sedimentary rocks tosystematic study. Inevitably hydrocarbon-bearing rocks haveproved to be an important focus of investigation. This volume isa compilation of 18 research papers from academic and indus-trial contributors which summarizes the state of the art in thesestudies. Whilst most of the results described in the book comefrom western Europe, and especially from the North Sea Basin,examples from North America and New Zealand are alsoincluded.

The most obvious application of palaeomagnetism to oilfieldinvestigation, namely borehole to borehole correlation, actuallyproves to be the least efficacious. Although stable magnetiza-tions are usually recoverable, their origins are complex. Thismeans that zones of normal and reversed polarity can seldom bedefinitively correlated with the Geomagnetic Polarity TimeScale and all such correlations have to be made within an exist-ing biostratigraphic framework. Nevertheless, as this bookmakes clear, palaeomagnetism has other, and often unique,contributions to make to studies of oilfield diagenesis. Thus aprimary depositional magnetic remanence may only survive inrare chromite and manganese minerals, possibly released in partfrom silicate hosts, because the more common magnetic minerals are preferentially leached. New magnetic mineralsmay then be formed which are a record of later events.

The seepage of hydrocarbons, for example, produces a tran-sient reducing environment: iron oxides are replaced by ironsulphides to produce an effect which is often of prospectingvalue. In boreholes it leads to changes in magnetic intensitiesand susceptibilities which correlate with zones of high porosity.The direction of the secondary remanence produced at this stagecan be used to date the timing of oil migration. Other examplesare given where the comparison between zones of primary mag-netization (of detrital or early chemical origin) and diageneticremanence can separate zones of former vertical and lateralfluid flow.

There is a developing methodology associated with thepalaeomagnetic study of borecores which is also documented inthis book. The viscous magnetizations acquired in the Recent

Geol. Mag. 134 (1), 1997, pp. 121–142. Copyright © 1997 Cambridge University Press 121

REVIEWS

magnetic field by grains with short magnetic relaxation timescan be used to orientate the core. However, any ancient rema-nence has first to be separated from magnetizations which mayhave been acquired during drilling and extraction. These includea drilling induced remanence caused by the effects of the corebarrel, and a partial thermal remanence acquired as the borecoreis raised from the elevated temperatures at depth in the oilfield.The first effect can be recognized and isolated by controlledplugging on opposite sides of the borecore whilst the latter canbe separated by thermal demagnetization.

The editors are to be commended for compiling a volume ofvalue to all workers aiming to integrate palaeomagnetic androck magnetic studies into comprehensive recovery of data fromboreholes.

J. D. A. Piper

WHITE, D. J. 1996. Upgrading Coal: the Essential Step forSustaining Future Markets. vi + 111 pp. Petersfield:McCloskey Coal Information Service. Price £350.00, US$595.00 (paperback). No ISBN.

PORTER, D. & SCHMITZ, J. 1995. Utility Coal Procurement.‘Perspectives’ series, no. IEAPER/20. 31 pp. London: IEACoal Research. Price £255 (paperback); substantial dis-counts to member countries and educational establish-ments. ISBN 92 9029 259 8.

CARPENTER, A. M. 1995. Coal Blending for Power Stations.IEACR/81. 83 pp. London: IEA Coal Research. Price £450(paperback); substantial discounts to member countriesand educational establishments. ISBN 92 9029 256 3.

With a continued rise in world coal production and more com-petition in world markets, the question of improving the qualityof product will become increasingly important. In a relativelyslim but expensive volume (with no educational discount),White considers the range of options for coal upgrading. Thevolume comprises twelve sections: summary and conclusions;introduction; coal cleaning technologies; environmental pres-sures on the use of coal; established preparation processes;recent developments and alternative physical cleaning; chemi-cal and bio-chemical cleaning; associated developments; utili-ties companies growing awareness of quality issues; the logic ofuse cycle analysis; prospects for clean coal in advance useoptions; prospects for upgraded coals in international trade. It isclear that the message here is that for a coal producer to remaincompetitive, coal cleaning processes are an important consider-ation. This volume is interesting but it is not particularly wellillustrated or extensive and most libraries will be put off by thecost.

Whilst the previous volume concerns issues important for theproducers of coal in providing an improved product, the volumeby Porter & Schmitz concerns those purchasing coal. This slimvolume assesses the coal procurement practices and strategiesof the electricity utilities. An understanding of the practices ofthe purchasers is vital for coal producers and will affect every-one in the coal industry including geologists. The volume iswell written but is so slim that I doubt it will find its way ontolibrary shelves, which is a pity as it makes interesting reading.

Once coal has been purchased it will be burnt in coal-firedpower stations. The run-of-of-the mine coal from the seam canrarely be burnt and an important element in coal purchasing isthe blending of a variety of coals to very tight specifications.This volume comprises nine chapters: introduction; whyblend?; methods of blending; assessing blend properties; com-bustion properties and behaviour; ash properties and behaviour;emissions; conclusions and references. Many geologists are

concerned with the location of coals and a few with their extrac-tion but few will worry how coal is burnt. This area will con-tinue to remain important in the future as more emphasis isplaced upon using resources efficiently and reducing pollution.As pointed out by the report the behaviour of coals in a boiler isaffected by: the nature of the coal blend; the limitations imposedby the boiler design, burner position, physical configuration andthe heat transfer area in different parts of the boiler; and theoperating conditions used, control possibilities and instrumenta-tion. In a useful chapter the authors discuss a wide range ofmethods for the assessment of coal blends. Interestingly coalpetrography is widely used but no mention is made of the possi-bility of using palaeobotanical data. This highlights the dividebetween those working on how coal is formed and how coal isused. It is important for future research that coal geologists andtechnologists talk to each other. In this light I would recommendthis volume to coal geologists so that they may see how theymay contribute to future research programmes on coal combus-tion. I hope that the title will not put off geological librariesfrom purchasing the volume.

Andrew C. Scott

JOLLY, L., MILLSTEED, C. & STUART, R. 1994. Indonesian CoalProspects to 2010. ‘Perspectives’ series, no. IEAPER/14.38 pp. London: IEA Coal Research. Price not stated(paperback). ISBN 92 9029 246 6.

DANIEL, M. 1995. Asian Coal Prospects to 2010. ‘Perspectives’series, no. IEAPER/18. 64 pp. London: IEA CoalResearch. Price £255 (paperback); substantial discounts tomember countries and educational establishments. ISBN92 9029 252 0.

Whilst there may be a temptation to believe, based on the expe-rience of the UK, that coal is in severe decline, evidence fromAsia–Pacific paints a rather different picture. From these twointeresting and informative reports it is shown that over recentyears energy demand has grown rapidly in most Asian coun-tries. Indeed in India alone coal production rose from 90.6 mil-lion tonnes in 1982 to 174.8 million tonnes in 1992 andproduction has continued to rise. Here, however, the coal hasbeen used for domestic electricity output. Even in Asian coun-tries with low coal, use has increased with Japan for exampleincreasing coal use by 15 million tonnes over the period. Intotal, therefore, coal use in Asian countries (excluding Chinaand Indonesia) has increased from 220 to 364 million tonnes. Sowhat of the future to 2010? In total the demand for coal is predicted to rise from 493 million tonnes to between 733 and1015 million tonnes – so who says prospects for coal are low?!From the analysis of supply and demand it is clear that demandis likely to outstrip supply thus being one important target forcoal exporters such as Australia.

Indonesia is one country in Asia which is developing its coalindustry to take advantage of this ever expanding market. In thereport it is considered that Indonesia’s coal exports are likely tocontinue to rise to reach around 35 million tonnes per year but isunlikely to increase beyond 45 Mt/y because of the limited size of Indonesia’s higher quality coal reserves. The domesticmarket for coal is also projected to rise substantially. Coal production has risen from almost nothing in 1982 to 28 Mt in 1993. Much of this (18 Mt) was exported. Production is pro-jected to rise substantially over the next few years to between 50and 64 Mt by the year 2000.

These two volumes, packed with important data on the coalindustries of many Asian countries, provide important insightsinto the world coal trade. Clearly a UK approach which belittles

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coal is not appropriate and these volumes show the underlyingstrength of a important fossil fuel industry. I hope that boththese volumes will find their way onto geology departmentlibrary shelves.

Andrew C. Scott

SWEETING, M. M. 1995. Karst in China. Its Geomorphology andEnvironment. Springer Series in Physical EnvironmentVolume 15. xi + 265 pp. Berlin, Heidelberg, New York,Barcelona, Budapest, Hong Kong, London, Milan, Paris,Tokyo: Springer-Verlag. Price DM 198.00, Ös 1445.40,SFr 187.00 (hard covers). ISSN 0937-3047; ISBN 3 54058846 9.

This text, published posthumously, is based on extensive excur-sions to China by Marjorie Sweeting over an 18-year periodfrom 1977, when scientific visitation became possible after theend of the cultural revolution. Sweeting spent time at many ofthe most important institutions for karst research in China, andvisited many of the karst areas described in the book. China hasa particular and important place in the study of karst areas:about one quarter of terrestrial carbonates terrains occur withinits boundaries, and as 60% of the Chinese population depend onfood produced in limestone areas, indigenous scientific studyhas a long and illustrious tradition; indeed there are presentlymore karst specialists in China than any other country in theworld. This book, reporting on Chinese approaches to karst geomorphology, is thus of some interest.

The text adopts a predominantly regional approach. Afterthree initial thematic chapters dealing with the physical context(a useful chapter), the history of karst studies and karst termi-nology and types in China, the next seven chapters are devotedto specific karst areas and the karst types present. There are twofurther thematic chapters on the position of China in world karststudies and on karst hydrogeology and chemical characteristicsof karst waters. The latter is somewhat weak given the extensiveexploitation of karst waters in China, and focuses predomi-nantly on regional hydrological differences, rather than dealingwith applied hydrogeology or the Chinese approach to develop-ment of karst water resources.

The general approach adopted is very much classical, withextensive descriptions of the physical setting and morphologyof the surface, and to a lesser extent underground landformssupported by maps and photographs (reproduced to a high stan-dard), and morphometric data. This will undoubtedly prove ofutility to those lacking prior experience of the Chinese karst, buta number of Chinese papers in English have also covered thesame ground, although with much less detail. In the Preface,Sweeting identifies the significant barriers to communicationwhich she and other western geomorphologists face in China,relating not simply to language but also the less analytical andmore descriptive Chinese thinking on landforms. She has there-fore drawn heavily on Chinese work published in English,which is perhaps intellectually more accessible to a non-Chinese audience, and also on studies by western scientists(some 40% of the references included). In particular, the reviewof Barbary et al. (1991) is used extensively in the introductorychapters, while the maps and diagrams of the 1985 China CavesProject form a significant contribution to chapters 4 and 5(although I note some of the maps used are not attributed to thissource (e.g. Figure 24 of the Guanyan Cave system)).

The text is in fact a synthesis of these published sources, withlittle if any new research or insight offered. More seriously,much of the published work is accepted uncritically. Forinstance, no actual data or surveys are presented which demon-

strate the occurrence of multiple levels in the Guilin karst (p.72). Similarly, in discussing climatic controls on limestone dis-solution rates (pp. 23–27) no indication is given of the tech-niques used, or of the reliability of the differences reported.Morphometric and other data are also reproduced from the orig-inal source without any indication of variance, and often with aspurious degree of precision, e.g. Table 11, p. 68, quotes per-centages of 263 isolated peaks developed on different rocktypes to two decimal places (not ± 0.5%), while Table 12 sug-gests that we are able to measure cumulative volumes of cavestotalling in excess of 100 000 m3 to the nearest cubic metre. Asecondary result of the extensive inclusion of figures and tablesderived from other studies, is that in some cases captions areinadequate, and do not provide a complete key to the figure. Forinstance, Figure 23 on p. 83 has no explanation of the symbolsused either for the variables graphed (H and h implied by theequations or H/h as marked on the axis), or for the two data setsA and B plotted, nor is a reason given for the change from filledto open symbols where the two lines overlap. Finally, some ofthe quoted material simply does not support the statementsmade in the text. For instance, the largest caves in the Guilinarea apparently occur in sparry limestones because ‘…of theirgreater physico-mechanical strength (i.e. low permeability andporosity (0.67%) and greater compressive, tensile and shearingstrengths (Table 3))’ (p. 69). In fact, Table 3 shows only averagecompressive and tensile strengths; the former is identical forsparry limestones and dolomites, and actually less than for the micritic limestones, while average tensile strength is greaterby only 4 and 2 kg/cm2 for the dolomites and sparites respec-tively (but no variance is given for the 9 tests undertaken). Nodata at all are presented to support the assertion that the sparrylimestones have a lower corrosion rate.

There are also a number of silly typographic and editorialerrors (for instance p. 13 quotes times in units of BP not yr BP

(although this is well beyond the timescale of 14C dating forwhich this style is conventionally adopted), and p. 88 suggeststhat total Quaternary denudation is 100–150 mm despite pre-viously quoting a figure of 100–300 mm/1000 years three linesabove). The reviewer’s initials are also wrong in both the textand (differently!) in the bibliography.

In summary, despite the stiff price I am sure that this bookwill be widely quoted, as was Sweeting’s well-known text onkarst landforms. I would, however, urge readers to adopt a critical approach to the material included.

P. L. Smart

HART, M. B. (ed.) 1996. Biotic Recovery from Mass ExtinctionEvents. Geological Society Special Publication no. 102.viii + 392 pp. London, Bath: Geological Society ofLondon. Price £79.00, US $132.00 (members’ price£39.00, US $65.00); hard covers. ISBN 1 897799 45 4.

Some time ago Richard Fortey observed that ‘There are extinc-tions and extinctions’, and so we might also conclude that thereare different sorts of biological recovery after a time of disasterand ecological trauma. It certainly is rather extraordinary thatthe aftermaths of mass extinctions have received so little attention. Yes, one can understand the almost morbid fascina-tion with dying oceans, impact surges of searing hot rock andrubble sweeping across defenceless ecosystems, kilometre-hightsunami crashing down on coastal plains, the blackness at noonas soot and rock dust lofted high into the atmosphere block outthe sunlight, but sooner or later the dust settles, the seas return tonormal and life picks up the pieces to rebuild the shatteredecosystems. Despite the intense interest in the physics and

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chemistry of the process, mass extinctions are only of interestbecause they affect a living planet. However severe the disastersome groups will always pull through, and perhaps in some circumstances reset the evolutionary and ecological agendas.

This book arises out of IGCP Project 335, the brief of whichis to address biotic recovery from mass extinctions, and it trans-mits to us the proceedings of a meeting held in 1994 at theUniversity of Plymouth. Not surprisingly the volume covers abroad ground, and contains papers that vary from the widely rel-evant to the parochial. A few are so short that their inclusion isof questionable usefulness, whereas others are rich in primarydata. Of greatest interest to most readers, I suspect, will be thefirst three chapters. Bottjer and co-workers begin with a charac-teristically interesting and stimulating review that drawstogether a number of published strands on such topics asonshore–offshore patterns, ichnofabrics, and guild occupation.More specifically in the context of ecospace vacation and refill-ing they draw attention again to the intriguing resurgence ofstromatolites in early Triassic ecosystems, suggesting a worldthat has tumbled back towards a Proterozoic system. They alsospeculate, all too briefly, on the connections between ecospaceavailability and the surprising fact, at least to some, that newanimal bodyplans do not arise as a consequence of such oppor-tunities. The next chapter, by Kauffman & Harries, is also stim-ulating, injecting a sense of ecological realism into the massextinction debate. They recognize a series of important ecologi-cal categories, that will help us to dissect the period of bioticrecovery in a more satisfactory manner. One might questionsome of the distinctions drawn, notably between so-called dis-aster species and ecological opportunists, but their concept ofcrisis progenitor taxa will surely find wide applicability. Thenext chapter by Harries and co-workers further develops thesethemes to indicate ways in which the seemingly chaotic seriesof events that we call a mass extinction may be unravelled oncethe ecological properties, especially survival mechanisms, areunderstood so as to provide a discernible pattern in the fossilrecord.

Thereafter the remaining 24 papers for the most part are morelikely to be of interest to the specialist, although as ever thereare gems of information and points of view that will be of bene-fit to any palaeobiologist. Armstrong, for example, provides aninteresting discussion of the recovery of conodont diversity inthe early Silurian. He identifies the bathyal region of the oceansas the main recruiting zone for repopulation of the devastatedshelf environments. Whether expansion of the bathyal regionduring the transition between the postulated S and P oceanstates would lead to cladogenesis may require further testing,but the notion of deeper waters providing refugia and some-times evolutionary reservoirs deserves a more comprehensivetreatment. Two other noteworthy chapters are those by Erwin &Pan, on Permo-Triassic snails, and DiMichele & Phillips on the late Carboniferous transition in land floras. The paper by Erwin & Pan (incidentally the editor has blundered in mis-reading Pan’s given name of Hua-Zhang as his family name)raises a whole series of intriguing questions concerning thePermo-Triassic record of the snails. A largely unacknowledgedproblem has been the role of taphonomic filters: a good part ofour knowledge of Permian faunas depends on rich silicified fau-nas that simply are unavailable in the early Triassic. A particularpeculiarity is the apparent abundance of so-called Lazarus taxa(surely an inappropriate name; remember Lazarus was dead).Did these genera, which re-emerge in the mid-Triassic, skulk inrefugia, and if so, where? Alternatively are they simply homeo-morphic taxa, and if so what might this tell us about the con-straints on snail form? In some ways the chapter by DiMichele& Phillips takes an even broader approach, but again in expert

hands. Their discussion of how an ecosystem is transformed hasan importance that goes far beyond those who specialize onCarboniferous mires because it touches on the way in which weunderstand the self-regulatory nature of persistent ecosystems.

Perhaps surprisingly there is little on the K/T boundary itself,although �Spiejer & van der Zwaan’s update of the situation ofthe famous section in El Kef, Tunisia is equally useful.Significantly they question to what extent faunal changes in thisinterval are actually controlled by sea-level changes, as is oftensupposed, as against oxygenation and productivity. The lattermay make for a more complex story, but ultimately may providea more realistic framework to explain the extinctions docu-mented in the benthic forams. A series of other papers drawsmore heavily on oxygenation, or lack thereof in Oceanic AnoxicEvents (OAE), especially in the mid-Cretaceous. Taking a dif-ferent tack Koch reminds us forcibly and sensibly that seekingto understand mass extinctions on the basis of the examinationof a few stratigraphic sections may be seriously misleading.Only when data have been collected across a wide geographicalarea can some assertions, such as trophic response to the postK/T world, be made with confidence.

This book has much of value, and certainly should be pur-chased by libraries. Perhaps its reduced price to members of theGeological Society of London will act as a bait to those yet tojoin this august institution, including your reviewer.

S. Conway Morris

SHAW, H. R. 1994. Craters, Cosmos, and Chronicles. A NewTheory of Earth. xlvii + 688 pp. Stanford: StanfordUniversity Press; marketed and distributed outside NorthAmerica by Cambridge University Press. Price $60.00,US $79.50 (hard covers). ISBN 0 8047 2131 9.

Textbooks on statistics are fond of exemplifying randomness bytelling us how soldiers in the early days of this century wouldtake shelter in bomb craters, in the mistaken belief that a locationalready hit was less likely to be struck for a second time. HerbertShaw’s central thesis in this challenging volume is that the his-tory and location of terrestrial impacts by extraterrestrial objectsis very far from being random, and that there are significant patterns in both space and time to the record of such impacts.Further, the impact record is intimately linked with Earth history,and further again, that the link is not unidirectional in terms ofcause and effect. It may initially be counter-intuitive to think ofthe influx of impactors as being in part ‘controlled’ by the inter-nal workings of the Earth, but to one as steeped in the notions ofnon-linear dynamics and chaos theory as Shaw, it would actuallybe counter-intuitive to think in any other way. Anyone doubtfulof this should consider two well-known facts about the Moon.One is that the same side of the Moon always faces the Earth;this phase-locking of its own rotation and its orbital period aboutthe Earth (what Shaw refers to as ‘spin–orbit resonance’) is notunique in the Solar System and there are other instances of reso-nance such as in the distribution of the orbits of the planets. Theother is that the nearside of the Moon shows about twice as manyCopernican period (1100–0 Ma) large craters as does the farside. Neither of these facts is likely to be in any sense random.Both are suggestive of non-linear, non-Newtonian effects.

This is a tough and demanding work. Its organization is,appropriately enough, highly non-linear; the main text com-prises a mere 200 pages, but this is previewed in a lengthyIntroduction (60 pages) after which comes a section in which allof the main illustrations are grouped together with substantialaccompanying explanations (57 pages). The nine chapters of the

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main text are followed by an Epilogue and then by 50 pages offurther illustrations and commentary, then another 182 pages ofchapter notes. The result is that it is virtually impossible to readthe book from beginning to end and the number of pathwaysthrough all of the material is essentially infinite. The overalldynamic effect is heightened by the author’s enthusiastic style,which leads him to write sentences of great length and complex-ity; it is hard to know whether to praise him for his irrepressibil-ity or to castigate him for indiscipline!

As to the science, there is plenty here, and drawn from animpressive array of subjects (the reference list runs to nearly 80pages). The book’s subtitle – A New Theory of Earth – tells usthat this is indeed a work of theory, and the challenge will be todraw from it a number of specific falsifiable hypotheses throughwhich to test the central thesis. I thoroughly recommend it toanyone concerned to find new perspectives on Earth history, orto learn more about the wider implications of non-linear dynam-ics in the Earth Sciences. The book will not, however, be foundaccessible by the broad readership that I think the theorydeserves, and I urge the author to consider making his ideasmore popularly accessible by condensing the essential thesisinto a shorter and more approachable work. I look forward toreviewing it!

David G. Smith

BUDD, D. A., SALLER, A. H. & HARRIS, P. M. (eds) 1995.Unconformities and Porosity in Carbonate Strata. AAPGMemoir No. 63. xii + 313 pp. Tulsa: American Associationof Petroleum Geologists. Price US $119.00 plus shipping& handling (hard covers); members’ price US $79.00.ISBN 0 89181 342 X.

Thirty years after Seymour Schlanger (USGS Prof. Paper 260-BB) documented correlatable ‘solution unconformities’ inthe limestone sequences of Pikinni and Anewetak atolls andconcluded that such features indicated periods of low eustaticsea level, an AAPG Hedberg Research Conference met in Vail,Colorado, to discuss the detection of unconformities and associ-ated porosity in carbonate strata. This book is an outcome of that meeting and addresses four major topics: (1) detection ofunconformities and subaerial exposure; (2) modification ofporosity and permeability during subaerial exposure; (3) preservation of exposure-related porosity during burial; and (4)influence of unconformities on subsequent depositional and diagenetic patterns. The editorial foreword is concise and givesa well written outline of how the chapters contribute to thesetopics. These chapters comprise fifteen case studies and, assuch, the book complements a number of excellent previouslypublished systematic reviews of carbonate diagenesis in themeteoric zone (James & Choquette, 1984; Lohmann, 1988).

Chapter one is a timely account of the controls and effects ofsubaerial exposure on diagenesis within the Plio-Pleistocenesubsurface sequences of Great Bahama Bank (Beach) and is fol-lowed by a hydrogeochemical study of diagenesis within uplifteddeposits of similar age from the Ryukyu Islands (Matsuda et al.).Interestingly, the latter of these chapters argues strongly that thekey to diagenetic alteration in carbonate sequences composedpredominantly of calcite (as opposed to magnesian calcite andaragonite) is not an active hydrologic environment but CO2fluxes into the groundwater system. Other chapters include thefollowing. (i) A regional study of a lower Miocene carbonateplatform from South China introduces the concept of ‘chaotic’ ordiagenetic seismic facies. (ii) Complementary studies of reser-voir creation (British North Sea, Vahrenkamp) and reservoirdegradation and compartmentalization (West Texas, China and

Oman; Wagner et al.). (iii) An analysis of a subaerial exposuresurface and its significance to the designation of sequenceboundaries on the basis of stacking patterns (Devonian, Alberta;Wendte & Muir). (iv) A study focusing on the identification ofexposure surfaces and porosity preservation (Pennsylvanian andLower Permian, Texas; Dickson & Saller). The last mentionedprovides particularly thoughtful treatments of both the factorsdetermining ultimate porosity and the use of stable isotope pro-files to detect subaerial exposure surfaces.

This memoir is generally well illustrated and provides a useful collection of case studies on a scientifically and economi-cally important topic. At £79 it is not inexpensive.

Paul Wilson

References

LOHMANN, K. C. 1988. Geochemical patterns of meteoric diageneticsystems and their application to studies of paleokarst. InPaleokarst (eds N. P. James and P. W. Choquette), pp. 58–80. NewYork: Springer-Verlag.

JAMES, N. P. & CHOQUETTE, P. W. 1984. Digenesis 9. Limestones – Themeteoric diagenetic environment. Geoscience Canada 11, 161–94.

LYONS, P. C., MOREY, E. D. & WAGNER, R. H. (eds) 1995.Historical Perspective of Early Twentieth CenturyCarboniferous Paleobotany in North America. GeologicalSociety of America Memoir 185. xx + 404 pp. Boulder:Geological Society of America. Price US $105.00 (hardcovers). ISBN 0 8137 1185 1.

This substantial volume comprises 29 chapters documenting thedevelopment of Carboniferous palaeobotany in North Americaover the last century. To some extent the title is misleading andmay put off potential readers as there is more here than just his-torical sketches. The impetus of the volume has come from awish by the editors to celebrate and highlight the work of W. C.Darrah. Darrah, they maintain, has been rather neglected andthey argue that he was a pivotal figure in the development ofCarboniferous palaeobotany in North America and had world-wide influence. His neglect, it is argued, may be related to thecharges of plagiarism following the 1939 publication of his text-book of palaeobotany. It is as if to exorcise this ghost that theeditors push Darrah’s achievements with the zeal of devoted dis-ciples. For myself, who whilst using Darrah’s early work wasnever struck by his overwhelming importance, I found mentionof him on almost every page of the 400 page volume rather irk-some (the first editor is only cited a little less!). I suspect thatthis over enthusiasm may turn off readers from what is an inter-esting volume in many ways.

The volume is divided into five sections. The first sectioncontains four articles concerning the life and works of Darrah(73 pages). Darrah comes over as a normal palaeobotanist pub-lishing, working with colleagues, exchanging letters andreprints. The detail with which his life is documented seemsrather obsessive. The story of his demise following the chargesof plagiarism is, however, fascinating and I would love to read atotally objective account. This chapter in Darrah’s life obviouslyhad a major effect on his research career. A complete bibliogra-phy of Darrah’s work is given.

In the second section portraits of five selected Europeanpalaeobotanists are presented: Jogmans, Gothan, Bertrand,Florin and Stopes. These contributions are of varying quality. Inseveral cases I was frustrated by the continual insertion of refer-ence to Darrah when clearly this was often peripheral to themain story. In general I found these essays well written andinteresting although the chapter on Florin came across as rathersuperficial, and I would have liked to have seen an article by

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someone who knew or had worked with him or was able to com-ment on his research. Clearly each of these palaeobotanists wasa major influence on the development of palaeobotany not onlyin Europe but also worldwide.

The third section comprises twelve portraits of NorthAmerican palaeobotanists. Many of these I would rate veryhighly but others had significantly less impact. The portraits ofSchopf, Arnold, Wilson and Andrews are particularly interest-ing and I appreciated the many and varied photographs thatbring the subject to ‘life’ (two of those highlighted have only‘retired’!). The fourth section of three portraits highlights ama-teur collectors and this must be considered of much more localinterest.

The most useful section of this volume to non-historians isthe final one on ‘special papers reflecting W. C. Darrah’s interestor influence’. I find the title of this section rather pretentious asmany of us have equally broad interests, but the topics chosenhave wide appeal. The first two chapters of this section concernarguments on stratigraphy and are perhaps less enthralling butuseful in summarizing the history of the many problems in cor-relation. The final three chapters are of much greater signifi-cance and I suspect of all the chapters these will be the mostquoted in the volume. The chapter by Phillips & Cross on earlyand mid-twentieth century coal-ball studies in North Americamakes fascinating reading about a subject which until only afew years ago held centre stage in Carboniferous palaeobotany.I certainly would have liked the story to have been continued!From a teaching point of view the paper by Gastaldo,Pfefferkorn & DiMichele is certainly the most useful, consider-ing the taphonomic and sedimentologic characterization ofroof-shale floras. There are here a number of new figures andsummary tables which many will find very useful. Theseauthors must be congratulated on summarizing an interestingfield with up-to-date information. The final chapter by Cross &Kosanke considers the history and development ofCarboniferous palynology in North America during the earlyand middle twentieth century. This was a most interestingperiod with the subject first developing under the impetus ofcoal studies and subsequently because of the use of palynologyin oil exploration.

Overall this volume contains a wide variety of material but Isuspect it is one that many on tight library budgets may feelobliged to omit. Personally I am pleased to have a copy but feelthat at $105 the cost will prohibit many from buying the book. Aslimmer volume without the excessive references to Darrahwould have perhaps been preferable but in this case the volumewould probably not have been written.

Andrew C. Scott

SIMKIN, T. & SIEBERT, L. 1994. Volcanoes of the World, 2nd ed.xi + 349 pp. Tucson: Geoscience Press for the SmithsonianInstitution. Price US $25.00 (hard covers). ISBN 0 94500512 1.

Production of the 1994 edition of Volcanoes of the Worldreflects a mammoth, sustained task since this particular projectof cataloguing volcanic eruptions began in 1971. The book contains (1) a directory of volcanoes, (2) lists of fatalities andevacuations at volcanoes, (3) a chronology of eruptions, (4) agazetteer of volcano names and (5) references. It is a unique,useful reference text that all volcanologists working at activevolcanoes should both have access to and be contributing to.

The 1994 edition is an up-date of the 1981 book in whichover 170 ‘new’ volcanoes active in the last 10 000 years havebeen added to the original data set. Despite their comprehensive

search for information on active volcanoes the authors are keento stress that ‘It must be recognized as an inescapably incom-plete record’, not least because most global volcanism occurs onthe sea floor and yet few submarine eruptions have been docu-mented in the scientific literature.

All volcanoes active in Holocene or Recent times have beenlisted, and the Pleistocene/Holocene boundary has been taken as10 000 years BP. In other words, all volcanoes known to havebeen active since 10 000 years BP or since 8000 years BC havebeen included. Because of the lack of widespread prehistoricdating of recent volcanism, half of the volcanoes listed have nodated eruption but are recorded in the text because they showclear evidence of having erupted in the last few thousand years.Only 13% of the eruptions listed are older than 2000 years, butthese form a rapidly growing part of the file. The main buildingblocks of the data file have been the Catalog of ActiveVolcanoes, the Bulletin of Volcanic Eruptions and theSmithsonian SEAN-GVN Bulletins.

An extensive introduction to the book summarizes previousvolcano lists, sources of information used in compilation of thebook, the years of volcanic activity covered, the volcano num-bering scheme and the abbreviations used in the data tables. Thecodes and abbreviations are also provided on the inside frontcover for easy reference. The book uses a numbering scheme,derived from the Catalogue of Active Volcanoes of the World, toplace all volcanoes into one of 19 regions. The world map on theinside front cover serves as a useful reference for this scheme; amore detailed map is provided on the inside back cover. Theintroduction summarizes the volcano data in the file and com-ments cautiously on the historical record. It illustrates the Worldpopulation growth in parallel with the number of volcanoesreported to be active each year. It highlights the fact that report-ing of volcanic activity has improved dramatically over time butthat even in the last 200 years historical ‘blips’ in reporting, suchas World War I and World War II, have overshadowed trends involcanism and that socio-economic and exploration influencescan explain all major trends in our recent volcanological record.The authors point out that the best evidence that these trends areapparent rather than real comes from the record of large erup-tions alone. The large eruptions with a volcanic explosivityindex (VEI) > 4, which have occurred at a rate of nearly one peryear for the last 200 years, are far reaching and are not likely tohave been missed in the recent record. Their constancy over thepast 120 years implies that the wide variation in the overlyingrecord of all eruptions is solely due to the variation in smallerevents that are more likely to be missed. Thus the authorsdemonstrate that our record for small eruptions is sound only forrecent decades but that the record for larger events is good formore than a century.

The directory of volcanoes is divided into 19 sections whichdeal with the 19 volcanic regions, examples of which areEurope to Caucasus, Indonesia and Andaman Islands, andHawaii and Pacific Ocean. Each section opens with detailedmaps, showing the relative positions of volcanoes (to a level notpossible on world maps) and their numbers, and an interestingfew paragraphs on the geography of the region. The book lists389 volcanoes known to have been active this century and theseare designated by solid red triangles on the directory maps. Afurther 231 earlier AD eruptions are represented by part-filledred triangles, and 689 BC or undated eruptions have been allocated open red triangles. A fourth category for less certainactivity in the last 10 000 years is represented by small open red triangles and 202 locations have been recorded. Therefore,in total 1511 volcanoes are listed in Volcanoes of the World.Within each section of the directory the volcanoes are listed by number. A single line of geographical and geological

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information, which includes name, subregion, latitude, longi-tude, elevation, volcano type (i.e. the morphology, such as stra-tovolcano, tuff cone, maar), volcano number and status (i.e. thereason for including the volcano in the compilation, such asbecause it has had an historical eruption or because radiocarbondating implies that it has been active in the last 10 000 years) isprovided for each volcano. Each dated eruption for the volca-noes listed is then summarized on a single line chronologically.The eruption start date by year, month and day, where knownare given, with an indication of the uncertainties. When a date isnot historical, but results from a dating technique, that techniqueis shown by a letter code immediately preceding the start year. Abrief summary of SOFAR, dendrochronology, varve count, icecore, anthropology, lichenometry, magnetism, radiocarbon,thermoluminescence, tephrochronology, potassium–argon,argon–argon and fission track dating techniques is provided inthe introduction. The directory indicates the presence of 20characteristics for each eruption. The first four describe whetherthe eruption took place from a central crater, flank vent, radialfissure or regional fissure. The next characteristics deal witheruptions interacting with water, i.e. whether they were subma-rine or subglacial eruptions, or generated a new island or mud-flows. The next characteristics deal with explosive volcanismand indicate whether eruptions were explosive, produced pyro-clastic flows, were phreatic and produced fumarolic events.Other characteristics deal with the production of lava flows andlava lakes, lave domes and lava spines. Finally, the effects ofthat particular eruption on humans are summarized; the numberof fatalities are listed and whether or not damage to propertyoccurred. Also included is an indication of whether mudflowsand tsunamis were generated. The VEI is used as a measure ofthe size of the eruption and the volume of erupted products isgiven where known. Therefore, the directory condenses infor-mation on the location of volcanoes, geographic data, morphol-ogy, activity status and known eruptive history. This is allachieved in just 125 pages of tables! The tables are in a com-puter format which allow rapid retrieval of information by thereader and ready manipulation by the authors and their co-workers so that the tables may be continually up-dated.

The fatalities and evacuations section tabulates all fatal erup-tions known to the authors, in 11 pages, and all evacuationsbetween 1976 and 1994, in one page. A summary pagedescribes the codes used in the fatality section. Fatalities arearranged in the same sequence as the preceding directory, withthe volcano name and number followed by entries for each fataleruption, carrying date, number of deaths and the proportionthat can be assigned to specific causes. For cross-referencingbetween sections, both volcano number and start date of theeruption are shown.

The chronology of eruptions section lists the 7886 eruptionsknown to the authors chronologically by eruption start date. It displays all known volcanism in each year up to 1993. Thevolcano number allows cross-referencing to the directory. Thechronology of eruptions is interspersed with 20 figures showinga range of volcanic processes, some of which are paintings fromthe Maurice and Katia Krafft collection.

Because volcano names are commonly confused by syn-onyms, official geographic name changes, subsidiary featurenames, and the grouping of nearby features in different ways,the authors have compiled an alphabetical list of all 10 400 volcano names in the file. This is the gazetteer part of the book.Here, this multitude of volcano names is related to the 1511used in the directory. The volcano number is used for cross-referencing to the directory. A summary page is provided at thestart of the gazetteer.

The source documents used in compilation of the data set are

provided in the references at the back of the book. The refer-ences are listed chronologically by region and a list of abbrevia-tions used in citations is provided at the start of this section.

This text is a very fine attempt to catalogue all the active vol-canoes of the World and their events of the last 10 000 years.The task that the authors have set themselves is enormous andwill never be finished. The authors are persistently up-datingtheir data set and the 1994 edition of Volcanoes of the Eoeld is asnap-shot in time of our current record. The text will be aninvaluable source of information for scientists initiatingresearch programmes at active volcanoes, for those enquiringabout hazards of particular volcanoes and as a data set for Worldand regional trends of volcanic activity. Simkin & Siebert andtheir co-workers are to be congratulated on production of thisvolume. I would recommend that all volcanologists use andcontribute to future editions of Volcanoes of the World.

Jennie Gilbert

WILSON, C. (ed.) 1994. Earth Heritage Conservation. 272 pp.London, Bath: Geological Society of London, in associa-tion with the Open University. Price £15.00, US $25.00(paperback), plus £2.00 postage and packing. ISBN 1897799 03 9.

O’HALLORAN, D., GREEN, C., HARLEY, M., STANLEY, M. & KNILL, J.(eds) 1994. Geological and Landscape Conservation.Proceedings of the Malvern International Conference1993. xiv + 530 pp. London, Bath: Geological Society ofLondon. Price £70.00, US $117.00 (hard covers). ISBN 1897799 09 8.

In 1840, Louis Agassiz pointed to glacial striae on BlackfordHill in Edinburgh as evidence that Scotland had been glaciated.This first demonstration of prehistoric glaciation in the BritishIsles was duly recognized and commemorated on site by theCity Fathers of the day. In doing so, ‘Agassiz Rock’ also becamethe first recognized site of geological conservation in the BritishIsles. Now over 3000 geological conservation sites are recog-nized and three separate new national conservation agencies(NCAs–English Nature, etc.) have responsibility for them.

Despite the common ground of the titles and aspirations ofthese two books, they are very different creatures. Both makenovel and important contributions to the literature on what hasbecome an important, if somewhat problematic, interfacebetween geology and conservation. At one level, geology andconservation, especially landscape conservation, might seem acontradiction in terms. For geologists the study of the ‘geo’ stillrequires as much exposure of rock as possible, preferably freshrock as found in sea cliffs and working quarries and unencum-bered with soil, vegetation or concrete sea defences. However,in their different ways, these two books address these inherentproblems and illustrate a variety of solutions.

Earth Heritage Conservation is an introductory text designedfor a mixed readership, from conservationists with little or noknowledge of geology through to professional geologists, withlittle or no knowledge of conservation. As befits its OpenUniversity parentage, the book is designed to be used as a work-ing textbook. There are study comments for each chapter,for example outlining aims and objectives of conservation; suggested activities, mainly questions such as ‘from your under-standing of the conservation issues raised … list the categoriesof interest groups’, etc.; boxes (e.g. the justification for EarthHeritage conservation); and finally summaries with bulletpoints (e.g. conservation of Earth Heritage sites is justified primarily • to allow research for the advancement of science and for the success of industry…). To the ordinary reader such

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structure can be obtrusive but it is very helpful to the student forlearning and reference.

Ten sites are described to illustrate the range of geologicalfeatures, from the sand dune system of Morfa Harlech,Gwynedd through Barton Cliffs, Hampshire to Shap Quarry inCumbria. For each site a basic outline of the geology is given,followed by the reasons for conservation, how it is conserved,who uses the site and concludes with a discussion of how theconservation and other interests are reconciled. My only quibblehere is that it would have been better if the authors had selectedillustrative sites, which have been already described in the pub-lished series of Geological Conservation Review books. Crossreference could then have been made to much more completesite descriptions, for those readers that want more than a GCSElevel of geology.

These brief descriptions are followed by a very basic intro-duction to geology and geological field work, based on two ofthe previously described sites and a quick trip through Britain’sgeological history. There is even an optional kit of rock andmineral samples, which can be bought to accompany the bookand these samples are referred to in the text. I am slightly sur-prised that there are not a couple of audio tapes and a video aswell but if you want those you will have to sign up for the OpenUniversity general geology course (S236).

The last part of the book is called ‘Conservation in action’and is of most interest to geologically literate readers. Beinggeologically biased, I think that it is a pity that this section didnot form the bulk of the book. Reference is again made back tothe early site descriptions, with elaboration of the justificationsfor site selection and the potential threats to their conservation.For anyone concerned with the teaching of geology in the field,such conservation issues are of increasing importance in thesecrowded little islands. The academic community has a duty toengage in the issues and support the conservation efforts of theunderfunded NCAs, in spite of various problems. For example,there have been complaints that publication of site details maylead to increased despoliation by unscrupulous collectors.Whilst this is a risk, it must be balanced against the wider bene-fits of site conservation in general and a greater public aware-ness of the need for conservation of all kinds. There are muchgreater threats to geological sites than from greedy collectors.Tipping and landfill of old quarry sites and the building of seadefences, which covers up coastal sites, are the most commonproblems.

An important aspect of the whole conservation strategy that isperhaps not fully appreciated, is that individual SSSIs are notgenerally ‘stand alone’ sites but are part of site networks andsupposed to be backed up by the Regionally ImportantGeological/Geomorphological Sites (RIGS). So that even if anindividual site is irreparably damaged or lost, there will still berepresentation of that particular stratigraphic horizon elsewherein the region.

The view points of the various interested parties are presentedso that you can come to your own conclusions about individualcases. There are the usual questions, inviting reader participa-tion, which will be ideal as basic student exercises for anyonepresenting an introductory course on geological conservation. Iknow undergraduate Earth Science courses are already over-loaded but all graduates ought to be aware of conservationissues today and this book is a good starting point and comple-ments Nigel Woodcock’s Geology and Environment in Britainand Ireland (1994, UCL Press).

Geological and Landscape Conservation is a very differentkind of text in that it is a collection of papers from the MalvernInternational Conference on Geological and LandscapeConservation in 1993. This was convened by the Joint Nature

Conservation Committee in association with the GeologicalSociety and Geologists’Association. Under the headings of var-ious themes, there are contributions ranging from ‘Conservationof geomorphological landscapes in Taiwan’ (Wang et al.),through ‘The role of voluntary organisations in Earth scienceconservation in the UK’ (Green) to ‘Rock poems, rock music:using poetry and the arts to interpret geology’ (Carter &Badman). In other words, with nearly a hundred short contribu-tions there is a bit of something to suit all tastes.

One of the clearest messages that recurs throughout theseinternational contributions is the plea for better understandingof geology (Burek & Davies), its educational (Wilson; Fisher)and even touristic potential. At all levels of society and civiladministration, there appears to be a lack of appreciation of thecontribution that the materials of the Earth continue to make tomodern society. Britain needs over 200 million tonnes of rockaggregate each year for civil construction. Various solutions tothe communication gap are proposed but perhaps one of themost promising has been the typically British ‘grass root’ solu-tion. Through the RIGS scheme (Harley), local amateur andprofessionalized conservation groups have been encouraged tohelp develop and manage their own ‘patches’ (Cutler; Toghill).

There is a considerable question of whether the different‘players’ in the conservation debate have reconcilable goals ornot. Is it simply a question of industry (including tourism, seeDe Bastion), commerce and land owners (Toghill) versus con-servationists? Britain, through the JNCC and NCAs, has a sub-stantial organization with a responsibility for conservation andsupporting legislation but a lack of financial resources to reallyenforce the legislation, so conflicts of interest generally have tobe resolved by the power of persuasion. This power can bepretty limited, especially in the present economic climate. Ifgeological conservation is to develop for the benefit of every-one, then the arguments for conservation have to be broadcast;this book helps serve the cause of geological conservation andshould be available as a reference in all geology libraries.

Douglas Palmer

ELLIS, N. V., BOWEN, D. Q., CAMPBELL, S., KNILL, J. L.,MCKIRDY, A. P., PROSSER, C. D., VINCENT, M. A. &WILSON, R. C. L. 1996. An Introduction to the GeologicalConservation Review. Geological Conservation ReviewSeries no. 1. ix + 131 pp. Peterborough: Joint NatureConservation Committee; distributed by Natural HistoryBook Service, 2–3 Wills Road, Totnes, Devon TQ9 5XN,UK. Price £30.00 plus postage and packing (hard covers).ISBN 1 86107 403 4.

After some ten volumes of the proposed 42 in the GeologicalConservation Review series having now been published,the Introduction has at last appeared, following a somewhat difficult and protracted preparation by many hands. The result is a well produced volume, aimed primarily at non-geolo-gists. However, since the volume contains an ‘official’ introduc-tion to the rationale of site selection and conservation, the relevant sections should be read by all geologists concernedwith these issues. The protracted gestation period reflects various structural changes in the management and preparationof the whole GCR series, which now fortunately seems to havesettled down with volumes appearing fairly regularly.

The Geological Conservation Review series of books,describing a total of some 2300 designated geological SSSIs, isperhaps the most ambitious book publishing project in Britishgeology since the Geological Survey launched their series ofSheet Memoirs back in 1846. The GCR series covers all types

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of geological sites, from igneous rocks (British TertiaryVolcanic Province), through structures (Caledonian Structuresin Britain South of the Midland Valley), stratigraphy (MarinePermian of England) and fossils (Fossil Reptiles of GreatBritain) to geomorphology (Karst and Caves of Great Britain,in press). A wide range of predominantly academic geologistshave already been involved in the eleven published volumes.And by the time the series has been completed, a significant pro-portion of the academic community will have been involved oneway or another in their preparation. Hopefully this spread ofinvolvement across most of the geology departments in thecountry will lead to a greater awareness and use of the seriesvolumes for teaching and research.

The series is a ‘grand endeavour’ in the Victorian tradition ofthe Blue Books or the County Survey series. It is particularlyimportant for its overall impact and use that the series be com-pleted and not fall foul of some penny pinching cutback. TheJNCC is to be congratulated on its continuing commitment tothe series and I hope that it is matched by support for theendeavour from the geological community.

Much of the subject and the objectives of this introductoryvolume was pre-empted to a considerable extent by the previ-ously published Earth Heritage Conservation (1994, edited byChris Wilson and published by the Open University; see reviewabove). Again there is a brief ‘potted’ introduction to the geo-logical history of Britain for non-specialists before the moreimportant sections on the ‘why and wherefore’ of theGeological Conservation Review. Apart from considerable stylistic and design differences where this book does usefullydiffer from the OU text is that Ellis’s book uses extended examples from the published volumes, to which the reader canrefer for further detail. The various major themes of geological conservation, such as the concept of ‘networks’, are illustratedfrom the published volumes on the Marine Permian of England,the Igneous Rocks of South-West England, PalaeozoicPalaeobotany and the Quaternary of the Thames. Likewise, thequestions of site selection, problems of conservation in workingquarries, eroding cliff faces, etc., are also illustrated by examples from published volumes but here there is some duplication of examples with the Wilson volume.

The Ellis volume is a fairly lavish book, well illustrated withcolour photos of sites and well structured for ease of reference.By comparison, the Wilson OU volume has much more of anheuristic approach and lots of practical ‘hands on’ exercises.The choice depends on what you want from the volume. For aclear and well presented reference to the rationale of theGeological Conservation Review, which can be easily accessedand read fairly quickly, the new Ellis volume is ideal, whereasthe Wilson OU volume is well designed as a teaching text thatcan be used independently by students or for group work.

Douglas Palmer

TSUCHI, R. & INGLE, J. C., Jr. (eds) 1992. Pacific Neogene.Environment, Evolution, and Events. Proceedings of the5th International Congress on Pacific NeogeneStratigraphy and IGCP-246, Shizuoka, Japan, 6–10October 1991. ix + 257 pp. Tokyo: University of TokyoPress. Price not stated. ISBN 0 86008 491 4; 4 13 068206 7.

The book contains a series of contributions presented to theFifth International Congress on Pacific Neogene Stratigraphy,as part of IGCP Project 246 ‘Pacific Neogene Events in Timeand Space’. The papers, by an international group of 17 authors,are grouped into sections as: I. Paleoenvironment of the Pacific(8 papers); II. Tectonic Evolution of the Pacific (2 papers);

and III. Pacific Neogene Events in Time and Space (5 papers).In Part I the papers concern planktonic foraminifera and their

isotopic characteristics and also diatoms in relation to Neogenepalaeoceanography, the terrestrial pollen record in marine sedi-ments, in addition to reviews of global climate evolution, NewZealand palaeoclimates, and depositional systems associatedwith upwelling in the eastern Pacific margin including the clas-sic Miocene Monterey Formation. Part II contains two papers,one applying palaeomagnetic data to interpret the deformationand palaeogeography of Japan, and the second using interpretedplate configurations to understand changes in surface-water circulation between the Pacific and Indian oceans.

Of the five papers in Part III two concern planktonicforaminiferal evolution and biostratigraphical application, onelarger foraminiferal biostratigraphy, one mollusc evolution andclimate, and one biotic and abiotic events in the North Pacific.The work on larger foraminifera by the late C. G. Adams is ofinterest as the corpus of his work on the Indo-Pacific region iscurrently being prepared for publication by The Natural HistoryMuseum.

The book will be primarily of specialist interest only as, otherthan a short preface, there is no attempt to link the individualpapers or provide an overview of the topic.

A. R. Lord

JENKINS, D. G. (ed.) 1993. Applied Micropalaeontology. xi + 269pp. Dordrecht, Boston, London: Kluwer. Price Dfl. 170.00,US $99.00, £75.00 (hard covers). ISBN 0 7923 2264 9.

The title suggests a comprehensive treatment of the subject butin fact the contents are seven invited chapters by differentauthors, curiously not including Graham Jenkins himself.

S. D. Houghton describes Recent coccolith sedimentationpatterns in the North Sea and seeks to apply the results topalaeoceanographical analysis of comparable fossil environ-ments. The Recent data, based on a relatively limited number ofsample points, is of general interest but the palaeoceanographi-cal application of coccoliths and other calcareous nannofossilshas made considerable advances since this study was written.

The chapter by M. C. Keen on the palaeoenvironmental useof ostracods is a summary of previously published work, mostlyby the author on the Eocene of the Hampshire Basin, supple-mented by a section on mid Mesozoic non-marine assemblagesfrom NW Europe, China and Brazil. R. W. Jones describesRecent foraminifera found associated with a biogenic gas seepin the North Sea, thereby adding to the growing body of infor-mation about living biota found with submarine hydrocarbonseeps.

The chapter by P. D. Copestake on micropalaeontology inhydrocarbon exploration in the North Sea is a useful overviewof what microfossils can tell the explorationist and developmentgeologist, how the information is obtained, and the appropriatefossil groups to use in different circumstances, combined with anumber of examples and case histories. The growing import-ance of microfossils for biosteering horizontal wells is not mentioned; however, this contribution is helpful as a teachingaid.

R. V. Tyson’s chapter on ‘Palynofacies Analysis’ is also avaluable overview for the general reader and for teaching pur-poses. The scientific importance of the chapter has beeneclipsed by his book Sedimentary Organic Matter: Organicfacies and palynofacies (Chapman & Hall, 1994). The descrip-tion of the sequence stratigraphy of the Early Cretaceous ageBarrow Group, offshore NW Australia, by R. W. Jones and others, is an interesting case study, in addition to providing

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valuable regional geological information. The final chapter byM. B. Hart provides examples of micropalaeontology applied toengineering and economic geological problems. The case his-tories used are from site investigation studies for the ChannelTunnel, the Thames Barrier and a road development, from workon landslips, and from estimation of reserves of economicallyuseful sediments, e.g. chalk for cement manufacture.

The book is arranged in an uninviting style which does notencourage the reader and many diagrams are too small to beeasily legible. The cover depicts an offshore drilling platform,suggesting that the content refers to industrial application in thestrict sense. The chapters are a mixture of the applied in an economic sense, the ‘applied’ as in being generally useful forearth scientists, and case studies. Thus, the title is misleading inthat a coherent account of the economic applications ofmicropalaeontology is not provided.

A. R. Lord

SELLEY, R. C. 1996. Ancient Sedimentary Environments andtheir Sub-Surface Diagnosis, 4th ed. xvii + 300 pp.London, Glasgow, Weinheim, New York, Tokyo,Melbourne, Madras: Chapman & Hall. Price £24.99(paperback). ISBN 0 412 57970 7.

The fourth edition of this popular and long-running text aimsvery laudably to provide a link between classical sedimentol-ogy, wireline logs and seismic in a methodological frameworkfor the diagnosis of depositional environment and to illustratethe economic benefits of such work, especially for the oil indus-try. In this it has no competition. It has been updated to includesequence stratigraphy and some 3D seismic but retainsProfessor Selley’s inimitable written style with the customarymix of the, to me, both amusing and mildly irritating asides tokeep readers on their toes.

The text preaches a common sense approach, admits the dan-ger of generalizations and provides bold simple diagrams. Thesummaries of characteristic facies and dip meter responses arenicely judged and the inclusion of Formation Micro Images isvery welcome. The case studies are both helpful and in severalinstances (e.g. the Cambrian–Silurian of North Africa) provideuseful alternatives to more popular examples. The price isattractive and I suspect undergraduates will continue to find thebook an easy and convenient text for examination revision: theywill, however, need to be made aware that mistakes and danger-ous oversimplifications are not uncommon. I consider the bookto be insufficiently discursive and inadequately soundly basedphysically to be likely to attract many postgraduates or industryprofessionals.

The section on sequence stratigraphy is decidedly weak,being drawn into lengthy discussion challenging the time signif-icance of most seismic reflections (surely many have signifi-cance, some do not!) and omitting both the Vail ‘sea-slug’diagram and discussion of its exciting predictive elements.Maximum flooding surfaces appear, wrongly, separating indi-vidual parasequences (Fig 1.2) and lying immediately under atransgressive system tract (Fig 7.6). Incised valleys and ravine-ments are not discussed. There is no seismic line with a full sys-tem tract interpretation. There is little or no physicalexplanation of petrophysical log response: not all SP logs kickleft in sand and the CNL log diagnoses shale because itresponds to hydrogen in both matrix mineralogy and pore fluid.Seismic reflections are wrongly explained solely in terms ofvelocity contrast (not acoustic impedance) and the essential

topic of log to seismic calibration is totally omitted. A few morewords on seismic resolution and its physical basis would nothave come amiss.

Many photographs and seismic sections have reproducedpoorly, and/or are uninformative. While the seven seismic/petrophysical colour plates are excellent, three of them are sim-ple duplicates of black and whites elsewhere! The references areboth too numerous and insufficiently up-to-date for an under-graduate text; of 166 references for Reefs and Deep WaterSands only 12 postdate 1985. The seminal work of Walker andhis students in this period on the Cardium shoreface/shelf usingwell logs and cores is not referenced. A shorter and better mix ofthe classics and the current would be preferable. Space saved inthis way could have provided a much needed short illustrativereview of sedimentary structures, included glacial environmentsand provided the textual qualifications so often lacking. ‘Thecoarser the sediment, the higher its permeability’ (p. 45) may betrue of many surface sediments but is not necessarily at all trueof ancient sedimentary rocks.

David James

LISLE, R. J. 1996. Geological Structures and Maps. A PracticalGuide, 2nd ed. viii + 104 pp. Oxford: Butterworth/Heinemann. Price £16.99 (paperback). ISBN 0 7506 2588 0.

The ability to interpret geological maps is regarded, for the timebeing anyway, as an essential skill for Earth Science students.Together with an appreciation of stratigraphy, map interpreta-tion in three dimensions underpins the reconstruction of localand regional geological histories. Geological maps are a vitalvisual and analytical tool in applied geology, not least petro-leum exploration. Even diehard proponents of Earth Science asa merely a system of physical, chemical and biologicalprocesses have to admit that map interpretation provides a use-ful conceptual and intellectual challenge for students.

No less a challenge is that of designing an effective course inmapwork. There are limits to what can be taught rather thanlearned through practical exercises. Consequently, books of col-lected ‘problem maps’ have had a guaranteed market fordecades. For some time Bennison’s An introduction to geologi-cal structures and maps (Edward Arnold, 1964, 1969, 1975,1985, 1990) was the UK’s best seller. This supremacy was chal-lenged almost annually from 1986 onwards by Butler & Bell’sInterpretation of geological maps (Longman, 1986), the firstedition of Richard Lisle’s Geological structures and maps: apractical guide (Pergamon, 1988), Boulter’s Four-dimensionalanalysis of geological maps (Wiley, 1989), Bolton’s Geologicalmaps: their solution and interpretation (CUP, 1989), Maltman’sGeological maps: an introduction (Open University Press,1990) and Powell’s Interpretation of geological structuresthrough maps (Longman, 1992).

Lisle’s book skilfully combined a simplicity of style with arigorous geometrical approach. It was clearly arranged in sevenchapters, economically entitled geological maps, uniformly dip-ping beds, folding, faulting, unconformity, igneous rocks andfolding with cleavage. Each chapter comprised a clear text fol-lowed by relevant exercises. It was copiously and preciselyillustrated with photographs and two-colour graphics. However,it suffered from Pergamon’s choice of a restrictively small pagesize. Text became unavoidably separated from relevant figuresand photos, problem maps were deliberately isolated from their accompanying questions, and many figures had to be setlandscape on the page.

I do not know what Mammonism has led to Butterworth-

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Heinemann becoming the publishers of the second edition.However, they have matched their financial acumen with a bet-ter talent for book design than their predecessors. Their gener-ous A4 format allows for two-column text and a more logicaland agreeable placement of figures. The photographs are repro-duced with greater clarity. The main text remains virtuallyunchanged, but the problem maps at the end of each chapterhave been rearranged and supplemented. In all respects, thebook is an improvement on the first edition. Its use as a self-tutor would have been enhanced by providing solutions to themaps.

The new edition of Geological structures and maps shouldreliably serve another generation of geology students throughthe next decade. We can only hope that map interpretation is stillvalued enough then to warrant a third edition.

Nigel Woodcock

FASTOVSKY, D. E. & WEISHAMPEL, D. B. 1996. The Evolutionand Extinction of the Dinosaurs. xviii + 461 pp.Cambridge, New York, Port Chester, Melbourne, Sydney:Cambridge University Press. Price £29.95, US $44.95(hard covers). ISBN 0 521 44496 9.

Eleven years ago I published a book on the subject of dinosaurs.It was written with the (I now realise naive) intention of haltingthe apparently exponential rise in number of poor-quality popu-lar books on dinosaurs written by non-experts. The book wasmoderately serious in tone, well-illustrated and pretty much fac-tually correct – a metaphorical stamp of the foot directed at thejournalistic hordes as if to say ‘don’t bother any more unlessyou know more than this.’ Needless to say my effort was futile.But to my immense surprise and partial embarrassment thebook, though clearly not a textbook in an academic sense, wenton to become adopted, particularly in the US, as a standardcourse reference book for ‘non-major’ courses on dinosaurs.Such courses serve to provide a version of hopefully palatableand non-threatening science to university undergraduates from awide range of backgrounds acting both as general interest back-ground, and as a recruitment vehicle for some science optionslater on in the undergraduate career.

In the intervening years dinosaur studies (both the method-ology and the material basis for study) have moved on apace,and the need to replace this book has become pressing. In 1994Spencer Lucas produced the rather immodestly titledDinosaurs: the textbook, which though interesting in some waysfell far short of what was really needed in this subject area. Thisnew book by Fastovsky & Weishampel is a far more seriouslycrafted effort aimed directly at the course textbook market forUS non-major undergraduates. It can perhaps with justificationbe viewed as a comprehensible abridgement and updating of arather turgid volume: The Dinosauria (1990) edited byWeishampel, Peter Dodson and Halszka Osmolska.

The book is large in format and bulky in terms of the numberof pages (though some of the size accommodates the very widemargins fashionable in US textbooks and presumably intendedfor scribbling notes on, and the copious illustrations) and there-fore appears to offer good value for money. As the prefacepoints out this book is intended for university students, and isstructured so as to introduce (and use) dinosaurs as a vehicle for the scientific investigation of the history of life on Earth and is well, and clearly, illustrated throughout. I whole-heartedly support this aim and encourage this approach myself – do theysucceed?

The first 100 or so pages of the book for Part I, are what wemight term ‘preliminaries’ setting the scene, explaining the con-text of investigation, techniques, measuring time, tectonics andbiogeography all of which are very much grist to the mill interms of content. The authors do however also dwell at somelength on systematics and phylogeny analysis and, perhaps mostimportantly, establish the logic and methodology of investiga-tion which is to be exploited throughout the rest of the book – cladistics. Few of us can be unaware of the impact of thecladistic method, as a means of focusing (with perhaps unnat-ural clarity) on features (anatomical characters for the mostpart) which can be interpreted as indicating the degree of rela-tionship between different taxa, and the algorithms (notablyPAUP and Hennig86) which can be used to analyse patterns ofrelationship based on tables of such characters (as binary terms)for groups of taxa.

Parts II & III of the book exploit this method to the full; theauthors describe the range and variety of dinosaurs known usingcladistic analysis as the organizing principle. As a means of pro-viding a clear, analytical approach to the Dinosauria, this worksextremely well; it allows for focused discussion of alternate patterns of relationship, and some of the assumptions whichunderlie opposing points of view, and gives a structure to thediscussion which will be of enormous benefit to the undergradu-ate reader and teacher alike (it must be remembered that themajority of undergraduate course teachers at this level are notthemselves dinosaur palaeontologists). The major groups ofDinosauria: Ornithischia and Saurischia, are dealt with in twomajor blocks (Parts II & III respectively). By default, but alsobecause it makes sense anatomically to go from less derived toprogressively more derived archosaurs, it is traditional to con-sider the Saurischia first in books of this type; quite whyFastovsky & Weishampel chose Ornithischia first is not clear,unless it is to have the group (Saurischia) with living representa-tives (birds) near the end of the book? Each group is examinedin detail to establish firstly its potted history, its broad pattern of relationships and finally the ‘interesting bits’ – the palaeo-biology and ecological interpretations – in a repetitive sequence.

The final part (IV) of the book comprises a series of fourchapters dealing with those subjects which are unavoidablylinked with dinosaurs: dinosaur physiology, dinosaurs in spaceand time, and extinction scenarios.

Additionally there is a colour plate section, showing a varietyof animals (mainly dinosaurs) across the Mesozoic Era in a vari-ety of ecological settings, copious well-organised indexes, andeach chapter has some basic source references, which shouldhelp the more interested student to delve more deeply into theliterature if they so desire. Minor quibbles to mention are that asan English reader of the book I found the use of language ratheruncomfortable in an undergraduate textbook – veering betweenoverfamiliarity (a sort of gee-whizzery that I found irritatingand seems to my mind to demean the subject unnecessarily –but must be aimed at the American undergraduate audience) andsimple, well-expressed phraseology. I also did not like the styleof life restorations in either black & white or colour formats, butthat is clearly a matter of personal taste.

In conclusion I think that this is an excellent book. It achievesits aim with an intelligence and competence that cannot bedoubted, and will be widely appreciated by undergraduate non-majors and their teachers. Courses of this type are not taught inBritish universities, and dinosaurs occupy a very small niche inZoology and Geology degrees, so the book will undoubtedlyfeature as background reading for some general vertebrate evolution and palaeobiology courses for 1st and 2nd year undergraduates rather than as an essential course book.

David Norman

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OLLIER, C. & PAIN, C. 1996. Regolith, Soils and Landforms.ix + 316 pp. Chichester, New York, Brisbane, Toronto,Singapore: John Wiley & Sons. Price £65.00 (hard covers).ISBN 0 471 96121 3.

This book primarily describes southern hemisphere landscapesand their soil and weathering product covers. This reviewer is arock-oriented geologist with experience of northern hemispherelandscapes. However, in order to understand palaeosols in thegeological record, and especially in order properly to interpretancient unconformities, we need to understand how deep weath-ering profiles develop. The importance of this book is that itbrings together a great deal of information about a key feature ofthe land surface in many parts of the world. The ignorance ofmany (most) geologists about deep weathering mantles is still aproblem as shown by a recent meeting this reviewer attendedwhen a suggestion to include a lecture on this topic in an en-vironmental geology degree course was met with derision, asapparently British environmental geologists will not work insouthern hemisphere field areas. The book fills an important gapand should be accessible to geology students let alone their lec-turers and course planners.

The book contains seventeen chapters covering themes suchas weathering processes, climatic controls, landforms onregolith, soils and duricrusts, regolith stratigraphy, tectonicinfluences, mineral exploration, techniques, and regolith and the‘geosystem’.

Key principles are explained simply and clearly, and the textassumes that the reader has little specialist knowledge. At thisintroductory level the book is very good but more sophisticatedaspects are not covered. This ‘overview’ style does create prob-lems with over-simplification; for example, vertisols (p. 308)are not all black!

All the chapters benefit from the simple, clear prose. Termsare clearly explained and the diagrams are uncluttered andinformative. The strength of the book lies in the integration of awide range of regolith-related topics making the book useful notonly to geomorphologists and pedologists but to field scientistsof many types including hydrogeologists, explorationists and tothose of us working on pre-Quaternary buried weathering fea-tures. In this last topic the chapter on the stratigraphy and age ofthe regolith (Chapter 13) is particularly useful.

I found the chapter on duricrusts (Chapter 11) rather disap-pointing in places, particularly because of the lack of informa-tion on calcretes and by the absence of any discussion on theimportance of groundwater processes in forming silcretes, cal-cretes, ferricretes and gypcretes. The important work by Thiryand Milnes on silcretes is not referenced. I would have expectedto see more discussion on groundwater ferricretes, such as theAustralian examples documented by Fitzpatrick and co-workers. The critically important studies by Arakel and co-workers on the hydrogeochemistry of groundwater calcretesand dolocretes are not referenced. Dolocrete is not mentioned inthe book, and, in Chapter 12 Wyoming has been moved intoCanada (p. 189).

The section on ‘Weathering in the past’ (Chapter 17) shouldbe revised to include the studies by Nesbitt, Young and co-workers on modern and ancient saprolite geochemistry andrecognition. It is disappointing not to see the detailed studies ofThiry discussed, on Tertiary palaeo-weathering and climatechange of the Paris Basin, which provides one of the clearestcase-studies of ancient saprolite systems.

Despite these omissions I welcome this book and its clear,introductory style will make it invaluable for teaching. Itdeserves to be available in libraries and to be required readingby any student enrolled on one of the ever-growing number of

environmental geoscience courses. Regolith–saprolite veneersare a crucial feature of much of the developing world’s land-surface and Ollier & Pain have done a considerable service in producing a clear introduction to the topic.

Paul Wright

LANZAVECCHIA, G., VALVASSORI, R. & CARNEVALI, M. D. C.(eds) 1995. Body Cavities: Function and Phylogeny.Collana U.Z.I. Selected Symosia and Monographs,Volume 8. 290 pp. Modena: Mucchi Editore. Price Lire45000 (paperback). ISBN 88 7000 269 4.

BRIEDBACH, O. & KUTSCH, W. (eds) 1995. The Nervous Systemsof Invertebrates: An Evolutionary and ComparativeApproach, with a Coda written by T. H. Bullock. vii + 454pp. Basel, Boston, Berlin: Birkhäuser. Price DM 198.00,SFr 168.00, Ös 1544.40, US$ 132.00, £84.00, FF 740.00(hard covers). ISBN 3 7643 5076 8.

Metazoan phylogeny is back in fashion, and gratifyingly forpalaeontologists the fossil record is once again being taken seri-ously. Despite the inevitable mistakes and misinterpretations thefossils from soft-bodied faunas such as the Burgess Shale,Sirius Passet, and Chengjiang are providing a wealth of unex-pected insights into the early diversification of animals duringthe so-called Cambrian ‘explosion’. But if zoologists cannotafford to ignore the fossil record, so too should we remaininformed about their activities and programmes. Of the twobooks under review here, that edited by Giulio Lanzavecchiaand colleagues will probably prove to be the more relevant toour enterprise. The concept of body cavities, famously thecoelom, haemocoel and pseudocoel, have had a profound influ-ence on the perceived framework of metazoan evolution, per-haps most influentially via R. B. Clark’s book Dynamics inMetazoan Evolution, published in 1964. The configuration ofthe body cavities, together with their modes of derivation duringembryology and larval development, have often been taken toprovide crucial clues in determining phylogenetic relationships.Now the emphasis has changed, with the suspicion that bodycavities evolve as and when they are needed. In other wordsevolutionary convergence is to be expected, and the presence ofa body cavity cannot be isolated from its functional context.Here sixteen papers help to bring us up-to-date. One contribu-tion is little more than an abstract, and the remainder vary fromwide-ranging reviews to specialized and technical summaries.In the first category, that of reviews, particularly helpful are therespective chapters by Willmer and Alexander. The formeraddresses the phylogeny of body cavities in a contribution thatradiates common sense. She concludes, reasonably enough, thatconvergence is the norm. McNeill Alexander considers thefunctional aspects of body cavities in terms of their hydraulicsand the properties of the enclosing walls. This writer brings hiscustomary skill to bear on the relatively simple physics thataccompany a deeper understanding of how body cavities actu-ally function.

One area of particular interest at the moment in metazoanphylogeny is the status of a number of so-called minor phyla.Ghirardelli updates our knowledge of the arrow-worms(chaetognaths), emphasizing their unique anatomical featuresthat continue to baffle systematists. Also puzzling are the so-called pseudocoelomates. Wallace and co-workers review theirunderstanding of pseudocoelomate phylogeny, but their conclu-sion (popularly shared) of a close connection between thenematodes and nematomorphs is directly challenged in the pre-ceding chapter, written by the senior editor and his colleagues.

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There is, therefore, new information and some controversy,but other papers cover more well-rehearsed areas. These includea succinct review by Salvini-Plawen & Bartolomaeus on the situation in molluscs, and Minelli’s thoughts on body cavities,segmentation and homology. Both are valuable additions to thisbook. The historical component is not neglected. Simonetta &Insom touch on various aspects in their wide-ranging and some-what eclectic survey of brachiopods, arthropods and chordates.In passing, perhaps one should also note that a postscript in thepaper by these authors, drawing attention to a supposed example of a marine onychophoran, is now not only in seriousdoubt but has implications of fraud (Jayaraman, 1989). The historical emphasis is more fully expressed in Ghiara’s chapteron the vertebrate gastrula, which is a comprehensive and schol-arly review. There is perhaps relatively little in this book that is novel, but a fascinating exception to this is Bavestrello andco-workers’ description of the aquiferous system of sponges,the details of which were obtained by casting techniques usingplastics. Their conclusions are, in part, quite surprising: thecanal system does not appear to be optimized for fluid flow. Theauthors suggest this is a result of ‘competition’ for space withinthe organism between the canal system and the complex skeletalframework. Here, surely, is an area of research that deservesmore extensive investigation.

The second book under review here is less likely to be ofimmediate interest to palaeontologists, although it is obviouslyan important contribution to neurobiology. Nervous tissue,while not unknown in the fossil record – interesting examplesare known from amber – is nevertheless very rare. Yet, weshould be informed about this area because of such topics aschanges in vertebrate brain size (encephalization), and moreindirectly by the observation that trace fossils are a product ofbehaviour and thereby are linked to neural programming. In thisbook there is strong emphasis on the evolutionary aspects ofneuronal systems. Thus we learn, for example, fromGrimmelikhuijzen & Westfall, that cnidarians (as Hydra) have amuch more complex neural arrangement, including a conspicu-ous concentration of nervous tissue at the tentacular end of thebody, than the standard text-books would have us believe. Othersupposedly primitive metazoans, such as the platyhelminthes(Reuter & Gustafsson) and nematodes (Walthall), all havesophisticated nervous systems, and in the latter phylum there isan intriguing segment-like arrangement. Amongst the inverte-brates, however, nothing appears to match the remarkable com-plexity of the cephalopod brain and associated nervous system,and Budelmann is correct to emphasize the enormous potentialfor a deeper understanding of cephalopod nervous activity.More than half the book is devoted to arthropod nervous sys-tems, and several of the chapters have detailed discussions ofhomology and convergence. Some aspects of insect and spidernervous systems, for example, are remarkably stable and proba-bly have remained little changed for hundreds of millions ofyears (for example, Meier & Reichert). In other cases, however,there is clear evidence of innovation and the development ofnew structures. In the eusocial insects, for example, it is pos-sible to identify not only learning but also memory. AsStrausfeld and co-workers stress, the insect brain may be tiny,but its neuronal density helps to explain an astonishing range ofabilities and behaviours. They emphasize recent studies of theso-called mushroom body, and place their discussion in a wide-ranging evolutionary context. For the most part Strausfeld et al.are impressed by similarities between various arthropods (andeven annelids), whereas in the next chapter (Breidbach) theemphasis is more on convergence. In fact, paradoxically, insome decapods (e.g. brachyurans) evolutionary success isachieved by reduction and simplification (Sandeman &

Scholtz). Neural arrangements may also provide valuableammunition to evolutionary debates, or at least to one set of pro-ponents. Thus, Whitington declares (p. 216) ‘It is thereforehighly surprising that early axonogenesis in the centipede and… other myriapods, shows few similarities to that seen in theInsecta’. However, as he then discusses, the alternative view thatinsects are much closer to the crustaceans then they are to themyriapods, which had been the consensus for many years, isfast graining ground. The evolutionary emphasis in this bookand the various references to the fossil record suggest that how-ever inadequate our present understanding of the fossil record ofnervous systems may be, here too the ground is being laid forfuture and fertile dialogues.

Simon Conway Morris

References

CLARK, R. B. 1964. Dynamics in Metazoan Evolution. The Origin of theCoelom and Segments. Oxford: Clarendon.

JAYARAMAN, K. S. 1989. Indian zoologist suspected. Nature 342, 333.

KRETZ, R. 1994. Metamorphic Crystallization. xiv + 507 pp.Chichester, New York, Brisbane, Toronto, Singapore: JohnWiley & Sons. Price £22.50, US $36.50 (paperback).ISBN 0 471 94214 6.

This book presents an unusual approach to the study of meta-morphic rocks, and is largely based on a major body of work bythe author on metamorphic mineral textures and compositions.Kretz was a pioneer in the study of metamorphic textures,assimilating key concepts from the material science communitylong before they became wider currency among geologists, andit was with much anticipation that I learned about this book. It isan abundantly illustrated paperback, which he has aimed at areadership of senior undergraduates and graduate students. It isdivided into five massive chapters, with a set of appendices.

The whirlwind first chapter is devoted to building up a back-ground in traditional metamorphic petrology. It begins with thehistorical background and moves rapidly into describing meta-morphic minerals, giving the briefest of introductions to crys-talline microstructure. Isograds and metamorphic facies aregiven a mention, as is the experimental determination of mineralstability. Progressive metamorphism is illustrated by the pro-gression from shale to granulite and the chapter ends with abrief mention of PTt paths. The level of this chapter is veryuneven. At the beginning it appears to be aimed at those withvery little background knowledge of geology, but half-waythrough it is clearly aimed at a graduate level. Even in thoseparts which seem suitable for a beginner, the treatment is toosuperficial to be of much use except as a source of references.Much of the recent and exciting developments in metamor-phism is omitted or treated in a very cursory manner. The role offluids in metamorphism, ultra-high pressure and temperaturemetamorphism are not adequately covered, for example. Thechapter ends with a list of recent references (i.e. mid-1980s andlater) that the reader is advised to consult, although little indica-tion is given as to their contents.

The second chapter, on thermodynamics, is a classical andsolid introduction. The basics of mineral thermodynamics arepresented along with the phase rule, and an exposition of thethermodynamics of mineral mixtures and solid solutions. Theproperties of mixed volatiles are also briefly covered. The num-bering system applied to the abundant equations in the text isbaffling, although I suspect they are numbered only when theyform part of a sequence deriving some important result. Theapproach to thermodynamics is rather dry, with little indicationgiven as to how the theory may be applied to real rocks. For this,

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the reader must wait until the following chapter. This chapter, thelongest in the book, covers mineral transformations, includingorder–disorder transformations, solid solutions, mineral reac-tions with and without solid solution. The approach is very muchcase-study oriented, with application of the thermodynamicbackground developed in the preceding chapter to specific geo-chemical systems. The only problem is that the published casestudies are all hopelessly out of date. Surely the more recentwork on the aragonite–calcite transition (for example) shouldhave been mentioned here? The discussion of theSchreinemakers method is excellent, although it is hidden awayin a section on phase equilibria in the MgO–SiO2–H2O system.There is a large section covering element partitioning betweenminerals, reflecting Kretz’s own contribution to this field, butagain the examples used to illustrate this are all rather out of date.

The fourth chapter, on chemical kinetics, covers rates of reac-tion, solid-state diffusion, and crystal nucleation and growth,with a final part linking together the previous sections on nucle-ation and growth rate in a study of metamorphic texture develop-ment. In the final chapter, Kretz shows the kind of informationon metamorphic processes that can be obtained from an exami-nation of granular microstructures. He covers reaction mecha-nisms, corona microstructures, exsolution textures and kinetics,crystal shape and its control by interfacial energies, grain coars-ening, metamorphic differentiation, and metasomatism. Themajority of the case studies are again Kretz’s own. Curiously, therole of minimization of internal energies during equilibration oftextures is only mentioned in the context of the Wulff plot,despite many recent developments. Similarly, recent advances inthe understanding of metamorphic differentiation in terms ofself-organization are mentioned only briefly. This chapter onmicrostructures is perhaps where one would expect Kretz to havethe most authoritative voice, but his work is reported in the sameform in which it was initially published with no new insights orperspectives or comparison with the work of other authors.

On the whole, the book’s structure is unwieldy and the orga-nization is very weak. I got the feeling that the book would havebeen easier to use, and material less difficult to find, if the sub-divisions had been smaller. The index gives only the broadestoutline of the contents of each section, and it is a common fail-ing that the existing sections contain many other topics than justthat of the title. Important concepts, such as Gresen’s treatmentof metasomatism, the nature of interfacial energy, andSchreinemakers’ rules, are incorporated into sections almost asan after-thought instead of having a section of their own. Thesequence in which various topics appear is baffling. Frequently,concepts are used well before the definition occurs in the text(and some, such as Miller indices, are not defined at all).Interfacial energy (a prime control on metamorphic crystalliza-tion) is a good example of this, being mentioned in the firstchapter, with a rigorous definition and description not material-izing until the final chapter. The style of writing and authority ofthe text appears to be very uneven, with those passages concern-ing areas of the field in which Kretz himself has worked beingthe most readable.

A major criticism of the book is that it is very out of date. Thecase studies covered in detail generally date from the sixties andseventies. Later important work is mentioned at the end of eachsection as a clutch of papers which the reader is invited to study.Surely a textbook should provide the reader with an expositionof the latest important developments in the field instead of point-ing the reader in the direction of a few papers without any otherguidelines? However, despite its drawbacks, the book presents arefreshing look at metamorphism, and differs greatly from thestandard metamorphic textbook. Kretz gives us a unique and per-sonal view of metamorphic crystallization with an emphasis on

grain-scale processes, with a different perspective from the usualone. As such this book would be a valuable addition to a library,although serious updating of material and subject matter isneeded before it can be used for teaching material.

Marian Holness

DALLMEYER, R. D., FRANKE, W. & WEBER, K. (eds) 1995. Pre-Permian Geology of Central and Eastern Europe. xvi + 604pp. Berlin, Heidelberg, New York, London, Paris, Tokyo,Hong Kong: Springer-Verlag. Price DM 498.00, SFr3635.40, SFr 469.00 (hard covers). ISBN 3 540 55472 6.

Pre-Permian Geology of Central and Eastern Europe isdesigned to present the current state-of-the-art on this subjectand represents the continuation of a series of comparable treat-ments of regional geology in other areas, all related to theInternational Geological Correlation Program 233 ‘Terranes inthe Circum-Atlantic Paleozoic Orogens’. In the preface, the edi-tors state that this book presents a ‘comprehensive view of ourpresent understanding of the tectonothermal and stratigraphicevolution of the Central European orogens’, resulting from a‘first opportunity for completely open scientific exchange fol-lowing the recent political reformations in central Europe’.Eighty-six scientists from different countries across central andeastern Europe provided a thorough compilation of this subject,building on the early work published at the beginning of thiscentury and considering most recent work which was submittedin 1995, all of which certainly assures the goals stated above.

The book is subdivided into eleven main chapters, with six ofthem being further subdivided. Following a brief introduction,the geophysical perspective of this topic is presented in the sec-ond chapter, considering results from a variety of geophysicalsurveys completed in recent years. The following six chaptersare related to the main geotectonical units in central and easternEurope, the Rhenohercynian Foldbelt, the Mid-GermanCrystalline High, the Saxothuringian Basin, the Western Sudetes(Lugicum), the Moldanubian Region and the Moravo-SilesianZone. The similarly structured treatment of individual subjects(stratigraphy, structure, igneous activity, metamorphic evolutionand metallogenesis) provides a most detailed assessment of theavailable information on these subjects as well as a welcomeway of direct comparison of these aspects in all different areas.An additional chapter presents data on the North VariscanForeland. The last two chapters discuss the palaeogeographicand geodynamic evolution of central and eastern Europe.

This book provides a wealthy of information, either presenteddirectly in the text itself or in the large number of references.The text is supported by 233 well-prepared figures, frequentlyfull-page geological or structural maps. Earth scientists inter-ested in pre-Permian geology of central and eastern Europe willcertainly regard this is a repository of information and theanswer to whatever question might come up with regard to thissubject. It is an outstanding contribution to the geology of cen-tral and eastern Europe, and individual authors and the editorsare to be congratulated for this.

Harald Strauss

HSÜ, K. J. 1995. The Geology of Switzerland. An Introduction toTectonic Facies. xxv + 250 pp. Princeton: PrincetonUniversity Press. Price £40.00, US $55.00 (hard covers).ISBN 0 691 08787 3.

Previous books by Kenneth Hsü, covering the history of the DeepSea Drilling Project and the ‘drying-up’ of the Mediterranean,

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have been widely acclaimed for the manner in which they conveythe excitement of earth science to a wide readership. The Geologyof Switzerland is also likely to have a similar impact. Hsü comesfrom the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology (ETH), Zürich,and follows in the great tradition of Swiss Alpine geologists, suchas Heim and Trümpy. Yet he brings to this account a vast range ofexperience and ideas from America, China and elsewhere. Inessence, this book is a highly personalized and, some would say,controversial account of the geological evolution of his adoptedhomeland. But it goes beyond that; by introducing new concepts,particularly that of tectonic facies, this book will have wideapplicability to other mountain belts.

The Geology of Switzerland is based on an introductory lec-ture course for students in Zürich, and as such it developsthemes from first principles, as well as making incisive com-ments about how geology as a science is tackled today. Theunderlying concept in this book is that, although mountainchains may each be different, they all have certain commoncharacteristics or ‘body-plan’ (Bauplan in German). Thus mod-els developed for the best-studied mountain range in the world,the Alps, can be applied to other ranges, and this is demon-strated within the book.

Because the book assumes that some students will have littleknowledge of geology, some background to historical geology,sedimentary facies, and to the development of stratigraphy isgiven in Chapter 1. Using the Jura Mountains as the area todemonstrate these ideas, Hsü entertainingly discusses the rolesplayed by early geologists like Steno, Hutton, Smith andWerner. In Chapter 2 the author focuses on the Cenozoic recordof the Swiss Midland. Emphasis is given to the development ofthe Ice Age Theory, in which Swiss scientists like Agassizplayed a key role in convincing geologists in other countries,like Britain and America, that ice covered large parts of theEarth. The Tertiary molasse deposits which underlie theQuaternary glacial sediments are next described, with referenceto modern Himalayan fluvial systems.

The bulk of the volume is an account of the geology of theSwiss Alps, presented in the context of plate tectonic theory.Fascinating insight is given to the development of both earlyand modern ideas concerning the evolution of the Alps. Theauthor takes an integrated approach in avoiding the usual com-partmentalization of structural geology and stratigraphy. Hedevelops the concept of tectonic facies, where each facies ‘ischaracterized not only by its style of deformation, but also by itssedimentary association, and its palaeogeographic position inthe framework of plate tectonics’. After a general introduction(Chapter 3), the discussion of these facies constitutes Chapters4–11, embracing especially Helvetic stratigraphy, the Flysch,Prealpine Klippes, Pennine core nappes, the Bünderschiefer,ophiolites, Pennine deformation history and Austroalpinenappes.

The last four chapters of the book expound at a moreadvanced level the tectonic facies concept. These ideas areapplied to other classic mountain belts, namely theAppalachians, the Caledonides and the American Cordillera,while a full chapter is devoted to the geology of China. Many ofthe ideas are still to be tested, and here Hsü offers a challenge tothe geological community to rethink their ideas. The book endswith a discussion of ‘theoretical geology’, and the ‘stamp-collector mentality’ of many geologists, not least of those jour-nal editors and referees who seem incapable of accepting newideas unless backed by large bodies of data. Much of this willring true for many readers of Hsü’s book! Sadly, the author feelsthat he is philosophically out of touch with modern develop-ments in geology. This is a great pity, as here we have a marvel-lous ‘ideas’ book which, in addition, is full of fascinating facts

and places early work in a proper perspective. Furthermore, itreads well and, unlike many textbooks, is difficult to put down.

The book is well presented, with clear line drawings, ofwhich the cross-sections are particularly valuable. However,there are no photographs of the spectacular Alpine geology,which is perhaps a shame.

The Geology of Switzerland will be invaluable to all geolo-gists interested in the development of mountain belts, and forvisitors to that country it is a must. All other earth scientistswould benefit from reading the philosophical parts of the book.In conclusion, the author and the publishers are to be congratu-lated on producing such a fine, thought-provoking book, which Ibelieve is destined to become a classic.

M. J. Hambrey

RENAUT, R. W. & LAST, W. M. (eds) 1994. Sedimentology andGeochemistry of Modern and Ancient Saline Lakes. SEPMSpecial Publication no. 50. x + 334 pp. Tulsa: SEPM(Society for Sedimentary Geology). Price US $90.00(members US $65.00); hard covers. ISBN 1 56576 014 X.

Although among the very first lakes to be subjected to detailedscientific study, saline lakes have tended to be rather neglectedby researchers in favour of their freshwater counterparts. Thisvolume, arising from the conference held in Saskatoon, Canada,provides a much needed counterbalance. The editors haveselected 22 of the papers presented, arranging them in four sec-tions addressing Modern, Quaternary, Ancient Salt Lakes, andAncient Salt Lake/Marine systems, introduced with a briefoverview chapter documenting the rise of interest in geologicallimnology. Four papers address topics from different parts ofAfrica; three are from Australia, seven from North America, andthe European lakes are represented by no less than seven studiesof ancient and modern examples in Spain.

Only a flavour of the range of topics addressed in such adiverse collection of papers can be given in a brief review. Themodern systems studies include reviews of brine geochemistryand processes that control water composition variations in thelakes on short and long time scales. Problems of organic matterpreservation, degradation and sulphate reduction are addressedas precursors to detailed examinations of solute fluxes andsolute budgets. Evaporating ponds provide controls for model-ling studies of precipitation and compositional variations in thewaters of ephemeral surface lakes, and two papers address thesedimentary structures and associated crusts which develop inplaya lakes.

Quaternary lake studies, principally using analysis of corematerials, provide the opportunity to relate temporal variabilityto changing climatic conditions. Aspects such as magnetic sus-ceptibility, mineralogical changes (including clay mineral com-ponents) and microbiological components provide centraltopics for separate papers and serve to highlight the many fac-tors which contribute to lacustrine sedimentation. Many of thesame techniques are applied to the ancient deposits, reportedprincipally from Spain, but also including work on the GreenRiver Formation of Wyoming and Jurassic graben-fill sedimentsof the Hartford Basin of New England. The remarkableglauberite-rich Spanish deposits gave rise to several of thepapers in the volume. The problems of distinguishing marinesediments from those of saline lakes has long been recognized,and in the three papers devoted to the topic both organic geo-chemistry and isotopic and fluid inclusion data are used to aiddifferentiation between deposits of the two modes of origin.

Using uniformitarian principles the reviewer is certain thatthis volume will be used greatly in the future as a source of

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reference material, for he has experienced difficulty in recover-ing it from graduate and undergraduate students during the pastyear. The work is essentially accessible, the papers are very‘readable’, well illustrated with excellent photographs and clearline diagrams, and all have valuable scientific messages to con-vey. It is a must for any geological reference library as there isno equivalent cover currently available. For the academic it provides an ideal collection of papers to stimulate student semi-nars or discussion groups. A most welcome addition to the geological literature.

John McManus

VINER, D. 1992. The Iona Marble Quarry, 2nd ed. 24 pp. Iona,Inverness: The New Iona Press. Price £3.95 (paperback).ISBN 0 9516283 2 1.

FAITHFULL, J. 1995. The Ross of Mull Granite Quarries. 56 pp.Iona, Inverness: The New Iona Press. Price £5.95 (paper-back). ISBN 0 9516283 6 4.

These booklets from the New Iona Press describe two rather dif-ferent quarrying operations in a celebrated Scottish setting. TheIona Marble Quarry, worked spasmodically from mediaevaltimes for ornamental stone, was last operated just before the1914–18 War. Hidden in a steep and secluded cleft near thesouthernmost tip of the island, virtually all of its Edwardianmachinery remains rusting amongst a tumble of greenish serpentine-streaked marble blocks. David Viner’s little bookbriefly describes the operating history and gives an account ofthe surviving machinery, its use and plans for preservation.

Granite quarrying on the immediate mainland was on a muchgrander scale and although intermittent – ceasing altogetherbetween the 1920s and 1986 – was clearly often rather prof-itable. Ross of Mull granite, prized especially for lighthouse,harbour and bridge construction as well as for ornamental work,was exported during the 19th Century in large quantities, oftenas surprisingly large blocks considering the rather primitivetechniques then at the quarrymen’s disposal. Joan Faithfull’sbook, which often presumes a rather greater topographicalfamiliarity than the average reader will have, ranges over thevarious quarrying sites, their history of working and the destina-tion and present whereabouts of the shipped material.

These books, with but sketchy geological detail, are for thegeneral reader and should interest most visitors to the area. Theywill also be read with enjoyment by any lover of stone returningto the Hebrides in his mind’s eye.

G. A. Chinner

AMEEN, M. S. (ed.) 1995. Fractography: Fracture Topographyas a Tool in Fracture Mechanics and Stress Analysis.Geological Society Special Publication no. 92. v + 240 pp.London, Bath: Geological Society of London. Price£56.00, US $93.00; members’ price £29.00, US $48.00;hard covers. ISBN 1 897799 32 2.

The editor of this book has thoughtfully provided a sub-title incase there are potential readers who do not understand the wordfractography. The subject is, however, not entirely arcane, evento the general public. For instance, I recall hearing some yearsago fractography being discussed by Alastair Cook in his‘Letter from America’ on BBC Radio. Fractographers are,apparently, key players in attempts to upgrade the ruptured sewers beneath New York.

Ameen’s Fractography comprises eight specifically fracto-graphic articles and three on ‘Miscellaneous studies of frac-tures’. Although the latter are worthwhile contributions it isdifficult to see why they were included, other than having beenamong the papers delivered at the Geological Society ofLondon’s 1993 meeting from which this volume arose. The edi-tor rationalizes their inclusion by stating that they ‘… have sig-nificant implications for fracture mechanics, the main objectiveof fractography’ – a true statement but one that could be appliedto most papers on natural fractures.

In the Introduction Ameen explains the historical context ofthe subject, which he defines (p. 3) as ‘all aspects of fracturesurface morphology’. This definition embraces a wider range ofphenomena than many of his authors are prepared to address.They mainly concentrate on structures such as hackle (plumose)marks and hesitation lines (rib marks) on joint planes.Following the Introduction the two succeeding papers focus onminutiae of the recording and processing of fractographic data.It might have been better to have started the main body of thebook with a thorough overview of the subject so that the readercould appreciate why some of the detail discussed in thesepapers is potentially valuable.

The next and excellent paper is by Peter & Elfriede Bankwitzwho demonstrate how fractographic markings visible on coredisking surfaces obtained during superdeep drilling atWindischeschenbach in Bavaria can be used to determine theorientations of the principal horizontal axes of the contempo-rary stress field. Probably the two names most associated withgeological fractography are Byron Kulander and Stuart Dean.Their authoritative article, the fourth in the book, should be readfirst; it is the closest approach to a review, and it also includesthe results of some simple but revealing experiments. Ameenthen contributes two of the three papers on field aspects of frac-tography, markings on joint planes in the Permo-Triassic rocksof west Cumbria being appraised before those in the Chalk ofKent. A commendable attribute of both articles, which togetheroccupy 33% of the book, is that Ameen sets his fractographicobservations in the context of the structual histories of the areas.The surprise about Ameen’s paper on markings on joint planesin the Chalk is that he found any; Alexandra Goodwin, who dis-cusses joints in the Chalk of eastern England, reports in her article that she did not see them. John Roberts, in a clearaccount of some previously undescribed hackle marks inLiassic rocks in the Vale of Glamorgan, concludes that confin-ing pressures were low during jointing in that part of the BristolChannel basin.

John Cosgrove’s well written but short paper on hydraulicfracturing in unlithified sediments will interest many structuralgeologists but it does not fit comfortably in this book. The sameis true of Goodwin’s thought-provoking article on fractures ineastern England, within which she argues that conjugate hybridjoints occur in the weaker Chalks of Norfolk but are replaced bya single set of extension fractures in the Chalk of Humberside.The final non-fractographic paper by Michael Gross and co-workers concludes that in the Monterey Formation of Californiathere are factors in addition to bed thickness that control jointspacing.

As is customary with Special Publications of GeologicalSociety, the standard of presentation of this volume is highalthough there is an inflated number of half-tones. If the inter-pretation of fractures in rocks is of concern to you I recommendbuying the book, despite its shortcomings. We are likely to hearmuch more about fractography in the future; perhaps by thenexperts will have decided on a common nomenclature, arequirement the editor picks out as a future goal.

P. L. Hancock

136 R E V I E W S

REUTTER, K.-J., SCHEUBER, E. & WIGGER, P. J. (eds) 1994.Tectonics of the Southern Central Andes. Structure andEvolution of an Active Continental Margin. viii + 333 pp. +maps in boxed set. Berlin, Heidelberg, New York, London,Paris, Tokyo, Hong Kong: Springer-Verlag. Price DM298.00, Ös 2324.40, SFr 293.00 (hard covers). ISBN 3 54055232 4.

The central Andes (c. 20–26°S) of South America have longcaptured the interest of geologists and geophysicists, attractedby the plethora of volcanic and earthquake activity located atwhat has become the type example of an active continental mar-gin. While many scientists from around the world have workedin this region, one group in particular – geoscientists from theFreie Unversität and the Technische Universität, Berlin, in col-laboration with South American colleagues – has made a sig-nificant contribution to our understanding of the geodynamicsof this important region of the earth’s crust. Much of this book isa review of the excellent and timely research undertaken byGerman workers at both universities since 1982. In particular, itconfirms the importance of interdisciplinary (geological, petro-logical, geochemical and geophysical) research in tackling thecomplex geodynamic processes that occur in orogenic belts.

The book is divided into two main sections, one dealing withthe structure and state of the lithosphere, and the other the geo-logical evolution of the region. In all, fifty-six contributors pro-vide between them 23 papers that cover topics ranging fromlarge-scale lithospheric structure to the origin of nitrate deposits.Much of the section on the structure and state of the lithospheredeals with geophysical aspects of the Andean lithosphere, withparticular emphasis on seismic refraction, gravity, heat flow andconductivity measurements and their interpretation. Other aspectssuch as the geochemical evolution of the region are also coveredin some detail. The section on geological evolution is broaderbased, and brings in comparisons with other regions of the Andesfurther south in Southern Chile and Argentina. The isotopic com-position of the Andean (Gondwana) basement is also considered,as are the geological factors governing metallogeny.

The fact that so much geophysical and geochemical informa-tion from a slice of the Andes is gathered together in one placemakes this book a worthy contribution to the literature. But theinclusion of three maps of the central Andean segment, one geo-logical (1:1 000 000) and the other two geophysical, summariz-ing the results of gravity surveys (Bouguer anomaly and isostaticanomaly) by the German group between 20 and 26°S and63–71°30´W makes it an invaluable, state-of-the-art referencework.

In summary, the book contains a wealth of information on anexciting area of the earth’s crust. It is essential reading forresearchers in the Andes (and other Cordilleran mountain belts),and a useful reference book for the more general reader with anorogenic–tectonic bent. It also shows what can be achievedthrough concerted, long-term funding of geological research in a logistically difficult area, and stands as testimony to thegenerosity and foresight of the German Research Council.

Nick Petford

VELDE, B. (ed.) 1995. Origin and Mineralogy of Clays. Claysand the Environment. xv + 334 pp. Berlin, Heidelberg,New York, Barcelona, Budapest, Hong Kong, London,Milan, Paris, Tokyo: Springer-Verlag. Price DM 138.00,Ös 1007.40, SFr 132.50 hard covers). ISBN 3 540 58012 3.

Origin and Mineralogy of Clays is the first of two volumeswhich aim to provide an understanding of the role of clay

minerals in the surface environment. It sets out clearly the fun-damentals of clay chemistry, formation and behaviour in soilsand sediments, during diagenesis and hydrothermal alteration,in preparation for a second volume which will discuss morefully the interaction of clays in different environmental systems.The book consists of seven chapters, each written by a single orcombination of five authors (B. Velde, D. Righi, A. Meunier,S. Hillier, A. Inoue).

Chapter 1 (Velde) is a brief introduction to the geology ofclays and emphasizes the important and topical issues that canbe addressed through the study of clay minerals. In Chapter 2(Velde), the physical and chemical properties of clays are dis-cussed in some detail. Crystallographic structure, chemical sub-stitutions and mineral families are explained with admirableclarity, and the chapter also contains invaluable introductoryparagraphs and summaries of its different sections.

Chapter 3 (Righi & Meunier) concerns the origin of clays byrock weathering and soil formation, and is by far the densestchapter in the book. A section on soil formation in relation toclimate, rock type, biology, age and topography is well pre-sented, and is followed by a summary of soil types, and discus-sion of the properties of weathered rock and soils. Next, thephase relations in rock weathering systems are considered andthe remainder of the chapter (a further ~60 pages!) is a detailedstudy of clay genesis by weathering of different parent rocksrequiring a fairly advanced background in chemistry for readycomprehension. Unfortunately the section summaries are lessskilful than those of Chapter 2.

Chapter 4 (Hillier), on the erosion, sedimentation and sedi-mentary origin of clays, appears as something of a light reliefafter Chapter 3 and is very well written, but is rather disappoint-ingly insubstantial in places. However, it provides tantalizinghints at detail that may come to light in the second volume, anda fairly comprehensive summary of sources of further informa-tion on the topics outlined. These include global fluxes andtransport by rivers, oceans, wind and ice, modification duringtransport, settling and flocculation. The section on authigenicformation of clay minerals is rather more detailed, but the finalsection dealing with environmental interpretation of clay miner-als is very thin indeed.

Chapter 5 (Velde) deals with various aspects of compactionand diagenesis, and is once again extremely readable and acces-sible but lacks depth. The main topics discussed include porosity,and the kinetics of clay transformations, mineral reactions dur-ing burial diagenesis, and sequential changes with burial depth.It is surprising that there is no mention or discussion of the roleplayed by clays in overpressuring and undercompaction.

Hydrothermal alteration by veins is considered in a succinctChapter 6 (Meunier), detailing the principal kinds of veinsencountered and the physico-chemical mechanisms of alter-ation in hydrothermal systems. This leads into the final Chapter7 (Inoue), on the wider issue of clay mineral formation inhydrothermal environments, which include porphyry copperdeposits, epithermal ores, geothermal systems associated withrecent volcanism, and hydrothermal activity at sea-floor spread-ing centres. The chapter presents case studies of different typesof alteration, and discusses detailed mineralogy of selected claymineral types.

A clear and comprehensive table of contents, together with asubject index mean that the book will be accessible not only toreaders-in-depth, but also to those dipping in for specific infor-mation. Chapters each have their own bibliography, whileChapters 2 and 5 present a guided reading list which is particu-larly helpful to newcomers to the subject.

There is much information in this book useful for undergrad-uate and post-graduate teaching as well as for scientists who are

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interested in the relevance and utility of clay mineralogy to theirown sphere of interest. However the volume is not suitable foran undergraduate textbook as the subject coverage is too unevenin extent, depth and style. The text contains an unacceptablenumber of typographic errors.

B. Manighetti & C. V. Jeans

JACKSON, D. I., JACKSON, A. A., EVANS, D., WINGFIELD, R. T. R.,BARNES, R. P. & ARTHUR, M. J. 1995. The Geology of theIrish Sea. United Kingdom Offshore Regional ReportSeries. x + 123 pp. Keyworth: British Geological Survey.Price £30.00 (paperback). ISBN 0 11 884507 1.

The British Regional Geology series has, for more than sixtyyears, provided readable yet authoritative guides to the onshoregeology of the United Kingdom. The Offshore RegionalReports, the first of which appeared a mere six years ago, are anattempt to emulate the success of the onshore series. Twelvereports, most of which are now published, cover the UnitedKingdom continental shelf. They are designed to complementthe 1:250 000 scale map series covering the same area. This off-shore mapping and documentation program was largely fundedby the UK Department of Energy, and is as important a part ofthe national information base as the onshore surveys.

The Offshore Reports follow a traditional structure for describ-ing regional geology, inherited from the Geological Survey mem-oirs, but adapted to the offshore context. Successive chapterscover crustal structure, pre-Carboniferous, post-Caledonianstructure, Carboniferous, Permian, Triassic, Jurassic andCretaceous, Paleogene and Neogene, Pleistocene and Holocene,and economic geology. The A4 format is more generous than theonshore regional guides and even recent memoirs, and is wellsuited to the large maps and stratigraphic diagrams that comprisemuch of the graphic material for the report. Colour is used ubiqui-tously for these diagrams, but in a restrained way which is highlyeffective in enhancing their scientific clarity and artistic appeal.The only quibble with the otherwise excellent design might bewith the twenty or so figures set in landscape format. With betterliaison between geologists and draftsperson, most of these mighthave been designed in a more convenient portrait orientation.

Maybe it is coincidental that one of the last of the OffshoreReports to be published should be the one covering the smallestarea, yet with the largest proportion of bordering land geology.Certainly the report provides a valuable connective synthesis ofthe geology of Northern Ireland, southwest Scotland, northwestEngland, north Wales and the Isle of Man, and will be of interestto as many ‘onshore’ as ‘offshore’ geologists. Particular high-lights are the story of Carboniferous to Triassic basin formationand the splendid record of Quaternary events.

The Geology of the Irish Sea provides a reliable summary ofthe region and, with its extensive and up-to-date reference list, avaluable guide to the more detailed literature. It and the rest ofthe Offshore Report series should be in any library aspiring tocover UK geology. Their price may make them less attractive toindividual purchasers than the onshore Regional Geologyguides, but may their utility be no less enduring.

Nigel Woodcock

GREELEY, R. 1994. Planetary Landscapes, 2nd ed. xiv + 285 pp.New York, London: Chapman & Hall. Price £79.50 (hardcovers). ISBN 0 412 05431 0.

The second edition of this highly valued book more than livesup to the solid reputation built up by its predecessor. Printed on

high quality paper, it feels good, and its copious half-tones standout well from the pages. It is a valuable source of geologicalinformation about the planets, presented in an authoritative buteminently readable style, with due emphasis on the geomor-phology of landforms on the Sun’s diverse family of planets andtheir moons.

The first edition preceeded Voyager 2’s successful fly-bys ofthe Uranian and Neptunian systems, and the hugely productiveMagellan radar mapping mission to Venus. The new editionenables the author to bring his treatment up to date, albeit onlyin so far as this is possible in the light of the rapidly-developingfield of planetary geology, and to present his readers with aselection of the fascinating images collected by more recentspacecraft.

The layout of the new edition is much the same as the first,indeed, much of the text is virtually identical. Introductorychapters deal with the geological exploration of the Sun’s family, and planetary geomorphology. These are followed bychapters dealing with individual planets and their satellites. It isthe latter part of the book which shows the most revision, therebeing two additional chapters, covering the planetary systems ofUranus and Neptune respectively. Readers familiar with the firstedition will notice a different map of the Jovian moon, Io, aswell as images of the asteroids Ida and Gaspra.

Magellan, after its four 243-day mapping cycles, has necessi-tated a complete rethink about Venus and its geological develop-ment. Greeley has had to rewrite his chapter on this planet andincludes several excellent Magellan images of impact craters,impact haloes, ejecta flows, volcanic features and aeolian land-forms. Interestingly, the new chapter is of approximately thesame length as its precursor which, to my mind, means that theauthor may have missed an opportunity to expand on the geo-logical development of this complex planet. However, to be fair,at the time of writing much of this data had hardly beenanalysed by the various groups working in this field. Morerecent research has defined several distinct kinds of highlandregion, a planet-wide development of ridge belts and tectoni-cally-deformed zones, but little direct evidence for a segmentedlithosphere. The ubiquitous coronae are a manifestation ofplume activity, which appears to be the principal mode of heatloss on Venus.

The additional material related to outer planet moonsdescribes the complex geology attached to those moons which,not many years ago, were simply points of light in astronomers’telescopes. Thus the highly fractured crusts of Europa andGanymede are amply illustrated and described, a modestamount of space being allotted to the topic of cryovolcanism.Resurfacing of these cold rock-and-ice worlds has been wide-spread – Voyager showed this – while geyser-like eruptionsappear to have been common on Neptune’s moon, Triton, whichhas a very interesting geology. Greeley introduces the reader tothese new topics in the later chapters and includes several of theexcellent airbrush maps drawn up by the USGS at Flagstaff.

Planetary Landscapes is an excellent book and should be on the shelves of anyone with more than a passing interest inplanetary geology.

Peter Cattermole

BLATT, H. & TRACY, R. J. 1996. Petrology. Igneous,Sedimentary, and Metamorphic, 2nd ed. xix + 529 pp. NewYork, Basingstoke: W. H. Freeman & Co. Price £34.95, US$64.95 (hard covers). ISBN 0 7167 2438 3.

Like the child of distinguished parents who chooses to followthe same career path, the second edition of a long-established

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text is inevitably measured against two yardsticks: the contem-porary marketplace, and the legacy of its forebears. In this case,the burden of expectation is heightened still further by the pronouncements on the back cover that this volume is ‘contem-porary’ … ‘cutting edge’ … ‘a current account of a changingfield’. Sadly, while elements of this might apply to individualchapters, only a cave-dwelling petrologist would consider theseto be appropriate accolades for the whole text.

Petrology is the second edition of a text by Ehlers & Blatt,first published in 1982. Its aim is comprehensive: to provide anintroductory-level text that describes igneous, sedimentary andmetamorphic rocks and their significance. It has clearly beendesigned as teaching text – with comfortably sized chapters,each concluded with study exercises (a set of more or less con-trived or leading questions, that are exclusively discursive) anda short list of references to the literature, or to additional texts.The content is fairly well balanced, with ten igneous chapters(from ‘chemistry and classification’ to ‘origins’ and ‘evolu-tion’), seven sedimentary chapters (divided principally by rocktype) and seven metamorphic chapters. Two appendices,encompassing that old favourite the CIPW norm, and rock ther-mometry and barometry, round off the text together with a shortglossary and index. In general the order is obvious, and in partsequential. The design and form would be recognizable to any-one who has scanned the geology shelves of a bookstorerecently – petrology is, it seems, primarily about grouping anddescribing rocks; about collecting and gathering information.Nothing out of the ordinary here then, except that this conven-tional approach seems to be a terrifically inefficient way toapproach the study of rocks. Surely petrologists should be aim-ing to capture their audience through an understanding of principles and processes first, with application to Nature’s richdiversity second? When taught the other way around there is adanger that students will feel as though they are being led blink-ered through an underground maze, before being given the toolswith which to explore and find their own way around.

So much for the structure; what of the content? The fifteenyear gap between the two editions has witnessed some remark-able advances in our understanding of the stories that rocks haveto tell us about the workings of accessible portions of the earth,and what they reveal about the deeper, impenetrable interior. Itis just a pity that this has only partially filtered through into therevision. A brief scan reveals that significant numbers of the ref-erences, photographs, and line drawings have been inheritedfrom the original. This needn’t necessarily be too much of a hin-drance, but when a chapter on ‘origins of magmas by melting’has only a single reference younger than 1980 – recalling thatthe target audience of the next few generations of first-yeargeology students will almost all have been born since 1978 or1979 – there is little to suggest that substantial revision hastaken place between editions. Perhaps this is a little unfair. Afterall the sedimentary petrology chapters are crisp, readable and upto date. But then so they should be, as this section is a barely, ifat all, disguised distillation of Blatt’s own SedimentaryPetrology (second edition, 1992; also published by Freeman).The metamorphic petrology chapters are generally of a highstandard, though it is curious that the concepts of mineral reac-tion, exchange and equilibrium only appear after the descriptionof isograds and metamorphic facies.

To add further to these woes, the reader seeking the promised‘outstanding art program’ will find that, sadly, many of the photographs apparently suffered as a consequence of being car-ried over from the earlier edition, since they are generallyunderexposed throughout. The absence of colour, althoughobviously desirable to keep the costs down, isn’t helped by theinclusion of a surprising number of grey-scale (i.e. more than

occasionally black-and-white) microscopic images of thin sec-tions that apparently show cathodoluminescence or interferencecolours. An additional, and unforgiveable, sin is that at least several figures are used more than once (see, for example, fig-ures 1.7 and 10.2; 2.10 and 10.10). As Wilde might have said, tooffer one piece of evidence that a book had been imperfectlycobbled together could be deemed a misfortune …

The overall impression, then, is that this is not quite thesprightly, modern child that you were expecting, but instead theageing adult itself – the shoes and haircut might be new, butthrough its straining girth and lined visage, the incompletelyrewritten passage of time is revealed. With a little more attentionto detail it might have lived up to its billing. As it is, it offers little other than breadth to distinguish it from the crowd.

David Pyle

BENNETT, M. R., DOYLE, P., LARWOOD, J. G. & PROSSER, C. D.(eds) 1996. Geology on your Doorstep. The Role of UrbanGeology in Earth Heritage Conservation. x + 270 pp.London, Bath: Geological Society of London. Price£30.00, US $64.00 (members’ price £19.00, US $32.00);paperback. ISBN 1 897799 54 3.

Geologists can reflect enviously on some Victorian values. Ifonly geology was regarded by our own society as one of the four‘greater sciences’ – along with astronomy, geometry and chem-istry – honoured on the Albert Memorial in London. Instead,current public awareness of geology is low, certainly in theUnited Kingdom. This ignorance marks not just a missed oppor-tunity for enriching people’s perception of their planet. It alsoresults in a decreased interest in the geology taught in schools,more difficulty for university geology departments in recruitingmotivated and well-qualified students, and a smaller pool of out-standing geologists for eventual employers. All geologistsshould therefore be sympathetic to the efforts of the dedicatedband of colleagues trying to revitalise public interest in our sub-ject. Many of the UK-based activists contribute to the timelyand visionary Geology on your Doorstep.

The central premise of this book is that our traditional edu-cational focus on the natural geology of rural areas is missingour main target – the 80 % of the UK population who live intowns and cities. Yet these urban areas are pervaded by geologi-cal material, sometimes in natural or artificial exposures, oftenin museums and parks, and always in the built environment.Geology on your Doorstep aims to document this wealth of edu-cational opportunity, to stimulate interest in urban geology, andto increase awareness of its importance in raising the public pro-file of Earth Sciences. The book does this admirably.

A list of the book’s sections demonstrates the scope andvision of the volume: the rationale and scope of earth heritageconservation in urban areas, building stones, parks and greenspaces, museums, urban geology and civil engineering, the roleof the local authority, urban geology and education, increasingpublic awareness and involvement, creating an urban geologicalresource. Under these headings are 24 short, well-written contributions, skilfully chosen to represent all facets of urbangeology. Readers new to this field may find some of the urban‘outcrops’ extraordinary and amusing. Granites in gravestones,xenoliths in kerbstones, ballast walls and gastropod mileposts,unconformities in brickwork and bedding in ‘pulhamite’; theexamples are diverse and diverting. Purists may recoil at theartificiality of this urban geological record. But they shouldreflect that these are the rocks that most people actually seefrom day to day, not the supposedly ‘proper’ outcrops of coastand country. Indeed there is some educational advantage in

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rocks, minerals and fossils being divorced from the complexi-ties of their natural context. Properly described or signposted,these small chunks of geology can feed public awareness indigestible portions. When our town dweller meets more com-plex geology in books, on radio or television or ideally in thefield, they will already have some useful vocabulary and con-cepts, and even some basic scientific curiosity and motivation.This is the vision.

Geology on your Doorstep deserves to be read by geologyteachers at all levels, by urban planners, by amateur geologygroups, and by industry geologists. The last group might beexcited enough to persuade their companies to facilitate or fundsome of the excellent project ideas suggested in the book. Theonly obstacle to the book reaching this wide audience is itsprice. Members of the Geological Society of London can buyGeology on your Doorstep at a realistic £19, but the full £38 isgoing to deter most personal purchasers. Hopefully, manylibrary copies will be bought and read, helping to establishurban geology as an increasingly viable and vibrant teachingresource for the future.

Nigel Woodcock

STUMP, E. 1995. The Ross Orogen of the TransantarcticMountains. xv + 284 pp. Cambridge, New York, PortChester, Melbourne, Sydney: Cambridge University Press.Price £60.00, US $99.95 (hard covers). ISBN 0 521 43314 2.

The Transantarctic Mountains are one of the world’s greatestmountain ranges, yet inevitably among the least known. Theyextend for some 3500 km and commonly rise to heights of morethan 4000 m. They form the boundary between East Antarcticawith its huge volume of ice overlying Precambrian cratonic base-ment, and West Antarctica with its smaller ice sheet overlyingPhanerozoic accreted rocks, much of which are below sea level.

The Transantarctic Mountains differ from most major moun-tain ranges, which are the product of plate subduction or colli-sion. Rather they are intracontinental and considered to representa rift shoulder, which has been uplifted at the boundary with theRoss Embayment. The mountains themselves are young, themain phase of uplift taking place after 50 Ma, but they trend par-allel to the structural grain of the Neoproterozoic–earlyPalaeozoic deformed rocks which form the Ross Orogen. Theserocks have been truncated by a mainly flat, erosional surface ofregional extent, upon which lies the largely terrestrial BeaconSupergroup of Devonian to Triassic age.

This book, then, focuses on the pre-Devonian rocks that formthe Ross Orogen. It is a most welcome contribution from a geol-ogist who has spent many seasons working through much of themountain range. Not only does the author provide a large bodyof his own data, but also synthesizes much of the available liter-ature, placing all this within an historical context, starting withthe observations made during the polar journeys of the ‘HeroicEra’ in the early years of this century.

In essence, the history of the Ross Orogen begins inNeoproterozoic time with passive, continental margin sedimen-tation, following the rifting of Laurentia away from Gondwana(according to recent tectonic models). The passive margin wasactivated by compressional deformation and plutonism in lateProterozoic time, and subsequently became involved in a full-scale orogenic cycle during the Cambrian period. The orogenicbelt was exhumed and cooled from Ordovician time onwards,eventually to be followed by deposition of the BeaconSupergroup.

The history of the Ross Orogen is treated in six segments,

each several hundred kilometres long: northern Victoria Land,southern Victoria Land, central Transantarctic Mountains,Queen Maud and Horlick Mountains, Thiel Mountains andPensacola Mountains. Each chapter begins with a useful summary and is followed by a section on the chronology ofexploration. The bulk of each chapter covers stratigraphy, ageconsiderations, deformation and metamorphism, although insome areas a number of discrete terranes need to be consideredseparately. Each chapter also has clear, well produced locationmaps, so there is no danger of ‘getting lost’. The text concludeswith a synthesis of a region that has major uncertainties concerning stratigraphic correlation, but some similarities thatpermit the outlining of a common tectonic history. However,little attempt is made to link Antarctica to the other Gondwanacontinents. A comprehensive index and reference list (withapproximately 500 entries) makes this book a valuable resourcefor Antarctic geologists.

The book is beautifully presented, with stunning black-and-white photographs and clear line drawings. Errors are few,though read Bowers Supergroup for Beacon Supergroup inFigure 2.16.

The author and publisher are to be congratulated on produc-ing a volume that will appeal to all Antarctic geologists, as wellas those interested in the late Proterozoic to early Phanerozoicphase of Earth’s history.

Michael Hambrey

HUMMEL, J. H. (ed.) 1996. The GIA Diamond Dictionary CD-ROM. For Windows 3.1 or higher and Windows ’95. SantaMonica: Gemological Institute of America. Price US$49.95.

The Gemological Institute of America’s popular DiamondDictionary is now available in electronic form. This CD-ROMis an expanded version of the third edition of the GIA’sDiamond Dictionary (see review in Geological Magazine 132,128–9, 1995). The electronic version offers a number of advan-tages to the book particularly in the area of cross-searching.Dictionaries and encyclopedia seem ideally suited to this elec-tronic format and, if the price of this version of the diamond dic-tionary is anything of a guide, it is cheaper to produce thanconventionally bound hard copies. The disc version runs onIBM PC-compatible multimedia-ready computers, underWindows 3.1 or higher and Windows ’95. I am sure that thiselectronic version will, like the hard-cover version, be of greatuse to those who need or want to know more about diamondsand the diamond industry.

Allan Pring

NEEV, D. & EMERY, K. O. 1995. The Destruction of Sodom,Gomorrah, and Jericho. Geological, Climatological, andArchaeological Background. xii + 175 pp. New York,Oxford: Oxford University Press. Price £30.00 (hard covers). ISBN 0 19 509094 2.

The Bible contains a remarkably long and rich history of theMiddle East, extending back many thousands of years. Includedin that history are descriptions of climactic events such as thedestruction of Sodom and Gomorrah, and of the breaching ofthe walls of Jericho when the Israelites invaded Canaan. Manyattempts have been made over the past two thousand years tocorrelate some of these biblical records with specific geologicalor environmental processes that are known to occur in thisregion or elsewhere. Neev & Emery have put together their con-

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siderable and extensive knowledge of the geological and envi-ronmental history of the Dead Sea region as background infor-mation that may help in understanding more about the fates ofSodom, Gomorrah and Jericho.

Earthquakes and volcanic eruptions provide ample scope asagents for catastrophic destruction, and there are plenty of bothin the Dead Sea region. However, if they are to be invoked to explain some of the specific biblical events, then it has to beshown that they occurred in the right places and at the righttimes. In the case of Sodom and Gomorrah, it is not at all certainprecisely where these cities were located. In the case of Jericho,the site is well known but the dating of the Israelite invasion isnot. Neev & Emery discuss the various possibilities for bothissues, and the evidence that might help resolve the uncertainties.

There have been considerable climatic changes in the DeadSea region over the past 10 000 years and, since this has been afocus of much of Neev & Emery’s research, they discuss theseclimatic changes at length. They point out that major culturalchanges and large-scale migrations of people may well havehappened as a response to local climatic changes. Some of theabandonment levels observed archaeologically, for example,may be due to such climatic-induced migrations. Indeed, majorforceful ejections of the inhabitants of some areas may haveoccurred as displaced people sought to re-establish themselvesin more favourable areas. So not all the abrupt changes in habi-tation found at a particular place are necessarily due to suddengeological effects at that location: they may result from humanagency, perhaps driven, interestingly enough, by longer termclimatic changes elsewhere.

This is not a ‘popular’ book, nor is it light reading. A lot of it istechnical detail of geological and environmental data from theDead Sea region, and speculation concerning the meaning ofbiblical and other texts and the physical locations of ancientcities. However, the book does contain a distillation of more than35 years of research by both authors in the Dead Sea region.Their thoughts on the fates of Sodom, Gomorrah and Jericho,and of the possible influence of geological factors, provide use-ful source material for anyone interested in understanding moreabout these events.

R. S. White

BROWN, L. F., JR., BENSON, J. M., BRINK, G. J., DOHERTY, S.,JOLLANDS, A., JUNGSLAGER, E. H. A., KEENAN, J. H. G.,MUNTINGH, A. & VAN WYK, N. J. S. 1995. SequenceStratigraphy in Offshore South African Divergent Basins.An Atlas on Exploration for Cretaceous Lowstand Traps bySoekor (Pty) Ltd. AAPG Studies in Geology Series no. 41.vii + 184 pp. (very large format: 11×24 inches, 28×61 cm).Tulsa: American Association of Petroleum Geologists.Price US $89.00 (US $59.00 for AAPG members); paper-back. ISBN 0 89181 049 8.

Seismic and sequence stratigraphy have presented novel strati-graphic methods for the analysis of basin-fill successions. Thesemethods have extended and, to some extent, challenged theways in which we correlate, package and interpret sedimentarystrata. The emphasis on methods rather than models in theseopening statements is deliberate as it is the methods that areproving to have long-lasting value rather than the first genera-tion of models to which so many researchers reacted adversely.This AAPG atlas is the latest in a series of large format publica-tions that are designed to convey the practice of sequencestratigraphy in the seismic medium and is the first to be con-cerned with a single depositional province, the Cretaceous agepost-rift basins of offshore South Africa.

The atlas commences in Part One with a brief history ofhydrocarbon exploration in the province followed by a conciseregional-scale structural and stratigraphic framework. The basicconcepts and principles of seismic and sequence stratigraphyare reviewed from a practical viewpoint in a clear, concise andbalanced manner and the inclusion of this review has the effectof making the atlas self-contained. This section includes a gen-eralized, conceptual summary of the South African basinswhich differs from the Exxon ‘slug’ in a number of respects, butalso argues that the third-order sequences identified in the datacorrelate closely with those of the Exxon chart.

Parts 2, 3 and 4 of the atlas deal with individual basins withinthe province, the Pletmos, Bredasdorp and Orange basinsrespectively. Paired seismic profiles (uninterpreted/interpreted)are presented, with the interpreted sections having a subdueddisplay of the basic data and outline well data tied in whereavailable. This display technique works well and enables thereader to evaluate the seismic pick aspect of the interpretationto the extent that on occasions one questions why a particularpick was made or why some ‘interesting’ reflectors were over-ridden. The quality of data reproduction is generally high, andsome profiles from the Orange basin (e.g. Figure 140) are spec-tacular. The emphasis of the analysis is on the identification,correlation and age determination of unconformity-boundedsequences. The geometry of seismic intervals is used to iden-tify the depositional systems and the portions of the relative sealevel curve to which the depositional systems are felt to belong(systems tracts). Seismic facies are used to a limited extent, forexample in the identification of seismically mappable slumpdeposits. Well log data (gamma ray, sonic, density and dipme-ter) and biostratigraphic data for selected wells are alsoreported, allowing the reader to judge the ways in which thesedata have been incorporated into the analysis. A profusion ofabbreviations is used on the interpreted figures and related cap-tions and the reader is well advised to make a loose copy ofFigure 12 which serves as a key to the abbreviations. Rift-related seismic packages feature prominently in many of theprofiles, but the details of these packages are not analysed andthe emphasis is clearly on post-rift strata above the rift-to-driftunconformities.

In a depositional sense the atlas is mainly concerned with slopeand shelf-edge deltaic depositional systems that are representedby complexes of dipping, clinoform reflectors and deep basin sys-tems including interpreted lowstand turbidite fans. Some profilesinclude data from up-dip, shelfal sectors of the basins, includingincised valley fills (e.g. Figures 146 and 152), but the focus isclearly on the deeper basin settings. Details of clinoform intervalsclearly show truncational and onlapping relationships that areused to identify lowstand systems tracts in the slope sector. Theidentification of slope channels or canyons in the data sets is lim-ited. Turbidite fans are recognized as mounded features which areoften of relatively small scale in comparison to the progradinglowstand wedges that overlie them. Slope front fans and basinfloor fans are distinguished for their position in relation to thebase of slope. In two of the basins (Pletmos and Bredasdorp) theamount of strata attributed to the transgressive systems tract islimited due, it is argued, to low accommodation space in the shelfsector and low sediment supply. Most of the seismic profiles aredepositional dip profiles which is understandable, but it wouldhave been useful to see a wider selection of depositional strikeprofiles in order to better gauge the three-dimensional characterof interpreted sequences and systems tracts.

The volume of data presented in the atlas is considerable, ren-dering it to be extremely good value. The quality of presentationis also high in all respects and the atlas is therefore a highlypractical, usable item that those concerned with either teaching

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or learning sequence stratigraphy in the seismic medium willfind invaluable.

T. Elliott

KEAREY, P. 1996. The New Penguin Dictionary of Geology. ix +366 pp. London: Penguin Books. Price £6.99 (paperback).ISBN 0 14 051277 2.

Readers may be astonished to learn that Earth Science authors atthe Open University debate etymologically. At a recent meetingone course team was asked to approve a change of usage frompalaeo- to paleo- as the prefix denoting old, or indeed ancient.The rather jaunty discourse terminated with, let us say, a lessthan democratic decision to adopt the latter. Whereas both pre-fixes are valid, depending on longitude, it was comforting tofind that palaeo- is iron-clad on its ascendancy within theDictionary of Geology. Fine, except that studying ancientorganisms should be palaeo-ontology… I make this picayunepoint because Open University students probably will buy morecopies of this neat little book than will any other group.

That confusion aside, any newcomer to a science faces a lahar (p. 172) of jargon, rarely glossarized and one thatswiftly buries the unfortunate student. Much of it is perverse. A lacuna is a disconformity, otherwise an hiatus or chronos-tratigraphic gap caused by non-deposition alone, and manifest-ing itself without any change in dip or omission within theunderlying sequence of beds. Philip Kearey’s careful cross-referencing allows a user to unravel the meaning within sucharcane words, and shows that more await an author’s whim. So, his Dictionary assumes another use: that of allowing a

hydrologist to pause before using the adjective hypopycnal todescribe the flow of water of low density as a buoyant surfacelayer atop a larger, more dense body of fluid. That is, if a wideaudience is desired.

Publication demands brevity, and jargon serves to keep onewithin page limits, but not always with precision of meaning, aslacuna shows. Some is unavoidable, as in the cases of rock andmineral names, in taxonomy, and the naming of stratigraphicstages and local sequences, but impossible to learn entirely. Yetothers are redolent with mischievous meaning, piggyback prop-agation sequence for one. English, or rather Anglo-Saxon, doesnot lend itself to many subtleties, so we have barchan, flaser,culm and pahoehoe, as well as composites assembled from clas-sical roots. Clearly, Penguin required a short dictionary, but abrief indication of how such words arose would have been inter-esting. I fondly recall Doug Shearman telling me conspiratori-ally that the mineral dolomite is named after Count Deodar deDolomieu, who first described its strange property of piezolu-minescence (not in the Dictionary, by the way), as well as itscurved crystal faces and pearly lustre. And then there is por-phyry; nothing to do with large crystals set in a fine groundmass,but meaning purple – a Roman mason’s name (‘Any more ofthat purple from Egypt in stock, Septimus? Senate needs somefor a tomb or something.’).

For once in a review, it is not trite to conclude that The NewPenguin Dictionary of Geology demands its place on everygeologist’s bookshelf, primarily as the remedy for that horriblefeeling that one should know better. At last I know that the Laméconstant (p. 173) has nothing to do with Gracelands, Memphis,Tennessee.

S. A. Drury

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