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FRIEND, P. F. & DABRIO, C. J. (eds) 1996. Tertiary Basins of

Spain. The Stratigraphic Record of Crustal Kinematics.World and Regional Geology Series Volume 6. xvii + 400pp. Cambridge, New York, Port Chester, Melbourne,Sydney: Cambridge University Press. Price 120.00, US$200.00 (hard covers). ISBN 0 521 46171 5.

This book is a compilation of over fifty papers by nearly ninetyauthors, over three-quarters of whom are Spanish. It undoubtedlyprovides the most extensive coverage of the Tertiary geology ofSpain published in English (or Spanish, as far as I know) and istherefore essential reference material for anybody interested inthe sedimentology, stratigraphy and tectonics of the region.

The book is divided into five sections, the first a series ofpapers on general topics, the other four made up of papers

grouped into regions of the country: East, including the Pyrenean,Catalan and Iberian range basins; West, principally the DueroBasin; Central, the Madrid and Loranca basins; and South, theBetic basins. In some cases these are simply reviews of previouswork, although a lot of the information has not been published inEnglish before, whereas some of the material is published for thefirst time in this volume. The references provided for each chapterare a route to further information about each topic, although someof the reference lists seem rather short. The index can best bedescribed as minimalist but adequate for most purposes.

The editors have managed to ensure a generally good standardof writing and presentation, although there are the inevitableexamples of diagrams which are of indifferent quality or havethose very irritating keys which have numbers against the sym-

bols and the explanation of the symbols in the caption. All theindividual contributions are short and, whilst concise papers areto be welcomed, it becomes somewhat frustrating after a while toonly read summaries of topics and little detailed information.This means that this book falls between being a collection ofpapers and a comprehensive review of the Tertiary basins ofSpain. The limited coverage of each aspect was probablyinevitable given the massive scope of the book but the editorshave not quite made it into a comprehensive and inclusive synthe-sis of all the basins. There is duplication of information from dif-ferent authors in some instances including a repetition of mapsand introductory information about some basins. This is particu-larly evident in three consecutive papers about the Loranca Basinwhich could have been more usefully integrated into a single

chapter. It seems that there was limited communication betweenauthors writing different but closely related sections in someinstances. On the other hand, some topics have not really beencovered adequately as they have slipped through the gap betweenthe interests of different authors. For example, the southeasternBetic basins have been extensively studied by French and Dutchgeologists but these basins receive only a passing mention in thesection on this area. These shortcomings are really only veryminor in the context of a remarkable attempt to pull together somuch diverse data about a large area in a single volume.

This book is a must for anybody requiring an introduction tothe Tertiary basins of Spain but, given the cover price, it isunlikely to be bought as a general reference by many librariesand even fewer individuals. This is a pity because compilationvolumes of this type are valuable contributions to scientificliterature.

Gary Nichols

RANALLI, G. 1995.Rheology of the Earth, 2nd ed. xv + 413 pp.

London, Glasgow, Weinheim, New York, Tokyo,Melbourne, Madras: Chapman & Hall. Price 29.95(paperback). ISBN 0 412 54670 1.

Despite its rather uninspiring titleRheology of the Earth is aninvaluable text. The second edition (1995) incorporates manyrevisions, although the basic layout is the same as in the firstedition (1987). The book comprises three main sections: Part Icontains the fundamentals of continuum mechanics and fluiddynamics; Parts II and III are overviews of Earth rheology fromthe macroscopic and microscopic viewpoints respectively. Thebook is well laid out: explanations are clear, and derivations aregenerally concise. Each chapter is introduced by way of a short,comprehensive summary of the material to be covered.

Throughout the book the physical implications of the ideasbeing presented are emphasized, this being particularly notice-able in Part I. Part II of the book provides an excellent comple-ment to other graduate-level basic geophysics texts. Whilstmore specialized, Part III clearly describes the concepts centralto the microphysics of Earth rheology, a subject usually coveredin only more advanced texts.

Chapter 1 sets the tone for the book, providing an introduc-tion to the notation to be used and to the Eulerian versusLagrangian descriptions of motion. Chapters 2 and 3 deal withstress deformation and strain and elastic deformation of materi-als. The material is common to many other texts on continuummechanics; however, the advantage of this presentation is thatthe physical implications of the equations and the application of

the important concepts to problems in geophysics is constantlyemphasized.Chapter 4 deals with fluid dynamics. Again this is material

presented elsewhere in the literature and referencing of otherbasic texts is excellent (e.g. Fung, 1977, Lamb, 1945; Bachelor,1967). The subject matter here is clearly presented: derivationsare easily followed, but sufficiently advanced to be able to infertheir applicability to problems in Earth rheology. Unlike inmany other texts and papers the analogy between the derivationsof the basic equations governing the deformation of solids (Ch.3) and fluids (Ch. 4) is clear. As in Chapters 2 and 3, terrestrialvalues for important parameters are quoted, and referencesgiven as to how these values are inferred from both laboratoryand larger scale deformation processes. Also pertinent to defor-

mation of Earth materials is the plastic and brittle failure ofcrustal and upper mantle rocks; some of the fundamentals ofthese types of behaviour and relevant laboratory measurementsare discussed in Chapter 5. These issues are revisited in Part IIIof the book from the microphysical perspective.

Part II covers our knowledge of mantle and crustal rheologyof the Earth based on geophysical observables such as seismology,the geoid, heat flow and surface elevation. The importance ofrheological parameters both in terms of elastic/anelastic defor-mation (short timescales e.g. seismic deformation) and fluidflow (long timescales e.g. mantle convection) is emphasized.A vast amount of materials is covered in just 150 pages.Although some references have already been superseded (up-to-date to the end of 1993), the underlying concepts are clear. Inother texts, the interrelation between different disciplines withingeophysics is often opaque; here rheology is used to provide aclear link between inferences of whole Earth structure and

Geol. Mag. 134 (3), 1997, pp. 409421. Copyright 1997 Cambridge University Press 409

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deformation processes based on different geophysical observ-ables. The mathematics and derivations in this section are mini-mal. It would be possible to read Part II of the book withouthaving read Part I; however, Part I provides a solid understand-ing of the physics behind equations and ideas presented in PartII. The level of mathematics throughout the book is sufficient toenable the reader to follow more detailed research papers on

most of the topics covered, whilst not being so advanced as toprevent an understanding of the concepts. A good example is thesection on mantle convection in which parameters such as vis-cosity, thermal diffusivity, the Reynolds number, etc., pertinentto the Earth are given, along with the temperature and momen-tum equations to be solved. Combined with information fromother sections on, for example, phase transitions, the reader isprovided with enough information to evaluate research paperson models for mantle convection, a subject often intractable tothose not directly involved in the field.

Finally Part III of the book deals with deformation on anatomic level. The importance of different deformation mecha-nisms at different temperatures and pressures is discussed. Thispart of the book deals with topics with which I am not that

familiar, and so am unable to evaluate it in detail. However, inkeeping with the rest of the book the phenomenology is clearlyexplained, and other reference sources are given.

Overall I would rank this book as a clear and concise presen-tation of the physical basis of, and geophysical evidence for,parameters and deformation mechanics important in terrestrialrheology. Excellent referencing of other texts, and both old andnew research papers, on the various topics presented is given. Awell-written overview of whole Earth geophysics is provided,under the umbrella ofRheology of the Earth.

Catherine Johnson

References

BACHELOR, G. K. 1967.An Introduction to Fluid Dynamics. CambridgeUniversity Press.

FUNG, Y. C. 1977. A First Course in Continuum Mechanics, 2nd ed.New Jersey: Prentice-Hall.

LAMB, H. 1945.Hydrodynamics, 6th ed. New York: Dover.

MITCHELL, R. H., EBY, G. N. & MARTIN, R. F. (eds) 1996.Alkaline Rocks: Petrology and Mineralogy. Special issueof The Canadian Mineralogist 34 (2), pp. 173484.Ottawa: Mineralogical Association of Canada. Price notstated. ISSN 00084476.

This special thematic issue ofThe Canadian MineralogistonAlkaline Rocks: Petrology and Mineralogy contains contribu-tions from participants who attended the 1994 symposium inCanada. This was held in order to commemorate the twentiethanniversary of Sorensens classic book The Alkaline Rocks. Thisspecial issue contains 20 papers that cover the petrogenesis ofthese diverse and often highly controversial rock types.

The first paper in the volume is a long overdue IUGS classifi-cation of mafic potassic igneous rocks. This contribution hasbeen compiled by leading experts on the petrology and geo-chemistry of alkaline igneous rocks and provides useful guide-lines for their classification. This is followed by a discussion onthe significance of metasomatism in: (i) the mantle sourceregions of alkaline igneous rocks, using evidence from mantlexenoliths in west Eifel; and (ii) the country rocks into which themagmas were emplaced, i.e. fenitization. The next set of papersdeals with the petrogenesis of silicate alkaline rocks (from the

southwest USA, northeast Russia, west Africa and Quebec) andthe role of mantle plumes is discussed with reference to the

Mesozoic alkaline igneous rocks of northeast USA. The follow-ing two papers focus on the mineralization of alkaline intrusionsin New Mexico and Quebec.

The next group of papers is concerned with the genesis ofcarbonatites and their spatial and temporal association with sili-cate magmas. These are based on samples collected from westEifel and the Kola Peninsula, together with the results of experi-

mental studies and previously published data. The issue con-cludes with a set of papers on the mineralogy of alkaline rocks.These discuss the composition of pyroxenes in nephelinites andnepheline syenites from East Africa (Malawi and Uganda),carbonate minerals from the Kola Peninsula and phlogopitesin Ugandan carbonatites. The final paper is concerned withniobium and rare-earth minerals from Quebec.

There are several papers in the book which will be useful refer-ences for researchers and postgraduates. Some, such as thosewhich discuss the petrogenesis of the Kola Peninsula, are notreadily available elsewhere, and are a welcome contribution to theinternational literature. In summary, Alkaline Rocks: Petrologyand Mineralogy provides an interesting reference for currentviews on the classification and petrogenesis of alkaline rocks. As

such, I recommend the inclusion of this special thematic issue ofThe Canadian Mineralogistin any library collection.S. A. Gibson

ONCKEN, O. & JANSSEN, C. (eds) 1996.Basement Tectonics 11.Europe and Other Regions. Proceedings of the EleventhInternational Conference on Basement Tectonics,Potsdam, Germany, July 1994. xii + 179 pp. Dordrecht,Boston, London: Kluwer. Price Dfl. 150.00, US $98.00,66.00 (hard covers). ISBN 0 7923 3797 2.

Basement Tectonics 11. Europe and Other Regions is dedicated

to present the Proceedings of the Eleventh InternationalConference on Basement Tectonics, held in Potsdam, Germany,in July 1994. As such, this volume represents the continuation ofa series of volumes, all related to basement tectonics and appar-ently the outcome of previous conferences on a similar topic.

The foreword by O. Oncken addresses the uniqueness of thisconference, focussing for the first time on the structure and his-tory of the entire European continent, possibly as a result ofthe recent political changes in eastern Europe and happeningat Potsdam, Germany, a locality of great historical importance.

Editing a proceedings volume frequently turns out to becomea major and time-consuming effort, often resulting in a muchdelayed publication several years after the actual conferenceand the deadline for manuscript submission. Oncken & Janssenhave managed this aspect quite well with publication only twoyears after the Potsdam meeting. The selection of papers pre-sented addresses aspects of the entire spectrum of geotectonicresearch from geology to geophysics, from field-based observa-tions to modelling approaches. Most articles are concise andwell illustrated, averaging about 13 pages in length. The layoutappears to reflect submission of camera-ready manuscripts,something that has not resulted in quality loss and has certainlyminimized the delay in publication.

Part I of this volume presents 12 articles announced asselected proceedings papers, followed by Part II, listing titlesand authors of the 54 oral and 54 poster presentations given atthe conference. From a comparison of both parts, the selectioncriteria are difficult to comprehend and it remains disputablewhether the selected contributions really reflect the essence of this

conference. Judged by the arrangement of oral and poster presen-tations in the four main themes listed, selected proceedings

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papers are imbalanced towards the General Themessession. However, most contributions indeed focus on aspectsrelated to the European basement and, thus, reflect the objectiveof this conference.

In summary, this volume is designed for specialists ratherthan for the broad earth science audience. Only conference par-ticipants can fully assess whether the selected contributions

really live up to the announced reflection of the proceedings ofthis Potsdam conference.Harald Strauss

AUGUSTITHIS, S. S. 1995.Atlas of the Textural Patterns of OreMinerals and Metallogenic Processes. xi + 659 pp. Berlin,New York: Walter De Gruyter. Price DM 485.00 (hardcovers). ISBN 3 11 013639 2

AugustithissAtlas of the Textural Patterns of Ore Minerals andMetallogenic Processes is a big book, in the tradition of PaulRamdohrs The Ore Minerals and their Intergrowths, and in fact

the first part of the current volume is dedicated to Ramdohr.However, in content the two books are quite different; whileRamdohrs book is primarily a descriptive mineralogy of ore min-erals, the current treatise is concerned with the interpretation ofore textures and there are no detailed descriptions of the individ-ual minerals. The volume consists of a series of 63 short chapterson topics related to ore petrology, which have been grouped intothree parts, and an atlas of 926 figures, mainly black-and-whitephotomicrographs of textures. The first part of the book is entitledThe textural patterns of ore minerals and their genetic signifi-cance and contains 17 chapters; the longest three chapters aredevoted to replacement patterns and processes, replacementversus exsolution, and symplectites. Professor Augustithis is aproponent of the dominances of replacement textures in ore

mineralogy, but he does adopt a very broad definition of whatconstitutes a replacement texture. Part Two of the volume con-tains 29 chapters under the heading Consideration of hypothesesand theories on metallogeny (study cases) and deals with thevarious geological processes involved in ore deposits. Variouscounter theories put forward to describe the origins of oredeposits are discussed. There are short, two-page, discussions(chapters) on each of the controversies regarding the origins ofWitwatersrand, Mount Isa and Broken Hill. This section alsocontains chapters on fluid inclusions, skarnspyrometasomaticmetallogeny, and mass-replacement of rocks by ores andpalaeokarst-type deposits to give but a few examples. The thirdpart is entitled On the distribution of elements and ore paragene-ses. The empirical laws of element segregationconcentration inores and gives an account of the relationship between geochem-istry and paragenesis for various elemental groups.

The back half of the volume is devoted to the atlas illustra-tions of ore textures and is a detailed catalogue of mineralogra-phy. The illustrations, which are reproduced in black-and-white,are discussed in the main text but are also accompanied by fig-ure captions, often fairly detailed, so the atlas section can beused independently of the first part of the book. Not all of thesamples photographed were perfectly prepared and a numbershow deep scratching from sample polishing. The volume alsocontains an extensive bibliography and is well indexed. There isan author index and there are subject indices to both the text andthe illustrations.

For this reviewer this book has both strengths and weak-nesses. The strengths are the large catalogue of ore textures

which are shown in detail and which allow the reader to inter-pret them independently. One gets the impression that this is

Professor Augustithiss magnum opus a book in which he hasdistilled the experience of over forty years of research on orepetrology, and I am not sure that all the ideas he presents arecurrently in favour with the ore petrology community. I foundProfessor Augustithiss writing style rather difficult, particularlywhen he is discussing theoretical matters. He tends to write inlong, complex sentences; for example, I quote the first sentence

of Chapter 1: The understanding of the concentration of ele-ments into paragenetic associations, which might be geneticallyrelated or superimposed and reactive paragenetic associations,is possible by examining the interrelationships of elementswhich segregate under the operation of complex processes.Fortunately his descriptions of mineral textures are in generalquite clear. The book is not without errors; for example, on page26 he talks about the replacement of tennantite by chalcociteand discusses the leaching of the Sb from tennantite, but tennan-tite is the arsenic end-member of the tennantitetetrahedriteseries. In addition the stoichiometry he gives (Cu3SbS3) is incor-rect, it is Cu12Sb4S13.

The publisher has done a very good job in production, theyhave used high quality stock, the type face is clear, the images

are on the whole clear and sharp, and the binding is strong.Overall I am not sure this book will attract a wide readership.It is a specialist reference work for ore petrologists. It is the sortof book that you would need to have sitting on your shelf next toyour microscope rather than in the main library. The price willdeter all but the specialist from buying a personal copy.

Allan Pring

GAYER, R. & HARRIS, I. (eds) 1996. Coalbed Methane and CoalGeology. Geological Society Special Publication no. 109.viii + 344 pp. London, Bath: Geological Society ofLondon. Price 69.00, US $115.00 (members price34.00, US $56.00); hard covers. ISBN 1 897799 56 X.

There is considerable current interest in coalbed methane so thisvolume is timely. It results from a meeting but there has been anattempt to present a broad coverage. The twenty-four papers aredivided into three sections, but unfortunately there are no sum-mary sections or introductory or final chapter. This would havebeen particularly useful for a research area which is of suchcommercial interest.

The first section on coalbed methane resources in the USAand Europe comprises seven contributions. There is one generalpaper on the USA but unfortunately nothing on Canada. Thereare two papers on Germany, two on the UK and one on Russiaand the Ukraine.

The largest selection relates to coal as a reservoir (10 papers).These papers are variable in their quality and in their topic.Gayer et al. present an interesting study of coal clasts in sand-stones and their implications for coalbed methane exploration,but it is a pity that out-of-date stratigraphy is presented!Tectonics features heavily in many contributions and usefulpapers are presented by Pattison et al. and by Faraj et al. on theAustralian Bowen Basin Coals. Some papers are concernedwith coal microstructure and methane recovery (Gamson et al.,Levine) and other coal surface properties (Davidson et al.), butthere are no papers on the origin of coalbed methane nor on rela-tionships to coal facies and hydrocarbon generation.

The coal geological section (7 papers) is the most disappoint-ing. The paper by Lester et al. on image analysis of microlitho-types appears out of place in this volume as do several of the

other papers in this section. Several of these might have easilybeen left out of the volume.

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Overall there are a number of useful papers here and I wouldhope most libraries would buy a copy, but I am not so sure that itwill have the same appeal for individuals.

Andrew C. Scott

MIALL, A. D. 1996. The Geology of Fluvial Deposits.Sedimentary Facies, Basin Analysis, and PetroleumGeology. xvi + 582 pp. Berlin, Heidelberg, New York,London, Paris, Tokyo, Hong Kong: Springer-Verlag. PriceDM 118.00 s 861.40, SFr 113.50 (hard covers). ISBN 3540 59186 9.

The author of this book was responsible for first bringingtogether those members of the geological sediment communitywho believe that fluvial deposits are of special interest. He didthis by organizing the First International Conference on FluvialSedimentology that was held in Calgary in 1977. This confer-ence has been followed by others, and the sixth in the series willbe held in Cape Town in September 1997. Andrew Miall has

continued to be a central figure in fluvial studies, and his 600page, one author, text is very much to be welcomed because itreviews, in a much more coherent way than any conference pro-ceedings, much of the work published over the last twenty yearsin the English-speaking literature. The forty pages of refer-ences, covering material up to 1994, and totalling about 1500titles, will be extremely useful for researchers. The book alsocontains over five hundred figures, and these in themselvesprovide a very useful reference. Most of the figures are line-drawings redrawn or reproduced from the original publications,but they also include reproductions of many black-and-whitephotographs that are almost always of high enough quality tofully justify their presence.

The full title of the book is The Geology of Fluvial Deposits:

Sedimentary Facies, Basin Analysis and Petroleum Geology,and this title gives a very fair impression of the approach andcoverage of the book. The author has not been ambitious toadvance general understanding of sediment transport or rivercatchment hydraulics. Rather he has compiled material on theanalysis and description of the deposits, and the progress thathas been made in relating variations in the deposits qualitativelyto tectonics and climate, with particular attention to the con-cerns of the hydrocarbon geologist.

There is one particular approach to the analysis of thedeposits that the author has developed in a number of earlierpublications, and returns to, at length, in one section of thisbook. The approach involves the construction of formalizedtables that classify various attributes of the deposits, or the riversystems. One of the earliest of the tabular classifications thatMiall advocated was that of facies classification (Table 4.1 inthis book), and this has been widely picked up and used by otherworkers. It basically formalizes a simple classification of grain-size and predominant sedimentary structure, using a two lettercode for labelling (e.g. St, sandstone with trough cross-bed-ding). This provides a labelling scheme for diagrams that hasbeen extremely useful.

Miall has made important contributions in other publicationsto developing maturity in the application of sequence stratigra-phy, and some of the approaches of this work are incorporatedin his tabular classification of bounding surfaces (p. 81 in thisbook). This reviewer has reservations about the general desir-ability of this tabular classification approach, and these reserva-tions are at two different levels. At my lower level, I do find it

a pity that Miall tends to number his classes, and then simplyrefer to them by number in later discussion which means that

the reader has to have the table in front of him to follow. Apartfrom indicating relative position in the classification, numbersimpart no information, whereas simple labels using words cando so much more. Miall cites a classification by Bridge forbounding surfaces, that uses the micro-, meso- and macro-setdistinction to good effect. At my higher level of reservation, Itend to question the value of some of the more elaborate classifi-

cations that Miall proposes. For example (Table 4.2, this book),Miall develops a classification of depositional units (separatedby different orders of bounding surface up to 8th order, in thiscase), and involving groups, numbered 1 to 10. I think there isa danger that workers will tend to push their material into com-plex schemes of this sort, without necessarily going back to thebasic ideas, and they will also be in danger of failing to commu-nicate their results readily to other workers.

These points concern only one aspect of the text of this book.In more general terms it is a very valuable major compilationthat will be much used and appreciated.

Peter F. Friend

STROGEN, P., SOMERVILLE, I. D. & JONES, G. LL. (eds) 1996.Recent Advances in Lower Carboniferous Geology.

Geological Society Special Publication no. 107. ix + 463pp. London, Bath: Geological Society of London. Price72.00, US $120.00 (members price 35.00, US $58.00);hard covers. ISBN 1 897799 58 6.

The first European Dinantian Environments (EDE) Conferenceheld in Manchester in 1984 generated a highly useful volume;many of the papers are still well cited. This current volume is aresult of the second conference held in Dublin in 1994. Largeareas of Ireland are covered by Dinantian sediments and this isreflected in the coverage of the volume.

The volume comprises twenty-nine papers divided into sixsections. Unfortunately there are no scene-setting keynote chap-ters which might have put the papers into a broader context, butthe editors use a two-page preface to pull out highlights.

The first section of four papers deals with mineralization,hydrocarbons and diagenesis. The papers deal predominantlywith British and Irish deposits. The paper by Johnson et al.examines basement structural controls, those by Shearley et al.and Hollis & Walkden examine the relationships between min-eralization and carbonate diagenesis, and both Shearley et al.and Veale & Parnell look at aspects of hydrocarbon migrationand replacement. I regret that some colour images were notused, especially with the cathodoluminescence studies.

The next four sections deal with aspects of sedimentology,with carbonate buildups and Waulsortian mudmounds (6papers), siliclastic rocks (3 papers), carbonate platforms andramps (6 papers) and basinal facies (4 papers). Papers on Britishand Irish deposits figure strongly but other areas are represented(USA 3 papers, Spain 1 paper, Poland 1 paper and Germany 1paper). Most of the papers concern marine sequences; most ofthese papers are well illustrated and present new data. Using theindex to find topics sometimes proves difficult as paginationmust have changed at some stage (for example coal is men-tioned on p. 172 but as 173 in the index). I found the paper byGraham particularly interesting on Dinantian river systems.This paper is well illustrated with new data and reminds us ofthe excellent exposures in the west of Ireland.

The final section comprises seven papers concerning faunas,floras and biostratigraphy. Despite my own interests I found this

section the weakest although the paper by Jones & Somervilleprovides a useful summary of some practical biostratigraphical

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applications, and the two fish papers have useful illustrations offish teeth and scales from Russia. I was disappointed that theonly plant paper on palynofacies contained numerous errorsand omissions I would be pleased to know of the evidence forAsbian tree ferns for example!

In summary whilst this volume adds to our knowledge of theLower Carboniferous I did not feel particularly excited. Where

were all the papers on the varied volcanogenic systems (onlyone paper on volcanics), on terrestrial ecosystems (only onepaper on fluvial sediments) and where were the integrationpapers? It may be that none of these topics was offered to theconference organizers but that is where such volumes fall down a few additional solicited papers might not have gone amiss.

Overall, however, this is a useful volume with some interestingpapers and I would expect libraries to buy a copy. As for individu-als, if you are interested in Lower Carboniferous marine sedimentsthen it may be worth purchasing; if not,why not borrow a copy?

Andrew C. Scott

VAN

WAGONER

, J. C. & BERTRAM

, G. T. (eds) 1996. SequenceStratigraphy of Foreland Basin Deposits. Outcrop andSubsurface Examples from the Cretaceous of North

America. AAPG Memoir no. 64. xxi + 487 pp. Tulsa:American Association of Petroleum Geologists. Price US$134.00 (US $89.00 for AAPG members); hard covers.ISBN 0 89181 343 8.

It is important to note the subtitle of this book. This is not a col-lection of papers about foreland basin stratigraphy in a generalsense and anybody hoping that it might be would be disap-pointed. Thirteen of the fourteen papers in this volume dealexclusively with Cretaceous fluvial and shallow marine silici-clastic strata from North America. The one exception is the first,

a conceptual paper which considers the distribution of sandyfacies in the topset component of an aggradationalprograda-tional package of strata. It would also be fair to say that most ofthe papers are more concerned with the sequence stratigraphicapproach to the analysis of the successions rather than the fore-land basin tectonic setting in which they occur. Reference to theflexural subsidence controls on foreland basin stratigraphy ismade in a paper by Schwans and another by Shanley &McCabe, but most of the papers concentrate on the details offacies by architecture in depositional systems tracts. These casestudies are mainly based on very detailed studies of exceptionalfield exposures in places such as the Book Cliffs in Utah (3papers) and the Tocito Sandstone in New Mexico (2 papers). Asa documentary record of the sedimentology and stratigraphy ofthese and other exposures of the Cretaceous of North Americathis book is excellent. The chapters are much longer than is usu-ally permitted in a journal allowing for much more comprehen-sive descriptions and stratigraphic logs than are normallypublished. One paper by Van Wagoner is almost a book in itselfat 88 pages long plus six multiple-panel fold-outs. Exceptions tothe field data emphasis are two papers on the Powder RiverBasin (Wyoming) which are based on subsurface wireline logdata.

One paper (the last) really stands out from the others as beingof more general interest than the rest. Pemberton &MacEacherns paper on the application of ichnology to sequencestratigraphy is a very clear exposition of a case study document-ing the relationship between trace fossil assemblages and relativechanges in sea level. Moreover, the ichnofauna determinations

have all been carried out on core with many examples of the tracefossils illustrated in core photographs. Many other papers in the

book are lavishly illustrated with many colour photographs,diagrams and many fold-out pages which effectively deal with theproblems of presenting elongate correlation panels in a book. Theproduction is good and the editorial standard high.

It is worth mentioning the introduction to this book by one ofthe editors, Van Wagoner, in which the use and abuse ofsequence stratigraphy is discussed. Apparently the concept of

using a sea level curve to define the systems tracts strati-graphic packages (as opposed to describing the strata objec-tively and then considering possible implications for relative sealevel changes) has come about because the rest of the worldmisunderstood the early Exxon literature, and the genetic linkbetween parasequences and sea level cycles was never reallyintended. An interesting way of back-tracking from the dog-matic dictums of the early papers but encouraging to see that amore flexible approach to the analysis of strata in terms of rela-tive sea level change and sediment supply is now being used bythe practitioners of sequence stratigraphy.

Gary Nichols

GEE, H. 1996.Before the Backbone. Views on the Origin of theVertebrates. xx + 346 pp. London, Weinheim, New York,Tokyo, Melbourne, Madras: Chapman & Hall. Price35.00 (hard covers). ISBN 0 412 48300 9.

The origin of vertebrates is a subject which is quickly disposedof in textbooks on vertebrate evolution. The rather superficialcoverage this topic receives represents a sleight-of-hand: byquickly mentioning that vertebrates are the neotenous descen-dants of a tunicate tadpole-like creature, a view which is moreor less dogmatic, the author subconsciously assures the readerthat the problems of vertebrate origins are more or less solved,and that the subject is not really worthy of a protracted discus-

sion. Other theories may be mentioned as historical asides oroddball suggestions without discussion of their potential value.Such discourses also tend to confuse the origin of vertebrates(or more properly craniates) with the origin of chordates.Though these two origins are of course related (if youll pardonthe pun), they represent two distinct biological events whichoccurred at different times. This mixing and matching of ideascan lead to a great deal of confusion.

Henry Gees book goes a long way to redressing the balance.His aim is not to give us a new theory to explain the origin ofchordates and vertebrates, but to discuss the various hypothesesthat already exist, a valuable contribution in itself. The firstchapter sets the stage for his discussion of vertebrate, and chor-date, origins by introducing the reader to the deuterostomephyla (Hemichordata, Echinodermata, Chordata) and the funda-mental differences between the deuterostomes and other meta-zoans. He provides the reader with a wealth of morphologicaland embryological data, concentrating on those features whichare likely to be important in discussions of vertebrate originsand in deducing deuterostome phylogeny. The first chapter alsoincludes a brief introduction to cladistic methodology and out-lines the problems faced by students of chordate and vertebrateorigins. The book as a whole is commendable for setting thesequestions within a cladistic framework, something which hasbeen avoided by almost all workers in this field (with onenotable exception).

The rest of the book gives an historical account of the varioushypotheses of vertebrate origins, starting with the late nineteenthcentury suggestions that either annelids, insects, crustaceans or

nemerteans were ancestral to vertebrates, and then movingonto more modern ideas involving origins from hemichordates

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or tunicate larvae. This historical perspective has severalconsequences. It is possible to see how ideas on vertebrate andchordate origins have changed through time. These changes arenot only brought about by different authors having differentopinions, but also by changes in technique, which allowed newinvestigations to be made, discovery of new anatomical andembryological features of the groups under consideration and,

perhaps just as important, changes in the intellectual climate pre-vailing when the theory was proposed. Hence, we see the influ-ence of theories of recapitulation, adaptational and functionalarguments and, most recently, of cladistics. This makes fascinat-ing reading for those interested in the philosophies behind bio-logical thought as well as for the reader interested in the animals.

This historical account is brought up to date with the contri-bution made by molecular biologists. Phylogenies based onmolecular data and new insights into the processes which con-trol the formation of body-plans (such as the discovery ofhoxgenes) may, ultimately, provide answers to these problems.Interestingly, many of these results can be combined with mor-phological data to build some convincing scenarios for the ori-gins of chordates. Further work in this area is likely to be

illuminating.Gee also gives the reader a manageable introduction to R. P.S. Jefferies calcichordate theory, summarizing Jefferies threedecades of work in an extremely readable and thought-provok-ing way. To my knowledge, this is the best summary of thestrengths and weaknesses of the theory. Refreshingly, Gee doesnot start with the assumption that this theory is fatally flawedbut gives a very even-handed treatment, providing enough detailfor the readers to make up their own mind and to decide whichtheory, of the many presented, might be the closest to what actu-ally happened.

This is not a book for the uninitiated. Indeed, it is describedby the publisher as a text for advanced undergraduates upward.The style is usually clear and fluent, though some passages ofanatomical or embryological description can be a little dense.This does not detract from its overall usefulness, both as a syn-thesis that includes a vast amount of information, and as anintroduction to the vast body of literature that the book restsupon. Also, the fact that Gee is not a worker in the field hasallowed him the objectivity to discuss the various hypotheseshe presents without being unduly biased by his own favouritetheory. Before the Backbone is certainly a valuable additionto my bookshelf, and I commend it to all of those interested invertebrates in particular or in metazoan phylogeny as a whole.

Paul M. Barrett

BROMLEY, R. G. 1996. Trace Fossils. Biology, Taphonomy and

Applications, 2nd ed. xvi + 361 pp. London, Glasgow,Weinheim, New York, Tokyo, Melbourne, Madras:Chapman & Hall. Price 24.99 (paperback). ISBN 0 41261480 4.

This is the second edition of a book first published as TraceFossils. Biology and Taphonomy in 1990. Compared to the earlieredition there is an added chapter on applications of trace fossils,as reflected by the expanded subtitle. The text has been broughtup to date and the extensive reference list includes entries up tothe first half of 1995.

The first five chapters outline the principles of ichnology andexamine animalsubstrate relations by looking at the behaviourof selected Recent invertebrates. Incidentally, this book almost

exclusively deals with traces and trace fossils of invertebrates.The second half of the book presents fossil examples and details

what happens in the transition between trace and trace fossil.Included are discussions of associations of trace fossils andtheir description, quantification and interpretation. But the dis-cussion is not restricted to discrete trace fossils. Also dealt withis the important concept of ichnofabrics, where all aspects of thesediment resulting from bioturbation are considered. New tothis edition is a chapter titled Solving problems with trace

fossils. This gives examples of the wider use of trace fossils,including short overviews of the use of trace fossils to infer rela-tive changes in oxygen levels in or near the sedimentwaterboundary, and rates and modes of sedimentation. This lattertopic even includes application of trace fossils to sequencestratigraphy.

The text is richly illustrated with high-quality photographs(although I have to observe that the quality of reproduction inmy copy is inferior to that in the first edition published byUnwin Hyman) and drawings. There is a useful glossary andindex. Considering the contents of the book its title may be a bitunfortunate, in as much as it does not fully reflect the topicscovered. I do not mean this as a criticism of the contents; tracefossils cannot be studied without a sound grasp of Recent

animalsubstrate relations. My point is that to a considerabledegree the opposite is also true. Is it possible that the title of thebook leads to it being overlooked by the zoologists?

The authors fondness of the subject shows in the engagingtext, but so does his frustration and amusement at some of thesoft spots and excesses in ichnology. One such is the naming oftrace fossils, which is dealt with here in some detail. There is anoverview of the principles of ichnotaxonomy with examples ofproblematic forms. Some form of nomenclature is needed forcommunication, but it is clear that in the case of trace fossils thismust be based as much on gentlemens agreements as on logic.Some would go so far as to advocate the abolition of the presentscheme of ichnotaxonomy, or in the rare cases where the pro-ducer is known, then to apply either this name to the trace oreven to erect new biological taxa for traces from which morpho-logical features of the animal can be seen or inferred. Bromleysbook gives a sound basis for features that should or should notbe considered in naming traces. In the end, however, we arefaced with the difficult task of classifying objects which areinherently not subject to a hierarchical scheme of classification.For the practitioner it is indeed difficult to decide whether thatscratch-mark, or that branching, or that spreite is the moreimportant.

Throughout the text, the author is careful to point out theimportance of the fossilization barrier which leads to a highlyselective record of animal activity surviving into the fossilrecord. This is not a new observation, but one that cannot be toooften repeated. The traces most likely to survive into the fossilrecord are those made (deep) within the sediment away from

physical and biological disturbances. Surface traces, such asthose frequently seen on tidal mud flats, make for fascinatingand convenient observation but are ephemeral structures withalmost no fossil record.

A comparison of the two editions give some idea of new andfast-moving fields in ichnology. Besides the subjects raised inthe problem-solving chapter one other deserves particular men-tion. The increasing recognition of the importance to metazoansof symbiotic micro-organisms is reflected also in the interpreta-tion of trace fossils. A range of ichnotaxa, such as Chondrites,Thalassinoides, Scolicia and Psammichnites have recently beeninterpreted as being associated with processes of chemosymbio-sis. For example Chondrites shows a regular branching whichleaves large volumes of untouched sediment between the shafts,

and it has therefore been argued that it does not correspondwell to paradigms based on deposit-feeding. Nevertheless, the

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question remains how completely do we understand deposit-feeding. As is vividly demonstrated in the first half of the bookthere are still large uncertainties about the food-sources of manyinvertebrates and how this food is acquired. Several examples arepresented of the versatility of animals apparently switchingbetween deposit-feeding and suspension-feeding depending oncircumstances. Clearly the interpretation of ancient traces involves

a fair degree of educated guessing. Nevertheless, the realizationthat chemosymbiosis may be an important and widespread way ofmetazoan life, and not only near thermal vents, means that we mayhave to look at a number of trace fossils with new eyes.

My only critique, and a minor one, is that the time axis oftrace fossils is barely mentioned. In conjunction with animalevolution bioturbation has changed through time with great con-sequences for the preservation and behaviour of sediments. Iwould have liked to have seen more discussion on the evolutionof animalsediment relations, such as the changes in trace fossilmorphology at the VendianCambrian interval.

This splendid book is indispensable for anyone interested inthe ecology and interpretation of sediments and sedimentaryrocks palaeontologist, geologist and, dare I suggest, zoologist.

Sren Jensen

GALLOWAY, W. E. & HOBDAY, D. K. 1996. Terrigenous ClasticDepositional Systems. Applications to Fossil Fuel and

Groundwater Resources, 2nd ed. xvi + 489 pp. Berlin,Heidelberg, London, Paris, New York, Tokyo, Hong Kong:Springer-Verlag. Price DM 128.00, s 934.00, SFr 113.00(hard covers). ISBN 3 540 60232 1.

The title of this book provides a good indication of its approachand special aims. The main theme is the spatial, generally three-dimensional, study of depositional systems. These are taken tobe associations or patterns of bodies of distinctive sediment thatextend over areas kilometres to hundreds of kilometres across.The systems are reviewed one chapter at a time, under the fol-lowing eight main headings: alluvial fan, fluvial, delta, shore-zone, terrigenous shelf, slope and base of slope, lacustrine andaeolian.

Chapters on hydrology, coal and coal-bed methane, sedimen-tary uranium, petroleum, reservoirs and aquifers not only pointto the importance of this spatial system approach for the eco-nomic use of sedimentary resources, but demonstrate how manyuniquely valuable datasets, often using sub-surface data, areavailable from commercial studies. The book is fully and attrac-tively illustrated with diagrams, usually redrawn from earlierpublications, and with photographs, and the great majority ofthese illustrations are of good enough quality to provide useful

teaching material. Throughout there is a concern with three-dimensional modelling and prediction.

Sequence stratigraphy has contributed critically to the under-standing of three-dimensional stratigraphies of depositionalsystems, and the first author of this book has made an importantcontribution to placing much of this work on a firm logical base.This contribution is neatly summarized in two of the chapters ofthe book.

For almost twenty years, many sedimentary workers haveused, as a source, one of the three editions of the book edited byHarold Reading (1996, 3rd ed.), so it may be useful to comparethe two approaches. Because there are only two authors,Galloway & Hobday have a uniformity of approach and a flowto their narrative that is not there in Readings multi-author

work. The Reading book is a series of scholarly essays, raisingmany questions, and not necessarily answering all of them. The

Galloway & Hobday book is a more of a textbook that providesa measured, though more superficial, survey. The two books arealso complementary, moreover, when it comes to the choice ofsystem examples cited. Many of the examples in the book underreview are from the US Gulf coast or inland Texas, and not fullypublished in the international scientific press. There is veryvaluable material here because of the remarkable quantity of

sub-surface data available, reflecting the maturity of hydrocar-bon exploration in these areas.Peter F. Friend

Reference

READING, H. G. (ed.) 1996. Sedimentary Environments: Processes,Facies and Stratigraphy, 3rd ed. Oxford: Blackwell, 688 pp.

FRANKEL, C. 1996. Volcanoes of the Solar System. xiii + 232 pp.Cambridge, New York, Port Chester, Melbourne, Sydney:Cambridge University Press. Price 40.00 (hard covers),14.95 (paperback). ISBN 0 521 47201 6; 0 521 47770 0(pb).

Volcanism is the principal process that acts to renew the sur-faces of planetary bodies in the Solar System. On Earth, thisprocess is sufficiently effective that, although generally unseenand until recent decades unnoticed, one percent of the Earthssurface is replenished every million years. Magmatism is also amajor player in the removal of heat from planetary interiors.The common processes involved modified by local influencessuch as the nature of the atmosphere and gravitational accelera-tion provide a linking thread, adorned by the extraordinarydiversity of rock compositions involved, ranging from the famil-iar silicate magmatism on Earth and the rocky planets, to thesulphur and methanewaterammonia magmatism of our dis-tant, glacial neighbours.

Frankel provides a detailed introductory account to thecauses and effects of planetary volcanism; his touch is generallylight, and the production crisp, so the net result is pleasing. Theintention was to provide a review for a lay audience, with odd-numbered chapters written at a simpler level than even num-bered chapters. Early chapters provide an elegant andimpressive introduction to the theory of magma generation anderuption on Earth, followed by a couple of chapters on lunarvolcanism. These are both liberally illustrated with Apollo snap-shots, and scattered with personal anecdotes and mission sto-ries, making for a captivating read. Later chapters spin furtherout into the Solar System, passing by Mars and Venus includ-ing a perspective from the Magellan mission and then to theicy moons of our distant neighbours and asteroids. There is a

brief but relevant bibliography, and a detailed index.As a model for how to write and presence a science book, this

stands apart from the crowd, and it deserves to find its way ontomany a first-year reading list, if only to whet the appetites offuture generations of Earth and planetary scientists.

David Pyle

DICKEY, J. S., JR. 1996. On The Rocks. Earth Science forEveryone. xix + 252 pp. New York, Chichester, Brisbane,Toronto, Singapore: John Wiley & Sons. Price 12.99(paperback). ISBN 0 471 13234 9.

It takes a rare skill to write an effective introductory-level text.On the one hand it must aim to capture the imagination of the

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reader, while on the other satisfying the critical whims of theprofessional pedagogues. A glance at the shelves of the geology(or, more likely environmental science) sections of an aca-demic bookshop reveals numerous increasingly glossy andweighty tomes competing for a foothold in the lucrative intro-ductory earth science market. Yet, there are few of these that onecould, with a conscience, recommend as a bait to a student

already moderately well versed in physics and chemistry who isplanning to turn their attention to rocks. This is in contrast tothose with biological leanings who are well catered for, with thepolemical, the (pseudo)historical and the pedagogicalapproaches satisfied in equal measure.

Into the breach steps John Dickey with On the Rocks. This isa modestly priced and engaging volume that was written to beread and enjoyed. This is not a textbook, by any means, nor is itintended to be. The illumination is partial, but brilliantly clear,as Dickey takes the reader on a partly historical, partly introduc-tory journey through the physical and chemical realms ofnature. After an introduction to the scale of the natural world, heturns first to the nature of crystalline materials, through meltingand metamorphism to plate tectonics. Later chapters cover ores

and waste products, diamonds and their histories and the natureof the planetary bodies of the solar system. The style is highlyindividual, and written for the intelligent and receptive readerwho emerges from each self-contained chapter enriched by theamalgam of historical perspective, anecdote and current theory.The picture that is painted of the Earth is both vibrant anddynamic, even brushing the dust off such traditionally desic-cated topics as crystallography. The personal interludes includeboth the entertaining and the embarrassing, but serve to flavourthe text, to the extent that, emerging from reading it, a studentmay feel enlightened and entertained without perhaps realisingquite how much they had learned.

The design and content make this an ideal text to be read toaccompany an introductory course for example, to introducethe earth to scientists. I would also expect it to feature widely onpre-university reading lists for intending natural scientists.

The few slender failings some numerical, other geographi-cal that will hopefully be corrected in later reprint, reduce buta little the desirability of this volume. Earth Science forEveryone is a hopeful but entirely appropriate subtitle.

David Pyle

GILL, R. 1995. Chemical Fundamentals of Geology, 2nd ed. xiv+ 298 pp. London, Glasgow, Weinheim, New York, Tokyo,Melbourne, Madras: Chapman & Hall. Price 17.50(paperback). ISBN 0 412 54930 1.

A fair number of geologists have crushed up rocks and putsamples in a queue for X-ray fluorescence and other sorts ofchemical analysis. If they have the ear of a friendly or ambitiousmass-spectrometrist, and an intriguing project, major and traceelement data are added to by stable or radiogenic isotopes. For agrowing variety of research fields, geochemical data are neces-sities, not luxuries. That does not mean that the end users of thedata are geochemists, though some of us have masqueradedunder that banner. All geologists are competent hands at petrog-raphy and mineralogy, and most have some cause to discusstheir materials from a petrogenetic standpoint, hard-rock or soft.However, a large proportion come into their subject with onlythe most rudimentary background in chemistry and physics.What they know they have picked up as they have gone along;

eclectic would not be an unkind adjective. So, Robin GillsChemical Fundamentals of Geology promises a great deal. It is

about chemistry in a geological context and leans heavilytowards physical science. The title is slightly inaccurate, but thatis not a serious flaw.

Gills approach emerges out of the general principles ofthermodynamics and chemical equilibria in his first two chapters,and underpins much of the arcane, for some, world of phase dia-grams. The emphasis there is on melting and crystallization,

probably a wise move since the whiff of a Schreinemakersbundle and delving into the solid-state equilibria of metamorphismmight startle a tender reader. What can happen petrogeneticallyowes much to the rates at which equilibria are achieved, andChapter 3 goes to the roots of the dynamics of petrogenesis.Diffusion and viscous processes are central controls over rates ofprocess in magmatism and metamorphism. Water mediates thelinked chemistry of lithosphere, biosphere, water bodies and theair. It is what makes our planet worthy of study,and the prime rea-son why someone is here to take a look. Solution chemistry, redoxreactions, dissociation and pH, solubility and the special nature ofwater form the third platform in Chapter 4. But why and how dochemical elements combine and impart properties to matter?

Focusing on such things is a daunting prospect for most geolo-

gists, but Robin Gill does us a service by tackling quantum theoryand Schroedingers wave equation from the base up in Chapter 5.He makes these deep issues clear and short, but without oversim-plification, through excellent diagrams and sticking closely to thelogic. The bold step pays dividends for the reader in Chapter 6, asfoundations for the Periodic Table, electronegativity, valence andthe quantum basis of matters interaction with EM radiation: thestuff of matters properties and its participation in change. Thusequipped, we can tackle confidently the issues surrounding chem-ical bonding and so the polymerization that is so characteristic ofboth rocks and life. Chapters 5, 6 and 7 are the most useful in thebook, and form the main reason for buying and reading it.Chapter 8, although titled Silicate Crystals and Melts, is morethan a little short on melts, but takes a rigorous stick to minerals,how they form and change. To many geochemists it will seemodd that mineralmelt partition coefficients and using trace ele-ments to model melting and crystallization processes have noplace. Instead, Gill has chosen in Chapter 9 to discuss why vari-ous major and trace elements have the affinities that they do. Iagree, for much geochemistry is of the empirical and cookbookvarieties. Useful, indeed part of a cottage industry in some quar-ters, but detracting from the real way that the Earth works. Itwould be an odd book on geological chemistry without a peekinto the origin of the elements, how that obeys fundamental lawsand links us with the fabric of the cosmos. Chapter 10 takes us intwenty pages or so from the evidence, to the processes and then tothe outcome of gravitational forces in assembling planets. It putsgeology in touch with the Grand Unification Theories of thephysicists, and that is no bad thing.

Some may carp that the book does not say much about geologyand how real things, interlinked cycles and the evolution of ourplanet emerge through chemical processes. That would have madeits author stray from a very useful underpinning for all of that,without which imagination can run riot. Chemical Fundamentalsof Geology is not for absolute beginners. They first have to beexcited by the world as it presents itself outwardly, and therebyhooked into asking how and why. This book awaits that curiosity.

S. A. Drury

COLEMAN, R. G. 1994. Geologic Evolution of the Red Sea.Oxford Monographs on Geology & Geophysics no. 24. x +

186 pp. New York, Oxford: Oxford University Press. Price45.00 (hard covers). ISBN 0 19 507048 8.

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This monograph is a concentrated summary of primarily geo-logical information about the Red Sea by someone who hasworked in the region for at least 25 years. It is a strongly focusedexpert view that is comprehensive and will be very useful forthose who already study the area or who want to find a way intothe literature of the region. The book contains chapters onGeomorphology, Stratigraphy, Volcanic history, Age relation-

ships, Red Sea structure, Geophysical outline, Red Sea platetectonics, and Economic aspects of the Red Sea. Each chapterhas a useful short summary at the end listing its principal con-clusions (the author calls them constraints), which to someextent are woven together into a general picture of evolution ofthe Red Sea in the chapter on plate tectonics, though this is notdone explicitly.

The book has a pleasingly old-fashioned feel to it, along thelines of a lifes work condensed into an account of heres all Iknow about this area. Although the scope of the work is broadin its coverage of different aspects of Red Sea geology it isextremely narrow in its geographical focus, very seldom usingany general lessons learnt elsewhere to help interpret the RedSea. Its confident authority on local matters contrasts with its

lack of global perspective: for example there is little attempt toplace the Red Seas volcanism in the context of modern under-standing of mantle melting and rifting processes, and the discus-sion on normal fault structure is superficial (faults are eitherlistric or detachments). Monographs that are geographicallyfocussed rather than process focussed are perhaps likely to givethe impression that little has been learned from outside theregion of interest. In this case I expect it arises from a deliberatechoice of style. The author is quite able to express a strong opin-ion on issues of more general significance: for example, he isemphatic that plume-related uplift did not precede rifting in theRed SeaAfarGulf of Aden triple junction region. None theless this is a book for those with a specialist interest in theregion, for whom it will be a valuable resource. Those interestedin how the Red Sea fits into current understanding of tectonicand magmatic processes may find the relevant data in here, butwill have to work hard to extract it.

James Jackson

BOCK, G. R. & GOODE, J. A. 1996.Evolution of HydrothermalEcosystems on Earth (and Mars?). Ciba FoundationSymposium no. 202. xii + 334 pp. John Wiley & Sons:Chichester, New York, Brisbane, Toronto, Singapore. Price52.50 (hard covers). ISBN 0 471 96509 X.

How well do we really know Life on Earth? Our human per-spective encourages us to identify with small furry mammals,

birds and at a pinch selected reptiles. The popular concep-tion of other organisms is either that they are slimy and repul-sive (worms) or downright dangerous (bacteria). Similarly ourseemingly innate sympathies for habitats such as rolling grass-lands and forests changes when confronted with the inhos-pitable environments of hot springs or the crushing pressures ofthe Earths interior. Yet it is precisely on these environments thatperhaps we should focus our efforts, and for at least fourreasons. First, here may be the Cradle of Life, and todayshydrothermal systems are our nearest equivalent to theArchaean point of genesis. Second, because the biomass of sub-terranean bacteria may outweigh that of the rest of the bio-sphere. Third, because we may only be standing on the thresholdof our understanding of microbial phylogeny and ecosystems.

This stage may be comparable to the early nineteenth centurywhen a generation of explorers Darwin and Humboldt the

most famous began to chart the worlds faunas and floras. Andfinally, because if there ever was life on Mars, then its closestapproximation may have been what we presently find in theexisting hydrothermal systems.

This book, therefore, is a contribution which no thoughtfulearth scientist can afford to ignore. It consists of a series ofauthoritative chapters separated by near-verbatim discussions,

the latter of decidedly variable usefulness. In the opening chap-ter Stetter reviews the remarkable bacteria known as hyperther-mophiles. These microbes flourish in the near-boiling water ofhot springs and other hydrothermal systems. Interestingly,although they are rendered inactive in waters whose tempera-tures we would still find too hot for comfort, they can survive atlower temperatures and in this way can be transported verywidely. As one of the discussants notes elsewhere in this book(p. 33), a sterile glass of sea-water left in the middle of NorthAmerica will soon be colonized by marine bacteria. Amongstthe hyperthermophiles there are representatives of both thearchaebacteria and eubacteria, and it is striking how basal theyare in the Tree of Life. The obvious inference is that they areindeed the most primitive forms of life, the direct descendants

of the first cells to gain a metaphorical foothold on or in the hotand unstable Archaean crust. Maybe so, but as Farmer pointsout in the ensuing discussion (p. 12) the basal nature of thehyperthermophiles may be because they alone could passthrough the bottleneck of extinctions imposed by the searingtemperatures that enveloped the Earth immediately after amega-impact, of which there were probably several earlier thanabout 3800 million years ago.

We should be cautious, however, as to how well we yet knowthe Tree of Life. This is because in the following chapter Barnsand co-workers present evidence that the diversity of hot-springmicrobial communities is seriously underestimated. By extract-ing sequences of DNA from otherwise unrecognized cells thisresearch group has shown that in one pool alone (Obsidian Poolin Yellowstone National Park) there are significant numbers ofhitherto unknown bacteria, with the hint that there are represen-tatives of a third kingdom of the Archaea, to add to the presentlyrecognized Crenarchaeota and Euryarchaeota. What is eagerlyawaited is the isolation of pure cultures, perhaps via the agencyof fluorescent oligonucleotide labelling. Not only are hotsprings perhaps the last great unexplored zoo on Earth, butmany believe that they are our best target for understanding thesetting for the origin of life itself. Certainly the conditions thatpertain in these environments, including heat sources, nutrientsand key metals, all lend support to this, rather than the oft-citedwarm, little pond, being the site for lifes origination. Forexample, the author Shock notes how a number of monomericcompounds needed for life may be synthesized for effectivelyno energetic cost in such a hydrothermal system. In parallel

Henley outlines how vital features such as membrane formationand energy conversion may have been achieved in this milieu.This book also contains much of interest about hot springs perse, ranging from information on stable isotopes (Des Marais), tothe detection by remote sensing of the mineral deposits thatresult from the activity of hydrothermal zones (Huntington), aswell as the necessary exploration strategies (Horn).

There are two other topics that are crucial to further develop-ment of this area. The first is the historical perspective of hotsprings and their communities as provided through the fossilrecord. Walter emphasizes the potential for future investigationsof ancient hydrothermal systems. He reviews our present knowl-edge, although it must be admitted that the genuinely hydrother-mal nature of some deposits remains controversial. In addition,

their earlier record is very sparse, but at least some are knownfrom the Archaean. A major stumbling block, however, may be

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the propensity for inorganic processes operating within activehydrothermal fields to mimic biological structures. Indeed, someauthorities, including Russell who reports in a Discussion sec-tion on iron monosulphide membranes (pp. 5758), might arguethat this is just the area where the transition from inanimate toliving occurred by some sort of take-over. Accordingly the pet-rography of hydrothermal deposits will require particular

scrutiny, and part of this research will be linked to the minorrenaissance in the experimental and observational study ofmicrobial fossilization. In an intriguing chapter Cady & Farmerreview the complex area of silicification of living microbial com-munities in Yellowstone, which has been nicely complementedby recent studies from hot springs in Iceland (Schultze-Lam etal. 1995). The limits of palaeontological knowledge from hot-spring deposits are succinctly reviewed by Knoll & Walter, andone of the examples they use the celebrated Rhynie Chert isthe topic of a fascinating chapter by Trewin. As with so many ofthe most famous fossil localities the broader setting of theRhynie Chert has only recently come into focus. Associated withgold mineralization, the Rhynie Chert actually shows a variety offacies and types of preservation. There is, in addition, the

prospect of recovering communities from near the vent open-ings, so that shortly we will have an even more detailed insightinto this Lower Devonian ecosystem.

The other topic of immense significance, queried in the title ofthis book, since headline news and just caught as a stop-pressaddendum (pp. 320321), is the possibility of life on Mars, atleast formerly. At the time of writing this review the initial eupho-ria has swung into considerable scepticism, and one to whichWalter adds his own prescient observations. Nevertheless, thechapters on Martian water (by Carr) and possible hydrothermalsystems (Farmer) make intriguing reading, and are a necessarycomplement to any coherent discussion of this controversialtopic. But just as the last chapter is by Davies, so should the lastword be given to him. This is because he reviews the possibility oftransferring microbes between planets. The hurdles are immense,involving blasting from the parent body by giant impacts, inter-planetary travel in a chunk of rock sailing across a vacuum anddrenched by intense radiation, and then finally successful landingon an alien world. But it is within the realms of possibility:Martian meteorites are known. It need not be, however, a one-waytraffic. When and if the full story of life on Mars is ever told, itmay transpire that yes indeed it harboured life, but they arecolonists that came from its neighbour, and our present home.

S. Conway Morris

Reference

SCHULTZE-LAM, S., FERRIS, F. G., KONHAUSER, K. O. & WIESE, R. G.1995. In situ silicification of an Icelandic hot spring microbialmat: Implications for microfossil formation. Canadian Journal ofEarth Sciences 32, 20216.

GUPTA, H. K. (ed.) 1994.Latur Earthquake. Memoir 35. xvi +149 pp. Bangalore: Geological Society of India. Price Rs250, US $30.00 (paperback). ISBN 81 85867 13 5.

GUPTA, H. K. & GUPTA, G. D. (eds) 1995. UttarkashiEarthquake (20th October 1991). Geological Society ofIndia Memoir 30. xxii + 233 pp. Bangalore: GeologicalSociety of India. Price Rs 250, US 30.00 (paperback).ISBN 01 85867 11 9.

These books are monographs on two recent destructive earth-quakes in India. There is a useful tradition in seismology that

information on an important earthquake is gathered together inone volume to provide an overall perspective and a source of

material for future studies. In the USA this role is often fulfilledby a special volume of theBulletin of the Seismological Societyof America, which has the merit that it is easy to find in libraries.These two volumes are published by the Geological Society ofIndia, and complement the welcome re-publication of theimportant memoirs on the great 1897 Assam, 1905 Kangra, and1934 Bihar earthquakes by the Geological Survey of India in

1981.The September 1993 Latur earthquake killed 11000 peoplein a region of central India within the Deccan volcanic province,away from the main region of Indian seismicity in theHimalayas. Its awful destruction is attributed to the poor build-ing stock rather than the size of the earthquake, which was onlymoderate (magnitude 6.4). It is an event of considerable interest,partly because it occurred away from an area of obvious seismicactivity and partly because it involved ground ruptures ofprobable tectonic origin at the surface.

The October 1991 Uttarkashi earthquake was bigger (magni-tude 7.0) but occurred in a more conventional location, inthe foothills of the Himalayas. It too was destructive, killingabout 2000 people. As the report here points out, it was very

much smaller than the great 1905 and 1934 earthquakesthat occurred in the same tectonic setting, and whose repetitiontoday would have consequences that are dreadful to contem-plate.

Both monographs contain a series of papers by differentauthors, nearly all of them from Indian institutions, rangingquite widely and including macroseismic epicentral effects,local seismology (where available), other geophysical studies,and seismotectonic perspectives. It is indeed encouraging to seesuch energetic activity at a national level, especially in a countrythat sooner or later will have to cope with earthquake catastro-phies of breathtaking magnitude if (or rather, when) great earth-quakes that occurred historically are repeated. These booksare certainly useful and are a significant contribution to under-standing the perspective with which Indian earthquakes shouldbe viewed for seismological, tectonic and disaster manage-ment purposes. If I have one criticism it is that they could beeven more useful if they provided substantial solid accountsof the teleseismic analysis of these earthquakes, in the formof well-determined source parameters (strike, dip, rake,moment, time function, depth) using synthetic seismograms.Such work is now routine and gives basic, reliable, quantitativeinformation about the main-shock that is indispensable. Theinclusion of such work may require non-Indian contributionsand may require waiting a little longer after the earthquakebefore publication, but would, in my opinion, be well worthit. As the invaluable memoirs on the 1897, 1905 and 1934earthquakes show, the production of such volumes is a long-term service for which our grandchildren will thank us: they

can wait a year or two for a more rounded and completeperspective.

James Jackson

KEAREY, P. & VINE, F. J. 1996. Global Tectonics, 2nd ed. x + 333pp. Oxford: Blackwell Science. Price 22.50 (paperback).ISBN 0 86542 924 3.

As readers might expect, when one of the co-discoverers of platetectonics is joint author of a textbook on the subject, very little isleft out. Global Tectonics sets out to bridge the gap between thesuperficial summary and front-edge conference proceedings on

this or that specialized aspect of the physical dynamics of ourplanet. The aim is wide, at senior undergraduates, postgraduates

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and insight-seeking, yet benighted fellow professionals. But itis course-oriented, with appended review questions (but noguide to good answers!), as any technical text must be togain adoption these days. It would be a tough course that cov-ered the breadth and depth in here properly! But this isa second edition, following five impressions of the first in its5-year lifetime. It has sold well, and no doubt will retain its

following.To me it is a work of reference, and a useful one at that,except perhaps for hardened tectonics researchers. They wouldno doubt find plenty at which to cavil, as always. So far as I amable to judge, all the basics of the lithospheres mechanics arehere. So too are reviews of most conceivable types of conse-quence that stem from moving and shuffling plates: features ofthe ocean floors, transcurrent movements, those of subduction,continental collision and extension. There is a wealth of illustra-tions, all in the line-drawn form that students will meet whenthey venture into the well-chosen, but not exhausting, refer-ences to primary sources. Kearey & Vine do draw back, or wereforced to by length considerations, from the geological recordof tectonic interactions, with about 30 pages at the end. In that

respect Windleys The Evolving Continents has the edge forgeologists at a senior level.I should be honest. Neither this, nor its logical companion

The Evolving Continents, is the sort of book that I can read fromcover to cover. Both maintain the formal style of review papers.I just dipped into Global Tectonics, despite the fact that it buildsaround a central strand of how the world works. But it is aroundone thread, not the many that interweave with all sorts of magni-tudes, rates and periodicities. That seamless whole makes forexcitement these days, for a right, good read. Knowing theworlds workings grows through the dominant ethos of empiri-cism, in fits and starts. From the obvious to the subtle, hiddenand complex; from the fit of continents, the magnetic taperecording of the ocean floors recent motions, to the fuzzy sig-nature of deep mantle circulation revealed by seismic tomogra-phy. Knowledge progresses to ever finer detail in space, timeand sophistication as an interwoven growth in technologyextends and expands human senses. That much is clear inGlobal Tectonics. Dealing with these tagliatelli-like tanglesdemands continual abstraction to seek order, deeper meaningand more unifying links. Without that sort of reflection, oftenspeculative and controversial, we are left with a formless anar-chy. It is tempting to rationalize by arbitrarily slicing chunksfrom the emerging whole.

The poor student, in a milieu of departments and compart-ments: I am reminded of the compositors world, before hot-metal and then desk-top publishing. A chest of drawers, eachwith hundreds of divisions by typeface, character, style andpitch, a world to read as a mirror image of reality. Strange

guardians of the arcane, compositors got by, but have beenswept aside by a new world. Global tectonics, then its lessercounterpart, that of linked tectonics locally and at the outcrop,did help unify existing geological knowledge wonderfully. Thatbegan but three decades ago. It now seems to have been a har-binger of a surge in understanding and ways of doing things(and teaching) that dwarfs the Renaissance, of which Caxtonspress was a vital part. For several years tectonicians have hadbefore them notions of how other planets work, most notablyVenus. Have we no concept of some general planetary mecha-nisms, of which the Earths form one well-known aspect?

It is probably premature to expect that a holistic approach toEarths continual motion and change should emerge inadvanced textbooks. Authors themselves need a general context

in an Earth Sciences that unites its component parts, and that isslow in its coming. Kearey & Vines book deserves to be used,

and will be. But it is a temporary measure, with contents thatneed bolder linkage.

S. A. Drury

DAVIES, G. L. H. 1995.North from the Hook. 150 Years of the

Geological Survey of Ireland. xi + 342 pp. Dublin:Geological Survey of Ireland. Price not given (hardcovers). ISBN 1 899702 00 8.

As Gordon Davies reveals in this fascinating book, the historyof geological surveying in the Republic of Ireland has tended toreflect the troubled history of Ireland and its problematic rela-tionships with Britain. Even before the Geological Survey wasofficially established on April 1st, 1845 as a new organizationseparate but nominally equal to the Geological Survey ofEngland and Wales and under the control of (Sir) Henry De LaBeche as General Director, the scene was already set for a ran-corous and contentious start. What was projected to take tenyears actually took 42 years, but then surveys of this kind never

really finish and the idea that they can or should shows aremarkable lack of understanding of the nature of the game.From around 1808, (Sir) Richard Griffith had been deter-

mined to produce the first geological map of Ireland and hadeven managed to cobble together a very preliminary draft by asearly as 1814. He used his employment as geological surveyorfor the Royal Dublin Society and subsequently Commissionerof the General Survey and Valuation of Rateable Property toconduct his unauthorized geological survey of the entire coun-try, using his staff as unofficial field assistants. That he got awaywith this diversion of public funds in what was a purely privateenterprise, says something for Griffiths determination and theclimate in which he was operating. His provisional map ofthe whole country was displayed at the Dublin meeting of theBritish Association for the Advancement of Science in 1835,which was attended by virtually everyone who was anyone inthe British and Irish geological world from William Smith to SirRoderick Murchison.

Griffiths major technical problem was the lack of a suitablebase map and it was not until the mid 1830s that he managed toobtain one. And then, it was due to another sleight of hand orperhaps browbeating of fellow members of the RailwayCommunications Commission and the Ordnance Survey that anew map of Ireland was compiled on the scale of a quarter of aninch to the mile. With this vastly improved base, Griffith wasfinally able to produce his magnificent six sheet geological mapof the entire country in May 1839. It is by any standards aremarkable achievement and a magnificent map which ought tobe much better known. But being unappreciated, ignored and

generally passed over by the outside world in general andBritain in particular has been part of Irelands lot until veryrecent times.

Anyway, despite this head start, Griffith and his surveyorswere not to be legitimized as the new official survey. Nor wasThomas Colby, who had been conducting another ambitiousgeological survey, which was only slightly more legitimate.Colby had been using his position as Superintendent of theOrdnance Survey in Ireland to collect geological as well astopographical information. This was conflated with an idea ofThomas Larcoms into an overambitious scheme to publishmaps and descriptive memoirs for every parish in the country all 2400 of them. Needless to say, despite the enlisted energiesof surveyors such as Joseph Portlock, George Du Noyer and

Thomas Oldham, the only volume to be published was thatof the County Londonderry parish of Templemore, which

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appeared in 1835. Portlock was only allowed to complete hisfull geological report of County Londonderry and this monu-mental work finally appeared in 1843, by which time he hadbeen posted to the Ionian islands and his geological surveydis-banded. Nevertheless, this semi-official survey, which datesback to 1825, was one of the first of its kind in the world, alongwith the French Corps des Mines.

By comparison with the geological abilities of the likes ofGriffith and Portlock, those of the first director of the officialGeological Survey of Ireland, (Sir) Henry James were feeble.James was appointed by De La Beche in 1845 and despite De LaBeches hands on involvement and the work of field assistantssuch as Frederick MCoy, the surveys initial field work in thesoutheast of the country soon ran into problems. They were thefirst professional geological survey to use 6 inch to the mile basemaps, which as any student of geology knows only too well,take quite a bit of work to fill in properly. James resigned in1846, having misinformed De La Beche that the survey ofCounty Wexford was complete, and was replaced by ThomasOldham as director.

As Davies shows in considerable detail, much of the respon-

sibility for this inauspicious start must lie with De La Beche. Hewas certainly an enthusiastic geologist but also seems to havebeen extremely ambitious and a difficulty personality. Twoinfluential contemporaries even recorded their scathing views ofhim; Ramsay referred to him as an artful dodger, for ever work-ing on his own interest, heedless of that of others andMurchison did not mince his words either, describing him as adirty dog I knew him to be a thorough jobber & greatintriguer Coming from an empire builder like Murchison, itdifficult to know how reliable such epithets are but as Daviespoints out, since De La Beches wife sought a legal separationon the grounds of cruelty after eight years of marriage, he cer-tainly seems to have been a flawed character. However, apartfrom Sir Archibald Geikie (Director General 18821901), DeLa Beche was the only Director General of the GeologicalSurvey to take the activities of the Irish Geological Survey seri-ously. For more details of the British side of the GeologicalSurvey, see Harry Wilsons history (Down to Earth, ScottishAcademic Press, 1985).

The story Davies reveals is one of constant struggle againstneglect, lack of staff, funds and then, post independence, theeconomic plight of the country until the late 1950s. As allpalaeontologists interested in the Palaeozoic know only toowell, the sorry tale of the Irish Survey collections is only nowbeing finally sorted out. Davies details the fossil travailsaround Dublins back alleys and damp basements.

There is always the old speculation what if there had beensubstantial deposits of coal in Ireland? Certainly, the history ofthe geological survey would have been different. Nevertheless,

in recent times the work of survey geologists in the Irish exten-sion of the Southern Uplands and over in the west of Irelandhas contributed significantly to our understanding of LowerPalaeozoic events. Similarly, Devonian, Carboniferous andQuaternary stratigraphy have been greatly enhanced by detailedinvestigations in Ireland. And the discovery of the Tynagh leadand zinc mine and subsequent offshore exploration for oil andgas radically changed the whole picture and the function of thesurvey. Davies chronicles these vicissitudes of fame and fortunewith loving care and fascination worthy perhaps of Trollope,who, like Griffith and Portlock, was another civil servant to turnhis employment in Ireland to another end.

Not long ago, a history of the Ordnance Survey in Ireland(A Paper Landscape by John Andrews, Oxford, 1975), albeit

somewhat beefed up with guns and sex, inspired Irishplayright John Friel to write his internationally acclaimed play

Translations. However, I doubt the bickering and dusty sub-stance of Gordon Davies geological drama will inspire a simi-lar theatrical success. Unless that is, someone writes an IrishNostromo, a murky political thriller involving the huge sums ofmoney that have been washing around in recent years associatedwith mineral exploration and the discovery of oil, gas and gold.But that would have to be pure fiction.

Douglas Palmer

ANDERSON, K. B. & CRELLING, J. C. (eds) 1995.Amber, Resinite,and Fossil Resins. ACS Symposium Series No. 617. x +297 pp. Washington, DC:American Chemical Society. PriceUS $79.95 (hard covers). ISBN 0 8412 3336 5.

The age-old fascination with amber its electrical properties,entombed insects, and rich colour, not to mention the now-vanished Amber Room once housed in the Catherine Palace inZarskoje Selo (now Pushkin) (see Poinar & Poinar, 1994) hasmet the scientific age, and this book is an important addition to

the growing corpus of technical information. It has long beenrecognized that amber is polymerized tree resin, and it is alsoclear that there are a wide variety of molecular compositions. Intheir introduction the editors present a systematics of amberbased on five classes, of which Class I (polymers of labdanoidditerpenes) is the most important. They also note that there isconsiderable terminological confusion in the terms amber andresinite, not to mention a whole host of specific mineral names.Wisely they decline to become over-engaged in sorting out thissemantic morass.

There are several intriguing problems concerning amber. Oneis the curious paradox that in some cases there is no obviousconnection between the type of tree as seen in the fossil recordof pollen and wood and the type of amber. Most notoriously,as Langenheim notes in her excellent review, the palaeobotanyof the famous Baltic amber unequivocally points to variousmembers of the pine group of gymnosperms (Pinaceae). In con-trast the chemistry of the amber is more consistent with a sourcesimilar to the resins exuded by the Southern Hemisphere gym-nospermAgathis, fossil remains of whic

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