318 genera in the database), Timescales, Glossary and Refer-ences.

The Timescales section provides a full table of Stage names(and ages) that can be accessed at any time. It has a spread-sheet-like user interface, with the seven columns labelled Per-iod, Sub-period, Epoch, Stage and Sub-Stage, Beginning, End,Duration. The Glossary contains morphological terms for allgroups. Clicking on the card index icon accesses the glossaryfor the group you are working on. The References section con-tains at least one reference associated with every genus. Paleo-base also supports a variety of powerful search functions thatwill allow you to select and display the data you require, e.g.Search Taxa, Search Step-by-Step, Search Range.

For palaeontology teachers a set of exercises are found on theInstructor’s Resources page of the web site (www.PaleoBase.-com) and there are a set of problems on the CD-Rom that willtest students’ understanding of morphological terms and honeidentification skills.

I used Paleobase on a PC running Windows XP and I havenoted some irritating things. For example some useful keys suchas ‘PgUp’, ‘PgDn’ and the scroll arrows are inactive. It is parti-cularly uncomfortable to have to use the mouse all the time (orother similar device) and not at all ergonomic.

I recognise that is not easy to choose among the thousands ofgenera that a clade such as the Gastropoda contains. So the fol-lowing comments are simply meant to provide some construc-tive criticism for what I hope will be a future enlarged version.The choice of Pseudocominella, Desorinassa, Keepingia, Col-wellia and Whitecliffia as examples of the family Nassariidaeare not really representative; they are restricted in geographicaldistribution and are very similar. I do not understand why thefamily was not illustrated with the world-wide classic genusNassarius so common in all deposits since the early Miocene.I also note some errors: Serravillien for Serravallian, Lucina Bru-goiere for Lucina Bruguiere.

In conclusion, Paleobase: Macrofossils Part 2 provides an effi-cient tool for exploring the fossil molluscs and I hope that thecurrent version will be expanded. However, it is necessary toindicate that Paleobase is not for people who have only focusedon Quaternary forms, because very few genera of this period areincluded.

PIERRE LOZOUETMUSeUM NATIONAL D’HISTOIRE NATURELLE

55, RUE DE BUFFON75005 PARIS

FRANCE

Published online in Wiley InterScience(www.interscience.wiley.com).

DOI: 10.1002/jqs.867

Global change in the Holocene

A. MACKAY, R. BATTARBEE, J. BIRKS andF. OLDFIELD (eds)

Publisher Arnold, London 2003 (528 pp) £95.00 ISBN 0-340-76223-3

Twenty-nine chapters (plus references and index) comprise thisimpressive 528-page volume. The scope is wide-ranging: thevolume contains a diversity of topics in Holocene science, eachwritten by acknowledged authorities. There is, unfortunately, noclear structure to the volume, although there does appear to besome loose thematic grouping of chapters. After the Introductorychapter (by Frank Oldfield), which is well worth reading, there is

a range of topics, commencing with climate change (Chapters 2to 5: climate forcing; modelling; climate and human popula-tions; climate and the origin of agriculture) and dating techni-ques (Chapters 6 to 8: radiocarbon; dendrochronology;varves). Subsequent topics seem more varied, and I confess Icould see neither overall structure nor logic to the four that fol-low (Chapters 9 to 12: quantitative palaeoenvironmental recon-struction from biological data; stable isotopes in lake sediments;instrumental records; documentary records), although the nexttwo seem to focus on marine data (Chapters 13, 14: coralrecords; climate variability in marine sediments). These are fol-lowed by discussions of palaeoclimate data from particularenvironments (Chapters 15 to 19: peatlands; lakes; speleothems;glaciers; ice cores). After those, a grouping seems to concentrateon taxonomic sources of environmental or climate change(Chapters 20–24: diatoms; ostracods; chironomids; pollen andplant macrofossils; biomarkers), after which a chapter (25)emphasises the value of multiproxy climate reconstructions.Two regionally based chapters follow (Chapters 26 and 27: low-land tropical forests; middle latitude arid areas). The final twochapters defy grouping (Chapters 28 and 29: late Holocenesea-level variability; simulating climate change using climate-system models).

As can be seen from the impressive, if somewhat eclectic, listabove, there is a wealth of information in this volume. For themost part, contributors have provided valuable, state-of-the-artreviews of recent research. However, perhaps because there isno clearly imposed structure to the volume, and no Preface toinform the reader either of its content or its purpose, part ofthe task of this reviewer was to try to identify the aspects thatare not covered (purchasers or readers of the volume may alsoplay that game). There are, for example, several topics that arenot dealt with in detail, of which coleopteran analysis and char-coal analysis (as separate techniques), tephrochronology (as adating tool), deforestation (as a theme and process) and deserti-fication (as a process) are notable omissions. However, the last-named is referred to in the chapter on mid-latitudes, and defor-estation is implicit in some of the other chapters. Readers willfind many other omissions, and so although the publisher’sclaim that the volume presents ‘a comprehensive analysis of var-ious archives of environmental change’ may strictly be sustain-able, it hinges on the qualification of the word ‘analysis’ by‘comprehensive’ and on that word ‘various’!

The references are not listed chapter-by-chapter but havebeen consolidated into one large listing for the whole volume.As regards the text, however, it was a little surprising to find thatthere was no universal orthography (palaeoclimate in the British-authored chapters, but paleoclimate from USA contributors); noinsistence on strict use of terminology (for example, the Holo-cene is referred to as a period, whereas in formal geochronologyit is an epoch) or of English (vide, errant punctuation; faultygrammatical constructions); and, other than enumerated head-ings and an Abstract (a welcome feature), no obvious internalchapter arrangement required from authors. I was a littlepuzzled therefore as to the role of the editors. The primary rolefor the three co-editors is presumably as senior ambassadors fortheir subject, to help in the solicitation of chapters, and to giveauthority to the volume. However, other than the thankless andtime-consuming tasks of cajoling authors to produce their indi-vidual chapters, obtaining reviewers’ comments for feedback toauthors, and compiling the consolidated reference list (which isa good feature of the book), it is not clear what overarching edit-ing role the senior editor performed.

This mild carping aside, my overall impression of this volumeis very positive. The quality of the science is plainly evident inthe individual chapters. As a reference work for the Holocene itis probably the best and most up-to-date available, although not

Copyright � 2004 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. J. Quaternary Sci., Vol. 19(8) 833–838 (2004)

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the most comprehensive. For example, some aspects clearlysupersede earlier definitive accounts and protocols that can befound in a different guise in Berglund (1986—which, inciden-tally, has recently been reprinted, but unfortunately notupdated). The Berglund volume nevertheless does containaccounts and discussions of many more techniques than arefound in this new, global change volume.

I consider this book an essential purchase for libraries of allinstitutions that profess any interest in the research or teachingof aspects of Holocene climate science. Its cover price may deterthe individual purchaser, and that would be a shame, as thevolume is well worth having. Perhaps, if the hardback versionsells well, a cheaper, paperback version might be printed, andif so it would surely be snapped up by postgraduate studentsand the keener final-year undergraduates.

Reference

Berglund BE (ed.). 1986 (reprinted 2003). Handbook of HolocenePalaeoecology and Palaeohydrology. Wiley: Chichester.

FRANK CHAMBERSCentre for Environmental Change and Quaternary Research

School of EnvironmentUniversity of Gloucestershire

Cheltenham GL50 4AZEngland

Published online in Wiley InterScience(www.interscience.wiley.com).

DOI: 10.1002/jqs.868

Copyright � 2004 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. J. Quaternary Sci., Vol. 19(8) 833–838 (2004)

838 BOOK REVIEWS