Book Reviews: Seaweeds of Japan | The Protistan Cell Surface
Seaweeds of Japan, by H. Tokuda, S. Kawashima, M. Ohno and H. Ogawa (editors). 1993. English edition, translated by H. Tokuda. 194 pages, published 1993. Hardbound, US $140. Midori-Shobo Co., Ltd., Ikebukuro Nishiguchi Sky Blvd., 2-14-4 Ikebukoro, Toshima-ku, Tokyo, 171 Japan. ISBN 4-89531-447-2.
Reviewed by C. J. Bird
In recent years, countries bordering the Pacific Ocean have generously shared their rich and spectacular seaweed flora via guidebooks and manuals lavishly illustrated by color photographs (Segawa, 1962; Chihara, 1975; Fuhrer et al., 1981; Tseng, 1983). In this tradition we now have the English edition of Seaweeds of Japan, translated from the original Japanese edition of 1991. What makes this attractive book different from its predecessors is its focus on environment and subtidal ecology, rather than diversity or taxonomy per se . First, the seaweeds are divided into those occurring in natural habitats and those occurring on man-made substrata. If this division seems overly artificial, it reflects the great importance of aquaculture to Japan and an awareness that introduced structures like breakwaters and aquacultural apparatus provide habitats that may be physically and chemically different from natural substrata. Second, the natural habitats are categorized as five regions of the Japanese coast, with different influences of currents and temperatures and somewhat different floras. For each region, the main Seaweeds are depicted by color photographs, chiefly of plants in situ as befits the general theme of the book, and in a general (albeit unnamed) taxonomic hierarchy of color divisions and orders. Latin binomials and their authorities are provided for each species, along with brief notes on size, habitat and distribution in Japan, seasonality and identifying characteristics. Sprinkled through the floristic treatment are inset boxes on seaweed cultivation, which seem less appropriate to natural habitats than to the section on man-made substrates but also serve to tie the 'natural' and 'applied' sections together. By intent, the taxonomic coverage is not exhaustive- -a total of 247 species of seaweeds including six species of phanerogams, only a minor part of the rich Japanese flora--but includes those species that the average observer is likely to encounter. These, plus related species mentioned but not illustrated, are indexed at the end of the volume.
The second part, occupying one third of the volume, deals with various methods of enhancing subtidal biomass. It begins with a breif illustration of coastal degradation ('isoyake') from natural and anthropogenic disturbance, with loss of vegetation to herbivory and the subsequent depletion of both biodiversity and biomass. The effects of various types of introduced substrata are then shown, from breakwaters to artificial reefs intended to attract lobsters and mollusks. Seaweed succession and its effect on the general community richness are shown, again in color photographs taken in situ. Colored insets provide maps, sketches and various types of data. The section concludes with a summary of reef development and diagrams of the various structures employed in different situations.
The esthetic appeal of this book is undeniable as the photographs are for the most part superb, given the difficulty in capturing color and clarity from wet, light-reflecting algae, and they do justice to the rich diversity of Japanese marine vegetation. For the shore observer it is a wonderful browse, although there may be a tendency to associate certain species only with the region under which they are depicted unless one is careful to range through all the regions and note the distribution of each species. Serious students of taxonomy, as the preface rightly states, should use this volume in conjuction with the more technical treatments of Segawa, Chihara and others. The section on artificial substrate is not excessively technical but nonetheless potentially inspirational to biologists for whom aquaculture is a relatively new venture.
In terms of presentation, the English translation is admirable but would have benefited from a final polish by a native English-speaker to remove terms like 'social' for 'gregarious' (p.118) and 'pungent' for 'pointed' or 'acute' (p.47). Similarly, a few misspellings could also have been avoided [e.g., 'soli' for 'sori' (p.119), 'Chammpia' for 'Champia' (p.123)]. There are also a few instances of out-of-date nomenclature (e.g., Gracilaria chorda instead of Gracilariopsis chorda, p.122), which are inevitable if a book is in long production. But these are just quibbles. Overall, this photographic guide to seaweeds of Japan is a very pleasing volume, nicely laid out and spectacularly illustrated. Perhaps the biggest grievance one could have about the book is its price, which at US $140 will prevent many from enjoying it.
References
Chihara, M. 1975. The Seaweeds of Japan (Gakken Illustrated Nature Encyclopedia). Gakken Co., Ltd., Tokyo. 292p. (in Japanese).
Fuhrer, B.A., I.G. Christianson, M.N. Clayton and B.M. Allender. 1981. Seaweeds of Australia. Reed Books Pty. Ltd., Sydney. 122p.
Segawa, S. 1962. Coloured Illustrations of the Seaweeds of Japan (rev. ed.). Hoikusha, Osaka. 175p. (in Japanese).
Tseng, C.K. (ed.) 1983. Common Seaweeds of China. Science Press, Beijing. 316p.
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The Protistan Cell Surface, R. Wetherbee, R.A. Andersen, and J.D. Pickett-Heaps (editors). 1994. Springer-Verlag, New York. ISBN 3-211-82621-1.
Reviewed by Stan Cohn.
You may not be able to tell a book by its cover, but you certainly can tell a lot about a cell from its covering. This is especially true for protists which, due to their unicellular independence, cannot rely on other specialized cells of the organism for protection, force generation, or food acquisition. Thus, protists must develop cell walls which allow them adequate protection from the environment and potential predators, while remaining porous and flexible enough to allow for cellular movement and growth, as well as nutrient uptake. The Protistan Cell Surface is a book designed to give readers a glimpse into the amazingly diverse ways in which protists accomplish the formation of specialized cell walls.
Book Reviews: Seaweeds of Japan | The Protistan
Cell Surface
Seaweeds of Japan, by H. Tokuda, S. Kawashima, M. Ohno and
H. Ogawa (editors). 1993. English edition, translated by H. Tokuda. 194 pages,
published 1993. Hardbound, US $140. Midori-Shobo Co., Ltd., Ikebukuro Nishiguchi
Sky Blvd., 2-14-4 Ikebukoro, Toshima-ku, Tokyo, 171 Japan. ISBN
4-89531-447-2.
Reviewed by C. J. Bird
In recent years, countries
bordering the Pacific Ocean have generously shared their rich and spectacular
seaweed flora via guidebooks and manuals lavishly illustrated by color
photographs (Segawa, 1962; Chihara, 1975; Fuhrer et al., 1981; Tseng, 1983). In
this tradition we now have the English edition of Seaweeds of Japan, translated
from the original Japanese edition of 1991. What makes this attractive book
different from its predecessors is its focus on environment and subtidal
ecology, rather than diversity or taxonomy per se . First, the seaweeds are
divided into those occurring in natural habitats and those occurring on man-made
substrata. If this division seems overly artificial, it reflects the great
importance of aquaculture to Japan and an awareness that introduced structures
like breakwaters and aquacultural apparatus provide habitats that may be
physically and chemically different from natural substrata. Second, the natural
habitats are categorized as five regions of the Japanese coast, with different
influences of currents and temperatures and somewhat different floras. For each
region, the main Seaweeds are depicted by color photographs, chiefly of plants
in situ as befits the general theme of the book, and in a general (albeit
unnamed) taxonomic hierarchy of color divisions and orders. Latin binomials and
their authorities are provided for each species, along with brief notes on size,
habitat and distribution in Japan, seasonality and identifying characteristics.
Sprinkled through the floristic treatment are inset boxes on seaweed
cultivation, which seem less appropriate to natural habitats than to the section
on man-made substrates but also serve to tie the 'natural' and 'applied'
sections together. By intent, the taxonomic coverage is not exhaustive- -a total
of 247 species of seaweeds including six species of phanerogams, only a minor
part of the rich Japanese flora--but includes those species that the average
observer is likely to encounter. These, plus related species mentioned but not
illustrated, are indexed at the end of the volume.
The second part, occupying
one third of the volume, deals with various methods of enhancing subtidal
biomass. It begins with a breif illustration of coastal degradation ('isoyake')
from natural and anthropogenic disturbance, with loss of vegetation to herbivory
and the subsequent depletion of both biodiversity and biomass. The effects of
various types of introduced substrata are then shown, from breakwaters to
artificial reefs intended to attract lobsters and mollusks. Seaweed succession
and its effect on the general community richness are shown, again in color
photographs taken in situ. Colored insets provide maps, sketches and various
types of data. The section concludes with a summary of reef development and
diagrams of the various structures employed in different situations.
The esthetic appeal of this
book is undeniable as the photographs are for the most part superb, given the
difficulty in capturing color and clarity from wet, light-reflecting algae, and
they do justice to the rich diversity of Japanese marine vegetation. For the
shore observer it is a wonderful browse, although there may be a tendency to
associate certain species only with the region under which they are depicted
unless one is careful to range through all the regions and note the distribution
of each species. Serious students of taxonomy, as the preface rightly states,
should use this volume in conjuction with the more technical treatments of
Segawa, Chihara and others. The section on artificial substrate is not
excessively technical but nonetheless potentially inspirational to biologists
for whom aquaculture is a relatively new venture.
In terms of presentation,
the English translation is admirable but would have benefited from a final
polish by a native English-speaker to remove terms like 'social' for
'gregarious' (p.118) and 'pungent' for 'pointed' or 'acute' (p.47). Similarly, a
few misspellings could also have been avoided [e.g., 'soli' for 'sori' (p.119),
'Chammpia' for 'Champia' (p.123)]. There are also a few instances of out-of-date
nomenclature (e.g., Gracilaria chorda instead of Gracilariopsis chorda, p.122),
which are inevitable if a book is in long production. But these are just
quibbles. Overall, this photographic guide to seaweeds of Japan is a very
pleasing volume, nicely laid out and spectacularly illustrated. Perhaps the
biggest grievance one could have about the book is its price, which at US $140
will prevent many from enjoying it.
References
Chihara,
M. 1975. The Seaweeds of Japan (Gakken Illustrated Nature Encyclopedia). Gakken
Co., Ltd., Tokyo. 292p. (in Japanese).
Fuhrer, B.A., I.G. Christianson, M.N.
Clayton and B.M. Allender. 1981. Seaweeds of Australia. Reed Books Pty. Ltd.,
Sydney. 122p.
Segawa, S. 1962. Coloured Illustrations of the Seaweeds of
Japan (rev. ed.). Hoikusha, Osaka. 175p. (in Japanese).
Tseng, C.K. (ed.)
1983. Common Seaweeds of China. Science Press, Beijing. 316p.
back to
top
The Protistan Cell Surface, R. Wetherbee, R.A.
Andersen, and J.D. Pickett-Heaps (editors). 1994. Springer-Verlag, New York.
ISBN 3-211-82621-1.
Reviewed by Stan Cohn.
You may not be able to tell
a book by its cover, but you certainly can tell a lot about a cell from its
covering. This is especially true for protists which, due to their unicellular
independence, cannot rely on other specialized cells of the organism for
protection, force generation, or food acquisition. Thus, protists must develop
cell walls which allow them adequate protection from the environment and
potential predators, while remaining porous and flexible enough to allow for
cellular movement and growth, as well as nutrient uptake. The Protistan Cell
Surface is a book designed to give readers a glimpse into the amazingly diverse
ways in which protists accomplish the formation of specialized cell walls.
As the articles in The
Protistan Cell Surface demonstrate, generating a cellular boundary is not a
simple process and has resulted in a diverse array of mechanisms and
morphologies which use a wide variety of chemical components to produce the
final structure. Using compounds ranging from chitin to calcium, silicates to
carbonates (as well as a large number of less characterized organic materials)
these cells can produce a dazzling number of reinforced structures to help
maintain the structural and functional integrity of the cells, with the exact
form of the covering being tightly coupled to the behavior, physiology and
ecology of each cell type. Some flagellated algae and protozoa have tough but
flexible cell walls, while others, such as the dinoflagellates, chrysophytes,
and diatoms, can have relatively rigid encasements and scales.
Because of the wide
diversity of ornamentations and cell wall structures, there is a corresponding
variety of names for the structures. One of the most worthwhile contributions of
this book is the opening article by Presig et al. which attempts to develop a
unified nomenclature used to describe many of the diverse cell wall components.
The remainder of the book, illustrating a broad smorgasbord of cell types, is
based on presentations given at the 1993 Phycology Society/AIBS meeting at Iowa
State University. As with almost all such compendiums, it results in a
collection that reads more as a set of special topics than an organized
presentation of general principles. As such, the book is likely to be lost on
most undergraduates, but would be most useful to the advanced undergraduates and
graduate students in phycology who could appreciate the diversity of cell wall
forms and the underlying processes required for generating them.
For those of us who work
with silicified structures, there is quite a bit of material to hold our
interest. The two articles by Schmid and by Pickett-Heaps et al. provide a nice
pair of complementary discussions on diatom valve formation. While the article
by Schmid provides a good background on more general aspects of diatom cell wall
formation and how perturbations in mitosis and the environment can alter the
process, the latter article provides a beautiful specific example of the
precision, interaction, and complexity involved in producing a centric diatom
wall. Lavau and Wetherbee further add to topic by discussing the development of
the silicified scales of Mallamonas. An article by Anderson rounds out the topic
by presenting an overview of silicification in other groups (mainly testate
amoebae, radiolarians and heliozoans).
Other articles in the volume
touch upon a wide variety of additional topics, such as calcification (Faber and
Presig), glycoproteins (Woessner at al.), and periplasts (Brett et al.). There
are also several articles addressing specific proteins or enzyme complexes on
the surface of the cell wall which are responsible for cell adhesion (Braun and
Howard), potential infectious properties (Hardham et al.), or avoidance of host
defense mechanisms in the case of Leishmania (Russell). While virtually all the
articles in the book present information on the cells at an ultrastructural
level, the last article, by Fazio et al., takes the biochemical tack, discussing
the phosphorylating activity of surface proteins in several protists
(particularly Euglena).
While it would have been
nice to have had these articles organized in a more thematic grouping (with more
articles on calcified structures), possibly with a more general review or
outline at the beginning of each group, this book remains quite useful to the
advanced student or researcher in the field. Moreover, students and researchers
at almost any level should be able to appreciate the intricacy and beauty of the
scales, spines and stalks illustrated in this volume, generating curiosity and
wonder at the power of evolution and the role of ecology in selecting these
beautifully ornate and often symmetric coverings. At the very least, this book
serves as a strong reminder that, particularly for single-celled organisms, life
does not end at the plasma membrane.
As the articles in The Protistan Cell Surface demonstrate, generating a cellular boundary is not a simple process and has resulted in a diverse array of mechanisms and morphologies which use a wide variety of chemical components to produce the final structure. Using compounds ranging from chitin to calcium, silicates to carbonates (as well as a large number of less characterized organic materials) these cells can produce a dazzling number of reinforced structures to help maintain the structural and functional integrity of the cells, with the exact form of the covering being tightly coupled to the behavior, physiology and ecology of each cell type. Some flagellated algae and protozoa have tough but flexible cell walls, while others, such as the dinoflagellates, chrysophytes, and diatoms, can have relatively rigid encasements and scales.
Because of the wide diversity of ornamentations and cell wall structures, there is a corresponding variety of names for the structures. One of the most worthwhile contributions of this book is the opening article by Presig et al. which attempts to develop a unified nomenclature used to describe many of the diverse cell wall components. The remainder of the book, illustrating a broad smorgasbord of cell types, is based on presentations given at the 1993 Phycology Society/AIBS meeting at Iowa State University. As with almost all such compendiums, it results in a collection that reads more as a set of special topics than an organized presentation of general principles. As such, the book is likely to be lost on most undergraduates, but would be most useful to the advanced undergraduates and graduate students in phycology who could appreciate the diversity of cell wall forms and the underlying processes required for generating them.
For those of us who work with silicified structures, there is quite a bit of material to hold our interest. The two articles by Schmid and by Pickett-Heaps et al. provide a nice pair of complementary discussions on diatom valve formation. While the article by Schmid provides a good background on more general aspects of diatom cell wall formation and how perturbations in mitosis and the environment can alter the process, the latter article provides a beautiful specific example of the precision, interaction, and complexity involved in producing a centric diatom wall. Lavau and Wetherbee further add to topic by discussing the development of the silicified scales of Mallamonas. An article by Anderson rounds out the topic by presenting an overview of silicification in other groups (mainly testate amoebae, radiolarians and heliozoans).
Other articles in the volume touch upon a wide variety of additional topics, such as calcification (Faber and Presig), glycoproteins (Woessner at al.), and periplasts (Brett et al.). There are also several articles addressing specific proteins or enzyme complexes on the surface of the cell wall which are responsible for cell adhesion (Braun and Howard), potential infectious properties (Hardham et al.), or avoidance of host defense mechanisms in the case of Leishmania (Russell). While virtually all the articles in the book present information on the cells at an ultrastructural level, the last article, by Fazio et al., takes the biochemical tack, discussing the phosphorylating activity of surface proteins in several protists (particularly Euglena).
While it would have been nice to have had these articles organized in a more thematic grouping (with more articles on calcified structures), possibly with a more general review or outline at the beginning of each group, this book remains quite useful to the advanced student or researcher in the field. Moreover, students and researchers at almost any level should be able to appreciate the intricacy and beauty of the scales, spines and stalks illustrated in this volume, generating curiosity and wonder at the power of evolution and the role of ecology in selecting these beautifully ornate and often symmetric coverings. At the very least, this book serves as a strong reminder that, particularly for single-celled organisms, life does not end at the plasma membrane.
Last updated: Nov. 08, 2005
