Book Reviews

Abstract

Perspectives on Sustainable Resources in America , ( Editor ). RFF Press , 1616 P St., NW, Washington, D.C. 20036-1400. July 2008 . 240 pages. $38 (paper). ISBN 978-1-933115-63-4 . Perspectives on Sustainable Resources in America is positioned as a follow-up to America’s Renewable Resources: Historical Trends and Current Challenges (1990). The earlier work focused on the productivity and renewability of nature’s commodities such as wood from forests and rangelands for raising cattle. This latest Resources for the Future effort maintains a focus on natural resources and commodities but takes a broader, more integrative view through the lens of sustainability. The book is a great resource for those needing an overview of natural resource management or for those who specialize in a particular resource management area seeking a readable, engaging entry into other resource sectors. The text is also useful as supplemental reading in an interdisciplinary resource management course. Water resource and policy specialists will surely appreciate the chapter on water resources and the unique perspective that it offers, but may not find the entire book a compelling purchase. The book is comprised of seven chapters. The first two chapters set the stage for the five chapters that follow, each devoted to a separate resource. The second chapter on resource sustainability is a terrific read even for resource management novices. The authors present a very pragmatic, historical view of resource sustainability from the utilitarian ideal to preservationist to conservation and beyond. They also highlight and explore the challenge of operationalizing sustainability. In practice, managing resource sustainability requires value choices to define objectives and goals to be achieved through management efforts. Once those goals and objectives are defined, the next challenge is to determine appropriate metrics or other measures to ensure that goals are being met. The challenges associated with managing resources for sustainability is addressed in each of the resource specific chapters: forests, cropland soils, water, wildlife, and biodiversity. Each chapter begins with a history of resource management for each topic area. The histories are accessible for the lay audience or for those with expertise in a single area who also have interest in the other resource areas discussed in the text. One of the weaknesses of the text is the unevenness of the discussion around resource sustainability in the five resource specific chapters. Sedjo defines sustainability early in the text, but individual authors offer alternative definitions and treatments. Individual chapters differ in the amount and depth of discussion related to sustainability. The water chapter includes one of the best and most thorough treatments of sustainability of water resources from the unique perspective of conservationists. The chapter on soils also contains a thorough discussion of sustainability. The forests chapter focuses on the history of forest policies and in so doing does not allow for enough of a discussion about sustainability. A second weakness is the lack of integration across resource sectors. We have known about the connection between forests and water resources for decades and of the connection between land and water as well. Those connections mean that to manage one resource effectively, we must consider both. Beyond water, land, and forests, we know soils, wildlife, and ecosystems are all linked. As pressures on resources increase, we have become more keenly aware of the need to better manage our resources. Sustainability and integrated resource management are seen as necessary approaches to achieve better resource management through recognition of the natural connections and interactions between resource sectors. Except for the chapter on biodiversity, the text generally lacks an integrating perspective. Christine Kirchoff School of Natural Resources, University of Michigan, 1591 Long Meadow Trail, Ann Arbor, Michigan 48108 CO2 Rising: The World’s Greatest Environmental Challenge , T. Volk . The MIT Press , 55 Hayward St., Cambridge, Massachusetts 02142 . 2008 . 223 pages. $23. ISBN 978-0-26222-083-5 . This publication provides essential information about CO2, which represents the most globally distributed environmental problem. Chapter 1 introduces carbon zones and their interactions. It also describes the CO2 molecule and the behavior of its shared electrical bonds in providing energy. The role of greenhouse gases in absorbing and re-emitting wavelengths of electromagnetic radiation is detailed. The two most abundant greenhouse gases are water vapor and CO2. Water vapor is not a problem. CO2 becomes the climatic driver. Natural levels of CO2 actually warm the earth and prevent it from becoming a frozen ball in space. Chapter 2 explains the travels of a carbon atom through a number of natural and industrial residences with other atoms and molecules. A key point is that consumption of food, drink, and air by humans does not add to the atmospheric CO2. It is the combustion of fossil fuels that causes the increase. The detention and measurement of CO2 are discussed in Chapter 3. Measurements that employ infrared rays are discussed. Since 1960 the data have been recorded at monitoring stations in both Hawaii and the South Pole. The atmospheric CO2 levels are similar in magnitude at both stations but have been increasing at similar rates, and are both subject to seasonal cycles. Seasonal variation is greater in higher latitudes. Given minor temporary local exceptions, the CO2 concentrations are the same everywhere on the planet because the mixing of the atmosphere spreads the emissions across political and geographical boundaries. Chapter 4 introduces the biosphere and relative dynamics of mixing of carbon in air, oceans, and soils. The carbon behaviors of coal, oil, and natural gas are discussed in detail. These fossil fuels are subject to long periods (often millions of years) of carbon burial before being released into the biosphere. There are no real differences between natural and fossil fuel carbon once they enter the biosphere. Estimation of the total natural release of carbon atoms into the atmosphere is discussed. Chapter 5 points out that not all of the fossil fuel carbon remains in the atmosphere. For comparison purposes units of carbon are a better measure than units of CO2. In 2005, it was estimated that the atmospheric concentration of CO2 is about 385 ppm and about 820 billion tons of carbon circulated as CO2. In the past 40 years, humans have released 225 billion tons of carbon into the atmosphere, but the amount of atmospheric carbon increased by 130 billion tons. Reasons for this mismatch and seasonal variations are discussed. Nature is not always in balance. Ocean-atmospheric gas exchanges and land use changes make estimating natural fluxes of CO2 that large difficult. The use of ice-core data to estimate CO2 concentrations in the atmosphere for thousands of years is discussed in Chapter 6. The increases in concentration are particularly striking after 1900. Relatively small variations occurred prior to that date. Chapter 7 points out that wealthy nations like the United States (U.S.) use more fossil fuel energy servants and have markedly higher per capita emissions of CO2 than poor nations like Rwanda and Bangladesh. The energy servants are the source of wealth and the ability to have employment in agriculture represent only a small fraction of total employment. As poorer countries become wealthier, their fossil fuel driven emissions will increase. While countries are appropriate units for comparison, it is per capita use in each country that is important. Energy use, Gross Domestic Product, and CO2 emissions are compared for the U.S., Europe and Japan, China, India, and Africa. It concluded that Europe and Japan are more energy efficient at generating wealth. Reasons are given for this difference. Considerable effort is devoted to predicting future energy use and gross world product (GWP). It is concluded that energy use and CO2 emissions will increase at a slower rate than GWP because of energy efficiency in manufacturing and the substitution of nonfossil fuel energy sources. Chapter 8 deals with projecting the levels of CO2 in the atmosphere. An airborne fraction was calculated for a 40-year period. A result of 43% was found to be unstable for individual years but very stable when the years were separated into periods of 10 years each. A discussion of one-way fluxes (burning fossil fuel) and two-way fluxes (land use change) is presented. Bi-directional exchange can dilute the amount of atmospheric fossil-fuel CO2 but does not cause removal at today’s 40% increase from pre-industrial levels. Differences in CO2 uptake by plants that lead to changes in vegetation as atmospheric CO2 increases are discussed. The author develops a simple airborne fraction prediction model that produces results similar to that of the Mauna Loa findings and projects these findings to the year 2050. He compares this model to more complicated models. Chapter 9 states that the science community rates CO2 as the largest forcing agent on climate for the next 100 years. Other greenhouse gases and cooling-agent forcing factors should be considered in predicting future climate change. Relatively small changes in temperature can have substantial effects because rainfall, winds, and climate variables are altered. The pros and cons of a number of energy source alternatives are discussed (biomass, wind, solar, nuclear, and hydro-electric). It is pointed out that all current energy technologies have their distinct negative effects on the environment. The status and potential of new technologies (nuclear fission, carbon sequestration, and tidal-power) are discussed. More efficient use of energy is expected. It is likely that multiple solutions to the energy production problem will result. The author develops best-case, central trend, and worst-case scenarios for future CO2 emissions and temperature increases in 2050. The results for each case do not markedly differ from each other. Technical inertia is discussed. Over the next 50 years, the temperature change does not seem critical, but in the next 100 years, tipping points could be reached. Chapter 10 argues that climate change is currently a slow emergency. Motivations for action are caused by anger, fear, and disgust. People fear a bear stock market and reducing their level of living more than climate change. From an international standpoint there will be winners and losers. Canada and Russia stand to gain. Finally, what will happen when events that were considered “acts of God” become “acts of Man” with clearly identifiable perpetrators? A strong science background is not required to understand this book and its many excellent charts and diagrams. I recommend this easily readable book to students, researchers, policy makers, and others interested in the climate change and greenhouse gas problems. Donald E. Agthe 2509 N. Campbell Ave., PMB 133, Tucson, Arizona 85719 Principles of Snow Hydrology , D. DeWalle and A. Rango . Cambridge University Press , 32 Avenue of the Americas, New York, New York 10013 . 2008 . 410 pages. $150. ISBN 978-0-521-82362-3 . This is the most comprehensive Snow Hydrology textbook that is currently published. It is a good update of Gray and Male’s 1981 Handbook of Snow Hydrology: Principles, Processes, Management, and Use, which together with the 1956 U.S. Army Corps of Engineers’Snow Hydrology: Summary Report of the Snow Investigations are often considered the most thorough single snow hydrology references to date. This book is more comprehensive on the topic of snow hydrology than McClung and Schaerer’s The Avalanche Handbook with a few exceptions, such as kinetic metamorphism processes. Overall, the book provides a thorough description of the physics of most snow processes with exception, due in part by a lack of recent references. In most chapters, a limited number of references from this decade are provided. For example, in Chapter 3 on Snowpack Condition, of the 25 citations only one reference is from 2000 and two are from 1999. New findings have been published and various new ideas have been published, even though some of these exist in the grey literature, such as the Proceedings of the International Snow Science Workshop, the Western Snow Conference, and the Eastern Snow Conference. An update of this book with process descriptions from more recent citations will make an excellent snow hydrology textbook. DeWalle and Rango start with an overview of the perception of snow, the historical work on snow hydrology, research basins, and the properties of water, ice, and snow. The relevance of a changing climate, especially in the context of general circulation modeling, should be further highlighted, and the Importance-of-Snow section that begins Chapter 5 on Remote Sensing should be incorporated into the beginning. The latter section of the Introduction chapter should be incorporated with snow crystal characteristics in a separate chapter or at the beginning of the chapter on Snow Climatology. In the context of Snow Climatology (Chapter 2), snowfall processes, blowing snow, and interception by vegetation are discussed. Forest canopy effects are discussed in Chapter 7 in the context of energy exchange. The second chapter also addresses snow distribution. However, a partial discussion of factors that are used to distribute snow for snowmelt modeling is provided as Section 4 of Chapter 10 (Modelling Snowmelt Runoff). Much work on this topic is avaiable, starting with the 1956 U.S. Army Corps of Engineers report. Chapter 3 includes thorough sections on heat conduction, temperature, and liquid water in the snowpack. More specifics on kinetic metamorphism (3.1.2 Formation of faceted grains in dry snow) are necessary. A previous version of McClung and Schaerer is cited that gives a more thorough explanation of kinetic metamorphism, rather than what is presented in Figure 3.3. The vapor gradient that forms facetted crystals is induced by temperature gradients at different locations within the snowpack, in particular, depth hoar at the base of the snowpack, surface hoar due to atmospheric deposition, and near surface recrystallation due to small scale sun warming. This would be an appropriate chapter for discussing the density of fresh snow and existing snowpack densification models. The measurement of snowfall is a difficult task due to wind processes and this book provides a good overview of different methods to reduce undercatch. However, methods have been developed to correct precipitation estimation for undercatch. The operational measurement of snow on the ground is adequate, but more information exists on ultrasonic depth sensors and light attenuation. The snow-crystal imaging section is quite thorough. The Remote Sensing chapter summarizes all operational applications. Recent research efforts could be presented, including Doppler weather radar applications using different wavelengths and bi-polarization, use of LiDAR for fine resolution snow depth estimation over small watersheds, and moving ground penetrating radar across a snowpack to identify depth and snowpack layers. The basic theory of snowpack energy exchange is provided in detail in Chapter 6. This is complemented by photographs of instrumentation and Appendix B on Solar Radiation Estimation. This is continued in Chapter 7, which considers topographic and forest efforts on energy exchange. The topographic component could be included in Chapter 6 while the forest efforts could be in a separate canopy interception chapter with material from Chapter 2. The presentation of snow chemistry is evenly presented, with a summary of measurement and analytical techniques. Anions, cations, the use of isotopes, and meltwater fractionation are all presented. The process of snowmelt is appropriately discussed in Chapter 9. The discussions are quite adequate and include rain on snow melt, which is important in various locations. This leads into the modeling chapter (10). A good overview is provided, considering that numerous books exist on the topic. The focus on the SRM model in Chapter 11 is understandable given one of the author’s many years of involvement with the model. However, the 58 pages dedicated to it could be condensed to highlight process representation and the nature of application. The final chapter is a good overview on management and closes with some comments on climate change. More detail on climate change implications in snow hydrology would provide a better conclusion. This book, written appropriately, is designed to be a text at the upper undergraduate level. It can be recommended for undergraduate students but should be supplemented with more current literature for graduate students. It will be useful for practitioners working in the field, especially those who will use the SRM model. However, at the price, users who solely want a SRM reference can find appropriate materials online for free. I personally will keep this text as a reference, but will also go to other literature to supplement it. Steven R. Fassnacht Watershed Science, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, Colorado 80523-1472 Water and Disasters , C. Gopalakrishnan and N. Okada ( Editors ). Taylor & Francis , 6000 NW Broken Sound Pkwy., Ste. 300, Boca Raton, Florida 33487 . 2007 . 136 pages. ISBN 978-0-415-46207-5 . This book is interesting to read and worthy of acquiring. However, some of the articles might be more useful than others for floodplain managers and decision makers. The book has eight comprehensive technical articles with the first article being the jewel of the crown. The articles cover a good spectrum of issues related to disasters attributed to water. First, water-related disasters, whether due to excess or shortage of water, are discussed. River, estuary, and sea water flooding are all considered. The book also discusses how other non-water disasters (e.g., tsunamis), could be the direct cause of water disasters. Second, natural disaster economics, including costs that involve the loss of properties and infrastructure, in addition to repair costs, are presented. Flood and drought insurance policies are highlighted. Third, disaster risk assessment and mitigation are reviewed. The book discusses how water-related disasters around the world and their associated risks are assessed, and the steps that local and international agencies could take to mitigate the effects. Fourth, public remedial measures are presented. Two papers in the book discuss the measures that local farmers and water users take to cope when they have drastically less water to consume. Also dialog about the tools that they use to alleviate post-flood effects is provided. Fifth, multinational disaster preparedness/ relief measures, including international cooperation to manage available resources in preparation of water-related disasters and ways to establish a ready and quick plan of action in case of a disaster, are debated. Sixth, flood-related policies and decision making, as well as the way floods can be used politically to speed up the process of decision making, are considered. Also, factors that should be considered in making decisions in response to or preparation of floods are discussed. Seventh, drought water allocation and optimization of resources among competing sectors and users are presented. Eighth, a good discussion of various tools and modeling methods for floodplain mapping is presented. Efforts to help in mapping of flood zones are included. This book will be of benefit more to floodplain managers and decision makers than to researchers. Of a lesser interest to the book are graduate students. The most interested target groups would probably be decision makers, water resources economists, and flood management agencies. The book is appropriate for the target audience and may be of interest to other groups who deal with the magnitude and effect of water-related disasters. The mix of disciplines that cover the same overall topic (i.e., engineering, agriculture, management, natural resources, socioeconomic, geological, etc.) is excellent. The articles are directly related to the topic of natural disasters with well documented case studies included. The book is well organized. I commend the idea that most papers discuss weaknesses and limitations. On the other hand, some papers are “dry” (i.e., no analysis to show results in figures or tables). Because of the nature of the book, some articles use British, while others use American English. Some articles use equivalent values while others provide conversion factors. It might have been a better idea to be consistent throughout the whole book especially showing equivalent values, rather than the conversion factors. With the exception of very few editorial notes, the text is of high quality and reasonably free of errors. One minor editorial note is that the spacing on the first page of each article is not consistent. I have to admit though, that as a reader who first glanced at the book title and cover, I was expecting at least an article that talks about hurricanes in the United States. To my disappointment, that is not the case. In summary, this book is a great contribution to the body of knowledge especially related to water-related disasters. The inclusive bibliography at the end of each article will certainly assist interested readers. I think it is a must for floodplain managers! As a reader, I will certainly keep the book in my personal library. Ahmad M. Salah Stanley Consultants, 5353 S. 960 E, Ste. 220 Salt Lake City, Utah 84043 Colorado Water Law for Non-Lawyers , P.A. Jones and T. Cech University of Colorado Press , 5589 Arapahoe Ave., Ste. 206C, Boulder, Colorado 80303 . 2009 . 276 pages. $27. ISBN 978-0-87081-950-6 . Why do people fight about water rights? Who decides how much water can be used by a city or irrigator? Does the federal government get involved in state water issues? Why is water in Colorado so controversial? These questions, and others like them, are addressed in Colorado Water Law for Non-Lawyers. Legal issues related to water rights in Colorado first surfaced during the gold mining era of the 1800s and continue to be contentious today with the explosive population growth of the 21st Century. Drawing on geography and history, the authors explore the flashpoints and water wars that have shaped Colorado’s present system of water allocation and management. They also address how this system, developed in the mid-1900s, is standing up to current tests. This book will appeal to non-lawyers involved in water issues, students, attorneys, and water professionals, as well as general readers interested in Colorado’s complex water rights law. Groundwater Quality: Securing Groundwater Quality in Urban and Industrial Environments , M.G. Trefry ( Editor ). IAHS Press , Centre for Ecology and Hydrology, Wallingford, Oxfordshire, OX10 8BB, UK . 2008 . 565 pages. $130. ISBN 978-1-901502-79-4 . Our relationship with groundwater is bipolar. Increasingly, we depend on it for our very survival, both in developed and developing nations. However, our urban and industrial activities involve routine and detrimental impacts to the quality of our groundwater reserves. The science of groundwater quality is therefore paramount to underpin successful and sustainable management of this precious resource. A range of urban and industrial groundwater quality issues are discussed, including: major instances of groundwater contamination and consequent human impact; emerging chemicals of concern and the ability of the environment to assimilate them; new contamination assessment, characterization, and remediation techniques; development of water management policy and controls; and groundwater quality transformations near receiving environments. The research papers by scientists and water professionals from around the globe form a valuable summary of the state of knowledge in these areas. Key topics are arsenic contamination, management of radioactive sites, nonaqueous phase liquids, biogeochemical and istopic processes, land-use influences, surface water/groundwater interaction, and the regulation and protection of groundwater supplies. Calcium and Magnesium in Drinking-Water: Public Health Significance , World Health Organization . WHO Press , 1211 Geneva 27, Switzerland . 2009 . 180 pages. $40. ISBN 978-92-4-156355-0 . Can calcium and magnesium (hardness) in drinking water contribute to preventing disease? This book documents the outputs of an unprecedented group of experts assembled by the World Health Organization to address this question. It includes their comprehensive consensus view on what is known and what is not about the role and possible health benefits of calcium and magnesium in drinking water. Also included is a series of chapters each authored by internationally renowned experts reviewing the state of the art in different aspects including: (1) global dietary calcium and magnesium intakes, (2) the contribution of drinking water to calcium and magnesium intake, (3) the health significance of calcium and magnesium, (4) the role of drinking water in relation to bone metabolism, (5) epidemiological studies and the association of cardiovascular disease risks, and (6) water production, technical issues, and economics. Creating Marine Assets: Property Rights in Ocean Fisheries , R.T. Deacon . PERC, 2048 Analysis Dr. Ste. A. , Bozeman, Montana 59718 . 2009 . 36 pages . Creating Marine Assets is a welcome addition to the scholarship emphasizing the connection between economic outcomes and property law. The book includes two cases in which fisheries stakeholders spontaneously craft new institutional arrangements that resolve problems associated with conventional management. The Chignik salmon experiment demonstrates the promise of harvester cooperatives in coordinating efforts to eliminate the race to fish. The Morro Bay groundfish case shows how conservationists can alter fishing practices to reduce environmental degradation by purchasing limited entry permits. Water Distribution System Monitoring , A.F. Cantor . CRC Press , 6000 Broken Sound Pkwy., NW, Ste. 300, Boca Raton, Florida 33487-2742 . 2009 . 203 pages. ISBN 978-1-4398-0052-2 . Save water utility money by achieving control of water quality in drinking water systems. Help your water utility prevent the devastating and costly effects of: (1) noncompliance with the Lead and Copper Rule, (2) pinhole leaks in water service lines and private plumbing, (3) vulnerability to microorganisms in the water distribution system, and (4) mistakes in treatment chemicals and dosage amounts. These common water quality issues can be avoided by routinely monitoring key water quality parameters in the distribution system in a controlled and standardized manner. While proactive monitoring costs money, having water quality problems is even more costly. A typical water distribution system is complex and chaotic with varying piping configurations, water flows, chemical reactions, and microbiological activity. This book simplifies this task by describing a method for routinely monitoring the water distribution system. Sediment Dynamics in Changing Environments ( IAHS Publ. No. 325 ), J. Schmidt et al . (Editors ). IAHS Press, Centre for Ecology and Hydrology , Wallingford, Oxfordshire, OX10 8BB, United Kingdom . 2009 . 626 pages. £105. ISBN 978-1-901502 . To understand Sediment Dynamics in Changing Environments, we need to advance our knowledge of sedimentary processes and systems, and in particular of associated scaling issues. This knowledge, derived from information and analysis of historical sediment archives and system analysis and modeling, enhances our abilities to assess impacts of global change on sedimentary systems. Most importantly, we need to find ways to link our understanding and models of sedimentary systems with impacts on human environments including hazard and risk assessment, improvement of management, and feedback into policy frameworks. The papers in this book document the international research efforts going into the themes of: (1) unlocking the archives – dating and source tracing technologies, (2) processes and scales in sedimentary systems – from point to continents, (3) global change and erosion, and (4) linking erosion with environmental and societal impacts.