Zimmer's fine writing. But reader for the most part is very well written ;_ Biodiversity has occupied a beware-this volume offers a good and clear, and should be enjoyed by '4t place in the popular lexicon for deal more than a string of interesting both a scientifically trained audience little more than a decade, its usage one-liners. and by the general public. Though not rising in the early 1990s on the tide At the Water's Edge outlines the a specialist in this area, I read the created by the 20th anniversary of fascinating macroevolutionary history book with ease and speed, and quite Earth Day, the UN Summit on the of the aquatic mammals. Zimmer starts liked it. Environment in Rio de Janeiro, and off by describing macroevolution as If you are in the market for a cre- the publication of E.O. Wilson's The an untamed discipline, needing to be atively written paleontological tale Diversity of Life. Written by noted pale- honed into an "applied science" like with frequent anecdotes regarding ontologist Niles Eldredge, Life in the its brother, microevolution. Zimmer's tooth-measuring, taxonomy and a bit Balance will likely bolster biodiversi- story continues into the 1800s and of head-rolling for good measure, then ty's wave. describes the toils of Richard Owen I highly recommend this book. It is Complementing an exhibit of the and Georges Cuvier, the former a won- fairly narrow in subject matter, but same name at the American Museum derful anatomist (a tale of his troubles does a great job of outlining a topic of Natural History, this book's stated keeping a freshly severed head in a often not fully covered. At the Water's goal is to bring the issue of species paper bag is particularly delightful) Edge is a good read for anyone inter- loss to a wide audience through a and the latter the founder of modern ested in , organismal biol- discussion of the following four ques- paleontology. The yarn continues with ogy or . tions: What is biodiversity? Why Downloaded from http://online.ucpress.edu/abt/article-pdf/62/1/79/49423/4450836.pdf by guest on 28 September 2021 descriptions of modern paleontolo- Mark D. Drapeau should we care about it? What are for miss- gists' trial-and-error searches Department of Ecology and Evolutionary the threats to it? What can we do to in the first ing links the record; conserve it? One of the book's main half the book concentrates primarily of University of California strengths is its sharp focus on these on and their record of the adap- Irvine, CA 92616 four questions. tation (or exaptation) of marine organ- The first chapter uses Botswana's isms to terrestrial life as tetrapods. Okavango Delta and Kalahari Desert Much of the discussion is centered I ECOLOGY/BIODIVERSITY I as case studies in addressing the four around two extinct organisms: Ichthy- questions. Eldredge's description of ostega and Acanthostega, each living Life in the Balance: Humanity and the the region's natural history is informed about 363 million years ago. Zimmer Biodiversity Crisis. By Niles Eldredge. and vivid, replete with the details that then proceeds to take one of two major 1998. Princeton University Press (41 make this kind of narrative interesting. digressions, the first to discuss "How William St., Princeton, NJ 08540). 224 (For example, he not only explains the To Make a Hand" (Chapter 3), which pp. Hardback $24.95. workings and importance of termite of course refers to the obvious evolu- tionary pathway "from fish to frog." Here, I feasted my eyes on an eclectic mix of Ernst Haeckel, Stephen J. Gould and Guenter Wagner. Developmental from ConnecticutValley Biological biology is truly a multidisciplinary field when considered in a broad sense; this chapter covers everything from the once wildly popular bioge- netic law to mutations and duplica- tions of homeotic genes (though Zim- mer never seems to clearly define what an "innovation" is). <~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~...... ;w sE Another chapter digresses into the minds and behaviors of marine mam- mals, dolphins in particular. (I note in hindsight that these diverging chapters make the book a bit choppy. Although not to my liking, this writing style may delight some readers.) The last half of the book deals with the return Eye of the Cyclops of tetrapods to the water-the lineage Adventures on Video leading to today's marine mammals. It focuses on the characterization of A Factand Fun-filledSafari through the Pakicetus,the oldest and most primitive HiddenWorld of MicroOrganisms known whale, discusses the issues and conflicts involved with resolving the Join our micronautexplorers aboard phylogenetic relationships between the 1-millimeterCyclops submarine! whales and other mammals, and pon- Interactas never before with strange ders the still somehow controversial and deadly denizens of microspace, theory of . from Pond, Stream, Forest and Finally, both the Evolutionary Chro- 82 VALLEYROAD, P.O. BOX 326 Backyard!8 videos & guides make a nology and Glossary at the end of the SOUTHAMPTON,MA 01073 captivatingintroduction for elementary book are nice additions to this style 800-628-7748 Fax 800-355-6813 - high school kids. Great with our of natural history essay book. The book Ask for our free catalog! livingcultures!

BOOKREVIEWS 79 mounds, but also treats us with the tems represents what most differenti- woods with some kids from your revelation that the honey badger has ates this book from others of the genre. neighborhood. See for yourself what "/a reputation of going for the groin Unfortunately, it is in some respects biodiversity is and put some balance when provoked.")It might be enlight- the least effective part, suffering from in your life to boot. ening for students to constructa simi- the same problem that introductory Scott Smidt lar, if less detailed, narrativefor their textbooks have yet to overcome: how StudentAcademic Affairs own bioregion. Also of note is to represent the splendid array of life Eldredge'sclear and balancedexplana- Collegeof Arts & Sciences forms as more than just a list of types. IndianaState University tion of the complex environmental a As result, the chapter called "The TerreHaute, IN 47802 issues that face the area. Tree of Life" occasionally reads like After outlining the interaction an encyclopedia entry with a para- between ecology and evolution in graph on rodents, another on whales, Chapter 2, the author devotes two and a few pages on plants. CONSERVATION/ chapters to a review of evolutionary Having tackled the first of his four diversity (biodiversity)and ecological questions, Eldredge turns to why we ENVIRONMENTALISM/ (ecosystem) diversity. This categorical should care about biodiversity, giving MARINEBIOLOGY survey of the world's biota and ecosys- the conventional reasons of medical and agriculturalbenefits, performance Song for the Blue Ocean-Encounters of ecosystem services, and moral and Along the World's Coasts and aesthetic obligations. Why we care Beneath the Seas. By CarlSafina. 1997. Downloaded from http://online.ucpress.edu/abt/article-pdf/62/1/79/49423/4450836.pdf by guest on 28 September 2021 about biodiversityis not some margin- Henry Holt and Company, Inc. (115 alized academicdiscussion. While hab- West 18th St., New York, NY 10011). BIOLOGYEDUCATOR itat degradation, exotic species intro- 458 pp. Hardback$30. Assistant/ Associate Professor ductions and overkillmay be the prox- ;:_ This book is divided into three Wright State University imate causes of the current qp~ sections or "books."Book One, The Dept. of BiologicalSciences invites spasm, our inability to recognize the Northeast, deals with the declining applications for a tenure track Assis- value of biodiversity is the ultimate populations of tuna fish due to several tant or Associate Professorspecializing cause for Eldredge. Reprising a theme factors, including the national and in biology education. This is a joint from the final chapter os his book The internationalpolitics of fishing regula- position between the Depts. of Biologi- Miner's Canary, he argues that one tions. Book Two, Northwest, is about cal Sciences and TeacherEducation in difficultyin acknowledgingbiodiversi- the present status of the salmon due the two Colleges of Science & Mathe- ty's worth is that humans now occupy to manmade factors such as dams, matics (67%) and Education and a global ecosystem, not a local one. farmingand clear cutting. Book Three, Human Services (33%).The successful We lack the intimate appreciation of Far Pacific, is a snapshot of the environ- applicant will provide leadership in place that comes from day-to-day mental conditions of the oceans of the emerging science and mathematics interaction with nature and have world using some tropical locations preserviceprograms at both the under- accepted the illusion, despite Aldo as examples. graduate and graduate levels. Teach- Leopold's warning in A Sand County A small percentage of the book is ing may include courses for biology Almanac,"that breakfast comes from a bit technical,i.e. describingthe anat- majors, preservice teachers, under- the grocery." omy and physiology of the salmon. graduates in general education sci- This book is explicitly intended to Nevertheless,the book is really a series ences, and/or courses in an area of be an introductionto the biodiversity of stories about people who are specialization. Candidates must have crisis for a general audience. As such, directly affected by the deterioration a Ph.D. or Ed.D. (to be considered for it will no doubt succeed. Those who of ocean habitats, poor resource man- associate professor, candidates must are alreadyfamiliar with the issue will agement, politics and human greed. have demonstrated an ability to con- undoubtedly find some topics not cov- The last chapter is probably the most tributein an outstandingway to schol- ered in sufficient depth. However, the exciting of all, partially because of its arly teaching and service functions as two appendices-one that names ani- theatrical approach and probably defined in the Wright State University mal species driven to extinction since because it gives us hope-hope that faculty handbook) and a graduate 1600, the other listing some 400 of the people and nations can overcome their degree in biology or 2 years of work- approximately40,000 species on which past mistakes and look for creative related experience in the biological humans directly depend-may be a ways to restore the marine habitats field. Experiencein teachingprecollege useful reference for some teachers. for their and our own sake. science is desirable. The successful Although mentioned only briefly by My only disappointment with the applicant is expected to have demon- the author,the title Life in the Balance book is that on at least two occasions strated scholarship in science educa- has a dual meaning. The first is the while recounting trips to other parts tion and the ability to obtain extramu- obvious referenceto the lives of species of the world the author seemed to ral funding. A letterof application,CV, held in the balance between existence feel the "need" to belittle people who statementsof scholarshipand teaching and extinction. The second pertains happened to disagree with him by interests, and names of 3 references to our own lives. We must somehow describing their strong accents. should be sent to: Biology Educator balance the demands our way of life In general, this is a nicely written Search Committee,Dept. of Biological makes on the biospherewith the bene- book about an environmentaltopic as Sciences,Wright State University, Day- fits that only healthy and functioning seen and felt by those most affected ton, OH 45435. Review of applications local ecosystems can provide. So by the degradation of our marine will begin Dec. 1, 1999. Wright State whether or not you buy this book, resources. University is an AA/EOE. For further please feel compelled to visit the near- Ronald Salazar informationsee http:/ /biolog.wright. est museum of naturalhistory or, even Mankato West High School edu. better, take a long, slow walk in the Mankato, MN 56001

80 THEAMERICAN BIOLOGY TEACHER, VOLUME 62, NO. 1, JANUARY2000