BOOK REVIEWS 163 in conservation is not disputed, but the book calls for Other sectians caver networks af indigenous peaple, a change in the way scientists participate in conserva­ mining and environmental consultants, agencies, tion issues. The missing link between government local cammunities and canservatian education. A policies and public awareness is the scientist; scientists recurrent theme is ways in which the empower­ therefore need to establish this essential link so that ment af all stakehalders will ensure effective canserva­ information flows freely. To achieve this, scientists tian and the papers affer a wide range of approaches must become actively involved in social and political to' achieving this gaal. Several papers alsO' illustrate arenas and become more articulate in communicating ways in which cammunities can be encouraged their research. This is not the first book to express this, to' accept respansibility for canservatian, such as but perhaps the first book to synthesize a large number Williams' paper (chapter 36) an the use of flagship of case studies and models. that provide examples on species. how this can be achieved. Despite the large contingent af papers by Australian The development and maintenance of networks is authars, the informatian cantained in this book has addressed in 13 papers, many of which deal with worldwide applicatian. Natably lacking, however, are important social considerations. Probably one of the papers dealing with marine canservatian. This area af most interesting and innovative papers in this section canservation typically lacks public support due to the is that by Schultz (chapter 22) on language and lack of public awareness, nat anly af the diversity af the natural environment. He illustrates how our marine life, but af the current threats to' its integrity. economically-derived cammercial usage of language is Establishing and maintaining networks for marine can­ aften biased tawards exploitatian af natural resaurces. servation requires different strategies than thase far Schultz shaws how rectificatian af aur choice af terms terrestrial environments. would cansiderably improve public perceptian of the cansequences of many land management practices. As with ather valumes III the series, the baok is Another sectian deals with landcare groups and property extremely well indexed. It provides an' excellent awner networks, which are an increasing force in the campilatian of a tapical issue in nature canservation canservation mavement in agricultural areas. It is and while it is essentially a book written by scientists encouraging to' see that ane paper is written by a land­ for scientists, it shauld have a large audience. The holder, giving a rare insight intO' the view of canservatian challenge, hawever, is for the recammendations put networks and their abjectives as seen from a nan­ forward in the baak to be implemented by scientists scientific perspective. invalved in conservation. Platypus and Echidnas Edited by M. L. Augee, 1992 Ornithorhynchus anatinus, far which mast informatian Royal Zoological Society of New South Wales, MDsman. is available. Published by Backhuys, The Netherlands. The papers in this baok provide many valuable ISBN 0959995161. comparisons. These include: camparisons between Price Dn applicatiDn. mammalian groups (manatremes, eutherians and marsupials) which provide insights intO' mammalian DARREN G. QUINI origins: comparisan between manotreme species; and comparisons between manotremes, birds and reptiles, PLATYPUS and Echidnas presents the proceedings where for example, similarities and difference in repra­ of a canference held at the University of New Sauth ductive patterns have been established. Intraspecies Wales in July 1991. Platypus and Echidnas incarparates camparisans af individuals inhabiting sometimes vastly an extensive information source obtained from studies different environments, and subsequently experiencing undertaken since the first symposium on "Manatreme different climates, demonstrate the adaptability and Bialagy" in 1978, while highlighting deficiencies in aur broad climatic tolerance af echidnas. knawledge, and subsequently suggests further avenues far research. The theme af evalution re-accurs through­ The publication is arranged intO' six sections: Evolution; (Jut the publication and the studies demonstrate how The Meiotic Chain; Reproduction; Physialagy; the patterns of mammalian phylageny may be derived from Brain and EJectroreceptian; and Field and Populatian variaus sources including palaeantalogy, gene Studies. The first af these deals with monotreme mapping, DNA hybridization, repraductive physialogy evolutian from the fields af palaeontology, genetic and endocrinology. Interest in this publicatian will bialagy and endacrinology. The first two papers extend to: (i) scholars of phylogeny and evolutian introduce fassil forms af platypuses; Monotrematum of especially part 1); (ii) comparative physiolagist, Sauth America, and Obdurodon from the Riversleigh physiolQgical ecolagists and anatamists (parts 1, 3, 4 area af Australia. Monotrematum represents the first­ and 5); (iii) ecalogists and sacia-ecalagists (parts 3, 5 discavered nan-Australian manotreme. The debate and 6); (iv) natural historians; (v) keepers af captive abaut monotreme origins is reviewed using current wildlife colonies (parts 3 and 6); (vi) wildlife veterinary evidence from each of the above fields. After all, surgwns (part 6); and (vii) wildlife managers (especially knawledge of mammalian origins is dependent upon part 6). The book deals primarily with the short-beaked understanding the egg-laying branch of the mammalian echidna Tachyglo$sus aculeatus and the platypus phylogenetic tree. Although the papers under this 'Department of Ecosystem Management, University of New England, Armidale, New South Wales, Australia 2351. 164 PACIFIC CONSERVATION BIOLOGY section provide useful insights into mammalian evolution, and dispersal of platypuses in the Shoalhaven River; they also highlight how little we know about monotreme movements and burrow-use of platypuses in the Thredbo origins. River; evidence for Aboriginal exploitation of the platypus in southern Tasmania during the late Pleistocene; Two papers follow under section 2, "The Meiotic and the results of preliminary molecular studies of Chain". These discuss the evolution of the monotreme individual relatedness and mating system in platypus sex determination system, and comparisons are made populations. The final paper on the role of infectious between monotremes and eutherians, and between diseases in the popUlation biology of monotremes, monotremes and marsupials. catalogues the known diseases of this group, and The section on "Reproduction" covers laboratory highlights the potentially adverse impacts of European and field investigations into hormone concentrations in settlement, via exchange of diseases/parasites/viruses captive and free-living platypuses, aspects of lactation between monotremes and cattle, cats, foxes and dogs. and sex ratios in free-living platypuses, courtship Indirect evidence is presented which suggests that cattle behaviour of captive platypuses at Taronga Zoo and and platypuses may be exchanging Leptospirosis hardjo the structure and function of the male reproductive (a helical bacteria which may cause infertility, abortion system of echidnas. Field studies into the energetic and anaemia among other malfunctions) in cattle grazing costs of lactation in free-ranging echidnas, reproduction riverbank pasture at the Shoalhaven River. This point in echidnas at high altitudes (> 1 000 m) including areas will be of interest to forest ecologists, given the debate above the winter snow line (1 750 m), and aspects of concerning the detrimental impacts of intensive grazing reproduction in echidnas on Kangaroo Island, (and frequent grazier burning) on biodiversity in State demonstrate the value of radiotelemetry and isotopes forests of northeastern New South Wales. This paper serves as a warning to the effects of future land of research, and provide valuable information and degradation/clearing on monotreme populations. The comparisons of different populations. The study at high paper on the historical and current distribution of the altitudes demonstrates how temperature extremes can platypus provides a valuable reference source upon determine behavioural mechanisms which are aimed at which future monitoring of populations should be maintaining energy balance, and how climatic factors based, to guarantee its survival and to determine may influence life history traits. the impacts of landuse activities on the nationwide Section 4 presents a series of papers on monotreme persistence of this species. Generally, this section physiology, including adrenal functions of the platypus; provides useful information on monotreme home and ventilation, blood viscosity, blood gases and body range, movements, dispersal and habitat requirements, temperature in echidnas. Two papers, one investigating and presents interesting insights into monotreme metabolic rate and ventilation in captive echidnas population biology. Background information is presented during hibernation and arousal, and the second look at which can form the basis of management strategies for thermal relations of free-living echidnas during activity the conservation requirements of the monotremes. and hibernation in a cold climate, demonstrate how In brief, I recommend it as an extremely valuable hibernation in this species closely