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Freshwater biomonitoring and benthic macroinvertebrates, edited by D. M. Rosenberg and V. H. Resh, Chapman and Hall, New York, 1993. ix + 488pp. Price: £39.95. ISBN 0412 02251 6

Freshwater biomonitoring and benthic macroinvertebrates, edited by D. M. Rosenberg and V. H.... eponymy. My advice is to buy two copies, one to drink now, the other to cellar for a godchild. P. A. TYLER Deakin Utziversify, Victoria, Australia FRESHWATER BIOMONITORING AND BENTHIC MACROINVERTEBRATES, edited by D. M. Rosenberg and V. H. Resh, Chapman and Hall, New York, 1993. ix+488pp. Price: E39.95. ISBN 0412 02251 6 The benefits of biological monitoring of water quality as a complement to chemical monitoring are now widely recognized. It is probable that most groups of freshwater organisms have, at one time or another, been proposed as biomonitors, but it is the benthic macroinvertebrates which have found most favour with individuals and agencies involved in environmental assessment. This volume is particularly welcome for three reasons. First, it provides a concise synthesis of the vast and scattered literature on the use of freshwater macroinvertebrates for biomonitoring. Second, it incorporates recent advances, such as the increased access to computer-based multivariate methods, facilitating the development of predictive models. Third, it reflects recent changes in attitude towards biomonitoring, such as the trend in North America towards the sort of rapid assessment techniques traditionally favoured in Europe. The book is aimed at biologists involved with water quality management and researchers concerned with developing improved biomonitoring methods. The 12, rather uneven chapters are written mainly by North American authors, but with one or two exceptions, European studies have not been neglected. The key chapters are those which review macroinvertebrate monitoring at different organizational levels, quantitative methods, rapid asessment techniques and data analysis and interpretation. Although the responses of macroinvertebrate communities to pollution have historically received most study, the use of organism-level indicators, such as biochemical, physiological and behavioural responses are treated fully. The inclusion of the chapter on rapid assessment techniques and the recognition that quantitative studies are often small scale and budgetlimited are welcome evidence of a trend towards a more pragmatic approach to biomonitoring. Other useful chapters include a historical perspective, discussions of the use of macroinvertebrates in palaeolimnological and toxicity studies, an assessment of the use of field experiments (microcosms, mesocosms and whole system manipulations) and a comparison of benthic community structure and benthic processes (e.g. decomposition) as indicators of ecosystem health. In the concluding chapter, the author offers a personal and sometimes controversial view of the future direction of macroinvertebrate biomonitoring, which includes a spirited defence of the value, both in terms of cost and utility in decision-making, of biological field surveys compared with chemical and toxicological studies. The main chapters are supported by valuable lists of references (over 20 pages in one case), but some are more up-to-date than others. Some aspects of the book are open to criticism: there is a chapter on accessing the biomonitoring literature, a process with which the target audience will surely already be familiar. The chapter on toxicity studies (limited almost entirely to the USA) presents an unduly pessimistic view of the prospects for developing new testing techniques. Although the authors’ criticism of the slow pace of innovation may have been true in the past, many ecotoxicologists would argue that this is no longer the case. The review of palaeolimnological techniques is necessarily rather general, given the relatively few studies involving macroinvertebrate groups other than the Chironomidae. There is also come confusion regarding the use of British biotic indices such as the BMWP Score. Nevertheless, this generally well presented book fulfils the clear need for a single, up-to-date volume covering the role of benthic macroinvertebrates in freshwater monitoring and can be recommended not only to the target readership, but to all students of applied hydrobiology . C. R. DOUGHTY Clyde River Purification Board, East Kilbride, UK http://www.deepdyve.com/assets/images/DeepDyve-Logo-lg.png Aquatic Conservation: Marine and Freshwater Ecosystems Wiley

Freshwater biomonitoring and benthic macroinvertebrates, edited by D. M. Rosenberg and V. H. Resh, Chapman and Hall, New York, 1993. ix + 488pp. Price: £39.95. ISBN 0412 02251 6

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Publisher
Wiley
Copyright
Copyright © 1994 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd
ISSN
1052-7613
eISSN
1099-0755
DOI
10.1002/aqc.3270040110
Publisher site
See Article on Publisher Site

Abstract

eponymy. My advice is to buy two copies, one to drink now, the other to cellar for a godchild. P. A. TYLER Deakin Utziversify, Victoria, Australia FRESHWATER BIOMONITORING AND BENTHIC MACROINVERTEBRATES, edited by D. M. Rosenberg and V. H. Resh, Chapman and Hall, New York, 1993. ix+488pp. Price: E39.95. ISBN 0412 02251 6 The benefits of biological monitoring of water quality as a complement to chemical monitoring are now widely recognized. It is probable that most groups of freshwater organisms have, at one time or another, been proposed as biomonitors, but it is the benthic macroinvertebrates which have found most favour with individuals and agencies involved in environmental assessment. This volume is particularly welcome for three reasons. First, it provides a concise synthesis of the vast and scattered literature on the use of freshwater macroinvertebrates for biomonitoring. Second, it incorporates recent advances, such as the increased access to computer-based multivariate methods, facilitating the development of predictive models. Third, it reflects recent changes in attitude towards biomonitoring, such as the trend in North America towards the sort of rapid assessment techniques traditionally favoured in Europe. The book is aimed at biologists involved with water quality management and researchers concerned with developing improved biomonitoring methods. The 12, rather uneven chapters are written mainly by North American authors, but with one or two exceptions, European studies have not been neglected. The key chapters are those which review macroinvertebrate monitoring at different organizational levels, quantitative methods, rapid asessment techniques and data analysis and interpretation. Although the responses of macroinvertebrate communities to pollution have historically received most study, the use of organism-level indicators, such as biochemical, physiological and behavioural responses are treated fully. The inclusion of the chapter on rapid assessment techniques and the recognition that quantitative studies are often small scale and budgetlimited are welcome evidence of a trend towards a more pragmatic approach to biomonitoring. Other useful chapters include a historical perspective, discussions of the use of macroinvertebrates in palaeolimnological and toxicity studies, an assessment of the use of field experiments (microcosms, mesocosms and whole system manipulations) and a comparison of benthic community structure and benthic processes (e.g. decomposition) as indicators of ecosystem health. In the concluding chapter, the author offers a personal and sometimes controversial view of the future direction of macroinvertebrate biomonitoring, which includes a spirited defence of the value, both in terms of cost and utility in decision-making, of biological field surveys compared with chemical and toxicological studies. The main chapters are supported by valuable lists of references (over 20 pages in one case), but some are more up-to-date than others. Some aspects of the book are open to criticism: there is a chapter on accessing the biomonitoring literature, a process with which the target audience will surely already be familiar. The chapter on toxicity studies (limited almost entirely to the USA) presents an unduly pessimistic view of the prospects for developing new testing techniques. Although the authors’ criticism of the slow pace of innovation may have been true in the past, many ecotoxicologists would argue that this is no longer the case. The review of palaeolimnological techniques is necessarily rather general, given the relatively few studies involving macroinvertebrate groups other than the Chironomidae. There is also come confusion regarding the use of British biotic indices such as the BMWP Score. Nevertheless, this generally well presented book fulfils the clear need for a single, up-to-date volume covering the role of benthic macroinvertebrates in freshwater monitoring and can be recommended not only to the target readership, but to all students of applied hydrobiology . C. R. DOUGHTY Clyde River Purification Board, East Kilbride, UK

Journal

Aquatic Conservation: Marine and Freshwater Ecosystems – Wiley

Published: Mar 1, 1994

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