Book reviews

URBANIZATION AND COMMUNITY BUILDING IN MODERN NORWAY

J. S. Tortenson, M. F. Metcalfe, T. F. Rasmussen

Urbana Press, Oslo 1985. 312 pp., figs and tables.

REGIONAL DEVELOPMENT POLICY

R. Riddell

Gower, 1985. £18.50

REVIEW OF SERVICE INDUSTRIES: A GEOGRAPHICAL APPRAISAL

P. W. Daniels

Methuen, 1985. £27.50.

ARABIC‐ISLAMIC CITIES: BUILDING AND PLANNING PRINCIPLES

Besim Selim Hakim

KPI Ltd., London, 1986. pp. 192. £46 (h/b)

FIFTY YEARS OF LANDSCAPE DESIGN

Sheila Harvey and Stephen Rettig

The Landscape Press, 1985. £12.50

CAPABILITY BROWN AND THE EIGHTEENTH CENTURY ENGLISH LANDSCAPE

Roger Turner

Weidenfeld & Nicholson. £16.95.     

ON THE MEASUREMENT OF ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACTS OF PUBLIC PROJECTS FROM A SOCIOLOGICAL PERSPECTIVE1

ABSTRACT: The major objectives are (1) to identify the problems involved in measuring the environmental impacts of public projects from selected perspectives, and (2) to elaborate a sociological approach used in an empirical investigation in that respect. The construct of environmental impact of a planned action is generally operationalized from different perspectives and with different methodological emphases in the various disciplines. Even the term environment does not elicit agreement among users as to its exact meaning. Although there has been a steady increase in the number of studies from a sociological perspective concerning environmental problems, there is lack of sociological counsel in writing environmental impact statements. Overall, we lack sociological methodology and operational procedures for that purpose. In an attempt to bring some empirical focus to this field, attitudinal measures employed to discover how residents of a river basin perceived negative and positive environmental impacts of a proposed watershed development project are reviewed. These come from a study of creation of the Cooper Reservoir and Dam in Texas. Data on 343 heads of households m the selected areas were collected through structured questionnaires with items on personal information, a vested interest scale, a knowledge of the project scale, and an environmental impact scale. Data show that perception of impacts by residents is influenced significantly by degree of their vested interests involved. Variables for inclusion in a sociological model of environmental impact are suggested.     

The sensitivity of mussel-watch programmes to detect temporal trends in the bio-availability of metals. A case study of the Saronicos Gulf of Greece

Statistical power analysis has been used to determine the sensitivity of the mussel-watch programme in Hellenic seas, with particular focus placed on the data obtained for metal content in mussels from the Saronicos Gulf during the period 1985-1997. Sample collection was carried out quarterly. Soft tissues of 60-100 similarly sized mussels (Mytilus galloprovincialis) were pooled into six composite samples and analysed by Atomic Absorption Spectroscopy (AAS). The study concludes that the resolution of monitoring programmes employed thus far is sufficiently high to detect temporal trends related to changes in contaminant levels caused either by drastic environmental control (such as those imposed on point-source pollutants) or by sudden increases in contaminant load. However, the detection of more subtle trends, which may be expected in the near future as a result of global pollution-control policies, is likely to require the adoption of much more sensitive programmes. In addition, the review of up-to-date knowledge on metal biology in mussels suggests that factors related to growth and reproduction should be taken into account to remarkably increase the resolution of mussel-watch programmes. Indicative maximum values for components of error to be complied with during routine monitoring are suggested.     

Microbial associations in sponges. III. Ultrastructure of the in situ associations in coral reef sponges

Symbiotic cyanobacteria are associated with marine sponges in three ways: the majority are free-living in the mesohyl; large aggregates occur in cyanocytes (specialized, vacuolated archeocytes); and few are present in digestive vacuoles. The cyanobacteria in Jaspis stellifera and Neofibularia irata are morphologically similar to those described in Mediterranean sponges, whereas those in Pericharax heteroraphis are different. The freeliving bacterial populations are morphologically similar, although the number of bacteria varies between the species. The fourth sponge Ircinia wistarii contains a mixed bacterial population unlike those in the other sponges. Sponge digestion of microbial associates is rare and not considered to contribute significant nutrients.     

Genetic structure of dictyoceratid sponge populations on the western Coral Sea reefs

Allozyme variation at six polymorphic loci was examined in foliose dictyoceratid sponges from isolated reefs in the western Coral Sea. Four major genetic groups corresponding to the species Phyllospongia lamellosa, P. alcicornis, Carterospongia flabellifera and Collospongia auris were examined. A further two rare morphotypes from individual reefs formed genetic outliers to the P. lamellosa group, and may represent further taxa related to P. lamellosa. Gene frequencies in individual reef populations were largely in Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium, suggesting that random mating occurred in local populations of all four common species. Genetic variability was high and observed heterozygosities within populations ranged from 0.13 to 0.40. All four taxa showed significant genetic differentiation among populations (F _ST=0.05 to 0.36). Genetic distances (Nei's D) among populations within species ranged from 0 to 0.723 and increased with increasing geographical separation. There was evidence that genetic differentiation between populations to the north and to the south of the southern limit of the South Equatorial Current (SEC) divergence was greater than expected on the basis of their geographical separation. The SEC divergence may form a partial barrier to gene flow among populations of these ecologically important sponges on the submerged Queensland Plateau. Levels of migration among populations of three of the species was less than those required to prevent divergence of the populations through genetic drift (Nm<1). Restricted migration among populations may provide a mechanism to explain the occurrence of highly divergent populations of dictyoceratid sponges whose specific identity is not clear, and may allow them additionally to develop partial reproduction isolation from other populations.     

Methods research: Determination of dioxins in fish and sediment

This communication describes a simple isolation/extraction procedure for fish and sediment samples based on acid digestion, gel permeation chromatography, trisodium phosphate treatment, micro-alumina chromatography and carbon fibre colum chromatography. The cleaned extracts are analysed for tetrachloro dibenzo-p-dioxins using GC-ECD screening and HRGC-MS (multiple ion dection) confirmation.     

Influence of hydrogeochemical processes on zero-valent iron reactive barrier performance: a field investigation

Geochemical and mineralogical changes were evaluated at a field Fe0-PRB at the Oak Ridge Y-12 site concerning operation performance during the treatment of U in high NO3- groundwater. In the 5-year study period, the Fe0 remained reactive as shown in pore-water monitoring data, where increases in pH and the removal of certain ionic species persisted. However, coring revealed varying degrees of cementation. After 3.8-year treatment, porosity reduction of up to 41.7% was obtained from mineralogical analysis on core samples collected at the upgradient gravel-Fe0 interface. Elsewhere, Fe0 filings were loose with some cementation. Fe0 corrosion and pore volume reduction at this site are more severe due to the presence of NO3- at a high level. Tracer tests indicate that hydraulic performance deteriorated: the flow distribution was heterogeneous and under the influence of interfacial cementation a large portion of water was diverted around the Fe0 and transported outside the PRB. Based on the equilibrium reductions of NO3- and SO4(2-) by Fe0 and mineral precipitation, geochemical modeling predicted a maximum of 49% porosity loss for 5 years of operation. Additionally, modeling showed a spatial distribution of mineral precipitate volumes, with the maximum advancing from the interface toward downgradient with time. This study suggests that water quality monitoring, coupled with hydraulic monitoring and geochemical modeling, can provide a low-cost method for assessing PRB performance.