The biology of polar regions /

This book by Thomas (Bangor Univ., UK) and eight other authors is a revision of G. E. Fogg's Biology of Polar Habitats (1998). The extensive revision, warranting a separate publication, is a reflection of the rapid pace of scientific exploration in polar regions. Although, as the title implies, it is a biological treatise, detailed attention is devoted to the physical basis of high latitudes: terrestrial, atmospheric, and oceanographic. The coverage is excellent, including the latest research on marine and terrestrial life. The presentation meets Oxford's highest standards. There are numerous maps, diagrams, graphs, and photographs, including eight pages of color, ranging from microscopic images, to landscapes, to plant and animal species. The final chapters of the book present a geological perspective of climatic change in polar regions, assess the impact of human activities, and provide salient conclusions. The authors draw valuable comparisons and contrasts between the Arctic and Antarctic. The book provides a good list of further readings, including journals and Web resources, and an impressive list of references. The Biology of Polar Regions is an authoritative and major contribution for all those interested in these extreme environments and their reactions to global change. Summing Up: Essential. Lower-division undergraduate through professional collections. J. D. Ives emeritus, Carleton University