sources and a conceptua I framework to faci 1i tate and st i mu- economics are emphasised: "Ec

late more explanatory and speculative research. we 11 as persona 1 fortunes, have

Virtually nowhere are the significance and implications work of men who discovered and
for global society of the multinational corporations scientists and governments, oft
explored. Only in the final chapter is such an attempt made such fortune-s pinning crops as t
but it is couched in the pervasive pessimism of leftist breadfruit, opium and myriad
jargon. The chapter includes, however, valid concerns about potatoes and tomatoes to banana
Beaudoin, A. B. (1983)
false consciousness butBook
here Review: Green
the issue may Planet: The
more accurately theme recurs in the fi na 1 chapte
Story of Plant Life on Earth edited by David M. Moore.
revolve around technology, rather than the multinational. vegetation is examined in more
a discussion of plant taxonomy
One is left wondering what is true consciousness in an
Reviewed in Ontario
increasingly artificialGeography
world. No.-- 22, pp. 74-77. describing p1ants and vegetat i
The authors as a group are concerned with the institu- investigating past plant distri
tional aspects of multinational corporations and do not Chapter Three, "Evolution
examine in an explanatory mode the plant being put in duces the geological background
p1ace. Wi 11 i am Irwin Thompson has observed that while mental change and its impact
multi nationals may be devoted to profits and exploitation we 11 as the evo 1uti on and deve 1
they are building the planetary structure of tomorrow. More Four discusses environmental
meaningful research by i ndust ria 1 geographers might address explicitly. The first part o~
the question of the appropriateness of the location of such physical features of the envir
a structure to serve gl oba 1 society. In other words, what under three headings: climate
is can only be relevant if we know what ought to be. This this material would probably b
volume has addressed only the easier, in many ways trivial, physical geography course. Th
part of the problem of serving the world's people. deals with the interaction and
environment in terms of di stri
Robert McDani e 1 colonisation, competition, and
Department of Geography headings. Incidentally, I di
University of Western Ontario section; on page 80, an illust
unfortunately has its labels m1
obviously designed as an i ntro~
a reade~'s first contact witti
GREEN PLANET: THE STORY OF PLANT LIFE ON EARTH. David M. factual errors are particularly
Moore, editor, 1982, 288 pp., Cambridge University Press, Chapter Five describes "
England, ISBN 0-521-24610-5, approx. $36 (Can.). headings, zonal and azonal ve~
tion is grouped forest, scrub
and mountain vegetation, while
The blurb on the dust-jacket describes GREEN PLANET as heath, wetlands, and coastal 1
"an illustrated encyclopedia of plant ecology and geography" "The Realms of Plants", the c
and claims that it "demonstrates the diversity of the groups and certain regional ve\
world's plant life, describes how it arose and has changed in more detail. Distribution<
through geologic time and considers the factors governing the subject of the fi na 1 par1
its occurrence and distribution today". A'nbitious aims for Chapter Seven discusses the im
a book only 288 pages long! the importance of vegetation t
This vast subject is covered in seven chapters. The domestication, crops and p1an1
first two, entitled "Charting the Green Planet" and "Tools pollution on plants are some o1
of the Trade", cover basic background materia 1 and introduce Generally the book is 11
concepts and terminology. The first chapter, subtitled "The trated. A team of thirty sc
Historical Background to the Ecology and Geography of book under the editorship of I
Plants", begins with a brief survey of the activities of s ity of Reading, England.
plant explorers and collectors. Although some of these regional bias in the affiliat
explorers seem to have been motivated by curiosity and a nine are also from the Univ
sense of adventure, the strong 1inks between p1ants and remaining contributors, 18 ar•

74 75
:work to faci 1i tate and st i mu-
Jlative research.
significance and implications
mu 1t i nation a 1 corporations
napter is such an attempt made
rvasive pessimism of leftist
however, valid concerns about
:he issue may more accurately
tther than the multinational.
is true consciousness in an
·e concerned with the i nst i tu-
nal corporations and do not
ode the plant being put in
son has observed that whi 1e
to profits and exploitation
y structure of tomorrow. More
·i a 1 geographers might address
:eness of the location of such
oci ety. In other words, what
• know what ought to be. This
easier, in many ways trivial,
the world's people.
ert McDaniel
artment of Geography
versity of Western Ontario
.ANT liFE ON EARTH. David M.
, Cambridge University Press,
pprox. $36 (Can.).
:ket describes GREEN PLANET as
1f plant ecology and geography"
~ rates the diversity of the
how it arose and has changed
nsiders the factors governing
Jn today". Prnbitious aims for
vered in seven chapters. The
the Green Planet" and "Too 1s
:kground materia 1 and introduce
! first chapter, subtitled "The
1e Ecology and Geography of
survey of the activities of
;rs. Although some of these
motivated by curiosity and a
ong l i nks between plants and
4 75
economics are emphasised: "Economies of whole nations, as
well as personal fortunes, have been made and broken by the
work of men who discovered and, at the behest of Western
scientists and governments, often introduced to other areas
such fortune-spinning crops as tobacco, coffee, tea, rubber,
breadfruit, opi urn and myriad vegetab 1es and fruits from
potatoes and tomatoes to bananas and mangoes" (p. 20). This
theme recurs in the final chapter where the impact of man on
vegetation is examined in more detail. Chapter Two includes
a discussion of plant taxonomy and nomenclature, the ways of
describing p1ants and vegetation, and the techniques for
investigating past plant distributions.
Chapter Three, "Evolution of the Green Planet", intro-
duces the geological background and the concept of environ-
mental change and its impact on vegetation over time, as
well as the evolution and development of species. Chapter
Four discusses environmental controls on veg~tation more
explicitly. The first part of this chapter considers the
physical features of the environment. These are examined
under three headings: climate, soils, and fire. Much of
this material would probably be covered in an introductory
physical geography course. The second part of the chapter
dea 1s with the interaction and response of p1ants to their
environment in terms of distribution, dispersa l , mi._gration,
colonisation, competition, and succession, to name a few
headings. Incidentally, I did notice an er-ror in this
section; on page 80, an illustration of some pollen grains
unfortunately has its labels muddled. In a book which is
obviously designed as an introductory text, and is possibly
a reade~'s first contact with the subject matter, such
factual errors are particularly regrettable •
Chapter Five describes "Vegetation Today" under two
headings, zonal and azonal vegetation. Under zonal vegeta-
tion is grouped forest, scrub, desert, tundra, grassland,
and mountain vegetation, while azonal vegetation consists of
heath, wetlands, and coastal vegetation. In Chapter Six,
"The Realms of Plants", the distribution of various plant
groups and certain regional vegetation patterns are examined
in more detail. Distribution and distribution patterns form
the subject of the final part of this chapter. Finally,
Chapter Seven discusses the impact of man on vegetation and
the importance of vegetation to man. Agriculture and plant
domestication, crops and plant breeding, and the impact of
pollution on plants are some of the topics discussed.
Generally the book is well written and well illus-
trated. A team of thirty scientists collaborated on the
book under the editorship of David M. Moore of the Uni ver-
s ity of Reading, England. Perhaps this accounts for a
regional bias in the affiliation of the contributors since
nine are a 1so from the University of Reading. Of the
remaining contributors, 18 are from Great Britain, 2 from
the United States and 1 from Australia. This may also opportunity to trave 1 widely,
account for a European and North American bias in the text; and see many different types
many of the illustrations and examples come from those these illustrations go a long
regions. Other regions are represented, however, and there In summary this is a well
has obviously been an attempt to prevent the text from superbly illustrated and thoug
becoming too parochi a 1. However, because the readership is its drawbacks, I did enjoy re;
likely to be mainly European and North America, using at an introductory 1eve 1 as a
familiar examples is probably an advantage rather than a although it is obviously limi
limitation. I did find the emphasis rather strange in the devoted to any topic. Althougl
regional coverage in Chapter Six where only three floristic bad buy for the price.
regions are examined in detail, the arctic, antarctic, and
boreal regions. In a book which purports to examine vegeta- A
tion on a world scale, I felt that more attention could have D•
been paid to the tropics and subtropics. These are perhaps U1
the regions in which study and understanding of the vegeta-
tion and environment are most urgently needed because these
are the regions in which so much of the world's population
1i ves.
The style and layout of the book are rather unusual and
very effective. Each section, which may only be a few para-
graphs, is written by a contributor who is identified at the
end of the section by their initials only; a list of con-
tributors is provided at the front of the book. Many of the
linking paragraphs and introductory sections were written by
Moore. This gives the book considerable cohesion and
continuity and makes it easy to read. However, one drawback
to this design, and the major limitation of this book, is
that few references are included in the body of the text.
In the few instances where reference is made to a specific
text, the full citation is not given. As an example, the
caption to an ,illustration on page 73 cites "Smith, Briden
and Drewry ( 1973)" but nowhere is any further information
about this paper(?) given. On the last page of the book is
a list of 30 textbooks covering major aspects in more
detai 1. The dust-jacket blurb states that "[d]espite the
great popular interest in ecology which began in the late
1960s there has been no accessible but authoritative i llus-
trated reference work available to the general public". It
is possibly this attempt at accessibility that led to the
abandonment of scientific style. Although this does confer
greater readability, it tends to weaken the book's impact as
a text and means that it would be difficult to follow up any
topic in more detail. I think the book would have been much
improved, for example, by including a list of major refer-
ences and further readings at the end of each chapter.
One really impressive feature of the book is its illus-
trations. The majority of the illustrations, including
diagrams, are in colour. Almost every page contains an
illustration, sometimes several, which complement the text
very well and are a real asset in this book, where the
subject-matter is highly visual. Few of us have had the

76 77
 Australia. This may also
~h Jlmeri can bias in the text;
d examples come from those
•resented, however, and there
t to prevent the text from
~r, because the readership is
1 and North Jlmeri ca, using
an advantage rather than a
phasis rather strange in the
x where only three floristic
, the arctic, antarctic, and
h purports to examine vegeta-
hat more attention could have
1btropics. These are perhaps
understanding of the vegeta-
lrgently needed because these
ch of the world's population
opportunity to travel widely, even within our own country,
and see many different types of plants and vegetation and
these fllustrations go a long way to remedy this.
In summary this is a we 11 written and attractive book,
superbly illustrated and thoughtfully designed. In spite of
its drawbacks, I did enjoy reading it. It would be useful
at an introductory level as a general survey of the field,
although it is obviously limited in the amount of detail
devoted to any topic. Although quite expensive, it is not a
bad buy for the price.
Alwynne B. Beaudoin
Department of Geography
University of Western Ontario

e book are rather unusual and

11hich may only be a few para-
utor who is identified at the
litials only; a 1 ist of con-
ont of the book. Many of the
tory sections were written by
considerable cohesion and
read. However, one drawback
limitation of this book, is
ed in the body of the text.
erence is made to a specific
given. As an example, the
page 73 cites "Smith, Briden
is any further information
the last page of the book is
·i ng major aspects in more
1 states that "[d]espite the
ogy which began in the 1ate
ble but authoritative illus-
to the general public". It
:cess i bil ity that 1ed to the
Although this does confer
) weaken the book's impact as
)e difficult to follow up any
the book would have been much
Jding a 1 ist of major refer-
1e end of each chapter.
Jre of the book is its illus-
:he illustrations, including
10st every page contains an
I , which comp 1ement the text
~t in this book, where the
l. Few of us have had the

77
Ontario
Geography

No. 22,1983
Department of Geography
The University ofWestern Ontario
London, Canada
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