Methods in Stream Ecology. - book reviews

Ecology, April, 1997 by Mark S. Wipfli

Congratulations to the editors and contributing authors of Methods in stream ecology! Finally, a comprehensive reading and reference for those from casually interested to intimately involved in researching or studying stream ecology. I was delighted when I first learned that this book was available and was immediately struck by the impressive list of expert contributors and the interdisciplinary topics covered. The purpose of the book is to provide students and teachers, researchers and resource managers, from novice to seasoned professionals, with comprehensive and contemporary methods in stream ecology. The book is a success!

The book contains five broad categories nicely organized into five respective sections: "Physical Processes," "Material Storage and Transport," "Stream Biota," "Community Interactions," and "Ecosystem Processes." The "Physical Processes" section contains six chapters that address landscape-scale to hyporheic processes interwoven into stream processes, and include understanding and determining basic landscape features, channel geomorphic units, stream flow properties and dynamics, and temperature, light, and oxygen in streams. The five chapters in the "Material Storage and Transport" section thoroughly cover sediment, solute, nutrient, and particulate organic matter dynamics. The "Stream Biota" section contains seven chapters that provide methods for studying stream communities: heterotrophic and autotrophic microbes, meiofauna, macroinvertebrates, and fishes. Topics include identifying biota, quantifying numbers, mass, and activity, and determining community composition. I particularly like the illustrated key to the common genera of lotic algae. Also, the illustrated flow key for macroinvertebrate families should make a nice "quick reference" for users who do not regularly work with macroinvertebrate taxonomy. The book leads nicely into the "Community Interactions" section with six chapters covering plant-herbivore and macroinvertebrate predator-prey interactions, trophic relations of macroinvertebrates and fishes, habitat use and competition among fishes, and finally a chapter on techniques for determining stream food web structure. Again, as with previous chapters, I find the illustrative keys - in this case for categorizing macroinvertebrates into functional feeding groups - particularly user-friendly and efficient to use. Lastly, the "Ecosystem Processes" section contains seven chapters and covers primary productivity, community respiration, macroinvertebrate production, leaf breakdown and organic matter budgets, nutrient enrichment effects on periphyton, surface-subsurface interactions, and finally an important chapter on biomonitoring using benthic macroinvertebrates.

The 31 chapters each contain an "Introduction," a "General Design," "Specific Exercises," "Questions," and a "Materials and Supplies" list. The "Introduction" contains information about respective topics and up-to-date literature reviews. The "General Design" teaches principles and procedures that apply to the chapter's suggested exercises. "Specific Exercises" contains state-of-the-art field and laboratory methods ranging from simple to sophisticated, depending upon the topic covered and the needs of the user. Frequent examples of suggested data sheets in this section are also helpful. I generally find these exercises easy to understand and user-friendly, but most of all very practical. The "Questions" part is instructive and often brings up important cautionary points or "red flags" that will help experimenters avoid pitfalls (that many of the authors have obviously experienced first hand!) when implementing field and laboratory techniques. The list of required supplies at the end of each chapter in the "Materials and Supplies" should help users save time when preparing an exercise. Overall, the general appearance of the text and figures is high quality, with sections and chapters nicely organized. I found few typographical errors.

I have two main criticisms of the book. First, it lacks a chapter on fish production. It addresses fish community composition, trophic relations, habitat use, and competition; production would make a nice addition. Second, coverage on statistical designs and analyses range from non-existent to comprehensive, depending on the chapter. While statistical analyses are not appropriate for many topics (e.g., taxonomy), it should at least be addressed in some chapters. Pseudo-replication is implicit in the experimental design in some chapters, while other chapters cover thoroughly several experimental and statistical designs, their pros and cons, and clearly make distinctions between techniques containing true replication versus those of pseudoreplication. Those chapters are refreshing. If pseudoreplication is employed, it should at least be brought to the readers' attention. A bit on power analysis with suggested sample sizes should also be included.

Without question, the editors achieved the purpose of the book by providing comprehensive and rigorous methods in stream ecology for both instruction and research purposes. Those needing an exhaustive manual for methods will need to look farther. This book is a long-awaited and welcomed addition to the discipline of stream ecology. It is a must for students, teachers, researchers, and resource managers working in stream ecology or related disciplines. Readers will find it very user-friendly and invaluable!