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A very useful reference book, especially for students and teachersTreatise on Geochemistry Volume 8. BiogeochemistryWilliam H. Schlesinger (Volume Ed.)Published by: Elsevier PergamonISBN: 0-08-043751-6 (Set)YEAR : 2004EDITION : 1stPRICE : 3,860.00 €In their forward, the executiveeditors of the Treatise on Geochemistry,H.D. Holland and K.K. Turekian recallthat the first issue of the journal devotedto this scientific activity, Geochemicaand Cosmochimica Acta, appeared onlyin June 1950. Since then, the expansionof geochemistry has been truly dramaticand the publication of a reasonably comprehensiveand integrated summary ofour recent knowledge in this field wastimely. They therefore subdivided geochemistryinto nine parts, and each onewas assigned a volume and an editor:Volume 1. Meteorites, Comets, andPlanets _ Andrew M. DavisVolume 2. The Mantle and Core _Richard W. CarlsonVolume 3. The Crust _ Roberta L.RudnickVolume 4. The Atmosphere _ RalphF. KeelingVolume 5. Surface and GroundWater, Weathering, and Soils _ JamesI. DreverVolume 6. The Oceans and MarineGeochemistry _ Henry ElderfieldVolume 7. Sediments, Diagenesis,and Sedimentary Rocks _ Fred T. MackenzieVolume 8. Biogeochemistry _ WilliamH. SchlesingerVolume 9. Environmental Geochemistry_ Barbara Sherwood LollarVolume 10. IndexesVolume 10 contains a detailed indexand tables. The content of each volumecan be found on the web: http://www.treatiseongeochemistry.comThe production of this Treatise representsa tremendous task and a criticalresponsibility because it is supposed togive to the users a synthetic and upto-datestate of the art in the field. Thevolume 8 is of special interest for thereader of this newsletter. Under the titleof Biogeochemistry, the volume editorWilliam H. Schlesinger has collected 14chapters devoted to the origin and theimpact of life on the geochemistry of theEarth’s surface.Volume 8 begins with an attractivecontribution of E.G. Nisbet and M.R.Fowler on “The Early History of Life”.It describes the primitive environmenton earth and looks at the physical andchemical constraints favorable to theearly setting and development of life onearth. The next chapter by K.H. Nelsonand R. Rye develops the “Evolution ofMetabolism” and is complementary tothe first one. After a survey of the metabolicmechanisms and the inorganiccomponents involved, it shows how theevolution of metabolism can be traced,especially by using the isotopic fractionation.The third chapter by J.J. Brocks andR.E. Summons on “Sedimentary Hydrocarbons,Biomarkers for Early Life”,gives a nice example of how the use offossil biomarkers can help to reconstructancient biospheres for the domains oflife (Bacteria, Archeae and Eukarya).It is followed by a relatively long chapterdealing with Biomineralization byH.C.W. Skinner and A.H.Jahren. Aftera brief description of the most commonbiominerals, including carbonates, silica,phosphates, sulfur and iron oxides,the authors describe the mineralizationprocess in a large variety of organisms,from bacteria to man. There is howeverlittle information on the biomineralizationmechanism and on the biochemicalrole of the production of hard tissues.The next two chapters are devoted tothe “Biogeochemistry of Primary Production”respectively in the sea by P.G.Falkowski and in terrestrial ecosystemsby F.S.Chapin III and V.T. Eviner. Thenumber of pages devoted to this fundamentalprocess, which sustains all lifeand is responsible for the occurrenceof oxic conditions at the earth surface,is surprisingly limited. The chapter onthe photosynthetic activity in the marinesystem in particular is rather condensed.A large part is devoted to theuse of remote sensing to evaluate primaryproduction and the fate of the detritalorganic matter. The influence ofnutrients on primary production is onlysuperficially discussed. The last part isdevoted to iron limitation. The chapteron the “Biogeochemistry of TerrestrialProduction” is much more attractive. Itcovers a description of the mechanismby which plants minimize the constraintsof primary production by balancing thelimitations of water CO2 , light and moreespecially nutrients. The authors showhow plants, as individuals or communities,can maintain production by makingadjustments through shift in their physiologicaltraits.A larger part of volume 8 of the Treatiseis devoted to the decomposition oforganic matter. Chapter 7 entitled “Biogeochemistryof Decomposition and DetritalProcessing” by J. Sanderman andR. Amundson discuss successively theconcurrent or sequential process leadingto the decomposition of terrestrialorganic matter: comminution or fragmentation,leaching of water solublecompounds and microbial metabolism.A large section is devoted to the factorcontrolling these processes in litter andsoil. The next chapter treats more preciselythe degradation of organic matterin the absence of oxygen: “AnaerobicMetabolism: Linkage to Trace Gasesand Aerobic Processes” by J.P. Megonigal,M.E. Minas and P.T. Visscher. TheTHE EGGS 22
chapter starts with a brief discussion ofCO2 assimilation by autotrophs, decompositionof polymers and fermentation.Methanogenesis and methane oxidationreceives more attention. It is followed bya review of the various inorganic electronacceptors in the order of decreasingenergy yield: nitrogen, manganese, ironand sulfur.The next two chapters are devotedto the history of the carbon cycle on aglobal scale. The “Geological History ofthe Carbon Cycle” is treated by E.T. Sundquistand K. Visser. This chapter (8.9)describes and quantifies the natural processesand fluxes affecting the carboncycle at the earth surface, which may beobserved in the geological record. Emphasisis put on the Quaternary periodfor which the geological record is farbetter than that available for earlier geologicperiods. It demonstrates the closeinteractions between the atmosphere,the biosphere and the hydrosphere duringglacial and interglacial variation.The chapter ends with a short discussionof the more substantial crustalexchange processes that have beenidentified as causes for gradual geologiccarbon-cycle changes during the phanerozoic.The “Contemporary Carbon Cycle”by R.A. Houghton constitutes the chapter8.10. It is a classical report of the majorreservoirs of carbon on the earth surfaceand of the fluxes, natural or anthropogenic,observed presently. Changesin the stocks and fluxes of carbon asa result of human activities as well themechanisms thought to be responsiblefor the current sinks of carbon are treatedmore specifically. The next chapter(8.11) about “The Global Oxygen Cycle”by S.T.Petsch is complementary to theprevious one, covering the distributionof O2 in the atmosphere from the Archeanto the Phenerozoic. Also closelylinked to the carbon cycle, the two nextchapters (8.12 and 8.13) are devotedrespectively to the “Global Nitrogen Cycle”by J.N. Galloway and “The GlobalPhosphorus Cycle” by K.C. Ruttenberg.Both chapters discuss not only detailedbiogeochemical cycles of these essentialnutrients but also emphasize variousanthropogenic perturbation of theirnatural cycle. The chapter on Nitrogengives very detailed budgets and fluxesof the numerous N species within andbetween the atmospheric, terrestrial andmarine system. It is unfortunately condensedwithin 26 pages which is shortfor such an important subject. By comparison,the next 58 pages are devotedto the phosphorus cycle, with less detaileddata on the fluxes but with ratherdetailed descriptions of the mechanismsresponsible for the P cycling mainly inthe aquatic systems. Finally, the lastchapter written by P. Brimblecombe describes“The global Sulfur Cycle”. Theauthor has realized a nice equilibriumbetween the numerous biotic and abioticprocesses governing the cycle ofthis element present in a large varietyof gaseous, liquid and solid compounds.He also shows the large perturbations ofthe natural cycle related to human activities.Most of the chapters in this volumeare easy and agreeable to read. Theyavoid long historical description of theevolution of the subject and are generallywell focused on the latest developmentsof our knowledge. This is wellreflected in the references cited whichare mainly covering the last ten years(except for chapters 3 and 4). The presentationis usually pleasant but sometables and figures require a magnifyinglens to be readable. The Treatiseon Geochemistry is without any doubta very useful reference book for a largescientific community and especially forstudents and teachers.Only the whole set of 10 volumesis available at a price of 4.825 EURin Europe and Japan and 4.595 US$world-wide except Europe and Japan.At the current value of the EURO (1.24US$) this represents an equivalent priceequal to 5.983 US$ in Europe and Japan,thus 30% more expensive than inthe US. This difference is unacceptable,especially for such heavy investment.Prof. R. WollastLaboratoire d’OceanographieChimique et Geochimie des EauxUniversite Libre de Bruxelles,Belgiumrwollast@ulb.ac.beAnother appealling volumeTreatise on Geochemistry Volume 9.Environmental GeochemistryBarbara Sherwood Lollar (Volume Ed.)Published by: Elsevier PergamonISBN: 0-08-043751-6 (Set)YEAR : 2004EDITION : 1st#PAGES : 630PRICE : 3,860.00 €Environmental Geochemistryis the last volume of the set. Thetitle of the volume is not very appealingto my taste, since I would rather preferPollution Geochemistry instead, whichmore accurately reflects the contents ofthe volume. Surely, “Environmental” wasnot coined by the authors or the VolumeEditor, but nevertheless I belong to thesepeople who are somewhat annoyed bythe overuse of “environmental” nowadays.Moving beyond the title, the volumepresents an interesting and quite broadcollection of chapters that were selected,THE EGGS 23
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