Review by Choice Review
Biologist Burger presents a snapshot treatment of the oil spill phenomenon, which was propelled into the national spotlight in 1989 with the Exxon Valdez spill. This topic is treated in 14 chapters that include a brief history of oil; early oil spills to the mid-1980s; modern oil spills from Exxon Valdez to the present; oil spills in an environment context; initial responses to oil spills; cleanup, rehabilitation, and damage assessment; effects on vegetation, invertebrates and fish, birds, mammals and sea turtles, and humans; hazards, risk, and perceptions; and a final chapter on alternatives and the future. Since this topic is treated from the perspective of a scientist, there are tables and figures together with somewhat telling photographs. The author concludes by considering the need for alternative sources of energy and conscious efforts to drastically reduce the release of oil in our environment. An appendix contains species mentioned in the text under broad categories of plants, invertebrates, fish, reptiles, birds, and mammals and a list of selected readings for each chapter. Subject and species indexes. Essential reading for those concerned with environmental issues and energy policy. Upper-division undergraduates through professionals. J. H. Hunter; William Marsh Rice University
Copyright American Library Association, used with permission.
Review by Library Journal Review
Burger (biology, Rutgers Univ.) has researched the biological effects of oil and its components on marine ecosystems in the Arthur Kill (1990) and the Exxon Valdez (1989) oil spills. Her latest work traces the general history of oil spills (although the Gulf War spills are not discussed); the geological formation of oil; the refining of crude petroleum; tankers, supertankers, and the transportation of crude; and the many uses of oil. Subjects such as initial response, damage assessment, bioremediation, and the biological effects of oil on vegetation, invertebrates, and mammals are covered as well. This comprehensive book contains a generous number of statistical charts and graphs illustrating such topics as oil consumption, production, and wildlife mortality from oil contamination. A very useful appendix, "Species Mentioned in the Text," lists plants, invertebrates, fish, reptiles, birds, and mammals by scientific and common name. This title could be termed a handbook because of its breadth of coverage. For general science and environmental science collections.Susan Maret, Univ. of Colorado Lib., Denver (c) Copyright 2010. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
(c) Copyright Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Review by Choice Review
Review by Library Journal Review
