Energetics and Transport in Aquatic Plants

This large book contains a wealth of information on the metabolism of aquatic plants and its related physiology. The benefits and problems of the aquatic habitat are comprehensively outlined in ten chapters which more than adequately cover the complete topic. The first three chapters lay an ecophysiological and biochemical foundation for the rest of the book. Chapters 4 and 5 consider many aspects of photosynthesis from energetics to carbon metabolism. This broad survey rightly considers photorespiration in higher plants as well as Cd and crassulacean acid metabolism in relation to similar pathways in aquatic species. Indeed throughout the book the scope is broad and extends far beyond aquatic plants. Chapter 6 covers dark respiration (including the problems of anoxia and the suppression of ‘dark’ respiration in the light). Chapters 7 and 8 deal with transport across the plasmalemma and the role of the vacuole. The penultimate chapter discusses inter-cellular and long distance transport processes. The last chapter is an extensive summing-up. The text is complex yet direct and clearly derives from a series of lectures. In addition to providing the information in considerable detail, there is much constructive critical discussion. The style is convoluted rather than simplistic (a pause for breath here and there would be most welcome, January 1986