Annals of Botany 89: 355, 2002
© 2002 Annals of Botany Company
Fenner, M. Seeds: the ecology of regeneration in plant communities. 2nd edn.
Seeds: the ecology of regeneration in plant communities. 2nd edn.
Michael Fenner. 2000.
Wallingford, UK: CABI Publishing.
410 pp.
£95 (hardback).
The many advances in seed science in the last decade are reflected in the timely second edition of this book, which was originally published in 1992. It has been updated considerably and this is particularly evident when glancing through the cited literature and the large number of post-1992 publications referenced in the various chapters.
There are 16 chapters in all, progressing logically from reproductive allocation during seed development through to the role of seeds and seedlings in the dynamics of plant communities. No one chapter dominates the book and a good balance is achieved between the coverage of detailed laboratory studies that unravel the complexities of interactions in controlled conditions, and traditional field and large-scale habitat studies. For example, you will find everything from the classical studies of Beal in 1879 (Chapter 8) through to areas that have been developed almost entirely since the first edition, such as sophisticated modelling simulations of seed dormancy and germination (Chapter 11). Some of the chapters are inevitably more static than others because they represent well-established ideas, but even within these sections there is an ample crop of more recent work to support and challenge conventional theories.
The four entirely new chapters are a significant update representing changes in research emphasis in recent years to expand and fill previous gaps in our knowledge. This new edition is therefore a genuine revision to keep the publication fresh and on course rather than a simple rewording of old ideas, as is often the case in ‘updated’ editions. The new chapters cover seed size (Chapter 2), regeneration from seeds after fire (Chapter 13), seedling establishment (Chapter 14) and the role of gaps in seedling colonization (Chapter 16). In a climate of heightened interest in our environment, particularly with respect to biodiversity and sustainability of plant communities, the final chapter is a welcome and appropriate addition.
The book is certainly thought-provoking as many of the authors conclude their chapters by raising pertinent questions and outlining challenges for further study. Many authors agree that there is a need for a better understanding of the basic mechanisms and materials involved in all aspects of seed science.
By way of illustration, Chapter 12 on the effect of the chemical environment on seed germination highlights the fact that our understanding of allelopathy and physiological and biochemical mechanisms is still very much in its infancy. It also raises the question of whether a greater understanding of these mechanisms could lead to better manipulation of germination and emergence in, for example, the management of weed seedbanks. In the chapter on maternal effects (Chapter 3), the authors set out in bullet points areas worthy of future study, again emphasizing the need to understand the materials and physiological processes involved. Perhaps these questions will be addressed in a future edition where we may see more of the trend towards new molecular technologies, absent from this current publication, being represented in the cited literature.
Persistence, dispersal and seed size are reoccurring themes throughout the book, with more than one chapter often restating what has been said elsewhere. When reading the book from cover to cover this becomes a little repetitive. However, I recognize that most readers will dip in and out of chapters that interest them, so it is unlikely that this repetition would be a problem. I also appreciate that it would be an impossible task for the editor to neatly dissect and section these themes due to the natural overlap in the subject matter.
The book represents a good collation of background reading on all aspects of seed ecology. Its general readability means that it is just as likely to be of interest to the broad-spectrum ecologist as it will be to the specialized seed scientist. Fenner states that the book represents ‘an overview of current thinking in plant reproductive ecology as it relates to seeds’. I believe that this is largely achieved, and from reading the original reviews of the first edition of the book I’m sure it will not fail to continue to serve as a good solid introduction to seed ecology.
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