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Annals of Botany 88: 1219-1221, 2001 All articles available online at http://www.idealibrary.com on Book Reviews doi:10.1006/anbo.2001.1539 programmed cell death and ACVs in the remobilization of storage proteins in seeds. The role of vacuoles in plant •••I.AR Robinson DG, Roger JC. defence is discussed in a chapter that describes the many VtPARTMHNTS 2000. Vacuolar comparttypes of secondary compounds that are accumulated in the Annual Plant Rrv ments. Annual plant vacuole. reviews. 314 pp. Sheffield: The next four chapters specifically consider vacuolar Sheffield Academic Press membrane transport. The energization of the tonoplast is and London: CRC Press. reviewed in chapter 7 covering the vacuolar-type (V-) £85 (hardback). ATPase and PPase pumps in detail. Although the structural details of these proteins are now quite well understood, This is the third book on the including the subunit composition of the V-ATPase, the vacuole that I have been physiology and the reasons why the membrane has these two invited to review in as many protons pumps have not really advanced in almost a decade. years [The plant vacuole: The authors suggest that future work measuring how the Annals of Botany 83 p. 481 patterns of expression change in response to environmental (1999) and Plant cell vacuoles: influences will identify the physiological functions of these Annals of Botany 86 p. 1056 (2000)]. Why is the vacuole pumps. It is tempting to speculate that vacuolar heteroreceiving so much attention? A comparison of the three geneity within tissues could provide an explanation. books illustrates how quickly this topic is moving. In my last Chapter 8 describes what is known about the spatial and review for Annals of Botany I highlighted the lack of temporal variation in vacuolar contents and how this information on the two types of vacuoles, lytic and storage. information is limited by the relatively small number of Vacuolar compartments overcomes this deficiency as single cell sampling techniques that are available. The vacuolar heterogeneity is a major recurrent feature of this quality and refinement of these techniques has improved latest book. greatly in recent years and is revealing a new level of comThis book is volume 5 in the series and contains 12 multi- plexity at the cellular level. The ion channels and cotranauthored review chapters with almost 300 pages on sporters of the tonoplast are reviewed in the next chapter; in vacuolar function and physiology. The book begins with contrast to the primary proton pumps of the tonoplast the a chapter on the yeast vacuole; although the authors genetic identity of most of these transport systems still describe this as a model system for the plant there are some remains elusive. The authors comment that a protein serious limitations to this view. For example, membrane approach may be the only way to the molecular identity of targeting is different in the two organisms and, as recently these transporters. Vacuolar transport of secondary metabpointed out, 'plant cells are not just green yeast' (Bassham olites and xenobiotics is discussed in Chapter 10 and the and Raikhel, 2000). The next chapter describes vacuolar recent rapid developments in thisfieldmust make this one of processing enzymes and aquaporins, linking the two types the hottest areas of current research on vacuolar transport. of vacuoles, protein storage and lytic, with the types of TIP Members of the large ABC transporter family have a major (tonoplast intrinsic protein) aquaporins present in each role in driving the accumulation of these molecules and most vacuole. of the review describes what is known about this family of A chapter on the contractile vacuole provides an MgATP-energized transporters. interesting insight into the activity of this osmoregulatory Chapter 11 describes the use of green fluorescent protein organelle. The rapid changes in membrane structure that (GFP) as a marker for different types of vacuoles in plant occur may require signalling cascades like those present in cells. Different forms of GFP can be used to separate lytic stomatal guard cells and the use of mutants in Chlamydo- (acid) and storage (neutral) vacuoles in some cells. GFP can monas and Dictyostelium is allowing the identification of also be used to follow the targeting to the tonoplast and genes encoding the steps in this signalling system. The next compartments of the secretory pathway. The future use of two chapters cover the changing roles of the vacuole during GFP in this way looks very promising, although the results plant development. Autophagy and vacuole formation are obtained differ strongly between different plants. The last described in a chapter that ranges from the genesis of protein chapter is written by the book's editors and continues with storage vacuoles through to stress- and senescence-induced the theme of post-Golgi, prevacuolar compartments. autophagy. Yeast and plant cells are compared in this Protein targeting to the vacuole via receptor-mediated chapter and there is more information available on the yeast prelysosomal/prevacuolar compartments is reviewed, system. A chapter on the specialized protease-storing mainly by using detailed morphological analysis. organelles describes ricinosomes and aleurain-containing Is this the definitive vacuole book? It is for now, and most vacuoles (ACVs). Ricinosomes are specifically involved in of the chapters are well written and readable. The price and 0305-7364/01/121219 + 03 S35.00/00 £/ 2001 Annals of Botany Company 1220 Book Reviews subject details make this a library book. The editors have chosen well and the book should be available to all students requiring detailed information on the vacuole. On the downside I found some of the figures too small and in monochrome they look rather dull. The book addresses the familiar vacuolar functions under new headings, with each chapter providing a reasonably up-to-date view of the topic. The book title ' Vacuolar compartments' reflects the changing view of this structure; as our knowledge of the heterogeneity of this structure develops we may need a standardized naming system for the different types of vacuole. combustion under varied conditions—have been largely ignored by ecologists and land managers. This book is the outcome of a workshop meeting of the contributors held at the National Centre for Ecological Analysis and Synthesis at Santa Barbara, USA. It is intended to 'strengthen the roots of fire ecology' in the physical sciences by emphasizing theoretical and experimental approaches. It attempts to bridge the gap between the 'elementary texts' on fire currently used by foresters, ecologists and environmental scientists, and the 'technical literature' on combustion and heat transfer. The text assumes the reader has an elementary knowledge of physics, chemistry, biology and calculus. The authors were instructed 'to keep in LITERATURE CITED mind the primarily non-physical-science background of the intended audience' but also 'to provide enough detail and Bassham DC, Raikhel NV. 2000. Plant cells are not just green yeast. Plant Physiology 122: 999-1001. depth for the reader to grow into the material'. It is a book Leigh RA, Sanders D. 1997. Advances in botanical research. The plant written predominantly by bio-physicists for foresters and vacuole. London: Academic Press. ecologists. I consider myself tofitthe intended readership. Deepesh N De. 2000. Plant cell vacuoles: an introduction. Collingwood: Most of the book is devoted to presenting information on CSIRO Publishing. fire processes. Flames (chapter 2) are one of the principle Tony Miller processes of combustion. The chemistry of burning and )2001 Annals of Botany Company smoke production is covered in chapter 3. Flames produce heat, which helps to spread the fire. Fire spread (chapters 5 and 6) also depends on climatic and fuel characteristics, especially water relations (chapter 4), and these interactive processes help to explain the way in which fire moves. The doi: 10.1006/anbo.2001.1545 coupling of wildfire plumes and the atmosphere above a fire Johnson EA, Miyanishi K, (chapters 7 and 8) link to meteorological influences on fuel eds. 2001. Forest fires: characteristics, fire frequency and scale (chapters 9 and 10). FOREST behaviour and ecological New insights are given into the major natural ignition effects. London: Acasource—lightning—from recent studies pinpointing lightFIRES demic Press. 594 pp. ning events and fires (chapter 11). Smouldering combustion $74.95 (hardback). in forest duff is emphasized in chapter 13. The transfer of heat to trees (chapter 14) and the use of statistical methods The realization that fire is an in reconstructing fire frequencies from the spatial mosaic of essential component of many different-aged patches (chapter 12) are also covered. The ecosystems has generated a final chapter (15) deals with forest fire management, wealth of literature. However, assessing impacts, and moving beyond simple fire exclusion approaches to the study of in the management of wildland fires. forest fire ecology by ecoloEach chapter is broken down into sub-sections, which gists have generally been generally have clear, readable introductions. Most chapters descriptive and have followed include theoretical sections in which processes are defined by the dominant paradigm— more or less complex equations. Although many chapters succession theory or landscape patch dynamics. Reconstrucan appendix explaining the notation used, these contain tion of fire frequencies in the past, and understanding often assume an understanding of physical constants and ecosystem change and spatial patterns have been common and laws. The book can, indeed, be read on different levels, and productive themes. Dendrochronological techniques have provided dating precision. The actual and potential economic in some cases I did obtain a general intuitive grasp of the cost of fires has ensured funding for research aimed at topic and its relevance without necessarily having a compredicting the combinations of conditions likely to lead to fire, plete understanding of the details and equations. In other fire spread and mitigation. However, ecologists have generally cases I was irritated by the assumption that I understood the been content to describe fires in very general terms ('hot' or conventions used, sometimes by complicated and poorly 'cool') and to assume simple relationships, such as a general explained diagrams, and occasionally by a condescending inverse relationship between fire frequency and intensity. attitude on the part of some authors. A belief that underNumerous descriptions of forest fire effects on populations, standing the 'fundamental' equations will help the reader to on community structure, and on ecosystem function have think 'scientifically' about forest fire problems permeates the been mainly unrepeatable qualitative case studies. Exper- text. Nevertheless, I struggled through these sections and imental manipulation of fire and consideration of the nature generally found enough to maintain my interest, although and behaviour of fire—the physical and chemical process of the information on the ecological effects of fire was more