New Book on Tropical Peatland

Peatlands of the Western Guayana Highlands, Venezuela: Properties and Paleogeographic Significance of Peats, Joseph Alfred Zinck and Otto Huber (Eds.); Ecological Studies 217. Springer-Verlag, Berlin, Heidelberg, August 2011, hardback; ISBN: 978-3-642-20138-7; 295 pp. including 3 appendices; Cost: £90; 143$; 114€

This book presents the results of fieldwork carried out in the western section of the Guayana Highlands of northeastern tropical America in 1992-1996.

The peatlands of the tropical highlands in Venezuela are unique and their morphological, physical and chemical characteristics and their peculiar soils are described in detail, providing insights to an otherwise little known ecosystem.

The Guayana Highlands, rising from lowland rain forests and savannas up to 3000 m elevation, are characterized by ancient tablelands called ‘tepuis’. The peatlands that developed on the tepuis constitute unique and fascinating ecosystems and are the focus of this book, which starts with an overview of tropical and subtropical peats, followed by an introduction to the geo-ecological features of the Guayana region as a whole, with special emphasis on the diversity of the vegetation cover from lowlands to uplands to highlands.

The core subject centres on the properties and dating of the peat deposits and the interpretation of the chronological record in terms of past environmental changes.

This well-illustrated book will appeal to a broad range of scientists interested in tropical highland peats, including quaternarists, soil scientists, geomorphologists, geographers, geologists, ecologists, botanists, hydrologists, conservationists, and land use planners. (Jack Rieley)