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Geodiversity - Valuing and Conserving Abiotic Nature by Murray Gray, Wiley, 2004, xiii + 434 pp., cloth US$207.99 (ISBN 0-470-84895)
The term 'geodiversity' is unfamiliar to many, perhaps, but its obvious similarity to the ubiquitous 'biodiversity' allows instant comprehension of its meaning, and the objectives of those using it. In this comprehensive book, Murray Gray sets himself an ambitious task of convincing the reader that geodiversity has as important a role in conservation as biodiversity. He states his aims as raising awareness of geodiversity, identifying threats to geodiversity and examining methods of conservation. He goes further in trying to convince the reader of the need for a 'more holistic approach to nature conservation and land management', and proposes his vision for the future.
Gray starts out by trying to describe the geodiversity of the planet; this in essence becomes the 'Reader's Digest' version of an introductory textbook in earth sciences. Gray does an admirable job of compressing earth history, plate tectonics, earth materials, fossils, processes and landforms and soils into 50 pages. However, for part of his intended audience (earth scientists) this is an unnecessary review of their undergraduate curriculum, and for the rest ('biologists, nature conservationists, landscape architects, planners and politicians') the...