INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF CLIMATOLOGY, VOL. 17, 1495±1496 (1997)

BOOK REVIEW

CLIMATIC CHANGE AND THE MEDITERRANEAN;ENVIRONMENTAL AND SOCIETAL IMPACTS OFCLIMATE CHANGE AND SEA LEVEL RISE IN THEMEDITERRANEAN REGION. Vol. 2. L. Jeftic, S. Keckesand J. C. Parnetta (eds), Arnold, London. No. of pages: 564.Price: £89.50. ISBN 0-340-64565-2.

This is the second in a series of four books aimed atdiscussing the environmental and societal impacts ofclimatic change and sea-level rise in the Mediterraneanregion. The ®rst volume (edited by Jeftic, Malliman andSestini in 1992), contains several review articles on variousaspects of possible climatic changes across the Mediter-ranean and a few case studies. Each case study is reportedby one or two authors, with little possibility for comparisonbetween the various studies. This second volume is a teameffort containing a set of case studies, all with the sameformat enabling a comparison, compiled by over 50authors.

The book starts with a review by the editors on theimplications of future climatic changes for theMediterranean coastal regions in which they describe themethodologies and the various approaches of the differentgenerations of case studies. They also provide a compara-tive table including basic information about the differentregions for which case studies were published in the ®rstand this present volume.

In the second introductory article, Palutikof and Wigelydescribe the procedure of developing the various scenarios.They mention the problems of preparing such scenarios andprovide a comparative table of performances of variousGCMs. However, their maps showing model averages fortemperatures or precipitation are too simpli®ed andgeneralized, and are in contrast with the subsequent verydetailed case studies.

Following the two introductory chapters are ®ve articles,all entitled: `Implication of Expected Climatic Changesfor . . .' and the regions in question are: Rhodes, KastelaBay (Croatia), the Syrian Coast, Malta and Cres-LosinjIslands (Croatia). All articles start with a backgroundreview of the region including its physiography, climate,infrastructure and socio-economic conditions and provide atable with the scenarios for future climatic changes for theyears 2030, 2050 and 2100 suggested by IPCC and theUniversity of East Anglia. Following, there is a chapterevaluating and assessing the various impacts of climaticchange on, for example, climate, geomorphology, soils,water resources, terrestrial and marine ecosystems, popula-tion and economy. This chapter is followed by a synthesisof ®ndings and the most important part of this book, achapter entitled Recommendations for Action.' However,although this chapter is the raison d'eÃtre of the study, it isnot given the same due attention by all teams. Althoughthere are very detailed short- and long-term actions needed

in each ®eld, suggested by the Rhodian and Maltesianteams, the suggestions by the other three teams remain con-ceptual, general and, to some extent, vague. For example,there is a very detailed suggestion made by the Rhodianteam to construct six dams and 46 reservoirs, includingtheir total capacity and location, in order to address thewater problem. On the other hand, the suggestion of theSyrian team, is, for example: ` . . . to create a basis fordisaster avoidance and mitigation and to enhance pre-paredness for future events by implementing integratedcoastal zone management'.

To conclude, the present volume is a valuable additionfor those interested in any climatic or climate related studyin the Mediterranean region, the possible impacts of futureclimatic variations and the actions needed to be taken.However, it seems that this is not a stand-alone book(unless one is interested in a particular case study region),but rather should be regarded as part of a wider series ofstudies that will cover, with time, most of the Mediter-ranean coasts.

HAIM KUTIEL

University of Haifa

BIOCLIMATOLOGIE ET BIOGEÂ OGRAPHIE DES STEPPES ARIDES

DU NORD DE L'AFRIQUE, H. N. le Houerou, OptionsMeÂditerraneÂennes, seÂrie B, n� 10, Institut AgronomiqueMediterraneen de Montpellier (Montpellier) 1995, No. ofpages: 397. Price: FF400. ISBN: 85352-146-X.

The book consists of a text of 153 pages followed by tables(48 pp.), ®gures (36) and list of plants (110 pp.) Among the650 references quoted, nearly 100 involve H. N. leHouerou. He is one of the scientists who have greatlyadvanced our knowledge of the North Africa steppes sinceWorld War II. The book represents the synthesis of all theworks written by the author on semi-arid and arid NorthAfrica steppes from Morocco to Egypt. His scienti®ctraining (doctorate in 1959) and 20 years of ®eld workmake him knowledgeable about the North African environ-ment and constitute the very favourable background to hisbook.

The two main themes of H. N. le Houerou's research asthey are presented here consist of the ecological conditionsand the stock lists of the steppes. He is very insistent on theimportance of ecological conditions in phytosociology andhas established a bioclimatic classi®cation of the steppes. Itis based on two indices, on the one hand is water stress,de®ned here as an aridity level expressed by a ratio betweenprecipitation and evapotranspiration, and on the other hand,a possible temperature stress due to winter cold, expressedby the average January minimum temperature. Using

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# 1997 by the Royal Meteorological Society