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Contents:

1 - Reporting on the state of the nation's ecosystems; 2 - The reporting framework; 3 - The state of the nation's ecosystems: what we know and what we don't know; 4 - Core national indicators; 5 - Coasts and oceans; 6 - Farmlands; 7 - Forests; 8 - Fresh waters; 9 - Grasslands and shrublands; 10 - Urban and suburban land.

Review:

In the past 10 years we have seen an increasing amount of work aimed at producing reliable base-level data at a regional and global ecosystem level. The breadth of study under this topic heading is impressive ranging from ecosystem services to ecosystem health and change. Whatever the topic, the end result seems to be aimed at the same concept: the quantification of the ecosystem and its application to human-induced stresses. This book is the latest example in this field but it provides more than a report. Its aim is to produce not just the data but the theoretical methodology behind it: the reader is given a total package to aid understanding of The USAs ecosystem quality.

The text is divided into three. The first part contains an overview of the subject. Chapter one is a very brief overview of the project: how it started and was subsequently developed. Chapter two outlines the parameters of the study. It sets out the target audience, defines the ecosystems and discusses the parameters used to measure the state/quality of these areas. Key characteristics are dimensions (size, fragmentation), physico-chemical conditions (nutrients and abiotic environment and contamination), biological aspects(flora, fauna, productivity and communities) and human impact. From this point, the text diverges from the more usual report. It was noted above that a key feature of the report was the construction of a methodology. Chapter three makes that explicit by describing the methods and also highlighting strengths and weaknesses of the data. It devises four categories for data from complete to non-existent/needing development. We first see this in action is a chart summarising the various parameters set against the key ecosystems. These results are amplified in chapter four which analyses in detail each of the cells of that table. Here we see where the US environment is strongest or weakest and also where data that would help are missing. It's this last element that sets the report apart. Most books describing results play down missing data but here we find the authors place a graph or data in the text with the equivalent of the 'under construction' sign. It's rare to find such plain speaking: it adds to the rationale of the work. The remaining chapters make up part two (part three is appendices and technical notes on data). Take the first chapter on coasts and oceans. We are presented first with a summary table. The study parameters are expanded to take into account key ecosystem elements and services (as determined by the group of experts called upon to produce the data here). We also get to see what key questions are being asked and what the quality of the data is like. Then each of the parameters is taken in turn. Data are displayed in appropriate formats (usually graph and data table). We are told why the indicator is important and what the data can tell us. For those aspects for which no data is available, we are given a blank chart and a discussion as to the causes of this lack of information. This format of summary, overview and analysis continues for the remainder of the ecosystems.

Overall, this is an excellent report. It is one of the only ones to highlight data problems in such an explicit way. Parameters are kept constant to allow for some meaningful comparisons to be drawn. The spread of ecosystem types seems fair given that studies on eco-regions from the States can make lists of over 650! There is enough variation whilst still allowing generalisations to be explored. Although the text has an obvious US focus this should not restrict readers. Because of the detail in the report it would be relatively easy to reproduce results elsewhere. It also gives enough data to support a range of arguments. This means that the text is an excellent educational tool as well as an interesting exploration of ecosystem services. The Heinz Centre even has a free on-line version for those wishing to study the report and its data further.