Review: One of the problems of getting key ecological ideas across to students is that in the rush to "engage" the learner some of the more fundamental parts can be left behind. In simple terms, key material can often be seen as boring! One way of addressing this problem is to use an array of visual material. The internet is an obvious source but this doesn't come with labels stating which parts are crucial and which not. Here we have a text which squarely addresses the problem.

Plant anatomy is vital if one is to have a deep understanding of plant ecology. It is not often tackled in the detail needed outside specialist university courses and this is a pity because there is much to learn at the school level. Strictures in laboratory work don't help but there are ways around it. The aim here is to produce an introductory text which focusses on both key detail and visual effect. The book follows a simple but effective path through the topic. We start with basic look at plant structure. This is followed by the arrangement of growth areas or meristems. Chapter three focusses on the transport of materials through the plant and the impact this has on plant structure. Crucial but often ignored, the root is described in chapter four. In contrast, a far more common study (taking the reviewer back to school biology!), the leaf, is the subject of chapter five. This leaves the reproductive elements for chapter seven. From this point the book takes a different turn, looking at the more applied elements of the subject. Chapter 8 shows how the cell arrangements seen in previous chapters can alter according to needs and circumstance i.e. adaptation. Chapter 9 is a too-brief look at the role of plant anatomy in areas as diverse as food contaminants and archaeology. Finally, chapter 10 looks at some practical work, preparing material for study. As such this chapter becomes the first because it is followed by the two appendices outlining useful specimens to use and describing the laboratory work that can be done. A large glossary completes the work.

Much of the work presented is standard for such courses and levels. What makes the text stand out is the accompanying CD. A simple menu structure allows the viewer to look at a range of slides, ideas, notes and presentations. It's the quality and range of these that makes the text. As an anecdotal example, a simple viewing of the CD with an experienced forester, led to about an hour's exploration of the truly excellent images - hardly the response one might expect from someone who knew the work but indicative of the quality and presentation of the images. Taken as an overall package this book and CD should be seen as a major resource by teachers in this field and a definite reference item in their teaching.