From Library Journal
Burger (biology, Rutgers Univ.) has researched the biological effects of oil and its components on marine ecosystems in the Arthur Kill (1990) and the Exxon Valdez (1989) oil spills. Her latest work traces the general history of oil spills (although the Gulf War spills are not discussed); the geological formation of oil; the refining of crude petroleum; tankers, supertankers, and the transportation of crude; and the many uses of oil. Subjects such as initial response, damage assessment, bioremediation, and the biological effects of oil on vegetation, invertebrates, and mammals are covered as well. This comprehensive book contains a generous number of statistical charts and graphs illustrating such topics as oil consumption, production, and wildlife mortality from oil contamination. A very useful appendix, "Species Mentioned in the Text," lists plants, invertebrates, fish, reptiles, birds, and mammals by scientific and common name. This title could be termed a handbook because of its breadth of coverage. For general science and environmental science collections.?Susan Maret, Univ. of Colorado Lib., Denver
Copyright 1997 Reed Business Information, Inc.
Copyright 1997 Reed Business Information, Inc.
From the Inside Flap
Oil Spills is the first book to survey the history of oil spills, the problems they create, the types of clean-ups and their efficacy, the legal, social, economic, and ecological consequences of oil spills, their long-term impacts on the wildlife and people who survive them, and the alternatives to oil and its transport. Biologist Joanna Burger writes clearly and accessibly both about the catastrophic oil spills that capture the headlines and the small chronic pipeline leaks that we rarely hear about. Oil Spills is essential reading for everyone concerned with environmental issues and energy policy.
