The Holocene 2014, Vol. 24(2) 257 © The Author(s) 2013 Reprints and permissions: sagepub.co.uk/journalsPermissions.nav DOI: 10.1177/0959683613512758 hol.sagepub.com David WH Walton (ed.) Antarctica: Global Science from a Frozen Continent. New York and Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 2013, 342 pp. US$55.00/£35.00, hardback. ISBN 9781107003927 Reviewed by: Ross Powell, Northern Illinois University, USA Numerous aspects about Antarctica make it a unique continent, and conducting scientific research and obtaining results of hard- earned scientific data are no exceptions. In this special book Ant- arctica: Global Science from a Frozen Continent, David Walton, a long-term veteran of Antarctic science (as well as its administra- tion, management and politics), has brought together a variety of international experts to present a ‘state-of-the-art’ synthesis of Antarctic research. Although it can be a worry that such compila- tions are out of date by publication time, Walton has done a good job ensuring that the material presented is as current as one could expect. All syntheses cannot hope to include a complete range of science being conducted, but in this case, the experts appear to have effectively distilled much of the essence on the current status and near-term future foci of their respective disciplines. The result is that a person with no knowledge of Antarctic science can be educated about the cutting-edge scientific questions, the logistical and operational structure that is required to achieve such science and the geopolitical back-drop by which all such endeavours are being achieved. Authors also attempt to provide a perspective on how significant each of the subject areas is in a global context. The subject matter is pitched at a non-expert scientist, or sci- entifically literate layperson, and authors do a good job at mak- ing their subjects easy to comprehend for such a person. There are, however, instances where common scientific expressions used in a particular discipline appear. The book is well illustrated with colour figures that are helpful for complementing explana- tions and discussions in the text. However, some simple figures seem surprisingly missing when trying to convey complex con- cepts. In some chapters, there appears to be a little mismatch or poor linkage between similar or multidisciplinary topics. Other chapters have minor overlaps in topics or information presented, which can be considered a positive aspect of the book. The over- laps reflect the increasingly interdisciplinary nature of modern science. Some new technologies applied to recover samples and data, and also operationally achieve the science, are not dis- cussed. However, concerns mentioned in this paragraph are minor within the overall context of the book’s successful presen- tation and style. In Chapter 1, the editor David Walton of Britain provides a brief history of discovery and the ‘heroic age’ of exploration in Antarctica that demonstrates the huge leaps forward made both in logistics and operations, as well as in science in just over 100 years. Next in Chapter 2, Brian Storey of New Zealand sets the stage for the rest of the science by painting a picture of the geo- logical history of the continent and explaining how, by under- standing the past history of Antarctica’s ice sheets, we may better plan for future global changes. The third chapter, by Valerie Masson-Delmotte of France, is dedicated to the science of Ant- arctica’s ice. Over the century since science started to be con- ducted on the continent, its ice has been attracting the scientists’ attention because of its global relevance in three aspects. The first one is that ice has provided some of our iconic records of Earth’s more recent climatic history. Second is that the ice sheet and sea ice dynamics are of increasing concern relative to global warming and potential rates of rising sea level. The third con- cerns the most recent topic of the microbial organism communi- ties living within and under the ice. In Chapter 4, John Cassano from the United States explains the significance of Antarctica’s weather and climate to the rest of the world, as a governor of heat. He also explains well why Ant- arctica’s weather is unique and what may happen with climate in future warming scenarios. In essence, Antarctic ice is only second in importance after the ocean conveyors of global heat. In Chapter 5, Eberhard Fahrbach of Germany explains the importance and uniqueness of the Southern Ocean plus its sea ice in regulating both global ocean and climate systems and how they work. In Chapter 6, three biologists with different specialties explain life and biology of the coldest place on Earth. Peter Convey of Britain covers terrestrial ecology, Angelika Brandt of Germany discusses ecosystem evolution and biodiversity and Steve Nicol from Aus- tralia describes marine ecosystems and conservation. They com- bine to convey how life may have evolved to deal with the unique challenges of the Antarctic environment and also discuss what the effects of past, current and future human impacts of all kinds have had on these fragile systems. In Chapter 7, Louis Lanzerotti and Allan Weatherwax, both from the United States, describe how Antarctica is used as a platform to focus on space science and Earth’s space environment. Due to its location with respect to Earth’s magnetic field and the quality of its atmosphere, Antarc- tica is a prime location for such research. Topics in this chapter range from the solar wind and Earth’s magnetic field, space weather, and neutron and cosmic ray studies. The following three chapters deal with the unique factors that both enable and influence how science is conducted in Antarctica today. Chapter 8, by Lou Sanson of New Zealand, is an articulate explanation of the practicalities in Antarctic logistics and opera- tions, and survival in the frigid landscape. In Chapter 9, Colin Summerhayes of Britain describes how and why Antarctica has been a leading example of international collaboration and that style is currently the mainstay and common modus operandi of Antarctic science. In Chapter 10, Olav Orheim of Norway out- lines why Antarctica has been leading the world through example of a workable international treaty: the Antarctic Treaty. He describes how important that treaty has been in international envi- ronmental stewardship of this ‘world park’ and scientific labora- tory. The broad spectrum of science is brought together in a final wrap-up in Chapter 11 where Alan Rodger of Britain synthesises different lines of Antarctic science and places them in a global perspective through environmental change. In closing, I recommend this book as a quick read and highly educated guide to current Antarctic science, how it is conducted and its relative significance in a global context. 512758HOL 0 0 10.1177/095968361351 2758The HoloceneHolocene book review 2013 Holocene book review Holocene book review at UNIVERSITE DE MONTREAL on June 27, 2015 hol.sagepub.com Downloaded from