Revel, Richard D.

ARCTIC

English

Richard D. Revel

Crossref

Truelove Lowland, Devon Island, Canada: A High Arctic Ecosystem, edited by L.C. Bliss

University of Calgary Journal Hosting

376 REVIEWS essentially an annotated dictionary, a successor and companion to his 1974 grammar of the same regional dialects. 305 suffixes are listed in alphabetical order, followed by  an appendix of verb tenses and a second appendix listing and classifying the root forms of the suffixes. The introduction identifies the dialects treated and the characteristics of the language, then explains the choice of orthography - that adopted by the Inuit Cultural lnstitute in 1976. The introduction concludes with a description of the concept of “base entry”, which is the building-block of the dictionary. Harper explains that in Inuttitut the stems of words can end in any of the three basic vowels (a), (i), and (u), or in any of the three consonants - velar (k), uvular (q), and alveolar (t). The form of the suffix may vary according to the ending of the stem that it adjoins, and the form chosen by the author as his prototype of each suffix is called a “base entry”. Each base entry is discussed in six sections indicating the character of the suffix (noun or verb), its posiiion within a word or sentence, its meaning, its alternative forms, examples of usage, and general comments. Kenn Harper calls the objects of his study “derivational suffixes”,  seemingly identical to what Lawrence Smith, in  his  parallel  work on Labrador  Inuttitut, calls “derivational postbases”. This confusion of terms is perhaps a reflection of the nascent nature of linguistics. The organization might have been improved by the identification of those suffixes that “delete” or “assimilate” any consonant that precedes them, but perhaps the process is explained well enough in the example sentences. Compound suffixes are listed by Harper as base entries if their component parts are not readily apparent, and if the conjunction imparts a special meaning, as in “junnangit” which usually means “cannot”, but  may  mean “never” or “refuses  to”. He lists j j  and ut as base entries that combine to form a compound suffix, but this seems to me to be an unnecessary dissection of the suffix jjur (an instrument). The appendix dealing with suffixes of tense is fairly conventional, and doesn’t indulge in refinements such as distinction between tense and  aspect. On  page 90, however, Harper introduces the novelty of a suffix ni that indicates a past event that occurred unknown to the speaker. The summary of base entries provides a useful tabular key to the various forms of each suffix, according to the type of  vowel or consonant that they follow. This book is written as a reference for the serious student of lnuttitut (Kenn Harper prefers to use the term “Eskimo” when the text is in English). The language is a readable compromise between the esoteric and the common, and in general the work complements such contemporaries as Ivan KalmBr’s super-specialist study of case and context, and Alex Spalding’s sequential approach to learning the language. Although Kenn Harper’s book stands on its own merit, it is a tribute to the author’s resilience and memory that he produced this work after losing ten years of research notes in the fire that destroyed his  home in Arctic Bay several years ago. Keith J .  Crowe Deparfmenr of Indian  and  Northern  Affairs Ottawa,  Ontario KIA OH9 TRUELOVE LOWLAND, DEVON IS- LAND, CANADA: A High Arctic Ecosystem. EDITED BY L.C. BLISS. Edmonton: Universit of Alberta Press, 1977. ISBN 0-88864-014-1 714 pp. $20.00. This book includes 37 papers summarizing the findings of a major integrated investigation into the structure and function of high arctic ecosystems. The studies represent part of the Canadian contribution to the International Biological Programme and were conducted out of the Arctic Institute of North America base camp in the Truelove Lowlands, Devon Island, N.W.T. were to: The overall ecosystem project objectives 1) determine population numbers and standing crop of major biological 2) determine rates of energy flow through components; 3) determine the efficiency of the system in the total system; capturing and utilizing energy at different trophic levels; 4) determine the environmental and biolo ‘cal limiting factors for the growth and  gvelopment of important plant and 5 )  develop static  and dynamic models of animal species;  and high arctic ecosystem function and the This project, like all other ecosystem function of its component parts. impossible, attain the unattainable and resolve modelling projects, sets  out  o attempt  he the unresolvable - when judged in absolute terms. When judged in terms of what it did accomplish rather than what it did not, Professor Bliss, his advisors,  and project researchers deserve a round of a plause as  the book represents a major contritution to our knowledge of  high arctic ecosystems. REVIEWS 377 The book is organized along traditional ecosystem component lines, carrying the reader through the abiotic components, primary producers and consumers to the decomposers, and finally to an attempted ecosystem model, or submodel. The major synthesis of all these components into an sections of the book and some of the topics discussed in each section are: Abiotic  components, 6 papers: permafrost, soils, bedrock geology, microclimatology and hydrology. Vegetation history  and plant communities, 2 papers: palynological investigations and Primary producers, 5 papers: detailed studies plant community classification. on selected plant communities or groups of primary producers, their ecology and Primary production processes, 4 papers: gas primary production. exchange, energy budgets, nitrogen fixation and annual vascular plant production. Invertebrate  consumers, 5 papers: energy flows, population dynamics, nematode densities, invertebrate respiration and energy budgets. Vertebrate consumers, 5 papers: arctic birds, lemmings, arctic hare, muskox productivity and carnivores. Decomposition and microbiology, 3 papers: nature  and functioning of community in tundra  ecosystem,  turnover  rates of muskox dung, and growth characteristics of 3 soil Livology,  1 paper: morphometry, thermal bacteria. regimes, metabolism, and limnology of Ecosystem models, 2 papers: mineral nutrient selected lakes. cycllng and the limitation of plant growth, - energy budgets and ecological efficiencies. with the general tone of the previous sections At this point in the book the editor breaks by injecting two sections which have a distinct the small 43 km2 study area where most of the human element and a broader orientation than other studies were conducted.  The first of these sections deals witk Inuit utilization of wildlife and the second deals with induitrial development and terrain disturbance. The author of the disturb ce study paper states in his introduction at “Much of the impetus toward a comp 2 ensive study of a high arctic ecosystem was based on  the concern that industrial development . . . was likely to trigger irreversible environmental damage. . . . Direct examination of some of the effects of human encroachment was thus incorporated as a part of the Devon Island study” @. 647). project summary of the Truelove Lowland The book concludes with an excellent ecosystem. It highlights some of the major integrative findings, relates them to general high arctic ecosystem function and discusses their implications for land use management. topics dealing with a little known area of the The book covers an impressive diversity of globe. It is extremely well referenced and indexed, making it very easy to use. Professor Bliss has obviously put a great deal of effort into editing for both continuity of thought and writing style. Although some of the more vociferous minions of criticism will no doubt find areas to implement their art as they read through this volume, they cannot deny that  the book definitely deserves a slot within easy reach on the bookshelf of any serious  arctic  researcher. Professor Bliss and his colleagues must be congratulated and thanked. Richard D .  Revel University of Calgary Faculty of Environmental Design Calgary,  Alberta l’2N IN4 LICHENS OF THE ALASKAN ARCTIC SLOPE. By John W. Thomson. Toronto: Uni- versity of Toronto Press, 1979. i-ix, 314 pp. Glossary, taxonomic index. Cloth. $35.00. In spite of the fact that there  are more species of lichens in the Arctic than there  are species of algae, fungi, bryophytes or higher plants, and that lichens have considerable ecological signifi- cance, and are more predominant in the Arctic than in any other  area of the world, they have consistently received scant notice by northern scientists. This is true for a number of reasons: they are often small and identification, in many cases, can be carried out only with the aid of a microscope; few biologists have any training in lichenology and most lack the knowledge to be able to identify lichen species;  and, until now, there has been an almost complete lack of easy- to-use, English language, keys to the Arctic spe- cies. Dr. Thomson has for many years been one of the world’s leading lichenologists. He has pub- lished a widely used book on the lichens of the important genus Cladonia and written numerous papers on other lichen topics; taught  such  lichen- ological greats as Mason Hale and William  Cul- berson associated closely with fellow workers; and helped many who have sought identifica- tions or advice. His long-time interest in Arctic lichens had its first major start in 1958 when he devoted the summer to collecting and studying lichens at many places along the North Slope of Alaska. Since that time his research has turned more and more to topics related to the Arctic. Dr. Thomson’s book starts  out with discus- sions of the area  and  its lichen ecology, then comes a key to genera, descriptions of families, genera and species and keys to species. The book ends with a glossary and taxonomic index. Though written in a scientific style, the writer has taken pains to avoid unnecessary complex-, ity and the text is easy to read and understand. It is remarkably free of errors. 

Truelove  Lowland, Devon Island, Canada: A High Arctic Ecosystem, edited by L.C. Bliss

https://journalhosting.ucalgary.ca/index.php/arctic/article/download/65803/49717

Truelove Lowland, Devon Island, Canada: A High Arctic Ecosystem, edited by L.C. Bliss

Abstract

Similar works

Full text

Available Versions

Crossref

University of Calgary Journal Hosting