Book Review - Following the Bend: How to Read a River and Understand Its Nature - Princeton University Press

 

     I have been a fluviophile for as long as I can remember, going back to the earliest recollections of childhood when walking along the banks of a local stream was a favoured activity, and to fish for minnows in the shallows was the very essence of joy. Along the way I observed birds, newts, snakes, mammals that came to the water to drink or lived alongside it, and learned more than a little about riparian vegetation. I distinctly recall going to the library at a very young age to borrow books, and always being instructed to wash my hands first! Good advice to this day.

     Obviously, at that stage my involvement was primarily experiential, but the die was cast for a lifetime of fascination with rivers, and I learned what makes a river a river, and came to understand some of the forces involved in the dynamics of a river, estuary, watershed, or floodplain. For some reason sedimentation has been a particular focus, although I am not sure why.

     I have been horrified more than once at the degradation I have witnessed as magnificent rivers are turned into sewers and repositories of all manner of human junk, especially the pernicious, never-ending stream of plastic waste. 

      This book, therefore, is a veritable source of wonder for me. Ellen Wohl is a distinguished scientist who has received many awards throughout her illustrious career, yet in this book she presents herself as a story teller, delivering a pleasing combination of history, geography, geology, hydrology and personal recollection. She does not shy away, even for a moment, from delivering scientific facts, yet it is done in a manner that enables the reader to follow along without feeling overwhelmed. She eschews the use of arcane terminology unless it is critical to the text, but makes sure always to accompany it with an explanation when she does.

     We learn a great deal about how the flow of rivers influences landscape and climate, wildlife and vegetation, and how deleterious human meddling and interference has often been - and continues to be. 

     It is trite to state that water is the essence of all life, yet we continue to value it less than destructive anthropogenic activity, or the quest for profit at all costs. To change our ways seems to be an impossible goal.

     In the final chapter entitled The Future, Wohl examines the forces at play in the 21st Century - too much water in one place, drought in another, rivers drained of their water in so profligate a manner that they are dry riverbeds when they reach the ocean. In some jurisdictions rivers are now accorded legal personhood and perhaps therein lies a glimmer of hope for the future. After all, if a corporation - even one that systematically inflicts environmental Armageddon upon us all - can be granted legal protection in the courts, surely we can see the logic in extending the privilege to a river. 

      Indigenous wisdom would tell us it's the right thing to do. It is past time to listen. 

Following the Bend: How to Read a River and Understand Its Nature - Princeton University Press

Ellen Wohl

Hardcover - US$29.95 - ISBN: 9780691272474

304 pages - 5.5 x 8.125 inches (13.75 x 21.25 cm)

38 black-and-white illustrations

Publication date: 09 September, 2025

A Pleasant July Meander

20 July, 2020

Bridgeport Community Trail/Schaeffer Park

     The Grand River (it really is grand) meandered along and we meandered with it.

     Having parked at the community centre, we mounted the steps to the embankment alongside the river.

     A small patch of Field Bindweed (Convolvulus arvensis) had made a home half way up.

     Across the river a Great Blue Heron (Ardea herodias) was searching for snacks among the Pond Lilies (family Nymphaeceae). Frogs beware!

     Common Soapwort (Saponaria officinalis) was blooming prolifically.

     I am sure that berry-eating birds have  noticed the fine crop on this Honeysuckle (genus Lonicera).

     A juvenile American Robin (Turdus migratorius) was making his way in life.

     Dame's Rocket (Hesperis matronalis) is exceptionally beautiful.

     We saw our first Pale Phalaenostola Moth (Phalaenostola metonalis) of the year - and it cooperatively posed for a picture!

     This was followed by a Black-dotted Glyph (Maliattha synochitis).

     I should have checked the calendar to see whether it was Moth Day, for here is a species in the tribe Olethreutini.

     It was a hot, humid day and we were glad of a little shade.

     Myrmosid wasps are a strictly Northern Hemisphere family, exhibiting extreme sexual dimorphism. This is a winged male (genus Myrmosa).

     They are external kleptoparasitoids of the larvae or pupa of ground-nesting bees and wasps.

     Here is a Mining Bee (genus Andrena) laden with pollen.

     Villa is a large, difficult genus, including many parasitoids of moth larvae. The species below is probably Villa lateralis.

     Small White (Pieris rapae) was plentiful, familiar and easy to identify!

     Condylostylus is a common genus of Long-legged Fly, often seen feeding on small arthropods.

     Wild Basil (Clinopodium vulgare) was exuberantly blooming.

      Blue Mud-dauber Wasp (Chalybion californicum) is easily recognizable and interesting from many perspectives.

     It scouts spider webs while in flight. It then lands on the web and plucks the snare with the finesse of a pizzicato violinist, duping the spider into thinking an insect as been caught, only to find itself on the mud-dauber's menu.

     Normally solitary, C. californicum congregates at night with others by the dozen, sometimes in the hundreds, under bridges, eaves, rock ledges or other sheltered places, to sleep.

     Powdered Dancer (Argia moesta) was indeed dancing that day. Here is a resting female.

     One-banded Mason Wasp (Ancistrocerus unifasciatus) is a striking insect.

     Their habit of nesting in a range of cavities from holes in walls to openings in metal structures has resulted in cosmopolitan distribution for this species.

     Here a pair of Japanese Beetles (Popillia japonica) are working diligently to produce the next generation, no doubt quite unaware that the prior generation was already unwelcome.

Riverbank Grape (Vitis riparia)

Staghorn Sumach (Rhus typhina)

     Himalayan Balsam (Impatiens glandulifera) is wonderfully attractive yet detrimental to native vegetation.

     It produces a large volume of nectar, ensuring that it is preferentially visited by pollinators, to the detriment of other plants.

     Manicured gardens have their place, but explosions of wildflowers have a beauty all their own.

     It was no surprise that Miriam was attracted to their wild, unrestrained burst of colour and scent.

     A Short-horned Grasshopper (family Acrididae) found the meadow equally appealing, with never a hint of chemical poison to spoil its dinner.

     A male Powdered Dancer was brilliant in the July sunshine.

     A small contingent of Canada Geese (Branta canadensis) enjoyed cool water, and were a model of Canadian iconicity.

Red Osier Dogwood (Cornus sericea)

Wild Teasel (Dipsacus fullonum)

     The bridge over the Grand River is impressive.

      Our path took us under it.

     It was time to go home!

Book Review - Horses: A 4,000-Year Genetic Journey Across the World - Princeton University Press

      I have just finished reading a quite remarkable book. It deals with science, yet it has elements of a mystery novel, an adventure story, and takes us on a journey of historical exploration. Human avarice and skullduggery are present, too, but that is only as one might expect.

     Along the way, we are witness to the evolution of a dispassionate scientist to a horse lover, a dedicated researcher who scours the world for truth, yet is unabashedly enamoured of the subject of his studies.

     Orlando is able to convey complex aspects of genetic science so that we are able to follow the straight paths, and the sidetracks and meandering lanes of his research, without difficulty, page after page. He coordinates his efforts with world-class experts in related disciplines and we benefit from the combined knowledge of historians, geneticists, linguists, paleontologists and archeologists. The very best of specialized collaboration is on display.

     The domestication of horses is now confirmed to have occurred 4,200 years ago, and all horses extant today have their origins in those domesticated animals. Included are such iconic species as Przewalski's Horse, long considered an "original" species.

     For centuries horses were employed by humans as workhorses, and as a means to cover ground faster, enabling migration, communication between peoples, and warfare. Today, horses are mostly "pets" or sporting animals subject to all the influences that humans bring to bear on them; sadly, not always benign. In the case of racehorses, the size of the purse all too often dictates the measure of conscience. Ethical treatment is readily sacrificed on the altar of monetary gain.

     Transgenic doping has become pervasive and difficult to track. The life of the horse is routinely shortened by such heinous practices, but financial advantage can be substantial. Even consanguine unions are not shunned by breeders. Profit seems to trump everything.

     We have now entered the murky world of cloning in order to replicate champion steeds. Where that will ultimately take us is an open question - but there is no turning back.

     The book is superbly written, and masterfully translated by Teresa Lavender Fagan. It is thought-provoking and informative and perhaps in some ways it is a window into how enhanced science is changing the world around us. 

     Artificial intelligence is not going to make change any less dramatic or swift, so saddle up. I hope the ride is smooth.

Horses: A 4,000-Year Genetic Journey Across the World - Princeton University Press

Ludovic Orlando (Translated by Teresa Lavender Fagan)

Hardcover - US$29.95 - ISBN: 9780691264127

288 pages - 5.5 x 8.5 inches (13.75 x 21.25 cm)

18 colour illustrations

Publishing date: 09 September, 2025

    

Book Review - Insect Architecture: How Insects Build, Engineer and Shape Their World - Princeton University Press

      Give a moment's thought, if you will, to the planning and execution of a 21st Century building.  Design, engineering, finance, construction, inspection, labour relations and myriad other functions need to be dealt with. Blueprints have to be created, meetings held, disagreements resolved, bruised egos mollified, schedules met, political interference resisted, scores of different trades integrated, bylaws complied with or skillfully skirted. Adherence to health and safety regulations is a major concern, labour relations are paramount. There is no end to it!

     In the insect world construction is accomplished flawlessly every time in a manner intrinsic to the colony or individual insect, with dedication, harmony and unity of purpose. A loner creating a refuge for its larvae is as precise in its accomplishment as a huge colony of termites in their climate-controlled high rise tower. These wonders of nature are in fact frequently used as models for human endeavours. They generally represent the level of peak efficiency sought by human architects and planners - and never a corner is cut, never a low grade material used to save a few dollars. Witness below a modern (and very inviting) building emulating the efficiencies of a termite colony, with flowing lines and natural cooling.

     This book is about as fascinating a read as you will ever have, even if you never gave a thought to the lives of insects before. So many organisms are covered, from solitary bees and wasps to those species which form colonies, from societies of ants creating fungus gardens below the earth to a Pearly Green Lacewing laying her eggs on a stalk!

     You simply cannot  fail to be impressed with it all and not a little gobsmacked along the way. Consider the fortress a humble Caddisfly larva builds on its own back, constructed entirely from the detritus all around it.

     The book is peppered with fabulous (I do not use the word lightly) schematics that show the life cycle of different insects in exquisite detail; so precise, yet easy enough for a child to follow.

     As one who values books above most things, this volume stands out. The text is both precise and concise, the illustrations make you stop and examine the detail.

     Even the inside front and back covers are impressed with a sort of subliminal illustration that I find incredibly pleasing and interesting. It adds both beauty and context.

     How many books have you picked up where the inside front cover already captivates you? It thrills me!

     I am grateful to the author and to the illustrator, to the consulting editor and the photographers. 

     It is a force majeure, a tour de force, a magnum opus, a repository of wonder. I will treasure it forever.

Insect Architecture: How Insects Build, Engineer and Shape Their World - Princeton University Press

Tom Jackson and Michael S. Engel

Hardcover - US$29.95 - ISBN: 9780691275239

176 pages - 8 x 10 inches (20 x 25 cm) - 150 colour illustrations

Publication date: 09 September, 2025