Bookreviews

ROBERT H. WHITTAKER ORDINATION AND CLASSIFICATION OF COMMUNITIES R. T~XE.~,- (ed.): Handbook of vegetation science, 5 Dr. W. J u n k b. v.-Publishers, The Hague 1973, 737 pp. Ordination und Klassifikation wurden in den f'dn~ziger Jahren ale zwei gegens~ttzliche Verfahren der synthetischen Vegetationskunde betrachtet. Im letztcn Dezenium zcigtc es sich, dass sic eher ale zwei komplement/i.re, sich erg/~nzende und korrigierende Arbeitsvorg/inge der Syntaxonomie dienen k6nncn. Der ffinfte Tell des Handbuches der Vegetationskunde, der ale erster erschien, bietct nicht nur einen breiten Oberblick fiber die bisher entwickelten Methoden und Verfahren der Klassifikation und Ordination (incl. die verschiedenen numcrischen Verfahren und die Computcr-Tcchnik), sondern auch fiber ihre theoretischen Grundlagen und Ziele, er bietet sogar konzentrierte l~bersichte fiber die Entwicklung and den heutigen Stand verschiedener Schulen und Arbeitsrichtungen der Vegetationskundc. Die einzelnen Kapiteln wurden yon verschiedencn Autoren (insgesamt 19) unter der Redaktion yon R. I-l. WHITTAKER gesehricb(m, (tank welchem das Buch ein organisches Ganzes darstcllt. Das Buch zerfitllt in drci Abschnitte -- ,,Dir(,~t gradient analysis", ,,Indirect gradient, analysis" und ,.Classification". Die zwci crstcn Abschnitte sind den Ordinationsmethoden gewidmet, (lie ale theoretischc Grundlagc den Bcgriff des Vcgetationskontinuums habcn; sic lehnen deshalb die Klassifikation dcr Pflanzcngesellschaftcn inncrhalb dcr Vegetationseinheiten ab und habcn alE Zicl die Anordnung dcr Pflanzcngcsellsehaftcn in einem Koodinatensystcm. Der crete Abschnitt cnth/ilt zwei Kapitel fiber die direkte Gradicntcn-Analysc (,,Direct gradient analysis: techniques," ,,Direct gradient analysis: results" von R. H. WH1TTAKEa), (lie die kontinuierlichcn Ji.nderungen in der Artenzusammensetzung der Pflanzengesellschaften entlang tines 6kologischen Gradienten widerspiegelt. Welter ist das Kapitel ,,Retrogression and coenoclinc distance" (von R. H. WHITTAKER and G. M. WOODWELL) cingereiht, das sich mit der Retrogression der Gesellschaften Each anthropogencn St6rungen und der Verwendung des Cenocline-Abstandes ale Mass der Ver~inderung der GcscIlschaftsstruktur befasst. Dcr crete Abschnitt schliesst mit dem Kapitcl ,,Russian (Ramenski) approaches to community" (yon L. N. SOBOLEVand V. D. UT~'KItXN). Der zweite Abschnitt mit dcm Titel ,.Indirect gradient analysis" behandelt sehr mannigfaltige Arbeitsmethoden, die oft auch in der KIassifikation der Pflanzengesellsehaften angewandt werden, wie verschiedene ,ii.hnlichkeitskoeffizienten und ihre Verwendung in Matrize- oder DendritVerfahrcn. Dieso Verfahren wcrden natfirlich grfindlicher mathematisch erl/iutert. Dcr Abschnitt enth/ilt sechs Kapitel. Das Kapitel ,,Sample similarity and specie~ correlation" (von D. W. GOODALL) behandelt verschiedeno Formeln ffir die Errechmmg der rclativcn .~,_hnlichkcit der Vegetationsaufnahmen einerseits und der Arten-Verteihmg andererseits. Im Kapitel ,,Matrix and plexus techniques" (yon R. P. MCI.~'TOSH) werden die zwci Hauptverfahren der Bearbeitung der Ahnlichkcitswcrte besprochen, und zwar die Umordnung dcr Tabellen der Ji,hnlichkeitswcrte (secondary matrix) und die Darstcllung einzelner Aufnahmcn ale Punkte im i%'etz ihrer ~hnli"hkeitswcrte. Den Kern tier indirektcn Gradienten-Analyse bildct das Kapitcl ,,Wisconsin comparative ordination" (von G. COTTAM, F. GLEN GOFF and R. H. WHITTAKER), das (lie Grundlinien der Wisconsin-Schule, besonders die polare Ordination, wicdergibt. Das Kapitel ,,L'analyse factoriclle" (yon R. DAONELIE) berichtet iiber die Verwcndung eincr der wichtigsten multivariabelen statistischen Analysen -- der Faktoren-Analysc. I m Kapitel ,,Ordination by resemblance matrices" (yon L. ORLOCI) werdcn verschicdenc numerische Vcrfahren in der Bearbeitung der pflanzensoziologischcn Datcn vor allcm veto mathematischen Gcsichtspunkt

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FOLIA GEOBOTANICA ]~T P H Y T O T A X O . N O M I C A , 9, 1974

diskutiert. Der zweite Absehnitt ist dutch ein zusammenfassendes Kapitel ,,Evaluation of ordination techniques" (yon R. H. WHITTAK~ and H. G. GAUc~ JR.) abgeschlossen. Der drittc Abschnitt des Buches ist durch ein iibersichtliches Kapitel ,,Approaches to classifying vegetation" (von R. H. Wmz'rAK~;R) eingeftihrt. Die weiteren acht Kapitel sind haupts/ichlich den einzelnen (vor allem europ/~isehen) pflanzensoziologischen Schulen bzw. A-rbeitsrichtungen gewidmet. ])as Kapitel ,,The physiognomic approach" (von J. S. BEARDS) bericl~tet fiber die Verwendtmg der Physiognomie ftir die Bcschreibung und Karticrung der Vegetation, die in den tropisehen L~ndern noch aktuell ist. Die Kapitel ,,Dominance-types" {yon R. H. WHITT~_KER) und ,,Russian approach to classification" {von V. D. A~EKSA.~DROVX) beschreiben sehr ~,hnliche Arbeitsrichtungen in der Vegetationskunde, die die 13earbeitung der Vegetation grossr~umiger Gebicte erzwungcn hat. Das I ~ p i t e l ,,The Finnish school and forest site-types" {yon T. E. A. FREY) i s t d e r , anfangs des J a h r h t m d e r t s entwickeltcn, und mehr praktiseh orientierten Erforsehung der Vegetation gcwidmet. Das Kapitel ,,Synusial approaches to classification" (yon J. J. BARK.'aA.~") befasst sich mit getrennter Untersuchung und Klassifikation der Strukturteilc der Pflanzengesellschat'ten -- der Synusien, die besondcrs ffir die an Gef~sspflanzen gebundcnen Kryptogamengesellschaften geeignet ist. Das Kapitel ,,North European approaches to classification" (yon H. TRASS und N. MAL~Eg) schildert die Entwicklung der synthetischen Vegetationskunde, besonders in der Uppsala-Schule und ihre Konvergenz zu der Ziirich-Montpellier-Schule. Eine abweichende Auffassung hat das Kapitel ,,Numerical classification" (von D. W. GOODALL); es behandelt die verschiedenen numerischen Verfahren, die bci der Klassifikation angewandt werden k6nnen. Das letzte Kapitcl bringt untcr dem Titel ,,The I~ratm-Blanquet approach" (von V. WESTHOFF uud E. vA~" DER MAAREL} in einer iibcrsichtlichen und klaren Form die Grundziige des analytischen, synthctischen und syntaxonomischen Studium der Vegetation nach den Methodcn dcr Ztirich-Montpellier-Schule, von der Historic dieser Schule bis zu der Anwendtmg der modcrnen numerisehen Verfahren einbezogen die Computer-Technik. Das Buch bietet dem Lcser eiuen tieferen Blick in die Vegetationskunde als sein Titel verspricht. Es tr~igt zum l~Tberbriicken der Widerspriiche zwischen der anglo-amerikanischen mid kontinental.europ~iischen Traditionen in der Vegetationskunde bedeutenswert bei und wird dadutch ein der wichtigen Bausteine der vegetationskundlichen Literatur. J-~LROSLAV MORAVEC

H. ELLENBERO (ed.) 0KOSYSTEMFORSCHUNG Ergcbnissc yon Symposicn der Deutschen Botanisehen Gesellschaft und der Gesellschaft f'tir Angewandte Botanik in Innsbruck, Juli 1971 Springer.Verlag, Berlin, Heidelberg et New York 1973, 280 pp., 101 fig. For anyone wishing to learn about the present state of modern ecology in Austria and Federal Germany, this is the book. A relatively slender volume, it gives a cross-section of complex ecological studies, most of them I B P , recently carried out in the two countries. The proceedings of meetings sponsored by the German Botanical and Applied Botany Societies at Irmsbruck in J u l y 1971, are sandwiched between an introductory and a concluding paper by the editor, H. ELLEnBERt., who has pioneered t h e complex ecosystem approach in the German-speaking p a r t of Europe for m a n y years. The book is written in German, which perhaps puts certain limits on its world circulation; but it is to German, Central and South-East European biologists--not all of t h e m familiar with English or F r e n c h - - t h a t this book is addressed in the first place. From this point of view, it is also fortunate t h a t ELL~,NBE~O, himself a leading personality in present-day geebotany and phytosociology, has undertaken the task of explaining the modern ecosystem approach in his Introduction to the whole book. One may not always agree with his statements, but his approach will make it easier for a great m a n y basically descriptive field ecologists, to appreciate and perhaps a d o p t the complex ecosystem approach. The e n t r a n c e - - o r rather full-scale r e t u r n - - o f the ecosystem concept into German scientific literature would not be complete without suggesting how such things as ecosystems should be classified. This has again

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been done b y ELLENBERG in h i s concluding paper. H i s proposal for a world-wide classification introduces a n u m b e r of functional criteria a n d t h u s goes far beyond t h e level of other classifications preser~tly in use. I t is only "real" ecosystems, or "biogeocenoses", t h a t are classified in t h i s way: the criteria a n d corresponding co-ordinates m a y be easily dealt with b y a computer, b u t d o u b t s m a y be raised w h e t h e r t h e y can be used b y ecologists in their d a y - t o - d a y t h i n k i n g a n d c o m m u n i c a t i o n w i t h one another. Yet ELLENBERG'S proposal deserves consideration. :Now, to t h e rest of t h e book. On some 200 pages, the reader will find t h e " c r e a m " of c o n t e m p o r a r y ecology iu Austris, a n d Federal Germany, a l t h o u g h some valuable projects are n o t represented. The studies cover a wide range of ecosystems. T h a t of a n alpine lake (Vorder Finstertaler See) is described by R. PECHLANDER e t a l . ; M. TILZER explains t h e d y n a m i c s of p r i m a r y production b y t h e p h y t o p l a n k t o n in t h i s lake. The r e m a r k a b l y interesting reed-belt ecosystem of the large shallow lake Neusiedler See is described in 5 papers b y K. BURIAN, H . SIEGHARDT, 1:~. MAIER, G. DRAXLER a n d M. DOKULIL, respectively. A p a r t from t h e production-ecological a n a l y s i s of t h e Phragmites stands, t h e principal undergrowth species Utricularia vulgaris receives considerable attention, a n d a brief paper also deals w i t h the phytoplankton. On m a r i n e ecosystems there is a n interesting paper b y R. R~EINHEIMER, dealing with t h e role of bacteria in nitrogen cycling in the sea. The m a i n terrestrial I B P project in Federal G e r m a n y has been t h e "Soiling" project, shaped v e r y m u c h according to t h e original proposals by H. ELLENBERG a n d P. DUVIGh'EAUD. The m a i n e m p h a s i s here h a s been on woodland ecosystems, b u t both their s t r u c t u r e a n d functioning h a v e been compared with those of meadow a n d field ecosystems which h a v e replaced the forest on large areas of the Solling h i g h l a n d s in north-western Germany. The principal results of the Solling project have already been published in p a r t (Integrated E x p e r i m e n t a l Ecology, Voh 2, Methods a n d Results of E c o s y s t e m Research in the G e r m a n Soiling Project, H. ELLENBERG (ed.), Springer-Verlag, Berlin, Heidelberg et New York 1971). Here, t h e papers deal with t h e energy flow in the three types of ecosystems compared (Ru-NGE), with the role of a n i m a l s in the woodland ecosystem (W. FUNKE), a n d with a s y s t e m analysis of biogeochemical cycles in the woodlands (B. ULRICH a n d R. MAYER). The high-mount a i n terrestrial ecosystems h a v e been studied in the Tyroleau Alps. W. LARCHER e t a l . outline t h e production a n d energy budget of the d w a r f s h r u b communities; A. CERNUSCA'S paper p a y s a t t e n t i o n to the peculiarities of work with mobile data-recording s t a t i o n s suitable for h i g h - m o u n t a i n conditions; W. MGSER a n d W. BRZOSKA, in their respective papers, have p u s h e d t h e limits of ecological work to the highest feasible a l t i t u d e s (over 3000 m). Their papers give a n excellent insight into the ecophysiology of p l a n t s in h a b i t a t s where only the hardiest species survive. The wide range of ecosystems a n d t h e aspects of their functioning studied, a n d the presentation of t h e material a t symposia, have as a n inevitable result t h a t individual a u t h o r s treat their respective subjects in different ways. The " c r e a m " is present in all cases, b u t t h e results from which it h a s been s k i m m e d are often given only as illustrations, or merely referred to. Significantly, it is the papers by the I n n s b r u c k hosts to t h e s y m p o s i a t h a t contain m o s t of the " h a r d stuff", i.e. d a t a collected a n d e v a l u a t e d very carefully a n d often w i t h a great deal of self-sacrifice. The whole book is produced a n d p r i n t e d v e r y well, up to t h e s t a n d a r d of other Springer publications of t h i s kind. It is f o r t u n a t e t h a t it is a paperback: a wider scientific public will t h u s be able to profit from it a n d to learn how ecosystems can be tackled in a straightforward m a n n e r , m o s t l y without complicated b u t still s o m e w h a t crude modelling of whole systems. It is precisely in this respect t h a t the modelbuilders m a y learn from t h i s book. The contributors to the book, on the ther hand, will u n d o u b t e d l y soon learn more a b o u t modelbuilding: t h i s will probably be reflected in the final s y n t h e s e s of their projects. B u t those who will gain m o s t from reading t h i s book are rank-and-file ecologists, geobotanists a n d field zoologists, a n d t h e y are strongly r e c o m m e n d e d to do so. JAN KV~:T

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C. I-I. DICKII~SON and G. J. F. Puo~ BIOLOGY Academic

OF

PLANT

LITTER

Press, London

and New

(ed.) DECOMPOSITION York

1974, Vo]. I. II. i--xliv, 1--775.

The book edited by two well known British microbiologists comprises three parts in two volumes: (1) Types of Litter, (2) The Organisms, and {3) The Environment. The book integrates the information hitherto available on the decomposition of different plant materials, information mostly scattered in diverse scientific journals. The monograph will therefore undoubtedly serve as the basic work on ecological microbiology, and as an excellent reference source for general ecology. The introduction to both volumes was written by J. E. SATCHELLwith a real understanding of the matter. He shows how ecological theory, especially the concepts of trophic levels and food chains, helps the study of plant material decomposition. Chapter 1, P a r t 1, written by JULIET C. FRANKLAND, deals with the decomposition of phytoplankton, macrophytic and terrestrial algae, lichens, bryophyCes and ptericIophyies. The succession of decomposing microorganisms, the rates of decomposition of different natural substrates, and the releasing rates of some mineral nutrients are given. The decomposition of herbaceous material is considered by MARy 1%. BELL in Chapter 2. The decomposition activities of bacteria, yeasts and fungi pertaining to the litter of mono- and di-cotyledons in terrestrial freshwater and marine environments are described. I n Chapter 3 V. JEI~SEN analyses the decomposition of angiosperm tree leaf litter starting with the decomposition processes and leaching by rain of leaves in the canopy. F u r t h e r paragraphs concern the litter fall, the decomposition processes taking place in tile litter layer, the organisms involved a n d the chemical changes and the decomposition rates during litter decay. A similar subject p a t t e r n can be found in Chapter 4 on the decomposition of coniferous leaf litter by C. S. MILLAR, accentuating the specific properties of coniferous litter concerning surface properties and chemical composition as well as the specificity of the deeomposers. The extensive Chapter 5 b y A. A. K)IiRIK deals with the decomposition of wood. First, the structure and chemical properties of bark, wood and heartwood are described, then the organisms specific for wood decomposition. Different types of wood degradation are characterized, such as non-enzymatic degradation, enzymatic microbial breakdown, etc. The last section concerns the ecology of wood-destroying microorganism, their succession during the decay process, the rate of decomposition, and the interactions among organisms involved. Chapter 6 by J. S. WAID on the decomposition of roots presents one of the first reviews of the subject matter. The difficulties encountered in estimating root biomass, production and decomposition are stressed, and data on the turnover of roots and dry-weight losses during decomposition are presented. The last chapter of Part I by B. C. L e P t A pertains to the decomposition of digested litter. The second part of the book, on organisms which attack and destroy litter, comprises Chapters 8 to 18. Four of these are written by microbiologists according to rather similar schemes. They cover contemporary knowledge of the taxonomy, ecology, physiology and biochemistry of the main microbial groups. EvA EKLUND and H. G. GYLLENBERGare the authors of Chap. 8 on bacteria, M. GOODFELLOWand T. CROSSof Chapter 9 on actinomycetes, G. J. F. PUGH of Chapter l0 on terrestrial fungi, and E. B. G. JONES of Chapter 11 on freshwater and marine fungi. Protozoa are the subject of Chapter 12 by J. D. STOUT. Chapter 13 by D. C. TWINN describes isolation identification, behaviour and physiology of nematodes, a n d discusses their ecological role in decomposer cycles. Chapter 14 by J. R. LO~'TY on oligoehaetes describes the types involved and their multiple function in litter decomposition. In Chapter 15, D. J. L. HARI)ING and R. A. STUT: TARD describe different types of food and feeding habits and habitats of Microarthropoda, their energetics and the possible contribution to litter decomposition. Chapter 16 by C. A. EDWARDS concerns the Macroarthropoda. It deals with the main groups involved in litter breakdown and with their population dynamics. The importance of the Macroarthropoda for decomposition results from their ability to consume about one third of the total litter fail. Chapter 17 by C. F. MASON deals with the decomposing activity of molluscs--the second largest phyllum after the Arthropoda in numbers of species. The chapter contains data on populations, biomass, nutrition and production of marine, estuarine, freshwater and terrestrial molluscs, about the impact on living vegetation and dead plant remains, on biodeposition and sediment changes, as well as on the erosion of littoral rocks. I n the last chapter (18) of P a r t 2, M. LADLE deals with the aquatic

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Crustacea, discussing, above all, different kinds of ingestion and factors affecting ingestion, feeding rates and food retention times, digestion and assimilation. Part 3 of the book deals with the environment. S. T. WILLIAMS and T. R. G. GRAY (Chapter 19) discuss the decomposition of litter on the soil surface, the influence on decomposition of such factors as: the origin of the litter, temperature, moisture and aeration, pH, base content, etc. The decomposition of litter in soil is the theme of Chapter 20 by C. H. DICKINSON. Again, the author pays attention, in the first place, to the sources of plant litter entering the soil. Subsequently, he analyses the factors affecting the activity of soil microorganisms. Chapter 21 b y L. G. WILLOUG~BY deals with the litter decomposition in fresh water habitats. The main topic are the transformations of the allochthonous material, microbial successions in litter, biogeochemistry of recent sediments, the role of plant materials in energy budget and productivity cycles in lakes, streams and rivers. Chapter 22 by E. J. PERKINS covers a similar subject to that of the previous chapter, i.e. decomposition in marine environment. Chapter 23 by R. S. FORBES pertains to the decomposition of agricultural crop debris. Chapter 24, the last one, written by K. R. GRAY and A. J. BIDDLESTONE,deals with the decomposition of urban waste. The fundamentals of the process are described, its biochemical, microbiological and physical aspects. The book as a whole appears well balanced in spite of the great number of co-authors, resulting in some unavoidable overlapping of topics. I t successfully delineates a new field of study and by doing so it also points to "hic sunt leones" areas which deserve further study. The book will surely prove useful not only for research workers and undergraduates in agronomy forestry, botany, zoology and microbiology, but also in hygiene and the environmental sciences. BLANKA ULEHLOVA

S. HEJN~ (ed.) ECOSYSTEM STUDY O~N W E T L A N D BIOME IN CZECHOSLOVAKIA Czechoslovak I B P / P T - P P Report No. 3, 262 pp., T~ebofl 1973. This booklet is the third in the series of reports presenting the results of the Czechoslovak projects in the PT (productivity of terrestrial communities) and P P (production processes) sections of the I B P (International Biological Programme). Such reports are a necessary precondition for both national and international syntheses at a higher level of sophistication. The Czechoslovak I B P / P T - P P Report No. 3 presents for the most p a r t primary data, which are always badly needed in quantitative ecology. I t is through further synthetic and mathematical elaboration of these data t h a t the ecosystem structure and functions will be appropriately understood, and simulation or prediction ecosystem models constructed. The contents of Report No. 3 betray the attitudes adopted by the leaders of one important Czechoslovak wetland research project, namely of the project accomplished in the wetlands accompanying the South Bohemian fishponds. As compared with other ecosystem studies, the project has specific features which give its results a broader meaning. Most prominent is the attention paid to the interactions between the wetlands and the adjacent ecosystems: on the one hand, the research extends towards grassland; on the other, there is a close link with freshwater research. Accordingly, the Report deals with the fishpond wetlands from several points of view. The first section of the Report deals with these wetlands at the level of general ecology. Here, the abiotic factors are characterized and the vegetation cover is described and evaluated from the phytocenological viewpoint. This geobotanical part surpasses, by both breadth and depth of approach, the framework of an ecosystem study. Close attention has been paid to the morphology and biosystematics of the dominant plant species, especially of the common reed (Phragmites communis TRIN.). A detailed anatomical study has been made of Acorus calamus L., with special respect to photosynthetically active tissues. On the whole, the "General Ecology" section presents a deep evaluation of several parameters which are further employed in the ecosystem study. The next problem studied is primary production and the production processes in littoral macrophytes (higher plants). Apart from the data on production, the methodological approach has received due attention. Both destructive and non-destructive methods of estimating the above-

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9, 1974

g r o u n d biomass are evaluated. Highly interesting are t h e comparative studies on t r a n s e c t s laid across the fishpond littoral f r o m open water to t h e a d j a c e n t terrestrial c o m m l m i t i c s as well as the comparisons between biomass d a t a originating from Phragmites s t a n d s occurring in various ccotopes a n d in different regions of Czechoslovakia; t h e existence of different ecotypcs of the species is also accounted for. The studies of u n d e r g r o u n d organs of Phragmites deserve special appreciation. The biomass d a t a arc s u p p l e m e n t e d by further chemical and physical c h a r a c ~ r i s tics (mineral n u t r i e n t s contained in the biomass, c a r b o h y d r a t e content in the underground parts, chlorophyll c o n t e n t in t h e leaves, energy c o n t e n t of the biomass, etc.). Other papers deal with s t r u c t u r a l fatures of t h e helophyte stands, p a r t i c u l a r l y with the vertical distribution of t h e biomass a n d leaf area, and with the interception of incoming solar radiation by canopies of all the d o m i n a n t plant species. "['he interception of p h o t o s y n t h e t i c a l l y active radiation by a s t a n d of Phragmites is described in m a t h e m a t i c a l terms, in order to produce a block scheme of radiant enexgy transfer within t h e s t a n d . The third section of the Report is devoted to the ecology of microphytes (algae) in the fishpond littoral. The i n v e n t o r y of t h e algal communities, with their seasonal periodicity, receives most a t t e n t i o n . The algal growth cycles have also been studied. On the function of the microphytes in t h e ecosystem, the p r e l i m i n a r y results of studies on the p h o t o s y n t h e t i c production of the planktonic a n d periphytic algae in characteristic m a c r o p h y t e s t a n d s in relation to the climatic factors a n d water n u t r i e n t s t a t u s should be mentioned. The fourth section, which is rather brief, deals with t h e role played by some secondary producers in the ecosystem. I t contains a c o m m u n i c a t i o n on t h e population of waterfowl, and a paper on birds of the order Passiformes in reed-beds. Two papers deal with insect populations. The last section is devoted to the question of t h e use a n d m a n a g e m e n t of fishpond littoral ecosystems. There is a well-founded s t u d y on t h e scientific basis for t h e conservation a n d managem e n t of m a c r o p h y t o c o m m u n i t i e s ; another s t u d y describes t h e regeneration of reedswamp s t a n d s after cutting. One paper gives an a c c o u n t of the propagation a n d cultivation of reeds for industrial purposes. The setup of the whole booklet corresponds to t h e staffing of the project, n a m e l y to the n u m b e r s of specialists t a k i n g part. While t h e section on general ecology comprises 58 pages, a n d p r i m a r y production by b o t h macro- a n d m i c r o p h y t e s is dealt with in 156 pages, secondary production is insufficiently covered b y a mere 18 pages. Only a small ]part of the Report deals with production processes, a n d the decomposition processes are n o t represented a t all. The bibliography gives a similar picture, conforming t h a t the project as a whole has been d o m i n a t e d by botanists. Most of the papers listed in the bibliography deal with the general ecology a n d s y n t a x o n o m y of the fishpond wetlands a n d with their p r i m a r y production; far fewer with t h e secondary production; no papers dealing with decomposition are listed. The title of the Report is t h u s n o t entirely in keeping with its contents: there is no indication t h a t m o s t of the results presented originate from South B o h e m i a n wetland studies, a n d not from the whole set of I B P investigations on the wetland biome in Czechoslovakia. Twenty-two a u t h o r s wrote t h e papers contained in t h e Report. Most of t h e a u t h o r s are top specialists in t h e s t u d y of either m a c r o p h y t e or m i c r o p h y t e life in fishponds a n d their littorals. A n u m b e r of the a u t h o r s concerned are also engaged in preparing the I B P s~nthesis volume on wetlands, especially S. HEJ~-~;', D. DrKYJOV~,, J. KOM~,RE~, J. KV/ZT, J. P. O~'DOK a n d others. For t h i s reason, t h e R e p o r t ' s s t r o n g e s t point is in t h e bota~.ical chapters. Here t h e integrated approach h a s been highly successful a n d h a s produced m u c h knowledge of broader ecological significance, p a r t i c u l a r l y on t h e interactions between terrestrial a n d aquatic ecosystems. Yet the effort s p e n t on incorporating all t h e principal viewpoints of integrated e c o s y s t e m research into t h e project is evident. Much work m u s t h a v e been s p e n t on finding external collaborators a m o n g non-botanists. I n t e r d i s c i p l i n a r y scientific t e a m s are still rather rare; t h u s even t h e g r o u p i n g of various different specialists a r o u n d t h e South B o h e m i a n I B P wetland project h a s been a success. As a whole, R e p o r t No. 3 represents the first step towards a s y n t h e s i s of the results obtained. T h i s stage m a y be d e n o t e d a s " d a t a g a t h e r i n g " which will enable t h e a u t h o r s of both t h e n a t i o n a l a m t t h e i n t e r n a t i o n a l I B P s y n t h e s e s to produce a final a c c o u n t of work in t h e field of ecological research on wetlands. I~ILENA R y c H s O V S K ~