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Bookreviews

F. WEBERLING(TRANSLATEDBY R.I. PANKHURSr) MORPHOLOGY OF FLOWERS AND INFLORESCENCES Cambridge University Press, Cambridge etc., 1989, 405 pp., 193 figures. Price USD 110.-, ISBN 0-521-25134-6 (Originally published in German as Morphologie der Bliiten und der Bliitenst~inde, 1981, Ulm) The book reviewed presents a survey and - in many cases detailed - analysis of present knowledge in the field of the morphology of flowers and inflorescences; to a lesser extent it also deals with the ways of pollination, with the rise of fruits and with their spreading. The greatest attention is concentrated on the morphology of flowers, which represent the most interesting and most investigated part of plant morphology in general. It is precisely the results of studies of flower morphology which, contributing essentially to the elucidation of the mutual relations of individual plant groups, are of first - rate signification for taxonomy. In the extensive bibliography the majority of papers is therefore referred to this branch of botany. The first part of the book deals with the morphology of flowers representing about 4/7 of the whole text and including 103 figures. The text is divided into 7 chapters, each including 1 to 16 sub-chapters. The first two chapters deal with the definition of the flower, with its symmetry, aestivation, with the vernation of the perianth and with floral diagrams. The third chapter is devoted to the stem organ of the flower, i.e. to the torus, and explains the development of the hypanthium. Most extensive is the fourth chapter dealing with the variability of the growth of the perianth in both homochlamydeous and heterochlamydeous plants, with the processes of both tangential and radial coalescence and with the reduction of the perianth up to the rise of achlamydeous types. The fifth and sixth chapters treat the generative organs in flowers, which already have been studied for many decades and the results used above all in the determination of the primary or derived character (phylogenetic age) of individual groups of plants. Greater detail is found in the papers of various authors, which confirm, but also refute the existence of stachyospory in the angiosperms in connection with the occurrence of the central placenta. In this part of the book the results of a great number of studies made by the Austrian morphologists Baum and Leinfellner of Troll's morphological school are discussed in detail; they have devoted many papers to the growth of microsporophylls and megasporophylls (including the diplophyllons ones); many of these papers especially those by Leinfellner on the gynoecea of the woody types of Ranales (s.l.), are of fundamental significance for the interpretation of the evolution of the gynoeceum and of placentation. The last chapter deals with the growth of nectaries. In the elaboration of individual chapters, the persisting significance of the Nestors working in this field of botany, Engler, Goebel, Eichler, ~elakovsk~ and Velenovsk~, becomes evident. It is also natural that prof. Weberling based his book on the fundamental morphological works of his teacher, Professor Troll (Organisation und Gestalt im Bereich der Bliite, Praktische Einfiilarung in die Pflanzenmorphologle), which he completed and combined with many earlier and recent studies by other authors, resulting in very successful syntheses. The second part of the book, embracing about 2/7 of the text and 81 figures, is devoted to the morphology of inflorescences. It is divided into 3 chapters, the first of which treats inflorescences in general; the second deals with the characteristics of polytelic and monotelic inflorescences, and in the third chapter the concrete inflorescence types of several families and genera are dealt with. In this part of the book the author makes particular use of Troll's works (Die Infloreszenzen), of his own papers and of a paper co-anthored by Troll. Many new views on the ways of evolution have been elucidated as well as on the types of some inflorescences and how they are to be understood. A more detailed analysis and characteristics of monotelic inflorescences only in a number od families is presented in the work by Troll et Weberling (Inflorescenzuntersuchungen an monotelen Familien), which was published in the same year as this English version.

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Fol.bx. (il!OI3CYIANICAI{T PI IYTOTAXONOMICA,27, 1992

The third and shorted part of the book (with 9 figures) dcals with the means of scxual reproduction cennected with the ways of pollination, with the question of self-compatibility and finally with the development of fruits, their classification and ways of spreading. The papcrs by Daumann. van dcr Pijl and Vogel contributed markedly among others to this part of the publications. The book is accompanied by a rich list of references (1042 titles, 189 of which appear in this English version only). The pictorial documentation is also very. rich, 193 high-quality plates of drawings and photographs with detailed descriptions and explanations. The morphological dictionary, is also useful, explaining those botanical terms whose meanings in English are rather different from those in German. The perfect technical lay-out of the book must also be mentioned. Thus it may be said that the book under revision is a very welcome, necessary, and well-founded synthctizing publication on the morphological literature, useful for university teachers as well as for students and botanists of various specialization. ZDEY4KASI.AVI[KOV.,i,

J. MILF.S,W. SCHMIDT and E. VAN DER MAAREL TEMPORAL AND SPATIAL PAT'FERNS OF VEGETATION DYNAMICS Advances in vegetation science 9, Kluwer Academic Publishers, Dordrecht, 1989, 200 pp., (reprinted from Vegetatio, 77, 1988). Price NLG 250,-, USD 145,-, GBP 82,-. ISBN 0-7923-0103-X

This is a reprint of Volume 77 of the journal Vegctatio, which includes lectures given at the 14th Botanical Congress in Berlin. Twenty two papers are included in this volume. No changes or additions were made to the original Vegetatio volume; reviewing this bookthen essentially means reviewing the excellent editorial work and policy of the former Vegetatio. The title of the book is rather broad; any dynamics has, almost by definition, some spatial and temporal patterns. The stress given to these terms in the title does not, however, mean such a wide scope that it could not be adequately described by some narrower title; it rather means new stress on studying both components of dynamics together. To study both components together basically means studying shifts in spatial patterns in time; the conveners of the symposium and the editors of the volume should be praised for the way they managed to keep almost all the contributions within this rather narrow subject field. Most of the studies present data based either on long time permanent observations, or make other attempts to infer time scale from sources independent of the vegetation composition. This approach makes this collection of papers especially valuable. Especially important are long term permanent plot studies by Bornkamm (.30 years) and Falinski (ca. 35 years). Hence the main difference in the studies presented is due to the different spatial and temporal scales used; the scale in which the pattern and dynamics are measured indeed tells a lot about the accepted concept of "community', "process" etc. The spatial scale of the studies ranges from 10 centimetres to several kilometres; the temporal scale ranges from 1 to ca. 200 years. There is a weak correlation between the two .scales used (Fig. 1; no test was performed because the null hypothesis is unclear). Ouite surprisingly, the majority of studies deals with regions in the time/space graph where the importance of spatial processes proper (local interactions, clonal growth, short distance dispersal) can hardly play a role. Since these processes are the only major source of dynamics within a community, this volume understands dynamics primarily as a result of external forces, such as management change, secondary succession etc. The "internal dynamics" component is almost entirely missing (it is approached by studies and reviews by Gimingham, Silvertown & Smith, Rydin & Borgegard, Bornkamm and Fekete & at.; see Fig. 1).

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The state-of-the-art value of the book is enhanced by two nice introductory reviews. E. van der Maarel maps major aspects of vegetation dynamics (Vegetation dynamics: patterns in time and space); E. Symonides reviews some common conceptions and misconceptions about anuual plants (On the ecology and evolution of annual plants in disturbed environments). Shortly, it is a nice book.

TOMA~HERBEN

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Figure caption 3. Fekete et al., 4. Austin & Williams, 5. Wildi, 6. Silvertown & Smith, 7. Gimingham, 8. Loehle, 9. Sherman & Warren, 10. Lawesson, 11. Bornkamm 9-year study, 12. Bornkamm 30-year study, 13. Schmidt, 14. Falinski, 15. Honer, 16. Raus, 17. Vartiainen, 18. Rydin & Borgegard, 19. Piotrowska. Studies of Borhidi, Marchese and Itow are not included, since their rely on time dimensions not inferred from independent data sets. Introductory reviews are also not included.

210

FOLIA GI'OBOTANICAE'I"pItYI'OTAXONOMICA,27, 1992

R.E. RICLEFS ECOLOGY 3rd edition, W.H. Freeman and Comp., New York, 1990. Price GBP 21.95, ISBN 0-7167-2077-9

The third edition of the RICLEFS's Ecology is a monumental hook. It presents ecology as a science covering almost everything from climate to social behaviour, and from the cnergy flow to the "ghost of thc competition past ~. The book itself well illustrates G. BA'It~SON'Smaxim "we think in terms of stories'. It is indeed a collection of stories and RICLEFS is a good storyteller. Each story is well pointed, clear and precise, and concentrated on the essentials to be illustrated; hence there are really few passages which are unattractive to read. This rather personal and associative style makes the book delightful reading for everybody, from an ecology undergraduate to a specialist in the field. Further, RICLEP'S keeps in mind that good ecology is based on good natural history. The first and last chapters dcal directly with natural history: the first chapter discusses the relation between natural history and ecology and the last chapter is an ovcrview of ecosystem types in the world. Throughout the whole book, no name of an organism is left without a description and taxonomic classification, and a photograph whcncver possible (in its natural habitat of course). 1 feel this is the best way to approach the subject of ecology for an interested studcnt. Thcrc is rather a strong emphasis put on tile history of ecology. Many ccological concepts and findings arc illustrated by historical references, either to stories of their discovery or to discussions in which the particular concept or theory first appeared. This is truc not only for the rcally classical story_ of the ccosystem concept, hut many othcrs, including cnurgy flow, diversity/stability etc. The rcference list contains more than 2000 entries. As it may be cxpccted, it contains very diversc assemblagc of papers, which make the book a sort of an easy-to-read bibliographic guide. It is a good introduction to ecological literature; after reading it, the student will be aware of many (often unrelated) concepts and ideas which abound in ecological journals. On the other hand, this treatment of the subject does not require any conceptual unity; and indeed, the book seems to be weak in presenting a unified view of the field of ecology. Each of its stories is nicely told and has its own moral; but sometimes therc is not much conncction between them. The immense range of ideas and approaches (often seen in their historical development) effectively precludes building any conceptual framework for the science called ecology. Everything in the book has its proper angle and vicwpoint to bc seen from; however, the greater the a,~emblagc of things, the lcsscr is the chance that a common viewpoint which would not distort individual concepts could be found. The bo~k solves this dilemma simply by treating many things separately, and even does not abound in cross references where the same subject is treated from different angles (e.g. nutrients: productivity, resources, competition). Hence, something which may be called an "ecological approach" appears only in rather general tcrms. Also the delimitation of the subject itself is almost impossible. The student may easily get the imprcssion that every possible subfield of ecology has already been studied, but no binding results were obtained apart from ease studies which may be considered intellectual curiosities. Lost universality cannot be regained through equilibratcd selection of examples from plant and animal kingdoms, and from terrestrial and aquatic habitats. Indeed, despitc the stress on natural history and knowledge of the organism being studied, clear discussion on the special ecologies of such subdivisions is missing. Plants do not equal green animals as it may seem from the book, not only functionally, but also structurally, and the structure of plant and animal communities may differ tremendously from each other. In its basic view the book is rather traditional, which is probably more understandable in view of its stress on history. Books in their third editions usually do not surprise with unorthodox treatments. However, in view of the mosaic structure of the whole book this is not a serious drawback.

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211

I recommend everybody at least to browse through the book. It is the delightful combination of precision and lightness in style which makes it such attractive reading.

TOMA~ HERBEN

OTYI WII.MANNS,WOLFHARDWIMMENAUERund (;ERIbXRD FUC:ttS DER KAISERSTUHL Gesteine lind Pflanzenwelt Verlag Eugen Ulmer, Stuttgart 1989, 3., neubearbcitete Auflage, 244 S., 278 Abb., 5 Tab., 1 Karte. Prcis DEM 78,-, ISBN 3-8001-3310-5 Das eindrucksvolle populiir-wissenschaftliche Buch ist auf eine grosse Mengc von schwarz-weissen und farbigen Photographien und Abbildungen gegriindet. Die Publikation ist in der Reihc "Die Natur- und Landsehaflsehut~,gebiete Baden-Wiirttembergs" erschienen. Die drittc Auflage beweist die Erspriesslichkeit des Buches (die erste Ausgabe erschien im Jahre 1974). Der Inhalt ist ausser in Vorworts- und Einfiihrungstcil in drei Hauptkapitcl gcgliedert. Die Einfiihrung (O. Wilmanns) behandelt die geographische Lage und Glicdcrung und klimatiscbe Faktoren des Untersuchungsgebietes, sowie die Entwicklung der Pflanzcndecke im Jahrcslauf. Das crste grossc Kapitel befa~st sich auf etwa 40 Seiten mit der Geologie des Kaiserstuhls (W. Wimmcnauer). Es beinhaltet eine Beschreibung der geologischen Haupteinheiten, der Gestcine und ihrer Mincralc und Hinweise fiir geologische Exkursioncn mit wertvollen Informationen. Das Kapitel "Vegetation" (O. Wilmanns) ist das gr6sste und nimmt iiber 100 Seiten ein. Es behandclt das grossriiumigc Mosaik der Pflanzengesellschafien: Wcingarten und ihrc Unkr~iutcr dcr (;cscllschaft Geranio-Allietum und des Poa trivialis-Lolio-Potentillion, sowic die Glicderung dcr Rebkrautcr in scchs Gruppcn nach Rhythmus, Okologie und Fortpflanzung (Stratcgictypcn) und Bc~denbearbcitungsmcthoden. Die Hohlweg-Vegetation beschreibt kurz das Pmno-Ligustretum, den Berberitzen-Sauerkirschen-Busch und die Holunder-Gesellschaft. An dicse Gesellschaften sind auch die vcrschicdenen, vorwiegend xcrothermcn S~iume angereiht. Zu den typischen geh6rt das Geranio-Anemonctum 5ylvestris, Geranio-Trifolietum und Geranio-Dictamnetum. Pionier-Kryptogamen dominieren in diescm Gebiet an stark geneigten Lossfliichen im Endocarpetum pusilli, im Tell, der sich mit dem Leben an den t,6ssbiischungen befasst, wird z. B. das Diploraxi-AgrotD'retum und das Urtico-Aegopodietum beschrieben. Von Interesse ist auch die Abhandlung iiber die Lebensformen yon Lianen. Die Trockenrasen nehmcn den iiber'wiegenden Tell des Kapitcls ein. Die artenreichen Gesellschaften hat die Verfasserin in Pionierfluren (cf. Sedo-Scleranthetea), Volltrockenrasen (Xerobromion) und Halbtrockenrasen (Mesobromion) eingcteilt. Im Rahmen dieser Syntaxa sind verschiedcne Gesellschaften als Beispiele erw~ihnt, etwa das Cerastietum pumili, Teuctio-Melicetum ciliatae, die Stipa-Bestande, Mesobrometum erecti, Onobrycho-Brometum mit Orchideen-Arten u. a. Dazu kommcn die Anmerkungen zum extremen Mikroklima, dem Jahresrhythmus und der Entwicklung der Trespcn-Rasen. Die rapide Verhnderung von Rasen ist leider in Mitteleuropa nicht nur for Trespenrasen giiltig. Die W~.lder des Kaiserstuhls gchoren den Buchenw~ildcrn (Carici-Fagetum, Aspemlo-Fagetum, Melico-Fagetum und Luzulo-Fagetum), Eichen-Hainbuchcnwfildcrn (Querco-Carpinetum), Bacheschenw~ildern (Carici-Fraxinetum) und Flaumeichenwaldern (Lithospem~o-Quercetum) an. Im Vergleich mit Ostcuropa ist aueh die Statistik der Besitzverh~iltnisse und der Waldgcschichtc intcrcssant. Anschliessend ist das Leben der Waldgesellschaften und ihre Struktur miher erklart. Dazu wird die Fragc gcstellt: "Wiirden diesc Waldcr in ihrer

212

FOLIA GEOBOTANICAET pHYTOTAXONOMICA,27, 1992

heutigen Artenznsammensetzung bestehen bleiben, wenn der Mensch nicht mehr eingriffe?" In diesem Znsammenhang wird auch der Fachausdruck "potentielle natiirliche Vegetation" gebracht mad auf die forstlichen Ver~inderungen in Wiilder wird aufmerksam gemacht. Die letzten zwei Kapitel behandeln die Pflanzengesellschaften der Talb6den, D6rfer, Strassen und Steinbriiche mit konkreten Beispielen. Das dritte Hauptkapitel befasst sich auf 27 Seiten mit Naturschutz und Landschaftspflege im Kaiserstuhl (G. Fuchs). Spezielle Aufmerksamkeit wird dem Schutz seltener Pflanzen und Tiere, Naturschutzgebieten, fliichenhaften Naturdenkmalern, Pflege der Schutzgebiete, sowie Landschaftschutz und -pflege gewidmet. Wieder interessant ist z. B. der Vergleich der Fl~ichen yon Acker, Wiesen and Weingarten in verschiedenen Jahren einerseits mit dem Bestand yon Pferden, Rindern und Ziegen andererseits. Die angefiihrten Zahlen sprechea sehr deutlich. Das Buch wird mit dem Literaturverzeichnis und Register (13 Seiten) beendet. Das Buch stellt ein hervorragendes Beispiel einer wissenschaftlich-popnl/iren Publikation, das jeden Naturfreund incl. Wissenschaftler fesselt, dar. JIl)d KOLBEK

D.E.SOLTIS and P.S. SOLTIS(EDS.) ISOZYMES IN PLANT BIOLOGY (ADVANCESIN PLANTSCIENCESSERIES,VOL. 4) Dioscorides Press, Portland, Oregon, 1989, 268 pp., 18 Figs., 38 Tabs. ISBN 0-931146-13-5. A list of the contributors to the book under review strongly recalls that of the publication by TANT-,.SLEY& ORTON (1983). Both works share not only some authors (CRAWFORD, WEEDEN, TORRES, MITrON, BURDON, STUBER,BROWN) but also the fact that they represent basic handbooks for plant isozyme studies. Introductory remarks to the Soltis' book were provided by G.L. STEBBINS, and the following points in the development of this subject should be emphasized. Since the discovery of the genetic polymorphism of enzymes in 1966 (HARRIS; LEWONTINet HUBBY), isozymes are used in genetic studies of both plants and animals. As a means of estimating population genetic variation, and a promising tool linking organismal and molecular levels they have attracted the attention of biologists. The explosive spreading of the application of this method to population and evolutionary studies dates from the 1970s. Isozymes used as molecular markers have repeatedly been employed in solving various problems in systematic.s, evolution and plant breeding. Among the most common questions addressed by means of enzyme techniques are whether two sympatric populations share the same gene pool (i.e., whether they belong to the same species), problems of evidence of hybridisation, gene duplication, polyploidy, some relationships above the species level, and the origin of some crops and their attributes. The book includes 12 sections. An account of technical instructions for starch gel electrophoresis is given in Chapter 1. Gel, electrode (7) and extraction buffer (3) recipes are provided, and 38 enzyme systems (incl. RUB1SCO) are given detection (visualisation) procedures. A brief guide to interpretation of the isozyrne patterns closes this chapter. The genetics of plant isozymes is discussed in Chapter 2. Two important tables review the more commonly assayed enzyme systems with isozyme numbers and their subcellular localisation and subunit structure, and summarize the vascular plant genera in which ten or more isozyme loci have been demonstrated by genetic analysis. Of 35 genera, 26 belong to economically important groups (such as Pisum, Lycopersion, Zea, Hordeum, Tnticum, 78 loci having been examined in the latter). Gene duplication, polyploidy, linkage conservation, skewed segregation ratios and null alleles are addressed as well. "lsozyme analysis of plant mating

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systems" is dealt with in Chapter 3; plant mating is described in the context of ecological factors. The genetic structure of plant populations, a basic point in biosystcmatical and population genetic studies, is most efficiently approached by means of enzyme electrophoresis. The advantage can be summarized as follows: (1) inheritance of isozyme loci is discrete, Mendelian, and can easily be demonstrated elcctrophoretically, (2) alleles are codominant, (3) estimates of levels and distribution of genetic variation can be compared directly between populations and taxa, (4) only a small quantity of plant tissue is needed, (5) many isozymes are detectable at all stages of the life cycle, (6) isozymes can be resolved for most plant species regardless of habitat, size or longevity. Thus isozymes can be used as genetic markers to study the evolutionary mechanisms that produce genetic structuring in populations, viz. reproduction modes, gene flow, selection. It should be added that the mema percentage of polymorphic isozyme loci in all plants is 36.8 (67.7 in conifers). Colonizing plants and their population isozyme structure are dealt with in Chapter 5. Not surprisingly, a wide range of genetic structures has been revealed, from high uniformity in sellers, apomicts and clonal tara to high levels of genetic diversity in outcrossing species. On the other hand, it is surprising to find Taraxacum obliquum among annuals (Tab. 5.3). This species is not only an agamospermous perennial but also has a narrow geographical and ecological range, which accounts for its low genetic diversity. In his contribution (Chapter 6), J. M1TrON examines physiological and demographic correlates of allozyme variation in plant populations. He reviews inbreeding depression and heterosis. Using the Loliun data, he introduces a new perspective on the fitness consequences of genetic variation. Chapter 7 discusses the use of enzyme electrophoresis for addressing questions in plant systematics, and updates previous reviews (by GOTI'LIEB, CRAWFORD etc.). DJ. CRAWFORDalso discusses the future of enzyme electrophoresis in the light of the increasing emphasis on comparative studies of DNA. He shows that the two approaches are complementary in many instances, and that the questions asked should dictate the methods to be employed. AUelic data have proved most useful for studying congeners. Speciation problems (mode of speciation, recency of speciation, problems of progenitor and derivative species), bybridisation events, polyploidy and gene duplication are the most promising questions for study by enzyme methods in systematics. Crop plants and their origin and evolution are dealt with in Chapters 8 and 9. C.W. STUBER reviews (Chapter 10) the role of isozymes for studying and manipulating quantitative traits. The author anticipates that additional studies will identify certain chromosomal segments that tend to be associated with specific quantitative characters. In spite of the statement that "isozyme studies of Bryophytes are still in their infancy", R. WYATr et al. (Chapter 11) provide an interesting survey of some features of genetic diversity in mosses and liverworts. AUoploidy and polytopic origin have been demonstrated in Plagiomnium medium of the P. ellipticum and P. insigne parentage. It is possible (or even likely) that mosses and liverworts are as genetically diverse as vasctdar plants, which is suggested by the results of isozyme studies of taxa of a small number of bryophyte families. D.E. SOLTIS and P.S. SOLTIS summarize and discuss recent development in understanding the origin of high chromosome numbers in homosporous pteridophytes. Experimental data obtained from isozyme studies show that homosporous pteridophytes are to be considered as genetic diploids. It is hypothesized that their evolution initiated with high chromosome numbers. At the same time, it is demonstrated that outcrosing is a prevalent mating system in homosporous pteridophytes, which challenges the traditional view. The book under review provides an account of recent developments in the isozyme approach to questions of plant population genetics, systematics, evolution and breeding. Because of its wide frame of reference it gives a considerable insight into the field of enzyme electrophoresis. It should be of interest to those concerned with all the developmental and population dynamics aspects of plant biology. The clear, concise and sophisticated manner in which the book is written makes it accessible to a variety of readers ranging from university students to plant breeding specialists. L. KIRSCHNEROVA J.KIRSCHNER

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FOLIA GEOBOTANICAEl" PHYTOTAXONOMICA,27, 1992

G ~ E E. LIKENS(ed.) LONG-TERM STUDIES IN ECOLOGY. APPROACHES AND ALTERNATIVES Papers from the Second Cary Conference held in Millbrook, N.Y., 1987. Springer Verlag, New York, Berlin, Heidelberg, 1988, 214 pp. Price DEM 98.-, ISBN 0-387-96743-5 (New York), 3-540-96743-5 (Berlin). Long term study (LTS) in ecology is something rather different from an experiment which simply lasts longer than usual. LTS bring into ecology a flavour of different approaches, questions, working styles, and also people. The book, though individual section differ in their scope and approach, illustrates this very dearly. There is something which might be called an LTS syndrome: the set of features common to all LTS's, irrespective of the time, place and the taxonomic group. It usually starts humbly, not necessarily with a clear hypothesis to be tested, it is funded through various means (and always not very much). The main important feature of LTS's is the fact that the scientific hypotheses which are ordinarily tested by experiments need less time to change than LTS's need to produce interesting data. Therefore they usually start in a thought climate rather different from that prevailing when they are cvaluated. Since they are in this sense commensurable with the time scale of the scientific development, they give a flavour of a stand independent of the selection and interpretation of facts dictated by current scientific fashion. Hence they are interpreted in terms of theories often very different from those which were present at their beginning. A practical rule of thumb for founding LTS's is then KISS (keep-it-simple-stupld). The book shows nicely the difference between an LTS and an ecological experiment, though running for a long time. "[A[ long term project, so long it is still projected and not yet completed, is not an experiment. An essential feature of an experiment is a termination, otherwise it cannot be adequately defined, tested, and most essentially, repeated by an independent witness. This makes some aspects of ecology, bound as they are to specific time and place, uneapable of experimental proof. [...] The long term project has, as its first priority, to survive" (Taylor p. 22., emphasis original). The pivotal contribution of the book is that by L.R. Taylor (Objective and experiment in long-term research), who reviews some of the LTS's, most of which are from the British Isles, and brings many important reflections and insights on LTS. Two later chapters deal with possible substitutions of LTS's, namely retrospective studies using paleoecological data (Davis: Retrospective studies) and the study of chronosequences (Pickett: Space-for-time substitution as an alternative to long-term studies). Generally none of these, though for different reasons, could substitute for the LTS. Paleoecological ("retrospective") studies usually cover long time intervals and are thus more useful to document e.g. large catastrophic events; however, they usually suffer from the deficiencies inherent in all paleontological data: above all the inherent fragmentary nature. Unfortunately most of the LTS's were carried out in circumstances which exclude the possibility of using the LTS data to calibrate the retrospective data. The most notable exception to this comes from Linsley Pond, Conn., a lake studied by Hutchinson, and from Lake Washington. Analysis of chronosequences is based on the space-for-time assumption, which is, however, rarely tested (LTS may offer a unique opportunity to do such testing). Pickett shows on several examples (namely the case of Oklahoma old fields) that this assumption may be severely flawed and hence that chronosequences cannot be used in the same way as LTS. Two contributions (Shugart: The role of ecological models in long-term ecological studies; Tilman: Ecological experimentation: Strengths and conceptual problems) treat the crucial relation of LTS to theoretical thinking in ecology. Tilman in a contribution whose viewpoint is rather different from that of e.g. Taylor, describes the possible reasons why the response time of ecosystems may be so long as to require LTS. These are i. transient dynamics, ii. indirect (complex) effects, iii. environmental variability, and iv. multiple stable equilibria and site history. Interestingly, exactly the same reasons are now suggcstcd as responsible for undetermintstic behaviour of ecological systems and the principal reasons for the ncoholistic view of ecosystems. This is an extremely interesting book. Its whole attitude differs very much from ordinary monographs on

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ecological subjects; as if the long time needed to wait for really interesting results coming out of a long term study allows the ecologists to ponder the philosophical basis of their discipline and put this on paper in a way some would probably call unscientific. It brings much flavour into the stubborn stress on experimentation in ecology, still avoiding the dangers of a simple descriptive approach. In addition it helps to reevaluate monitoring as a scientific approach. Let us hope it will help to create a scientific climate favourable to start more long term projects. ToMA~ HERBEN

R. WrlTIG OKOLOGIE DER GROSSSTADTFLORA: NORDWESTLICHES MITFELEUROPAS

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UTB fiir Wissenschaft / Uni-Taschenbiicher 1587. - Gustav Fischer Verlag, Stuttgart, 1991, 261 pp., 52 Figs., 45 Tabs. Price DEM 29,80, ISBN 3-347-20460-2 Research into urban flora and vegetation has boomed in the last twenty years, as compared to the previous period. This explosion of information within the framework of the European region is summarized in this book by R. Wittig. In seven major chapters and on 216 pages of a popular pocket edition the author makes the reader familiar with the flora and vegetation of cities in north-western Europe, with their importance, and the problems met with when studying them. In the introductory chapter there is a brief historical synopsis of botanical research in cities of northwestern Europe. In the following chapter the author deals with the conditions of stands in the city and their influence on the development and composition of flora and vegetation. It refers particularly to the specific city climate, air pollution, land in the city, water conditions, water areas and finally, the ways the stand is utilized by man as one of the important stand factors. The chapter on spontaneous urban flora deals with the differentiation of the urban and suburban flora and its mapping. In addition, k analyses separately the distribution and ecology of fungi, lichens, mosses, ferns, and higher plants. The review of flora is supplemented with a spectrum of families. According to link-ups with urban biotopes the author divides the plants into urbanophobic, urbanoneutral and urbanophile species. The review of the spontaneous urban flora is complemented by chapters dealing with the origin of urban flora, plant species characteristic for the city, the importance of higher plants for the environment, and differences in ecological indices of the spontaneous urban flora and other flora. Attention is also paid to the origin of the plants linked with the urban environment. A short chapter is also dedicated to those species of trees shrubs, and climbing and creeping plants which are most frequently grown in the city. In the chapter dealing with spontaneous and sub-spontaneous vegetation a basic overview is presented of the composition and synecology of the most frequently occurring communities, which the author divides into trampled communities, nitrophilous communities with predominant annual species (Chenopodietea), perennial ruderal tall-stem growth (Artemisietea), lawn and meadow urban communities, wall communities, and other herb vegetation units and shrub communities. The next chapter deals with the floristic and vegetation characteristic of various urban biotopes, which are members of the whole range of so called micro- and macro-biotopes. The book ends with a chapter on applied urban botany, which is in essence an overview of plant bioindicators

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of air pollution and contamination. In this respect, particular the attention is paid to lichens, mosses and higher plants. In his conclusion the author also briefly mentions the role of the urban flora and vegetation in the nature conservation and environmental protection. The book contains an extensive bibliography. It is true that orthodox florists and phytocoenologists will not find here an exhaustive review of all the up-to-date data on this subject. That, of course, was not the goal of the book, which was intended above all for students, to elucidate in a well arranged form the up-to-date knowledge about the ecology of urban flora and vegetation in wider circumstances. Since this textbook is destined particularly for the German speaking region, it summaries only the information from north-western Europe, which is somewhat regrettable particularly in the sections with methodological orientation. The book can be also used for a wide circle of students and workers in professions related to urban ecology. The book is also useful for the research workers beginning their studies of ecology of urban flora and vegetation. For them, besides the basic overview of the points at issue the book presents, the particularly extensive literature review is of great assistence. The book can be recommended not only as a university textbook, but also as a handbook for workers in biological disciplines engaged in activities related to the ecology of the urban environment. JIIZ1 DOST.6LEK

H. WALTERand S.-W. BRECKI.E OKOLOGIE DER ERDE Band 1: Okologische Grundlagen in globaler Sicht Gustav Fischer Verlag, Stuttgart 1991, 2. edition, 238 pp., 132 Figs., 24 Tabs. Price DEM 48.-, ISBN 3-437-20454-8 Band 2: Spezielle Okologie der Tropischen und Subtropischen Zonen Gnstav Fischer Vcrlag, Stuttgart 1991, 2. edition, 461 pp., 330 Figs., 116 Tabs., 4 color maps. Price DEM 48.-, ISBN 3-437-20473-4 Band 4: Spezielle Okologie der Gemiissigten und Arktischen Zonen attsserhalb Euro-Nordasiens Gustav Fischer Verlag, Stuttgart 1991, 401 Figs., 125 Tabs. Price DIEM 58.-, ISBN 3-437-20371-1 The new edition of Ecology of the World (see Vegetation der Erdc by H. WAI:FER 1961, 1968, Jena and Stuttgart) has been prepared in 4 parts (for a review of part 3 see Folia Geobot. Phytotax 26: 111-112) with the cooperatioo of Prof. S.-W. Breckle, an ecologist from the University of Bielefeld. The difference between these two editions is in the global view of and emphasis on the ecosystems. The interactions and some processes (actions and proceedings) are described in the framework of zonobiomes from the point of view of the connection between botanical and 2x-,ologicalstructure. The fu,st part is dedicated to common ecological principles of the geo-biospherc and ecosystems, with some examples. The terminology of zonobiome, zonoecotone, orobiome, pedobiome, eu-biome, biogeocoenosis, ecotype, and other concepts are discussed. This part aims to introduce and summarize terminology, and to describe some examples of vegetation types. The separate chapters deal with the ecological structure of the geo-biosphere, terrestrial ecosystems and their specificity, temperature, hydrature, succession, primary production in humid and arid areas etc. The text consists of 10 chapters. The second part of this collection is divided into 3 main chapters (zonobiome I-IIl: equatorial perhumid zonobiome, tropical humid-arid zonobiome and subtropical arid zonobiome). Besides some common descriptions,

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the first chapter provides interesting data on the ecology of producers (synusiae of tree and herb layers, lianas, liemi-epiphytes and epiphytes), consumers and scavengers. Some examples of tropical vegetation are presented from the P~amos in S-America, Kilimandjaro, Mts. of Kenya, Java etc. The chapter on the humid-arid zonobiome gives information on forest reserves in Tanzania, S-Rhodesia and on savannah ecology (Orinoco, campos cerrados in Brazil). Some examples are taken from Puna in NW-Argentina, mangrove type vegetation, Madagascar, caatinga in NE-Brazil, and tropical arid regions in E-Africa. The subtropical arid zonobiome is described in detail on examples of (1) Sonora desert in Arizona compared with the deserts in Mexico and S-America, (2) Peruan-Chile deserts, (3) Namib desert in SW-Africa with a description of vegetation units, (4) Karoo desert in S-Africa, (5) Arid regions in Australia, (6) Sahara desert, (7) Arabian Peninsula and, (8) Sinai Peninsula and Negev-desert. The description of the vegetation and ecological conditions is very detailed and much primary data has been analysed and synthetised. Part 4 deals with the zonobiomes of temperate and arctic regions and has been divided into 10 chapters. The book gives data on the Mediterranean vegetation of N-Africa, S-Europe and the Mediterranean Sea. Data from Anatolia, Transcaucasia, Iran and Afganistan are discussed. In a special part, the vegetation of California is presented as an example of the N-American biome group, further Central Chilean areas, Capetown area, and SW and S Australia. The other special parts are dedicated to the Himalayas as an example of multizonal montane regions, zonobiomes with warm temperate climate on different continents, temperate-unmoral zonobiomes (especiaUy in N-America and E-Asia), steppe, prairie, deserts and semideserts in America, cold parts of N-America and the vegetation of the Arctic and Antarctic climates of tundra. The uniform scheme of all descriptions of zouobiomes makes the book very lucid and renders the comparison of all main ecological world types comprehemible. Most chapters are accompanied by figures, diagrams, maps etc. In view of the scientific quality of the book, the price is not high. Jll~l KOLBEK

N.J. COPPIN and I.G. RICHARDS(coordinators and editors) USE OF VEGETATION IN CIVIL ENGINEERING Butterworth - CIRIA, 1990, XVIII + 292 pp. The book deals with the utilisation of plants and vegetation in civil engineering. This discipline is commonly called bioengineering. Bioengineering itself is a very comprehensive field of study and it would seem better to call this course of study "phytoengineering". Although the book represents team work by many specialists, it has been designed in a very compact way. That is why it is far from being a mere collection of heterogenous papers or chapters. The work is divided into 6 chapters plus bibliography and references (p. 261-268) and appendices including index (p. 283-293). A brief introduction (p. 1-5) summarizes the general principles of plant and vegetation application. The book itself should serve as a guide. The second chapter (p. 6-48) summarizes the basic aspects of plant and vegetation especially related to the soil and climate. It is, in fact, a very brief introduction to environmental problems. Many phytoecologists may find this chapter too simplified. Nevertheless, in this line of study, it surely would not have been useful to enlarge this particular chapter, because textbooks or manuals should be a comprehensive source of details. It might have been advisable to stress briefly that the ecological valencies of species vary in accordance with environmental conditions. The third chapter (p. 49-86) deals with the physical-mechanical parameters of plants, vegetation and soil, and

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the function effects of plants and vegetation. Hydric functions and topsoil protection against both pluvial and wind erosion are the most prominent functions. This chapter also deals with pedogenous, microclimatic, and other effects. Noise attenuation is mentioned very briefly, too. Other analogical functions should have probably been mentioned as well (e.g. dust caption). A separate section deals with the use of geotextiles (incl. geowels, geogrids and mats) and other structural materials (timber, stone etc.). The fourth chapter (p. 87-141) deals with vegetation selection, forms of plants and vegetation establishment and their management, including technical site preparation. Attention is focused on ways of plant cover restoration by means of seeding, hydroseeding, mulcheseeding, turfing, planting, and willow cutting. The linking passage deals with vegetation management (cutting, grazing, fertilizing, chemical methods of pest control etc.). The fifth chapter (p. 142-162) deals very briefly with approach and implementation methods. An algorithm of bio(phyto-)engineering approach has been set out here and particular steps in design outlining and contractual arrangements. The sixth, the key and most extensive chapter (p. 163-260), elaborates the above-mentioned principles both on the theoretical and practical levels from the civil engineering point of view. Prominent attention is given to slope stabilization, water and wind erosion control, vegetation shelter, watercourse and shoreline protection and runoff control in small catchments. Nevertheless, some special dumping site reclamation and waste sludge landfill reclamation methods should have been discussed more broadly. The book is rich in references. Unfortunately, the considerable number of existing German papers and sources in this field do not seem to have been adequately ~cploited. This work is certainly a very useful source for professionals in biotechnology, specialists in various branches of biology and for scientific workers. In fact, it is a particularly instructive guide for all professionals dealing with the utilization of vegetation in civil engineering. The book as a whole is very well-arranged. The graphic and tabular equipment is very rational and the polygraphic level is very high. Understandable style for biologists and all scientists and professionals involved is another other important advantage. This work is a very competent and useful contribution to the discussion of topical problems of this kind. VI~ROSLAVSAMEK MILAN BIBA

D.U KE1STERand P.B. CREGAN THE RHIZOSPHERE AND PLANT GROWTH Beksville symposia in agricultural research Kluwer Academic Publishers, Dordrecht etc., 1991, 386 pp. Price USD 196.-, ISBN 0-7923-1032-2 Since 1976, symposia are regularly held in Beltsville, Maryland (Agricutural Research Center) to discuss research topics to advance agriculture and the agricultural sciences. The fourteenth symposium was devoted to rhizosphere and plant growth. The papers presented there comprise this book. The book is divided into four parts, dealing with (1) progress in rhizosphere research, (2) the rhizobium-legume symbiosis, (3) rhizosphere interaction and plant rest control, and (4) rhizosphere interactions and plant growth promotion. Beginning with history (the paper by A.D. Rovira), the reader can share all the excitement of gains and frustrations in rhizosphere biology, and admire the progress already achieved. Since we are now at a point where it is necessary to maintain either soil productivity (crop yields) or environmental quality, it is no longer acceptable to treat the soil as a "black box" and use fertilizers, water and agricultural chemicals empirically. This is why more

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interest is devoted to interaction between soil, soil organisms, and plant roots. Recent "hot topics" cover microbe-microbe interactions in soil and its influence on plant-microbe interactions, and the hitherto neglected microbes. Manipulation of soil microbes is largely supposed to be efficient in lowering the energy and chemical inputs (and thus environmental contamination) into the soil and increasing cost effectiveness (e.g. symbiotic nitrogen fixation). As the chirman, Donald L. Keister, said, the symposium was conceived to explore the present state of rhizosphere research, emphasize current problems, explore potential solutions, and describe the potential for modern biotechnology applied to these problems. It addressed scientists working in the field of biocontrol of plant diseases, microbiology and soil ecology, symbiotic nkrogen fixation, plant-microbe interactions and plant growth promotion. The book reflects well the comple4dty of this research field, shows the richness of progressive techniques used (e.g. the backpack video camera-recorder-viewer system used, in the minirhizotron or large Auburn rhizotrou, or genetic engineering of lytic enzymes used in biological control of plant diseases). Scanning and transmission electron microscopy are the necessary tools for these studies. Faced by all the sophisticated technical devices the reader feels relieved when reading the words of Charles Kettering in Conclusion to the first papers: "A research problem is not solved by apparatus, it is solved in a person's head". MARCELAKovA~ovA

E, LANDOLT(red.) BERICHTE DES GEOBOTANISCHEN INSTITUTES DER ETH, STIF'I'UNG RUBEL, VOL. 57 Ziirich 1991, 202 pp. Price USD 15.-, SFR 20.-, ISSN 0373-78% The 40 opening pages have a classic arrangement: Annual Report of Geobotanical Institutes in 1990. Some important material contains information on the research project and English summaries of PhD and Diploma theses on these themes: (1) Influence of gaps and neighbouring plants on seedling establishment in a limestone grassland; (2) Vegetation mapping and site investigations in wetlands around Ricken-pass; (3) ..... in wet meadows in the surroundings of Eschenbach and Wangen; (4) Reproductive offer, efficiency and success of Chrysanthemum alpinum and Chrysanthemum atratum; (5) Small scale soil nutrient supply and the distribution pattern of selected plant species in a Bromus erectus grassland, and, (6) Biosystematic investigations on Heracleum sphondylium s. I. in Switzerland. The following part of the report is dedicated to 6 scientific contributions. M. Hatt compares seed pools of two alpine soils (on dolomite and acidic silicate) under the natural vegetation (in Germany). The summary states that the frequency of the species in the seed pools was quite different from the species frequency in the vegetation. B. Tschander describes strategies of growth and reproduction of Cirsium spinosissimum (in Germany). Two natural populations of this alpine plant were investigated, on dolomite and on silicate soil, respectively. W. Huber and H. Zhang report on morphological and chemotaxonomical investigations of the Erigeron species of the Alps (in Germany). The work is based on the comparison of 3 qualitative characteristics in 4 morphological groups. M. Baltisberger presents chromosome numbers of some Labiatae from Albania (in Germany). 21 species (30 sites) of this family are presented. For 2 species (Marrubium incanum and Stachys sericophylla) the chromosome numbers are given for the first time. M. Baltisberger and A. Leuchtmann describe investigations of some Graminae (13 species, 20 sites) from Albania and Greece with regard to chromosome number and endophyte infections (in English). J. Wolek presents the occurrence of nine pleustonic species in different plant associations in Poland. On the basis of a synthesis of 738 phytocoenological relevds a table with the numbers of pleustonic

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FOI.IA (;I~OBOTANICAET PHYI'OTAXONOMICA,27, 1092

species was prepared for the relev6s of each alliance. The report is printed with high professional as well as technical quality and documents the long outstanding geobotanical tradition of the Institute. JIl~ KOLBEK

P.C. AGARWAL,CAILMENNIEVESMORTENSENand S.B. MATHUR SEED-BORNE DISEASES AND SEED HEALTH TESTING OF RICE Technical Bulletin No. 3 and Phytopathological Papers No. 30, Copenhagen 1989, 106 pp., 73 colour photos, 30 black and white photos, 11 maps, 6 figs. Price GBP 13.75, USD 24.50, ISSN 0069-7141 The present title is a joint publication by the Danish Goverment Institute of Seed Pathology for Developing Countries, DK-2900 Hellerup, Denmark (as Technical Bulletin No. 3) and CAB International Mycological Institute, Kew, Surrey TW9 3AF, England (as Phytopathological Papers No. 30). It deals with the principal fungal, bacterial and nematode diseases of rice which are transmitted by seeds. Information for each of thirteen fungal diseases, six diseases caused by the bacteria such as Xanthomonas and Pseudomonas, and one caused by the nematode Aphelenchoides includes a description'of symptoms on foliage, stems, leaf sheaths, roots, grains and inflorescences including microscopic characters of the pathogen in culture. The physiological specialization of the pathogen, its location in the seed, damage caused to seeds, and laboratory detection methods are also mentioned in detail. Geographical distribution maps and the economic significance including losses throughout the world complete the information on each disease. All diagnostic details are well illustrated by colour or black and white photos. Also included are chapters devoted to international comparative testing of seeds for health, control of seed-borne infection and in some cases also quarantine. The detailed descriptions of isolation techniques and identification methods for pathogenic bacteria with biochemical, serological and pathogenicity tests as well as recipes for the preparation of media are useful. The publication concludes with an extensive updated bibliography; its appendix contains a list of pesticides used, with their standard common names, trade names and chemical names. The book is well written and well illustrated; it is a rich source of information for plant pathologists and technicians about rice diseases and very useful for their work in laboratory and field. VI~RA HOLUBOVA-JECHOVA

AGI3STH. BJARNASON VEGETATION ON LAVA FIELDS IN THE HEKLA AREA, ICELAND Acta phytogeogr. Suecica 77, Uppsala, 114 pp. Price SEK 244.-, ISBN 91-7210-077-X There are few places in the world where studies of vegetation succession have better possibilities than in Iceland. Volcanic eruptions have been observed since the colonisation of the island, so that it is possible to get accurate data for many lavafields. Hence there is excellent material for succession studies of vegetation several centuries old on a substrate which is practically identical for the whole area. The doctorate thesis of this Icelandic author, ,h,gfist H. Bjarnason, gives detailed documentation of the vegetation on lavafileds in the surroundings of the Hekla volcano dating from 1158 to 1981. In all the author has

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identified 11 "communities" on these lavafields, the most common being Racomitrium lanuginosum comm., R. canescens comm. and Stereocaulon vesuvianum comm. Empetrum nigrum comm. and others are less frequent. (It seems that the author includes E. hermaphroditum in his E. nigrurn; this is more probable than E. nigrurn s.s. at lfiglaer altitudes.) For evaluation of his relev6s the author uses the CANOCO programme for ordination and TABORD for classification. The vegetation is documented by tables, photos, drawings and ordination diagrams. Agfist H. Bjarnason's thesis brings interesting material concerning plant succession on volcanic rocks and is worth reading. EMIL HADA~

K.O. KOROTKOV,O.V. MOROZOVAand E.A. BELONOVSKAJA THE USSR VEGETATION SYNTAXA PRODROMUS G.E.Vilchek, Moscow, 1991, 346 pp. This book summarizes the main results of systematic application of the Braun-Blanquct approach on the territory of the former USSR since the turn of the 1970s and the 1980s when this method was accepted by Soviet phytosociologists, up to 1991. The English edition under review contains mostly the information compiled in four Russian volumes of the manuscript of the "Preliminary prodromus of vegetation of the USSR" (1988-1990) edited by ABRAMOVA, GOLUB, KOROTKOV, MIRK1N, NAUMOVA, ONI~A~ENKO,SAITOV, SOLOMACttA and SOLOMESt~. Syntaxa from classes to subassociations with their author citations are included in the Prodromus. All the syntaxa, except for the higher-ranked syntaxa first described outside the former USSR territory, are provided with the references to the papers citing the syntaxon from the territory under consideration, a list of diagnostic species and a short characterization of habitat and geographical distribution. There are 63 classes (16 of them first described fiom the former USSR territory) and about 1000 associations surveyed. The list of references contains about 250 items, mostly unpublished Russian manuscripts. It may be surprising for a reader not familiar with Soviet syntaxonomical publication practice that only a minor part of the syntaxa described by Soviet phytosociologists is validly published. Although the authors of the Prodromus state "... the publication of a syntaxon name has to fit the conditions of an effective publication according to the Code of phytosociological nomenclature ..." (p. 9), most of the Prodromus syntaxa names have been published only in manuscripts deposited in the All-Union Institute of Scientific and Technical Information (VINITI) in Moscow. Because of bad outlets for authors in the fl)rmer USSR, it has been a common practice there to consider the syntaxa names deposited in VINIT1 manuscripts effectively published (see MIRKIN 1986, Biol. Nauki 1986/11: 5-15). Unfortunately, the Prodromus also considers these names effectively published, but, in fact, this way of publication contradicts Article 1 of the Code. The second important reservation is the presence of some gaps due to the omission of a large number of foreign papers contributing to the knowledge of plant communities of the territory under consideration. For example, the communities of the class Festucetea vaginatae are entirely lacking in the Prodromus, although several syntaxa of this class have been published by VICHEREK(1972, Folia Geobol. Phytotax., 7: 9-46) from the Ukraine. Similarly, the paper by GUINOCHET(1982, Doc. Phytosoc. N.S. 6: 295-301) from Central Siberia, and that by VICHEREK (1971, Folia Geobot. Phytotax., 6: 127-145) from the Black Sea coasts have been omitted and later conceptions worked out by Soviet authors (and unvalidly published!) have been accepted. Further, many syntaxa first described by Japanese phytosociologlsts from Japan occur in the Far East and in eastern Siberia. None of them has been accepted either. Other comments concern some careless orthographical errors in the syntaxa names (e.g.p. 203:

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Calamagrostetea langsdorfii - correct form Calamagrostietea langsdorf1ii etc.) and the plant taxa nomenclature used, which has not been unified. The bad quality of the print is not suprising in Soviet publications, but it may have been the price paid for early publication in this case. Too sum up, the book under review reflects the current status of phytosociology in Russia and other states of the former USSR both in its contents and its form. In spite of many imperfections caused especially by the short history of application of the Braun-Blanquet approach, this book's greatest value is that it overcomes the gap in knowledge of vegetation syntaxonomy in one sixth of the Earth; it may serve as the very starting point for subsequent syntaxonomical investigations. The authors intend to publish continual improvements of the Prodromus in future and we can only wish them a lot of success on the road to more perfect surveys.

MILAN CHYTRY

H. SUKOPPand S. HEJN~' (EDS.), I. KOWARIK(CO-ED.) URBAN ECOLOGY. PLANTS AND PLANT COMMUNITIES IN URBAN ENVIRONMENTS SPB Academic Publishing by, The Hague, 1990, 281 pp. ISBN 90-5103-040-1 This volume, which will certainly stimulate further research in synanthropic botany, comprises 21 papers by a number of researchers from several countries. The Preface presents a report by the editors, H. Sukopp and S. Hejn3~, on the origin and development of urban ecology in Europe. Urban ecology also includes the study of biotic and abiotic components of urban ecosystems. Only three references are cited. The introductory study by H. Sukopp deals with urban ecology and its application in Europe. Urban ecology is defined here as the study of urban biotopes using ecological methods. The concept of urban ecology, its history and present state of research especially in Western Europe are described in more detail. L. Mucina reports on research into urban vegetation in Eastern Europe (including Yugoslavia). In the interesting study by I. Kowarik "Some responses of flora and vegetation to urbanization in Central Europe", the synanthropic flora and vegetation of cities is treated as a result of man-made disturbance. L. Trepl reports on the history and present state of research into anthropogenic migrations of plants and the process of naturalization; a selection of literature is provided. In his brief paper S. Klotz describes correlations between species number and city area and between species number and the number of inhabitants. P. and A. Pygek compare the vegetation and flora of West Bohemian villages and towns. W. Aey considers historical approaches to urban ecology using the results of research carried out in Liibeck. J. Kub~ov~i discusses natural and semi-natural plant communities of the city of Prague. The problem of urban forests and greening in Shanghai is discussed Shen Zhang. A. Brande, R. B6ker and A. Graf describe changes of flora, vegetation and urban biotopes in Berlin (West). W. Kunick considers spontaneous vegetation in urban ecotopes. The study "The importance of vegetation for the urban climate" by A. von Stiilpnagel, M. Horbert and H. Sukopp adds considerably to our knowledge from the border area between ecology and climatology. The same can be said of the paper "The living conditions of plants on the roofs of buildings" of M. K6hler. N. Miiller reviews the phytosociology of lawns in German cities. Recent changes in forest vegetation in an area on the outskirts of Berlin are examined by W. Seidling. U. Sachse, U. Starfinger and I. Kowarik discuss synanthropic woody species in the urban area of Berlin (West). J.H. Dickson deals with apophytism of Epipactis helleborine in Great Britain. A. Schaeppe reports on grid mapping of bryophytes in Berlin (West). A. Skargiello describes synanthropization of the Polish mycoflora. The concluding papers of the volume are devoted to allergology: the first concerns the dispersal of Fungi spores (J.H. Elixmann, H.F. Liuskens, M. Schata and W. Jorde), the second pollen allergens and their sources in the Prague agglomeration (K. Kopeck#). The last paper is followed by a subject index. Almost all papers quoted contain tabular surveys, figures and mostly plentiful references. Among the authors,

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researchers from the school of Professor H. Sukopp (Berlin) predominate, contributing importantly to urban ecological studies not only in Europe, but worldwide. The contribution by Czech authors (K. KopeckS, J. Kub~ov~t, A. and P. Pygek) is considerable. Urban ecology and its systematic development is of principal importance because with the advancing synanthropization of landscape the housing districts of cities continue to extend. Urban ecology constitutes a bridge between theoretical and applied ecology and is very close to landscape ecology. It may well be utilized in urbanism, planning, maintenance and greening of residential areas and nature conservancy. An example of the application of urban ecology can be found in conscious urban ecological projects and arrangements in some German cities. VLADIM[RJEHL[K