Bookreviews

ROGER DAJOZ PRECIS D'ECOLOGIE ]~cologie fundamentale et appliqu6e Troisi~me 6dition revue et augment6e, noveau tirage. -- Gauthier-Villars, Paris 1979, X + 549 pp., 210 Figs. This textbook of ecology by R. DAJOZ presents a modern survey of the present state of ecology, taken in the broadest sense. Both animal and plant ecology are treated and problems of landscape ecology are also merl~ioned. The book is divided into 18 chapters. Chapters 1--5 concern ecological factors, like climatic factors, abiotic factors of water and soil, factors linked with nutrition and biotic factors. I n these five chapters the different types of habitat occurring on the E a r t h are described, starting with the depths of the oceans and ending on the summits of high mountains. Chapters 6--9 concern population ecology. The features of populations, their fluctuations induced by different causes, and the dynamics of populations, are explained and illustrated by examples from b o t h aulmal and plant populations. Some examples of practical application of the results of population ecology are appended. Chapters 10--12 deal with the biocenoses and with fundamental concepts and methods of blocenological research. I n a concise t e x t the definitions of the major concepts of both the botanical and the zoological approach to biocenoses are given. Further, the mine characters of biocenoses like abundance, dominance, frequency, constancy and fidelity of species, and diversity, structure and peridiocity of biocenoses are described and the recognition and delimitation of individual biocenoses is outlined. However, the examples include merely the descriptions of plant or animal communities but not of whole biocenoses. The chapter "L'6volution des bioc6noses" is devoted to dynamic phenomena in the biocenoses, mainly to succession but also to cyclic changes oceurring within biocenoses. However the use of the term ,,evolution" for the above phenomena is hardly justified. I n this chapter the concept of climax is discussed, too. In chapters 13 and 14 the results of the ecosystem approach in ecology are presented. Chapter 13 concerns the cycling of matter within ecosystems and within biogeochemical cycles and explains concepts llke food chain, trophic structure and ecological pyramids. Chapter 14 is devoted to energy flow through ecosystems and to the productivity of ecosystems. I n Chapter 15 the major ecosystems of the world are described in terms of formations divided according to the three principal habitat types -- terrestrial communities, marine communities and those of fresh water. Chapter 16 entitled "]~cologie, 6volution et adaptation" deals with phenomena t h a t are only seldom treated in textbooks of ecology. The ecological aspect of evolution of the living beings is given here. The development of ecological conditions on the E a r t h during its history is described. The conditions which made the origin of llfe possible and controlled the initial phases of evolution, under the enormous changes evoked b y living beings (the origin of an oxygenrich atmosphere, the formation of carbonate rocks, the evolution of soil). The way these changes back were reflected upon the evolution is mentioned. The last two chapters are devoted to the practical application of ecology, and problems of landscape ecology and of nature conservation are also treated here. The author should be congratulated for creating a coherent textbook of ecology, amalgamating b o t h phyto-ecological and zoo-ecological knowledge. Each chapter comprises a clear explanation of phenomena and definitions of concepts and is accompanied by selected examples from both the animal and the plant kingdoms. The only major flaw in this book is the fact t h a t no bibliography of the quoted papers is added. JAROSLAV MORAVEC

102

FOLIA GEOBOTANICA ]~T PHYTOTAXOI~OI~ICA, 17, 1982

G. L. STEBBII~S

EVOLUTIONSPROZESSE Grundbegriffe der modernen Biologic Bd. 2, neubearbeitete und erweiterte Auflage, Gustav Fischer Verlag, S t u t t g a r t et New York 1980, I X q- 299 pp., 94 Figs. The fact t h a t the well-known introduction to the synthetic theory of evolution b y Professor G. L. STEBBINS was published in its second German edition (translation of the third American edition) demonstrates conclusively its usefulness. The edition under review is 41 pages longer t h a n the first German edition (1968; cf. Vesmir 49:58, 1970). All of the original 8 chapters have been rewritten to some extent. Chapters 2 (Charakterisierung und Bedeutung yon Ver~.nderungen in Populationen), 3 (Verminderung und Vermehrung genetischer Variabilit~t) and 7 (I-Iaupttrends der Evolution) have been completely rewritten. The main scope and basic aims of the book are stil the same -- to acquaint the reader w i t h . the " h o w " and " w h y " of evolution, with the ideas which leading specialists in the field now hold, and with the kinds of facts underlying these ideas. Toward t h a t goal, this book emphasizes t h e processes at work in evolution, rather t h a n dwelling on the course of evolution or phylogeny. I n spite of the fact t h a t in the meantime the author has published 4 different books about evolution, only a small fragment of ideas presented is incorporated in the book under review. The "neutralist school" (e.g., M. NEI, 1975: Molecular Population Genetics and Evolution. -North-Holland) is completely ignored is this book. I t s chapters deal with the synthetic theory of evolution and its development, the sources of variability, the organization of genetic variability in populations, the differentiation of populations, reproductive isolation, and the origin of species, the role of hybridization in evolution, major trends of evolution, and processes of evolution in man. The original short bibliography is completed b y a number of German books published b y G. Fischer, Stuttgart. The book is altogether up to date, and is complete in itself; it assumes a minimum acquaintance with biology on the reader's part. I t is a consistent and comprehensive account of the principles underlying evolutionary processes. MARCEL REJ~NEE:

ERIE SJSG~z~Iv (ed.) STUDIES

IN PLANT

ECOLOGY

Acta Phytogeographica Suecica 68., Uppsala 1980, 192 pp. The present volume 'Studies in Plant Ecology' has been dedicated to Professor H u o o SJSRs, holder of the chair of Ecological Botany, chairman of the Swedish Phytogeographical Society and Head of the Institute of Ecological Botany of long standing. The papers in this volume are mostly b y pupils of H u a o SJ5~s and by botanists of the Institute of Ecological Botany. The varied topics of these papers not only reflect the diversity of the work done at the Institute, b u t the great variety of activities of HuGo SJSRs as well. Many of the papers deal with the changes and dynamics of vegetation in various aspects. On t h e basis of pollen analysis M. F~IEs traced vegetational changes during the Postglaeial period in SE Dalarna (Sweden), the transitional zone between the southern boreo-nemoral and the n o r t h e r n boreal zone. Historical methods were used b y A. H. B J A ~ A s o ~ in his s t u d y of the development of the second largest woodland in Iceland Fnj6skadalur. The original wood had been destroyed there and the area was newly forested in about 1700. The paper by L. ERIcso~ deals with plant migration on a rising sea-shore in B o t h n i a n Bay. The author studies especially the mode of plant colonization and the importance of water-level fluctuations for the establishment of plants. A similar problem concerning the succession of sea-shore vegetation on emerging sea-shores is treated by W. CRAMER in Uppland (Central Sweden). Changes of the vegetation on the island of 01and are treated in two papers. L. RODENBORa describes the changes in composition of the steppe- and meadow-like vegetation of the great limestone plateau in Southern 01and during the last 30 years, based upon a study of the land use

soo~:R~w~ws

103

~f this area in the past centuries. E. ROS~N treats the regeneration of the plant cover in a limestone heath disturbed b y heavy vehicles, by the method of permanent sample plots. Comprehensive information about the role of different management of seml-natural grasslands is presented in the paper by E. STEEN. P r i m a r y and secondary production and the connection ]~etween production and management is discussed as well. J. BACL~US follows the vegetation changes of the forest on drained peatlands in Central Sweden. Results of management not only depend on drainage, b u t on the type of peatland and the period of influence of fertilization us well. The dynamics in fine root growth of .Pinus sylvestris subjected to experimental treatment with and without eliminating water and mineral nutrients as growth-limiting factors is the subject of a study b y H. I~RSSON. Another set of papers deals with problems concerning the continent of Africa. C. SCARpE studies the influence of fires on the vegetation of the Western Kalaharl. T. ARNBORG reports experience with the plantation of two Mexican conifers -- Gupressus lusitanica and P i n u s patula in Tanzania. K. T~OMASSON describes the plankton of the fourth largest man-made lake in the world, Lake K a r i b a on the Zambezl River. Phytoplankton and its dynamics are also the subject of the work b y T. W I L ~ N in West Svalbard. The t e a m of E. WILL'N, M. OK~ and F. O o N z ~ i s have studied the problem of form variation and ecology of nannoplanctic organisms Rhodomonas minuta and t~hodomonas lens In Central Sweden. A further algological study b y C. JO~A~SSON deals with attached algal vegetation in running waters in South Greenland. Investigations of alterations in the epiphytic lichen flora caused b y air pollution in the Swedish province of Narke is the topic of the work b y E. SKYE. This work follows earlier studies of this area, 1952/53. Phytogeographical studies are presented in the paper b y O. GJAEREVOLL He markes a concisep but very interesting comparison between the alpine plant communities of Alaska and Scandinavia, completed b y a table-survey of the main corresponding alpine heath and meadow communities. A taxonomic s t u d y b y E. JULIN and A. I~AN~FELD deals with Ranunculus auricornu~ in the lYppland (Sweden) and results in the description of three new subspecies. S. DAHLSKOGdescribes the discovery of A t h y r i u m crenatum in SW Lule Lappmark, the first reliable find of this Siberian fern in Sweden. He studies various dispersal possibilities of this fern. Most of the papers are written in English, only two of them in German. Photographs, tables and drawings help readers to get acquainted with the results of the studies. 'Studies in Plant Ecology' will be highly appreciated b y m a n y botanists, espeoially b y everybody who is interested in the vegetation of the Scandinavian and other northern countries. D~.NISA BLA~XOVk

J . MENNE~Ao A. J. QIFEN]~-BoTERENBROOD and C. L. PLATE ATLAS OF THE NETHERLANDS I. E x t i n c t and very rare species

FLORA

Dr. W. J u n k by. Pubhshers, The Haague, Boston et London, 1980 (May); 222 pp., 16 Figs., 332 Maps. Price: 125 Dutch guilders (65 dollars). Mapping of plant distribution has a long tradition in the Netherlands. Eighty years ago the first steps were already made for the edition of a summarizing work including distribution maps of individual species of the Netherlands flora; even at t h a t time the system of a square-net was used. Well-known are the maps of this t y p e published in the thirties in various Dutch botanical periodicals. Mapping activity has recently been revived b y J. M E ~ N E ~ (beginning this work in 1968); this effort has led to the preparation of this work, planned to include three volumes; the first volume is before us, now. I t contains extinct and very rare species, i.e. species which m a y be most easily mapped and revised. Very rare t a x a are arbitrarily defined as taxa occurring a t present at most in 10 squares (5 • 5 km) of the accepted square-net (the Netherlands includes

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I~OLIA GEOBOTANICA ~T PHYTOTAXONOMICA, 17, 1982

C. 1,400 such squares). The book is edited both in Dutch and English. For its preparation it wa~ necessary t o use much of the literature a n d of the herbarium material as well as to revise m a n y localities in the field. I n this task m a n y enthusiastic amateurs have assisted. The introductory p a r t of the Atlas includes a description of the Netherlands from the viewpoints of geography, geology, pedology and climatology; a phytogeographieal division of the country is added. The history of the floristie investigation of the area studied is given in detai~ and problems of the use of data from earlier botanical literature (1550--1850) are also discussed here. The distribution before 1950 and after this year is distinguished in maps so t h a t it is possible to see t h e dynamics of the distribution (its regress, equilibrium or progress) directlyffom the map; the latter case occurs only rarely in this volume, with regard to the upper limit of 10 localities for species included here. In the t e x t to the map each species has its own Dutch name. I n the D u t c h t e x t t o the map the earliest known locality is given, reasons for the regress or progress of occurrence in the Netherlands are mentioned and localities not accepted in the map are enumerated and discussed. A short English summarizing text gives briefly the same data (without mentioning omitted localities) and also a short description of the whole distribution area (usually according to Flora Europaea). To each map data of numbers of squares with the presence of the species before and after 1950 are given. The species are arranged alphabetically, the nomenclature used is mostly according to Flora Europaea, but several exceptions exist. The texts on individual species were compiled by 12 authors; E. J. WEEDE and P. HEUK~LS elaborated most of them. When studying the maps of this volume, a great regress of the distribution m a y be stated for weeds and plants of wetlands. Among weeds several species completely disappeared from t h e Netherlands, e.g. Lolium temulentum (56/0), L. remotum (43/0), Camelina alyssum (34/0), Uu~cuta epilinum (28/0), Linaria arvensis (22/0); a substantial regress m a y be found in Bromus secalinus (219/6), Silene gallica (65]3), Delphinium consolida (58/7), Vaccaria lryramidata (46/4) etc. The following three wetland plants disappeared completely: l~umex aquaticu~ (19/0), Orchis traunsteineri (18]0) and Spiranthes aestivalis (12/0); a noticeabIe regress m a y be shown e.g. for Spartina maritima (52/9), Pulegium v~dgare (48/8), Drosera anglica (46/9), T~dwigia palustris (44/1), Apium repens (35/2). Among the plants from other ecological situations a great regress of their occurrence in t h e Netherlands is stated e.g. for 2~uphrasia micrantha (99]7), Juncus capitatus (49/5), Spiranthes spiralis (35/3), Euphrasia rostkoviana (17/2), Euphorbia serrulata (14]1). Progress in distribution data m a y be found only in very rare cases, e.g. at the interesting neoindigenophyte of the Netherlands flora -- Listera cordata (2/9). A comparison of the above mentioned facts on the regress of the flora in the Netherlands with conditions in Central Europe shows practically ful~ i d e n t i t y b o t h in the t a x a constituting the disappearing element of the flora and the reasons for t h e i r regress. The Atlas under review gives in the first place an excellent view of the distribution of individual species in the Netherlands. This material m a y be used for various comparative studies on selected species, for compilation of their full phytogeographical characteristics, for knowledge of different behaviour of a species in certain parts of its distribution area etc. Together with similar atlases published for Fennoscandinavia, Great Britain, Belgium and a p a r t of West Germany this Atlas gives i m p o r t a n t material for a precise compilation of the distribution, necessary for various phytogeographlcal consideration. The distinguishing of the data before and after 1950 is important for an understanding of the dynamics of distribution areas in the last period and t h u s represents a significant precondition for the recovery of the gene pool. A p p a r e n t shortcomings occur only rarely. I n comparison with the (justified) acceptance of Pulegium the use of the broad concept of Orchis (incl. Dactylorhiza) is very surprising. Incorrect names are used in some cases, e.g. in Helianthemum nummularium subsp, ovatum, Isoete8 setacea and Sesleria coerulea. The defence of the spelling "peleterianum" (in Hicracium) is certainly not justified. We have to t h a n k Dr. J. 1V~EI~N~.MAand his colleagues for their perfect work and to wisI~ t h e m a successful edition of the two following more laborious volumes of this Atlas. JOSEF HOLU~

BOOK~XVI~WS

105

H . W. SAU~R

ENTWICKLUNGSBIOLOGIE Ansgtze zu emer Synthese Springer Verlag, Berlin, Heidelberg et New York 1980, 328 pp., 228 Abb. Die Publikation fasst die Grundprinzipien der Embryologie, Genetik, Molekular- und Zellbiologie, Immunologie und Physlologie des Wachstum a n d der Entwlcklungsprozesse der Ein- und Vielzellenpflanz- und besonders der Tierorganismen zusammen. Das Buch ist zwar im Grunde als Hoehsehultext bestimmt, in Wirldichkeit fiberschreitet es den R a h m e n der fiblichen Lehrbficher dieses Typus: es zeigt die Problematik dynamiseh und in der gesamten Breite der modernen Auffasung; mit kritischer Wahl t r i t t es an die klassischen Erkenntnisse heran und ffihrt die modernen Kenntnisse ein, die in verschiedenen Gebieten des Studiums der Zellen- und Gewebestrukturen und -systeme der Fixation und Ubertragung der Informatlonen in der lebendigen Substanz erreicht wurden. Das Buch ist ein Werk, das die Erkenntnisse im Gebiet der Entwicklungsbiologie synthetisiert. Besonders zu sch~tzen ist der methodlsche Standard des erkli~rten Stoffes. Der Text ist d u t c h instruktive schematische Zeichnungen begleitet, die so ausgeffihrt sind, dass man sie leicht auf eine Tafel bei den Erkl~rungen des Stoffes fibertragen kann. So tragen die Illustrationen zum miihelosen Begriff und Merken beL Die Zusammenhi~nge der Prozesse sind klar dargelegt. Zu manchen Zeichnungen k a n n man einwenden, dass sie ein schwaches graphisches Iqiveau haben. Der Inhalt des Buehes ist auf drei GrundkapiteI eingeteilt. Das erste befasst sieh mit der biologischen Entwicklung, welche aus allen ihren Siehtplmkten betrachtet wird. Dieser Tell des Buches ist am reichsten an saehlichen Informationen und Erkli~rmagen yon kausalen Zusammenhiingen und Entwicklungsprozessen. Das Material resultiert vor ahem aus der experimentellen Forschung. Es erkl~rt die Prinzipien der Komplexitat der biologlschen Systeme a n d der Organisation der Fixation der Informationen in der lebendingen Substanz. Es betont die Funktion der Gene als Bestimmungsprlnzip der Grundentwicklungsmerkmale des Wachstums, der Morphogenese und der Differenzierung der Zellen und des Gewebes. Die Struktur und Funktion des DNA mad Chromatin, die Prlnzipien der gegenseitigen Wirkung des Zellenkerns und der Cytoplasma sind erklart. Der Autor befasst sich Init Wachstumprozessen and Morphogenese, als auch mit den Wegen der E n t s t e h u n g der biologischen Formen. Die Morphogenese ist in der ganzen Brelte des Begriffes aufgefasst -- fiber die Formen der Vielzeller, Oogeneze, Spermatogenese bis zur Organgenese der Pflanzen und Tiere. Welter befasst sich dieser Tell mlt dem Prozess der Regeneration des Gewebes und des Organe bei den Tieren, mit den larvalen ]~ntwicklungsformen und der Metamorphose der Amphibien und Insekte, Der erste Tell befasst sich weiter mit der Zelldifferenzierung,vor ahem mit der Differenzferung und Gestaltung der Gewebe und der Funktlon einigerDrfisen. Sehr ansehaunlieh sind diejenigen Kapiteln bearbeitet, welche die hormonale Regulation der Gene besehreiben mad diejenigen fiber die Fundamente und Funktionen der immunologlsehen Systeme der Organismen. Bet erste Tell des Buehes ist mit d e m Kapitel fiber die Entwicklungsdefekte, besonders fiber die St6rung im Genera, fiber Missbildungen, fiber die Meehanismen der Krebsgesehwulstwueherungen und fiber die Alterung der Geweben und Organismen abgesehlossen. Der zwelte Teil des Buehes ,,Neue Entwieklungen in der ]~ntwieklungsblologie"gibt eine kurze 1~bersieht der Haupt ergebn~sseder Forschung in den folgenden Gebieten: Entwieklungsbiologie, Genetik, Cytogenetik, ehemisehe Embryologie, physiologisehe Chemie, molekulare Biologie, Zellenbiologie und Immunologie. I% handelt sieh eingentlieh u m elne Literaturforsehung, urn Zitate der erw~hlten Hauptpunkte, die dutch die erw~hnten Diszlplinen erg'anzt1st.Dieser Tell hilft d e m Leser sieh sehnell auf d e m Geblet zu orientierenund vor allem den Studenten bietet er genfigend Material z u m elgenem.Studium und zur Ausnutzung der Literaturquellen. Der letzte Tell des Buches wird ,,Drei ikonoklastisehe Thesen zur Entwieklungsbiologle" genannt und bedeutet eine Syntbese der gesammten Erkenntnlsse, die in den vorigen Teilen des Buches pr~sentiert s~nd. D e m Autor ist es hier gelungen, den Inhalt zusarnmenzufassen und in die gemeinsamen Zusammenh~nge a]]esNeue und Dynamlsehe zu bringen, was vet allem auf d e m Gebiet der Erbsehaft, des Lagern und der 1~bertragung der Informationen in der lebendingen Substanz. Der Autor gelangt zu dlesen I-Iauptthesen: I. Eine _~nderung des genetisehen Materials, also D N A , ist die Voraussetzung eines jegliehen irreversiblen biologisehen Entwleklurlgsprozesses.

106

FOLIA GEOBOTAI~ICA ET PHYTOTAXOI~0]~ICA, 17, 1982

2. Der Zellkern speichert genetische Informationen, aber er enth/~lt kein Entwicklungsprogramm, ebensowenig wie die Keimzelle, 3. Morphogenese ist ein epigenetisches Wechselspiel zwischen extranucle/ixer Entwicldungsinformation and intracellul/~ren Faktoren sowie extracellul/~ren Matrizen. Das Bueh bedeutet mit seiner dynamischen und synthetis'chen Auffasung der Fragen der Evolution a n d auch durch den methodischen Zutritt am seine Darlegungen einen wesentlichen Beitrag f'fir die Literatur auf diesem Gebiet. Trotzdem es sich vor allem auf tierische Organismen konzentriert, karm man ihr Studium allen Studenten a n d wissenschaftlichen Arbeitern im Gebiet tier Naturwissenschaften empfehlen, da die Grundkentnisse der Entwicklungsfragen a n d ~ b e r tragung der Informationen in der lebendigen Substanz zur theoretischen Ausriistung eines jeden gegenw/~rtigen Naturforschers gehSren sollten. JAN Dvof~X~

I-I. J. B. BIRKS and H~z4~y H. BIRK$ QUATERNARY

PALAEOECOLOGY

Edward Arnold Publishing House, London 1980, 289 pp., 172 Figs., 28 Tabs., U K Price L 28. JOHN and HILARy BIRKS have produced a genuinely excellent and remarkable book. Their " Q u a t e r n a r y Palaeoecology" is a truly up-to-date source of useful information about this developing branch of science. The palaeoecology of t o d a y is no longer merely descriptive science of local or regional applicability as it still was yesterday; above all, it is an exact and interdisciplinary subject of much broader, very often of global, importance. Many modern methods have been developed, m a n y new advanced numerical processes and approaches to evaluation and interpretation of d a t a have recently been evolved. The book reviewed is the first one we know of which describes palaeoecology in its entire diversity, covering and reacting to all new trends and ideas. The origin of the book lies in a course of Quaternary palaeoeeology conducted b y the two authors at the Botany School, University of Cambridge. This appears to have been a very h a p p y foundation to build the book upon. The content and form of all chapters have been checked on several generations of student "guinea pigs" and as a result the texts are well balanced, clear, concise and comprehensible, so t h a t t h e y could be understood b y people with traditional biological education. This especially applies to the sections in which Jom~ Bn~KS describes the processes of his favourite palaeoecological mathematics, statistics and computerizing. The authors arranged their book also in a non-traditional way. Each chapter briefly introduces its problem in a general way and then proceeds to well chosen concrete examples. As can be expected, these examples, as well as the other literature quoted, for the most p a r t come from English and American scientific research; it is therefore pleasant to find t h a t in this competition some results of Czechoslovak palaeoecological research have secured an honourable place. The arrangement of the book in 12 chapters follows a logical course. The authors begin b y presenting the general principles of the subject, continue b y describing various sources of palaeoecology and end b y synthetizing their data. I n the first chapter t h e y look for mutual relations and differences between modern ecology and palaeoecology. Chapter 2 describes the general principles of palaeoeeology, e.g. the theoretical principles of geological stratigraphy and their unit, sampling procedures, the reconstruction of organisms and of their populations, communities and environments. The next chapter presents concrete information about the present sampling and coring techniques, including sediment description. The following p a r t of the book evaluates the role of organic sediments as objects of palaeoecological investigation. The fifth chapter concerns plant macrofossils, macrofossil analysis and their interpretation. Palaeolimnology, including Diatom a n d Cladoceras analysies, is the subject of the next, very important p a r t of the book; it deals with one of the most fruitful and stimulating sections of palaeoecology. About 30 pages of the t e x t are devoted to the study of zoological objects in pala~oecological research. Though botanists, and maybe for this very reason, the authors offer an introduction to animal palaeoeeology, using a very instructive way of presentation. The following chapters are mostly concerned with pollen analysis, which is still supposed to be the basis of palaeoecology. J o ~ and HILLARY Bn~Y~S discuss 9 he methods and principles of pollen analysis, ways of presenting pollen analytical data, acquaint

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107

t h e r e a d e r s w i t h t h e c o m p l i c a t e d p r o b l e m s o f pollen p r o d u c t i o n , dispersal, s e d i m e n t a t i o n , pres e r v a t i o n a n d r e d e p o s i t / o n . T h e l a s t t h r e e c h a p t e r s t u r n to r e c o n s t r u c t i o n o f p a s t floras a n d p a s t p l a n t p o p u l a t i o n s in detail, i n t r o d u c i n g all m o d e r n m e a n s a t o u r disposal, s u c h as t h e correction ,of pollen c o u n t s in c o r r e s p o n d e n c e w i t h pollen p r o d u c t i o n a n d r e p r e s e n t a t i o n o f p l a n t s , m e t h o d s o f a b s o l u t e pollen f r e q u e n c y d e t e r m i n a t i o n , t h e c o n s t r u c t i o n a n d u s e o f pollen influx d i a g r a m s , etc. A d e s c r i p t i o n o f different a p p r o a c h e s to t h e r e c o n s t r u c t i o n o f p a s t p l a n t c o m m u n i t i e s a n d p a s t v e g e t a t i o n follows. T h e b o o k e n d s b y o u t l i n i n g t h e possibilities o f u s i n g all i n f o r m a t i o n f r o m palaeoeeologieal i n v e s t i g a t i o n s for r e c o n s t r u c t i n g p a s t e n v i r o n m e n t s a n d p a s t e c o s y s t e m s . A llst of l i t e r a t u r e cited in t h e t e x t as well as s o m e a d d i t i o n a l b a s i c m a n u a l s c a n be f o u n d a t t h e e n d o f e a c h c h a p t e r . T h e references are a r r a n g e d a l p h a b e t i c a l l y for s e p a r a t e s u b c h a p t e r s . T h i s a r r a n g e m e n t m a k e s it possible easily t o find t h e literature c o n c e r n e d w i t h a g i v e n p r o b l e m ; o n t h e o t h e r h a n d , s o m e references h a v e to be r e p e a t e d . T h e b o o k is closed b y index. " Q u a r t e r n a r y P a l a e o e c o l o g y " b y JOHn a n d HILARY BIRKS p r e s e n t s i n s p i r i n g i n s t r u c t i o n on h o w to work in palaeoecology t o d a y . I t g i v e s e x a m p l e s of results, b u t it n e v e r offers a n y d o g m a , a n y " g e n e r a l l y " v a l i d conclusion. I n s t e a d , it i n d u c e s e v e r y r e a d e r t o a p p l y w h a t h e h a s l e a r n e d f r o m it to his o w n p r o b l e m s . I t is t h e b o o k we o f t e n d r e a m e d o f writing, b u t we did n o t k n o w h o w to realize it. T h e b o o k is n o t a s s i g n e d for t h e g e n e r a l public, as t h e a u t h o r s e x p e c t s o m e basic k n o w l e d g e a t least in ecology. Still, it c a n find v e r y wide circle o f users n o t o n l y a m o n g palaeoecologists a n d ecologists, b u t also a m o n g archaeologists, Q u a t e r n a r y geologists, l i m n o l o g i s t s a n d zoologists as well as a m o n g g e o g r a p h e r s . T h e b o o k will c e r t a i n l y be p u b l i s h e d a n d t r a n s l a t e d m a n y times.

KAMIT. RYBNi~EK ELI~KA RYBNi~KOV$-

H. HAR.~ a n d L. H . J. ~,VILLIAMS AN ENUMERATION

OF THE FLOWERING

PLANTS

OF NEPAL

V O L . 2.

B r i t i s h M u s e u m ( N a t u r a l H i s t o r y ) , L o n d o n 1979, 220 pp. O f t h e p r o j e c t e d t h r e e - v o l u m e c o m p e n d i u m , t h e second v o l u m e follows o n t h e first (issued on J u n e 12, 1978) ; Vol. 2 c o n t a i n s t h e b e g i n n i n g o f t h e d i c o t y l e d o n s f r o m t h e f a m i l y Ranuncu!aceae to t h e f a m i l y Dipsacaceae. O f t h e g r e a t e r families Cruci/erae, Caryophyllaceae, Mcdvaceae,

Geraniaceae, Leguminosae, Rosaceae, Saxi]ragaceae, Crassulaceae, Umbelli]erae, ]~ubiaceae, Valerianaeeae are i n c l u d e d here. Besides E n g l i s h b o t a n i s t s , a n u m b e r o f o t h e r s , especially J a p a n e s e s c i e n t i s t s well-experienced in t h e b o t a n i c a l e x p l o r a t i o n of t h e H i m a l a y a , t o o k p a r t in t h i s work, w h i c h is issued as a joint p r o j e c t o f t h e B r i t i s h M u s e u m a n d of t h e U n i v e r s i t y of Tokyo. T h e i n t e r n a l a r r a n g e m e n t of t h e reviewed b o o k is essentially t h e s a m e as in t h e first v o l u m e . Inside each family the genera are enumerated alphabetically (without descriptions; sometimes th~ f u n d a m e n t a l l i t e r a t u r e is given). Like t h e g e n e r a , t h e species are e n u m e r a t e d in a l p h a b e t i c a l order. T h e s y n o n y m y a n d t h e d i s t r i b u t i o n in N e p a l are m e n t i o n e d here. I n s o m e species t h e intraspecific division i n t o subspecies or v a r i e t i e s is also given. A d i c h o t o m i c d e t e r m i n a t i o n k e y t o species is o f t e n a d d e d to v o l u m i n o u s g e n e r a , e.g. to t h e g e n e r a Meconopsis, Hypericum, Gera-

nium, Desmodium, Rhodiola, Sedum, Viburnum. T h e g e n e r a l c o n c o p t i o n of g e n e r a in m o s t cases is a little wider so t h a t e.g. t h e g e n e r a Anemone, Adonis, Ranunculus (incl. Batrachium), Corydcdis, Stellaria (incl. Myosoton), etc. are preserved, as are t h e species, e.g. Ranunculus pulehellus, Stellaria media, Thalietrum alpinum, Caltha palustris etc. I t is a h o n o u r to Czechoslovak b o t a n i s t s t h a t s o m e t a x a described b y t h e m are r e s p e c t e d here, e.g. Potentilla caliginosa SoJ•K, P. exigua SoJA_K, P. spodioehlora SoJXK a n d s o m e c o m b i n a t i o n s well (e.g. in t h e g e n u s Swida). T h e e n u m e r a t i o n of t h e flora of N e p a l is o f g r e a t significance n o t o n l y for k n o w l e d g e of t h e local flora b u t also for b o t a n i s t s in general, b e c a u s e is p r e s e n t s i n f o r m a t i o n o n t h e p r e s e n t rich s t a t e of t h e flora of N e p a l , while o n l y s c a t t e r e s r e p o r t s on it h a v e e x i s t e d u n t i l now. T h e whole e n u m e r a t i o n will be a s t r o n g i m p u l s e for f u t u r e s t u d i e s n o t o n l y o f t h e flora o f Nepal, b u t also

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FOLIA GEOBOTANICA ET PHYTOTAXON0~IICA, 17, 1982

of the whole high-mountain and mountain flora of Asia. Analogous works ought to be published for the adjacent regions, too, so t h a t a more complete picture of the vegetation riches of the massif of the Himalayas could be obtained. The book reviewed represents an important manual for all students dealing especially with t a x o n o m y and phytogeography. JINDRICH CHRTEK

~. KUIWKEL

DIE KANARISCHEN

INSELN

UND IHRE

PFLANZENWELT

G. Fischer Verlag, Stuttgart et New York 1980, 185 pp., 74 Abb., 13 Karten, 12 Tafeln. Dieses nicht allzu dieke Buch bringt uns auf die Kanarlschen Inseln, die immer die Aufmerksamkeit you Botanikern gefesselt haben. I n einer iibersichtlichen Folge einzelner Kapitel, die mit passenden und aufschlussreichen Fotografien, Abbildungen und K a r t e n erg~nzt sind, informiert uns der Autor, ein Kenner der dortigen Flora, fiber alle botanischen (und mit der Botanik zusammenh~ngenden) Merkwfirdigkeiten der Inseln. Has Buch ist in ffinf geschlossene Grundabschnitte eingeteilt, u. zw. : Allgemeiner Tell, Spezleller Tell, 0kologische Aspekte, Vegetationsgliederung und Die einzelnen Inseln, schliesslich noch der Anhang. I m ersten Abschnitt sind die Grundinformationen gegeben (es ist interessant, wie die Angaben fiber das Gesamtausmass der Inseln -- bis um 700 km 2 auseinandergehen, ferner werden Geologie, klimatische Grundlagen, BevSlkerung und Turismus behandelt; der einen noch nie dagewesenen Aufschwung erf~hrt; (so z. B. im Jahre 1951 gab es in Puerto de la Cruz, Teneriffa, nur 2 Unterkunftsh~user mit einer Kapazit~t von 130 Betten, i. J. 1974 standen hier schon 105 Hotels mit 18 6361Betten), der in seinen Folgen einen betr~chtllch ungtinstigen Einfluss auf die Vegetation, vor allem in den Kfistengebieten. Ferner werden Landwirtschaft und Gartenbau behandelt und die botanische Endeckung der Inseln wird erdrtert. I m Speziellen Tell wird der Leser mit einer Anzahl botaniseher l~Ierkwiirdigkeiten, mit der Gesamtzahl yon Pflanzenarten b e k a n n t gemacht; 1254 Arten sind auf den Inseln helmisch oder wanderten in vorhistoriseher Zeit bzw. ohne beabsichtigte Hilfe des Menschen ein. Werden die eingeschleppten und iiblich angebauten Arten eingeschlossen, d a n n steigt die Artenzahl wesentlich, beinahe bis zu 2000 Arten. Zugleich werden auch die Artenvertretungen einzelner wichtigerer Familien durchgenommen. A m h~ufigsten ist die Familie Asteraceae mit 276 Arten, Faro. Poaceae mit 164, Fabaceae mit 163 Arten, usw. vertreten. Von der Gesamtzahl wachsen a u f d e n Inseln 47 Prozent endemische Arten. Interessant ist jedoch,'dass hier keine endemische Familie vertreten ist; es werden 27 endemisehe Gattungen angefiihrt (viele yon diesen sind vom taxonomischen Gesichtspunkte aus fraglich). Besondere Aufmerksamkeit wlrd einigen A r t e n oder Gruppen gewidmet, die ffir die Inseln kennzeichnend sind, wie Dracaena draeo, Phoenix canarien~i8, P i n u s canariensis, Gattungen Echium (yon 23 Arten sind 22 endemisch), Senecio (von 22 Arten sind 14 endemisch), Argyranthemum und Familie Crassulaceae. Sehr interessant ist der Abschnitt 5kologische Aspekte, we die (FOr die Inseln sehr charakteristischen) Wuchs- und Lebensformen, die eingeschleppten Elemente, die Einfliisse der Tierwelt erw~hnt werden, und sehliesslich widmet der Autor seine Aufmerksamkeit auch dem l~aturschutz und seiner Problematik. I n der Gegenwart gibt es auf den Kanarischen Inseln f'dnf Nationalparks, yon denen Parque Nacional del Teyde die grSsste Fl~che (13 571 ha) einnimmt, ausserdem befinden sich hier etwa 40 sog. Schutzgebiete. Die Natur ver~ndert sich bier sclmell, wie die in einer Zeitspannung yon beil~uiig 10 J a h r e n angefertigten Fotografien derselben Stellen anschaulieh zeigen. Dort, we vorher die ungestSrte Natur herrschte, stehen heute vielenorts Hotels mit ihrem ZubehSr. Das allgemeine Abbild der Vegetationsverh~ltnisse ergibt sich aus dem Abschnitt Vegetationsgliederung. Die Aufmerksamkeit ist hier vor ahem auf die Kfistenzonen (einschliesslich der Salzwiesen), auf die Lagunen und Schluchten, auf die ariden Gebiete, Lorbeer- und Kiefernw~lder trod auf die subalpine Formation konzentriert. Am umfangreichsten ist der den einzelnen Inseln gewidmete Abschnltt. Jede Insel wird hier gesondert, mit allen Eigentfirnlichkeiten erSrtert, die mit einem Verzeichnis yon E n d e m i t e n

~OOK~V, VIEWS

109

und mit einer K a r t e der Insel mit Bezeichnung yon besonders interessanten Oebieten erg~nzt ist. Zum Schluss ist ein Verzeichnis der wahrscheinlich auf allen Hauptinseln wachsenden Endem i t e n beigefiigt. Absehliessend sind die nomenklatorisehen J~nderungen bel irgendwelchen Taxa, die einhelmisehe Pflanzennamen und ein reiches Literaturverzeichnis angefiihrt. Im allgemeinen kann m a n sagen, dass das besprochene Buch dem Leser eine ~bersicht der Vegetation yon den Kanarischen Inseln bietet. Die Orientierung wird dureh seh6ne und vor allem zweckm/~ssig gew/~hlte Fotografien, Kart~en und Federzeiehnungen yon Pflanzen untersttitzt, die sich auf gutem Papier sehr gut ausnehmen. Fiir botanische Arbeitsst~tten stellt das Buch einen wertvollen Beitrag dar. JINDRICH CHRTEK

AI~GELIKA SCHWABE-BRA.UI~ EINE PFLANZENSOZIOLOGISCHE MODELLUNTERSUCHUI~G ,GRUNDLAGE FUR NATURSCHUTZ UND PLANNUIgG ~Weidfeld-Vegetation im Schwarzwald: Geschiehte der Nutzung - Komplexe - - Bewertung Ftir den Naturschutz

ALS

Gesellschaften und ihre

U R B S et REGIO, Gesamthochschul-Bibliothek der Gesamthochschule Kassel, Heft 1811980, 212 pp., 32 Tabs., 12 Figs. The reviewed s t u d y deals with pasture lands in the Schwarzwald. They are described according t o the principles of the BR~Uhr-BL.~NQUET school, and the distribution, synmorphology, synecology, syndynamics, synsystematies etc. of particular communities are given. I n addition, information dealing with the vegetation complexes distributed throughout the landscape also come ~ n d e r study. The reviewed paper is a good example of a s t u d y devoted to vegetation dynamics for practical purposes. Vegetation units (associations) are divided into subunits corresponding to various environmental gradients, e.g. gradients of different extensity of grazing, of nitrogen content, etc. The results of anthropieal influences (manuring, tourist traffic) have also been taken into account. The description of the ecology of dominant species of particular communities is a very welcome approach. Particularities of their biology important for the organization of communities are given. The growth strategy is given for the following species: Genista sagittalis, Sarothamnus

scoparius, Pteridium aquilinum, Calluna vulgaris, Vacclnium myrtillus, V. vitis-idaea, Nardus stricta. This approach efficiently uses information on the autecology of dominant species to describe the structure of plant communities. The results of the s t u d y of plant communities form the basis for the next step of description o f the landscape, i.e. for the description of "sigmasoziationen". Various management practices are also discussed in relation to the effective conservation of nature. This study b y ANGELIKA SCHWABE-BRAUNiS a modelling one; she used various methods for the description and analysis of plant communities and their relationships to environmental and anthropical factors. The results are valuable predominantly for the Central European region, but, on the other hand, the application of methods has a wider field of use. FRANTI~EK KRAHULEC

DAVID M. GATES BIOPHYSICAL

ECOLOGY

Springer-Verlag, New York, Heidelberg et Berlin 1980, 611 pp., 163 Figs. The author presents an excellent book, summarizing the tremendous work which he and his students have been doing for the past 30 years. I t gives the reader an overall view of biophysical ecology, a discipline within ecology t h a t is concerned with the web of interactions between

110

:FOLI& GEOBOTANICA ET PHYTOTAXONO~IICA, 17, 1982

organisms and some of the primary physical factors of the environment. Of course, much of this falls within the subdiscipline known as physiological ecology but the physical aspects are usually not treated as they should be. I n this respect, the book provides extremely valuable information on what occurs between an organism and the environment, which is fundamental to our understanding of ecological processes. The book is divided into fifteen chapters. The introductory chapters contain simplified examples of the application of biophysical theory. Special attention is paid to radiation. I t is the most ubiquitous environmental factor. Because of the great complexity of the subject of radiation it has been given several chapters. After a thorough description of the fundamental laws of energy and radiation, several chapters are devoted to solar radiation, thermal and total radiation, and t o the spectral properties of radiation and organisms. Although attention is paid to both plants and animals, I will mention briefly mainly the research done on plants. Net radiation, energy consumption and heat exchange are the main factors affecting the energy balance, and in this way, the productivity of plants. The author discusses the utilization of total sunlight and compares the primary productivity of crops with t h a t of specific biomes. The botanist will find very interesting information in Chapter 8, devoted to the spectral characteristics of radiation and matter. I n this chapter, the spectral quality of sunlight, skylight, thermal, and ground-reflected radiation is described, as well as spectral reflectance, transmittance, and absorptanee b y various substances, including the earth's atmosphere, plant surfaces, and soils. Certain important features are given concerning these processes and in the leaves of various plant species. As early as in one of his first investigations, the author studied longwave infrared reflectance in m a n y species of plants and presented much information on intriguing changes in the spectral properties of leaves with a wavelength t h a t enable the plants to d u m p excess heat. The stuation in desert succulents is discussed as well as the role of thorns and leaf pubescence in the heat balance of plants. Numerous examples of plant species are given and the adaptive strategies mentioned, e.g., in conifers in comparison with deciduous trees. Terrestrial organisms are loosely coupled to air temperature b y conduction and convection because of the very poor thermal conductivity of air. The subject of convective heat transfer has been worked out b y engineers, but the application of these principles to biological problems is relatively recent. Those aspects important to air or water flow around plants and animals are described in Chapter 9. The author gives a historical survey of the research in broad leaved plants and discusses the work t h a t has been done on problems of leaf adaptation to the environment. The diffusion of water vapor from an organism to the air, an important part of the energy budget, is described in Chapter 10. The part of this chapter dealing with factors involved in transpiration b y leaves, is extremely interesting. The author presents and discusses m a n y views and research results in this special field of biophysical ecology, e.g., data on the stomates of plant leaves t h a t are critical controllers of gas exchange between the plant and its environment. The topics of radiation, convection, and evaporation are treated in the next two chapters, which give a thorough description of energy budgets for plants and animals. After a chapter dealing with t h e energetics of animals, Chapter 14 presents the author's own approach to t h e problem of photosynthesis. I n order to improve our understanding of the physiological ecology of plants, he a t t e m p t s to develop an analytical model of whole-leaf photosynthesis t h a t will relate the metabolic process within plant leaves to conditions of light, temperature, humidity, wind, and concentration of carbon dioxide and oxygen near the plant. Temperature is an extremely important environmental variable for all living organisms. The ability of organisms to resist cold or heat determines survival during temperature extremes. Chapter 15 gives the reader an overall view of the subject dealing with the temperature tolerance of organisms. The author gives a general view of the temperature history of the E a r t h ' s climate and after t h a t describes in great detail the influence of temperature upon physiological processes in plants and insects. Many examples are given of resistance to freezing in woody plants, an extremely interesting and economically important feature, playing the main role in the introduction of exots in temperate regions. This book b y GATES is worth reading. The author should be thanked for his successful effort~ to give students of ecology a valuable tool for better understanding the principal biophysical processes in ecosystems. JXROSLAV DOB~2

BOOKEEVIEWS

111

PHYTOCOENOLOGIA Volume 8, Number 3/4 Gebriider Borntraeger, Berlin et Stuttgart 1980, Verlag yon J. Cramer, Braunschweig I m Jahre 1980 erschien schon der 8. Band yon Phytocoenologia, der Zeitschrift der Internationalen Vereiningung f'fir Vegetationskunde. Das letzte Heft ftir das J a h r 1980 bringt neben d e r Eiuleitungserinnerung yon O. W~MANI~S a n den Meister der Pflanzensoziologie und Griinder dieser Zeitschrift Prof. Dr. R. Ti)XEN drei phytoz6nologische Arbeiten aus versehiedenen Kontinenten. Eine in Engliseh ver6ffentlichte Arbeit yon B. CA~rPBEr.Lfasst Resultate der phytozSnologisch6kologischen Forschungen yon Misch-Hartholzgesellschaften in Kiistengebieten Siidkalifornien~ zusammen. Die deutsch gefasste Studie yon J. PFADENHAUERiSt der Vegetation der Kiistendiinen yon Rio Grande do Sul in Sfidbrasilien gewidmet. Der Verfasser beseh~ftigt slch besonders mit den Beziehungen der Kiistenvegetation zu Landschaftsgeschichte, Standort und Nutzung dieses sfidliehsten Bundeslandes Brasiliens. Besondere Aufmerksamkeit ist der Pflanzensukzession gewidmet. Die umfangreiehste franz6sische Studie yon P. QU~ZEL, M. BARB~XO und Y. A K ~ enth~lt viele neue Erkenntnisse fiber sie Waldvegetation Nordanatoliens. Es sind bier mehrere neue Syntaxa h6herer Rangstufen beschrieben, z. B. Querco-Carpinetalia orientalia, Pino-Piceetalia orientalis, Crataego-Fagion, Castaneo-Carpinion, Alnion barbatae u. a. Die Zeitschrift Phytocoenologia verSffentlieht iiberwiegend l~ngere Vegetationsstudien, di~ aufgrund der Braun-Blanquetschen Methode bearbeitet sind. Sie gehSrt zu den wichtigsten periodisehen Publikationen aus diesem Fachgebiet. Ein hohes Fachniveau, eine breite Auswahl yon Themen, sowle gute Ausetattung machen diese Zeitschrift ffir die Vegetationskundler aller Kontinenten niitzlich. Ein hoher Preis beschr~nkt leider die Zahl yon Abonnenten. ZDEI~KA NEUHAUSLOVK

E. VA~ D ~ MAAREL (ed.) CLASSIFICATION

AND ORDINATION

In: E. VAN DER MABEL (ed.}: Advances in vegetation science 2. -- Dr. W. Junk, The Hague, Boston et London 1980, 188 pp., VII, IX. The second p a r t devoted especially to classification and ordination was edited in the same year as Advances in vegetation science 1. I n addition to two shorter introductory articles (E. vA~r PER M A b e L : Introduction, L. O ~ 6 c I : Preface to "Classification and Ordination"} and a List of participants, it includes twenty-two papers from the symposium "Advances in vegetatio,~ science", held from 15th to 19th May 1979, in Nijmegen, the Netherlands. This volume is t h e first of two from the symposium, organized b y the Working Group for d a t a processing of the International Society for vegetation science. As stated in the introduction, the whole volume is divided into five parts -- general; ordination theory and methods; classification theory and methods; classification and ordination: example~ and comparison; epilogue. The article b y ' P . Gm~IG-SMITH "The development of numerical classification and ordination" in the first part of the volume is dedicated to the survey, development and general problems o f numeric classification; the other b y M. P. AUSTI~ "Searching for a model for use in vegetation analysis to the problems of indirect and direct gradient analysis are discussed and thre~ types o f gradient (indirect and direct environmental gradients, resource gradients} are outlined. The second p a r t dealing with theory and methods of ordination, has most pal~rs, nine altogether. A theoretical work b y L. O~T.6cI describes an algorithm for predictive ordination; the paper by I. C. P~EN~IC~. deals with vegetation analysis and order in variant gradient models and exlains the comparison of principal co-ordinates analysis and non-metric multidimensional sealing (NMDS) and their perusal. E. FEOLI and L. FEO~I C H a P E l ' S works discusses the evaluation o f ordination methods through simulated coenoclines. " A n example of a seriation of relev6s along a straight line based on a linear method is given using field data." E. vA~ PER I~IAA~ET.informs in a short note on the interpretability of ordination diagrams. M. O. HILL and H. G. GAUCH jr.

112

FOLIA GEOBOTANICA ET PHYTOTAI~OI~OI~ICA, 17, 1982

describe technique detrended correspondence analysis, tested on simulated and field data (Arrhenazheretum, Data from Siskiyou mountains in Oregon, chalk grassland in E n g l a n d . . . ) . The contribution by T. J. C~RLETON discusses the use of non-centred PCA followed b y varimax and orthooblique rotation, which is applied to four test data tables of known structure. The article by G. W. WIEGL~.~ deals with three eases of application of PCA to the study of aquatic communities while t h a t written by R. DEL MORAL deals with selecting indirect ordination methods. A set of f o r t y stands from an alpine fell-field in the Washington Cascades was used for methods of polar ordination (PO), PCA, reciprocal averaging (RA) and multidimensional scaling (MDS). At the end of the part on ordination there is an article b y J. LEP~RT and M. DEBUSSC~., Efficient and regional constellation of environmental variables, giving information on the example of communities with Quercus lanuginosa ("Les Garrigues" region in the South of France). The third part of the articles devoted to classification is opened b y a summarizing contribution by M. B. DALE on the theme "A syntactic basis of classification". R. C. JANC~.Y writes on iterative species ranking and agglomerative clustering techniques and H. G. GAUCH, jr. introduces t h e method of rapid initial clustering of large data sets with the COMPCLUS program. E. FEOT.I a n d D. LAusI describe a method for the definition of syntaxa in synsystematics based on objective grounds. ("Hierarchical levels in syntaxonomy based on information functions".) S. JENS~r and E. vA~ D~.RMAARELuse the TABORD and PCA-ordination (ORDINA) program for the s t u d y o f life-form classification of community and synusia approach to South Swedish lakes. The fourth part of the volume is dedicated to classification and ordination with examples of works about different types of vegetation or regions. I t is opened b y an interesting article b y R. S. CLYMO dealing with the problems of communities of one locality in N o r t h England using various numerical methods. The numerical methods are used for the description of vegetation and stratigraphy. V. KOM~KOVX evaluates the alpine vegetation in the Colorado Rocky Mountains by using the method of classification and ordination. I n the final syntaxonomic table (interpreted according to the BRAu~-BLA~Q~Er method), which is the basis for this work, 482 relev6s and 404 t a x a were evaluated. From the provlnce of East-Flanders (Belgium) with the help of stereoscopic aerial photographs the authors of the article (P. vA~ HEC~., I. I~P~.~S, 1%. GoossE~s and F. I-~BRANT) "Multivariate analysis of multispectral remote sensing data on grasslands from different soil types" localize 13 soil types, 58 grasslands. R. K. PETT analyses several ordinations of N o r t h Carolina piedmont hardwood in the article "Ordination as a tool for analysing complex d a t a sets". O. WILDI discusses the concept of the system and operational logic in the article "Management and multivariate analysis of large data sets in vegetation research". The epilogue to the whole book, and its fifth part, are formed by an article written b y S. pro. ~ATTI, dealing with the logical basis of the phytosoeiological method. The contents of this reviewed volume are very rich and besides a huge quantity of ascertained facts it discusses m a n y aspects and methods of classification and ordination, and in general shows the eomtemporary degree of application development and the way these methods can be applied in the future. A classical phytosociologist might expect to find more practical examples o f the application of different methods to different types of vegetation, in comparison with the Classical school of BRAu~-BLA~QU~T and TffXE~. The volume is perfectly equipped by its publishers and it can be recomended to all those who are interested in modern methods in geobotany. JI~f KOLBEK