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Natural grasslands, pastures and meadows are among the vegetation types most frequently investigated with phytosociological methods. This was one of the reasons why volume 13, Application of vegetation science to grassland husbandry and agriculture, edited by W. Krause, appeared as one of the first volumes of this handbook. It appeared under the chief editorship of Prof. R. Tiixen and in his time main emphasis of the handbook was placed on Ziirich-Montpellier methods and the European vegetation. When we redesigned the handbook we felt the need to include other methods and aims of grassland analyses as well as a more global coverage of grasslands. Especially the natural dry and semidry areas of the world needed to be covered. was very fortunate in getting Prof. Tueller of the University of Reno I Nevada as an editor for this volume. He and the colleagues he motivated to compile volume 14 on Application of vegetation science to rangeland analysis and management have created a truly global coverage of the topics interesting for vegetation analyses in natural grasslands. Since volume 13 covered the problems of anthropogenically created grasslands, this topic was not expressly treated in order to avoid duplication. For the same reason no specific attempt was made to get more papers from Europe and the temperate forest region in general. The cooperation with Dr. Tueller has been very rewarding for me.

WERNER KRAUSE INTRODUCTION GENERAL COMMENTS ON THIS VOLUME The subject" Application of vegetation science to grassland husbandry" is not limited by geographical boundaries. It is pro­ posed to cover this subject in an internationally applicable work of reference. However, to avoid omissions it would have to em­ brace all the diversity of grassland from the Arctic to the Equa­ tor. The term "application" requires that the papers contained herein take into account both generally relevant scientific knowl­ edge and the special needs of practical farming. The latter are not satisfied solely by the laws of vegetation science; the changing effects of the market, politics, the distribution of wealth and poverty, highly developed technology and the continued use of archaic farming methods must all be considered. To try to cover all this adequately in one volume of ap­ proximately 550 pages is a hopeless task. The editor and the authors had to limit themselves to presenting a selection of prob­ lems and attempts to solve them, with the aim that these exam­ ples should indicate how much vegetation science can contribute to grassland husbandry, and the scope of this contribution is broadened by the references quoted. The arrangement of the sections within this volume does not lend itself to specific suggestions for the management of individual systems. However, grassland husbandry can expect to obtain from this work an'insight into some overall general rela­ tionships, which could assist the adviser in the formulation of more specific improvement plans.

During the International Botanical Congress in Edinburgh, 1964, Mrs. 1. M. WEISBACH-J UNK of The Hague discussed a plan for preparation by her publishing company (Dr. W. Junk b.v.) of an international Handbook of Vegetation Science. She proposed a series that should give a comprehensive survey of the varied directions within this science, and their achievements to date as well as their objectives for the future. The challenge of such an enterprise, and its evident value for the further development of vegetation research, induced the undersigned after some consideration to accept the offer of the honorable but also burdensome task of General Editor. The decision was encouraged by a well formulated and detailed outline for the Handbook worked out by the Dutch phytosociolo­ gists J. J. BARKMAN and V. WESTHOFF. A circle of scholars from numerous countries was invited by the Dr. Junk Publishing Com­ pany to The Hague in January 1966 to draw up a list of editors and contributors for the parts of the Handbook. The outline and list have served since for the organization of the Handbook, with no need for major change. The different burdens of editors and authors have compelled quite different timings for completion of the individual sections.

The analysis of vegetation history is one of the prime objectives for vegetation scientists. In order to understand the recent composition of local floras and plant communities a second knowledge of species com- position during recent millenia is essential. With the present concern over climate changes, due to human activities, an understanding of past vegeta- tion distribution becomes even more important, since the correlation between climate and vegetation can often be used to predict possible impacts to crops and forests. I was very fortunate to receive the help of Drs. Webb and Huntley to compile this volume on vegetation history. They have collated an impres- sive set of papers which together give an account of the vegetation history of most of the continents during the late-Tertiary and Quaternery periods. There are, however, gaps in the coverage achieved, most notably Africa, and Asia apart from Japan. The information in this book will nonetheless certainly be used widely by vegetation scientists for the regions covered in the book and much of it has relevance to the areas not explicitly described. The authors of the individual chapters have done their best to cover recent topics of interest as well as established facts. It is intended that a separate volume will be produced in the near future covering the vegetation history of Africa and Asia. I thank the editors of It fits well into the this volume for their commendable achievement.

Avolume on inland aquatic vegetation must therefore be most helpful to the land vegetation analyst and not only to the specialist on aquatic vegetation. This volume, together with the forthcoming volume on wetlands, should completely cover the inland aquatic vegetation problematic.

After the first volumes und er my editorship have appeared the interest of the scientific community has been revived and many new volume editors have started their work. The development of this volume within the series had a special history as Dr. White pointsout in his preface.

The decision was encouraged by a well formulated and detailed outline for the Handbook worked out by the Dutch phytosociolo gists J. A circle of scholars from numerous countries was invited by the Dr. Junk Publishing Com pany to The Hague in January 1966 to draw up a list of editors and contributors for the parts of the Handbook.

WERNER KRAUSE INTRODUCTION GENERAL COMMENTS ON THIS VOLUME The subject" Application of vegetation science to grassland husbandry" is not limited by geographical boundaries.

Avolume on inland aquatic vegetation must therefore be most helpful to the land vegetation analyst and not only to the specialist on aquatic vegetation. This volume, together with the forthcoming volume on wetlands, should completely cover the inland aquatic vegetation problematic.

Natural grasslands, pastures and meadows are among the vegetation types most frequently investigated with phytosociological methods.

Our highly developed knowledge reference for observing and measuring of vegetation is matched by the refinement of changes in the vegetation, their direction cartographic techniques, and maps can now be and their speed, i.

The decision was encouraged by a well formulated and detailed outline for the Handbook worked out by the Dutch phytosociolo gists J. A circle of scholars from numerous countries was invited by the Dr. Junk Publishing Com pany to The Hague in January 1966 to draw up a list of editors and contributors for the parts of the Handbook.

A large part of ecological research depends on use of two ap proaches to synthesizing information about natural communities: classification of communities (or samples representing these) into groups, and ordination (or arrangement) of samples in relation to environmental variables.

More relevant for ecology than the systematic separation of fungi from plants is the different lifestyle of fungi which, in contrast to most plants, live as parasites, saprophytes or in symbiosis.

The impetus for this volume was the 2nd International Wetlands Conference which was held in June, 1984 at Trebon, Czechoslovakia. Volume 2 will contain chapters on Western Europe, Northern Europe, Central Europe, most of northern and It is our hope that Volume western Asia, the Middle East, and Indonesia.

The impetus for this volume was the 2nd International Wetlands Conference which was held in June, 1984 at Trebon, Czechoslovakia. Volume 2 will contain chapters on Western Europe, Northern Europe, Central Europe, most of northern and It is our hope that Volume western Asia, the Middle East, and Indonesia.

The natural communities of the world are diverse, and many schools of ecology have developed classifications of communities in partial independence of one another.

Shell structures are widely used in the fields of civil, mechanical, architectural, aeronautical, and marine engineering. Shell technology has been enhanced by the development of new materials and prefabrication schemes. Despite the mechanical advantages and aesthetic value offered by shell structures, many engineers and architects are relatively unacquinted with shell behaviour and design. This book familiarizes the engineering and architectural student, as well as the practicing engineer and architect, with the behaviour and design aspects of shell structures. Three aspects are presented: the Physical behaviour, the structural analysis, and the design of shells in a simple, integrated, and yet concise fashion. Thus, the book contains three major aspects of shell engineering: (1) physical understanding of shell behaviour; (2) use of applied shell theories; and (3) development of design methodologies together with shell design examples. The theoretical tools required for rational analysis of shells are kept at a modest level to give a sound grasp of the fundamentals of shell behaviour and, at the same time, an understanding of the related theory, allowing it to be applied to actual design problems. To achieve a physical understanding of complex shell behaviour, quantitative presentations are supplemented by qualitative discussions so that the reader can grasp the 'physical feeling' of shell behaviour. A number of analysis and detailed design examples are also worked out in various chapters, making the book a useful reference manual. This book can be used as a textbook and/or a reference book in undergraduate as well as graduate university courses in the fields of civil, mechanical, architectural, aeronautical, and materials engineering. It can also be used as a reference and design-analysis manual for the practicing engineers and architects. The text is supplemented by a number of appendices containing tables of shell analysis and design charts and tables.