Reviews

This work is largely built on the papers from four symposia from the International Congress of Ecology, Yokohama 1990. It is an addition to volume 12 of the handbook of vegetation science dealing with the application of vegetation science in forestry, mostly in Europe. The critics of that volume would want a more diversified demonstration of forestry related vegetation science work and a wide representation of forest types from different continents. Well, they have got what they wanted, at least for Asia. Already in the first part, ‘Overview’, with three chapters [1. Forest ecosystems of East and Southeast Asia in a global perspective; 2. Climatic relations of the forests of East and Southeast Asia; 3. Species diversity in East Asia in a global perspective], the reader is confronted with a wealth of data he otherwise has to look for in several different places. Further parts are titled ‘Evergreen Forest Region’, ‘Summergreen Forest Region’, ‘Montane/Boreal Regions’, and ‘Tropical Forest Regions’. Each part is divided into several to many chapters (in the whole there are 35 chapters). In the different chapters the reader, who is especially sought under fieldworkers, finds a wealth of information on all aspects of vegetation science. One of the interesting things is that in several chapters, like that on ‘Alpine vegetation in a Global perspective’, the Asian vegetation is compared with the same vegetation in other continents. Concluding, it can be said that this book is obligatory for all students and workers in the field of forestry vegetation in Asia. Each chapter is provided with a lengthy list of references.