The book breaks new ground in wedding the rigorous interest in the classification of plant communities that has characterised continental phytosociology with the deep concern traditional in Great Britain, to understand how vegetation works. Volume 5 is split into four different areas, and contents include: List of figures; Preface and acknowledgements; Preamble; Salt-Marsh Communities (Part 1); Introduction to salt-marsh communities; Key to salt-marsh communities; Community descriptions; Sand-Dune Communities (Part 2); Introduction to sand-dune communities; Key to sand-dune communities; Community descriptions; Maritime Cliff Communities (Part 3); Introduction to maritime cliff communities; Key to maritime cliff communities; Community descriptions; Vegetation of Open Habitas (Part 4); Introduction to vegetation of open habitats; Key to vegetation of open habitats; Community descriptions; Phytosociological conspectus of British plant communities; Index of synonyms; Index of species; and Bibliography.
List of figures
Preface and acknowledgements
Preamble
Part I. Salt-Marsh Communities: Introduction to salt-marsh communities
- Key to salt-marsh communities
- Community descriptions
Part II. Sand-Dune Communities: Introduction to sand-dune communities
- Key to sand-dune communities
- Community descriptions
Part III. Maritime Cliff Communities: Introduction to maritime cliff communities
- Key to maritime cliff communities
- Community descriptions
Part IV. Vegetation of Open Habitats: Introduction to vegetation of open habitats
- Key to vegetation of open habitats
- Community descriptions
- Phytosociological conspectus of British plant communities
Index of synonyms
Index of species
Bibliography
"This series represents an outstanding achievement of descriptive plant ecology."
- M. J. Crawley, Trends in Ecology and Evolution
"[...] an excellent series of reference volumes."
- Mineral Planning
"What more can be said [...] indispensable."
- Bulletin of the British Ecological Society
"[...] the completion of the NVC has been well worth waiting for, and this is a significant culmination of a nationally important project. It has provided a common language and standard for ecologists which it is now impossible to do without. Every plant ecologist should have the set on his or her shelves."
- Tim Rich, British Wildlife
"The British Plant Communities series, an essential addition to an ecologist's or plant conservationist's library, ought to set trends and standards worldwide for the study and management of vegetation [...] The vegetation team and their many collaborators are to be congratulated on realizing such a useful, readable publication."
- Plant Talk
"The publication of this fifth and final volume [...] completes one of the most notable achievements in British ecology: the first comprehensive phytosociological classification of British vegetation."
- P. Lusby, Edinburgh Journal of Botany
"[...] there is much in this book that will be of interest both to those who embrace and those who do not embrace the phytosociological approach towards vegetation."
- Journal of Biogeography