High altitude research is comparatively a recent development. With the
notable exceptions of entomology, botany and perhaps some aspects of
human acclimatization, our knowledge of high altitude environment is
extremely scanty. There is at present no comprehensive handbook on the
general ecology of highlands. This book aims at providing such a text
for the use of the general scientist, engineer, biologist and university
students. It summarizes and critically reviews current developments and
focusses atten- tion on urgent problems of highland ecology needing
future studies. This book has grown out of our explorations and
experiences in the highlands of Asia and South America. The results of
explorations of the high altitude plants and insects on the Himalaya,
Alai-Pamirs, Central Tien Shan and Caucasus by one of us (MSM),
discussed in earlier publications, are reviewed here in the light of
recent advances. Many years' experience of teaching and research in the
University of Sucre (3400 m) and studies at Potosi (4000 m), La Paz and
Chacaltaya (5000 m) in Bolivia by the second author (LEG) cover problems
in physical chemistry, meteorology, engineer- ing and other physical
aspects of highland environments.