This volume contains most of the contributions presented at the
Symposium on Vegetation dynamics in grasslands, heathlands, and
mediterranean ligneous formations, which took place at the Centre
d'Etudes Phytosociologiques et Ecologiques 'Louis Emberger' (locally
organized by the Department of General Ecology and the Directory Staff
of this institute) at Montpellier. It was organized by the Working Group
for Succession research on permanent plots, and the Working Group for
Data-processing in phytosociology, both of the International Society for
Vegetation Science. The editors of this volume represent both working
groups and the organizing institute. They acknowledge the considerable
material assistance provided by the Centre National de la Recherche
Scientifique, Direction des relations exterieures de l'information, and
Programme lnterdisciplinaire de Recherche sur I'Environnement (PIREN);
the Conseil general de I'Herault; and the Ministere de I'Environnement
et du Cadre de Vie. The Symposium was opened by Prof. M. Godron. The
many lectures and poster contributions were organized around five
themes. A complete list is added to this volume (Appendix). Abstracts of
these contributions were sent in prior to the Symposium and collected by
the CEPE in a volume 'Actes du Symposium sur Dynamique de la Vegetation
dans les formations herbacees, les landes et les formations
mediterraneennes ligneuses'. The 27 ela borated papers accepted for this
volume are presented in roughly the same sequence.