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.
