Nematode interactions are important biological phenomena and of great significance in agriculture. It is a fascinating subject which is multidisciplinary by nature, and concerns any scientist involved with plant health. There have been marked advances in our knowledge of various aspects of the subject in the last two decades. This study area has been the subject of several reviews, but there was no exclusive text on the subject. This has stressed the need to document the information, developing a unifying theme which treated nematode interactions in a holistic manner. This book is about the inter action of plant-parasitic nematodes with other plant pathogens or root symbionts, the nature of their associations, their impact on the host and con sequential interactive effects on the involved organisms. Since nematodes are at the centre of the theme, the responsibility of understanding of other plant pathogens dealt with in this book is largely delegated to the reader. I have limited the book content to interactions with biotic pathogens and root symbionts only, for various reasons. The book embodies 16 chapters, and attempts to present balanced infor mation on various aspects of nematode interactions with other plant pathogens and root symbionts. Some chapters describe general aspects of the subject. Interactions of nematodes with specific groups of organisms are addressed in the remaining chapters."

The increasing con'.;ern for the serious problems of forest decline that occurred in the Northern Hemisphere in the late 1970's and early 1980 's led to an emphasis on the necessity of promoting and setting up investigations into the basic physiological mechanisms of forest trees. Since then, the concern about rapid changes has decreased along with the increase of monitored data on European forests health status. But tree physiology has faced new questions about changing climate and increasing atmospheric carbon dioxide concentrations. Advances in plant molecular biology and forest genetics have opened up new avenues in the research on forest tree physiology. At the same, time it has become evident that molecular and genetic tools give only a basis for further research on tree structure and function, which needs basic tree physiology again. On the other hand, the problems of forest decline in Europe are not over. They are no longer discussed daily in the media, but stress is an everyday phenomenon experienced by European forest trees. For instance, in southern Europe and mountainous regions, drought stress and many other abiotic or biotic factors are stressors and cause problems to forests with many important social and protective functions. Stress physiology is a branch of everyday physiology in traditional forestry. How to grow a forest with maximal carbon binding functions and optimal wood quality and rich in biodiversity."

Nouragues is a tropical forest research station in French Guiana. It was established in 1986 for research on natural mechanisms of forest regeneration. Since then a lot of research has been done on this and related topics. This book provides an overview of the main research results, and focuses on plant communities, vertebrate communities and evolutionary ecology, frugivory and seed dispersal, and forest dynamics and recruitment. The appendices give (annoted) checklists of plants, birds, mammals, herpetofauna and fishes found in the same area.

This monograph discusses fire hazard and fire resistance in wooden structures with a long duration of operation. Aside from its increasing importance for modern architecture, wood has been the most important building material in the past. It has a distinct aesthetic, high mechanical strength, and resistance against many environmental changes. These properties are evident in structures like the still standing Grinstead Chuch, which has been built in 1045. Readers will however learn about the decreasing fire resistance in wooden buildings with a long service live. Considering the cultural value of medieval wood buildings, this topic becomes increasingly relevant. The chapters discuss the mechanical, physico-chemical and thermophysical properties of wooden structures over different lifespans. Many factors contributing to the changing fire resistance in the ageing process of wooden structures, are explained. This book is a valuable resource for students, teachers and scientists in the areas of wood science, fire research and forestry.

Agroforestry reserach and development in Australia has been largely fragmented and many of the research results have never been published and are unknown. The purpose of this volume is to comprehensively review all of the research that has taken place in the field of agroforestry in Australia, including previously unpublished results, providing readers with the latest technical and economic information about using trees in agriculture for the control of salinity and erosion, for shelter and shade, and for the production of timber, fodder and minor forest products. The book provides information concerning planted trees within all of these categories and includes special review of the management of native vegetation on farms. These papers also examine research needs where appropriate. This book stems from the National Australian Conference on 'The Role of Trees in Sustainable Agriculture' which took place in Albury, Victoria, Australia in October, 1991. Each national review paper is based upon a summary of six or more state review research and development papers, prepared specifically for the national conference. The book thus provides readers with a comprehensive overview of agroforestry rsearch in Australia, which is introduced and summarised in the first chapter.

Since 1993 a major research programme, "Stochastic Decision Analysis in Forest Management" has been running at Department of Economics and Natural Resources, The Royal Veterinary and Agricultural University (KVL), Copenhagen, in collaboration with Institute of Mathematical Statistics, University of Copenhagen (KU). The research is funded by the two Universities; The Danish Agricultural and Veterinary Research Council; The Danish Research Academy; The National Forest and Nature Agency; and Danish Informatics Network in the Agricultural Sciepces (DINA). A first international workshop in the research programme was held 5 - 8 August, 1996 at Eldrupgaard, Denmark, within the frameworkofacollaborationagreementbetween University of California at Berkeley (UCB) and the Danish Universities, and funded by The Danish Research Academy and the L0venholm Foundation. Having participated in the workshop, Professor Peter Berck (UCB) suggested that the papers be published along with selected papers in the same scientific field, i.e. mainly cointegration analysis of time series in forestry. The editors express their sincere appreciations to the many persons who have contributed to the realisation of the present book: participants in the research programme and the workshop, in particular Professors S0ren Johansen (KU) and Peter Berck (UCB); authors outside the programme/workshop; reviewers of the papers not previously published, in particuler Associate Professors Niels Haldrup (Aarhus University) and Henrik Hansen (KVL); and finally Mrs Mette Riis and Lizzie Rohde who did the tedious work of giving the papers a uniform style. Copenhagen, October 1998.

With one volume each year, this series keeps scientists and advanced students informed of the latest developments and results in all areas of the plant sciences. This latest volume includes reviews on plant physiology, biochemistry, genetics and genomics, forests, and ecosystems.

A PORTABLE, POCKET EDITION OF THE DEFINITIVE WOOD-CUTTER'S BIBLE - PERFECT FOR FATHER'S DAY "The book has spread like wildfire" Daily Mail "A how-to book with poetry at its heart" T.L.S. "A step-by-step guide to preparing your wood store" Independent Whether you're a seasoned woodcutter, or your passion is yet to be kindled, NORWEGIAN WOOD is a highly informative and entertaining guide for year-round wood management, and the perfect gift. Chopping and stacking wood is a pastime where the world makes sense once more. Because our relationship to fire is so ancient, so universal, it seems that in learning about wood, you can also learn about life. And who better to impart this wisdom than an expert from Scandinavia, where the extreme climate has obliged generations to hone and share their skills with tools, wood and heat production. Lars Mytting has distilled the wisdom of enthusiasts, from experienced lifelong growers, stackers and burners to researchers and professionals of combustion and tree culture. Part guide to the best practice in every aspect of working with this renewable energy source, part meditation on the human instinct for survival, this definitive handbook on the art of chopping, stacking and drying wood in the Scandinavian way has resonated across the world, with more than a million copies sold worldwide. More than 200,000 copies sold in English editions. The book that defined a genre.

If you are responsible for oak management, Managing Oak Forests in the Eastern United States is for you. It is the definitive practical guide for anyone interested in improving stewardship of eastern oak forests. Organized into three sections, the first section, "Background and Biology: Setting the Stage," helps you establish a solid understanding of the history and ecology of eastern oak ecosystems. It examines the question "Why do we manage oaks?" and looks at some of the challenges faced in oak management such as fire, wildlife management, and oak regeneration. It also provides a description and distribution of oak forests across the eastern United States and discusses the biology of oaks. The second section, "Silviculture: What Is in the Tool Box," gives you a practical understanding of how management can be implemented in eastern oak forests. It covers natural regeneration, artificial regeneration, and use of prescribed fires, competition control, and intermediate treatments. The third and final section, "Managing Oaks: How Do I Make It Work for Me?" helps you clarify your objectives and chart a course to bring about the desired outcomes for the forests you are managing. This section assists you in evaluating your progress in managing your oaks and what changes you will need to make. It provides details on management objectives for upland oaks, woodlands and savannahs, and bottomland oaks. It also gives you guidance on managing deer impacts on oak forests. The last chapter is specifically designed to help you get started.

This edited book covers all aspects of wood degradation from its formation and growing in trees to its end usages when it is put into human usage. Wood is an age-old traditional fascinating material with a sensory-rich immersive experience that kindles aesthetics and creativity. The utility, durability, and functionality of wood render it a cosmopolitan material. It constitutes an integral part of human lives from ancient times to modern societies being used by various sectors viz., construction, furniture, panel products, paper and pulp, sports goods, agricultural implements, etc., Wood, being a biological material, is susceptible to degradation both by physical and biological means, and the need to protect the wood and prevent heavy economic losses constitutes a major challenge. Also, wood formed by the trees is the major sinks of carbon and the carbon remains locked-up for the life of the wood, thereby serving as important tool to mitigate the climate change. But the carbon stored in wood returns to the atmosphere when it degrades and will have positive effect on climate change. Hence, wood protection aiming for extending the service life of wood plays a key role in locking the carbon for a longer period in the wood and also substantially reduce the demand and depletion of forest resources. The book focuses on wood as an important natural bio-resource, inventory of wood protection, usage, utilization, preservatives, protection technologies and wood protection from all forms of degradation. Special focus is given on the eco-friendly way of protecting wood and its importance in mitigating climate change. The book is useful for Indian and international readers, who are working in wood domains. It is of interest to wood technologists, teachers, researchers, climate change scientists, capacity builders, and policymakers. It is of immense importance as a guide and study material to the graduate and postgraduate students of wood science in various universities of India and abroad.

2. 2. Plant materials 2. 3. Pregrowth conditions 2. 4. Cryoprotectant treatment 2. 5. Freezing 2. 5. 1. Slow freezing 2. 5. 2. Rapid freezing 2. 5. 3. Droplet freezing 2. 6. Storage 2. 7. Thawing 2. 8. Viability testing 2. 9. Post-thaw regrowth 3. EXAMPLES OF CRYOPRESERVATION OF WOODY PLANT MATERIAL 4. POTENTIAL APPLICATION OF CRYOPRESERVATION IN TREE IMPROVEMENT 17. NURSERY HANDLING OF PROPAGULES - J. A. Driver, and 320 G. R. L. Suttle 1. INTRODUCTION 2. COMMERCIAL NURSERY NEEDS VS. LABORATORY PRACTICE 3. SEASONALITY OF GROWTH AND PRODUCTION CYCLES 4. MICROPROPAGATION OPTIONS 4. 1. Trends in commercial micropropagation 4. 1. 1. Contract micropropagation 5. FACTORS AFFECTING SURVIVAL AND GROWTH 5. 1. Hardening of propagules in vitro 5. 2. Greenhouse considerationS------ 5. 3. Field planting 5. 4. New approaches: Direct field rooting 5. 4. 1. Pretreatment in vitro 5. 4. 2. Root induction 5. 4. 3. Field placement 18. MYCORRHIZAE - R. K. Dixon, and D. H. Marx 336 1. INTRODUCTION 2. ROLE OF MYCORRHIZAE IN TREE GROWTH AND DEVELOPMENT 3. PRODUCTION AND APPLICATION OF ECTOMYCORRHIZAL FUNGUS INOCULUM 3. 1. Bareroot stock 3. 2. Container-grown stock 4. FIELD TRIALS WITH ECTOMYCORRHIZAL PLANTING STOCK 5. PRODUCTION AND APPLICATION OF ENDOMYCORRHIZAL INOCULUM 6. FIELD TRIALS WITH ENDOMYCORRHIZAL 7. RESEARCH OPPORTUNITIES 8. SUMMARY 351 19. TISSUE CULTURE APPLICATIUN TO FOREST PATHOLOGY AND PEST CONTROL - A. M. Diner, and D. F. Karnosky 1. INTRODUCTION 2. HOST AND PATHOGEN: CULTURE AND CHALLENGE 2. 1.

Bio-based materials, including those containing wood, will become increasingly important as we move to a bio-based economy. Among their many attributes, it is vitally important that these materials are renewable, sustainable with proper management and environmentally benign. Wood remains one of our most important bio-based materials. While it is an amazing material, wood still has negative attributes and drawbacks that can affect performance, including dimensional instability when wetted, vulnerability to fire and high temperatures, and susceptibility to biodeterioration. A variety of treatments have been developed to overcome these weaknesses. Among the most exciting of these treatments are nanomaterials. These materials have some exceptionally attractive properties for improving timber performance and have been the subject of intensive research over the past decade. There is a tremendous need for a single comprehensive source of information on this rapidly emerging subject with tremendous potential to enhance the performance of a variety of bio-based materials. This book contains 10 chapters, each compiled by different author(s) who are considered the top researcher(s) in their respective fields. The chapters begin with some basic background on nanomaterials and their synthesis, then explore different areas for potential applications and conclude with a review of the emerging questions about nanomaterial safety. The book is designed to provide the latest information and know-how on application and utilization of different nanomaterials to improve the properties of wood and wood-based composite panels. The contents cover some main topics in the industry including improving physical and mechanical properties, increasing resistance to biodegradation (including fungi and insects), developing wood-plastic composites (WPC), applying nanomaterials in paper and board industry, and emergence of transparent wood and radiation shielding. It also covers the use of nanomaterials to improve the performance of paints and finishes used for forest products. The book provides a single location for those interested in the field to begin.

Tree farm business management for small private landowners (those who own about 40 to 4,000 acres). This practical guide to making money in small-scale forestry is written by the major seller of open market timber in the South, who is also publisher of a quarterly newsletter which is the most widely read publication in the business. In this new edition of Tree Farm Business Management, forester Vardaman covers the basics of the business and discusses costs of management and operations, accounting procedures, tax and legal considerations, selling timber, and the role of the big timber companies. Includes case studies of successful timberland investors.

A valuable working resource for professionals.
An excellent text for advanced forestry students . . .
This unique book provides students and professionals with a broad- based knowledge of contemporary silviculture theory and practice. Throughout, the authors emphasize fundamental questions of edaphic, physiographic, and climatic site factors, as well as ecological relationships and silvical characteristics of major tree species. Updated and expanded to reflect the many scientific, socioeconomic, and public policy trends that have had a profound impact on silviculture over the past decade, this Third Edition of Regional Silviculture of the United States:
* Brings together the knowledge and expertise of fourteen leading experts from around the nation
* Provides a rational framework with which to critically assess forest data and to develop innovative silvicultural solutions
* Features region-by-region coverage of the eleven major forest types in the continental U.S. and Alaska
* Offers a detailed look at practices that promote a wide range of forest resources--from wood production and outdoor recreation, to wildlife habitat and range forage production
* Now includes more in-depth coverage of such crucial themes as biodiversity, endangered species, habitat fragmentation, forest health, landscape management, neotropical migrants, and more

..".silviculture is not reducible to a series of rules; it must be flexible and adaptable to a variety of conditions. Much of it is an art as well as a synthesis of ecology and economics. There is no single best answer to how a stand should be managed. And institutional and societal constraints must be considered." --from the Preface by John W. Barrett
Regional Silviculture of the United States, Third Edition is not a "cookbook,"offering pat recipes for solving "typical" silvicultural problems. Instead, it arms those responsible for the development and care of forests with something far more valuable--a rational framework for the analysis of forest data and the development of innovative solutions tailored to specific forest types and the shifting politicoeconomic constraints under which silviculturalists must work.
One way in which this book achieves that goal is by providing readers with a broad-based knowledge of contemporary silviculture theory and practice. In chapters organized according to the eleven major forest regions of the continental U.S., fourteen recognized experts from around the nation--each of them a specialist in a particular region of operation--offer their valuable insights and observations on silviculture in general and on various silvicultural practices with which they are familiar. Throughout, the authors are attentive to fundamental considerations of edaphic, physiographic, and climatic site factors, as well as ecological relationships and silvical characteristics of major tree species.
This Third Edition of John W. Barrett's classic has been revised and expanded to encompass a number of important themes which have risen to prominence within silviculture over the past decade, including biodiversity, endangered species, habitat fragmentation, forest health, landscape management, and neotropical migrants.
Timely, authoritative, and comprehensive in scope, Regional Silviculture of the United States, Third Edition is a valuable resource for foresters, forestry students, ecologists, environmental scientists, and all those concerned with development, management, and preservation of our most valuable national treasure.

This volume considers current and future challenges for nature law and policy in Europe. Following the Fitness Check evaluation of the Birds and Habitats Directives, in 2017 the EU adopted an Action Plan for nature, people and the economy to rapidly improve the Directives' implementation and accelerate progress towards the EU's biodiversity targets for 2020. More recently, the EU has adopted a Biodiversity Strategy for 2030 and proposed an EU Nature Restoration Law. This book makes a timely contribution by examining the current state of play in light of recent and historical developments, as well as the post-2020 nature law and policy landscape. While evidence suggests that Natura 2000 and the Habitats and Birds Directives have delivered conservation benefits for wildlife in Europe, biodiversity loss continues apace. The book reviews the requirements for an effective international nature conservation system, with reference to the Birds and Habitats Directives. It examines regulatory regimes, current legal issues in the fields of site protection and species protection, the protection of areas outside Natura 2000, recent developments in the EU and the UK, including the implications of Brexit, agriculture and nature conservation, litigation, science and access to justice. Written by leading experts in the field, from a range of stakeholder groups, the volume draws on diverse experiences as well as providing interdisciplinary perspectives. This volume will be essential reading for students and scholars interested in European environmental policy and law, including lawyers, ecologists, environmental scientists, political scientists, natural resource managers, and planners. It will also be of interest to conservation practitioners, policy-makers and NGOs.

This open access book deals with the methods and the results of the third Italian national forest inventory (INFC2015). Arma dei Carabinieri is entrusted with the realisation of the National Forest Inventory and with the decisions about the aims of the survey and data treatment. National forest inventories produce statistically based information on forests over country areas. Such information is used either at subnational or at supranational level in a great number of spheres and processes, included possibility to depict the status of the world forests. Italy conducted its first forest inventory in 1985 and in 2001 a permanent national forest inventory was launched to have periodically updated statistics. Due to the growing concern about the environment and especially the climate change, estimating forests carbon pools was a stated main objective and it was accordingly named Italian National Inventory of Forest and Forest Carbon Pools (INFC). The book begins with a description of the general organisation, the definitions, the methods and the estimation procedures. It proceeds showing the main estimates produced by INFC2015, in tables that are given in the book chapters. The estimates are presented through texts that introduce the subject matter, explain the way the related variables were surveyed and comment on the main outcomes with the help of graphics. The estimates presented include forest area, management and production, biodiversity and protection, forest health, protective and socio-economics functions. Role of forest in the carbon balance was analysed in a specific Chapter, as this is important for its role in the climate change mitigation. The book ends providing an understanding of the current dynamics of Italian forests by comparing the estimates obtained from INFC2005 and INFC2015, the last two national surveys.

Agroforestry is a land use system that allows for the concurrent production of trees and agricultural crops and/or animals from the same piece of land. It has a rich history of development and has been practised in some parts of the world for more than 6,000 years. In 1997, CABI published the seminal book on this subject, Temperate Agroforestry Systems, which was a break from the norm as almost all agroforestry texts up to that date were only relevant to tropical areas. The book explored the development of temperate agroforestry and agroforestry systems, concentrating on those areas within temperate zones where the greatest advances, adoptions and modifications had taken place up to that time: North and South America, China, Australia, New Zealand and Europe. This second fully-updated and expanded edition includes additional chapters on India and Chile and, as a result of ongoing advances in the field, separate chapters on the US, Canada, the UK and continental Europe. Today's challenges of climate change, population growth and food security, in concert with the ongoing global requirement for the energy and water needed for a resilient agricultural paradigm, can be met through the wide-scale adoption of agroforestry practices, in both tropical regions and temperate zones. The 2nd edition ofTemperate Agroforestry Systems brings together many examples of temperate agroforestry and will make valuable reading for all those working in this area as researchers, practitioners and policy makers. The book is also of importance to students and teachers of agriculture, ecology, environmental studies and forestry in temperate regions.

Most forest tree species were considered recalcitrant a decade ago, but now with the improved in vitro techniques some progress has been made towards culture-of tree species. Micro propagation has been achieved from the juvenile tissues of a number of forest tree species. On the other hand, tissues from most mature trees are still very difficult to grow and differen tiate in vitro. Nevertheless, there has been slow but steady progress in the application of tissue culture technology for culture of tissues, organs, cells and protoplasts of tree species. As compared to most agricultural crops, and herbaceous plant species, trees are a different lot. They have long gene ration cycles. They are highly heterozygous and have a large reservoir of genetic variability. Because of this genetic variability, their response in vitro is also variable. On a single medium, the response of tissues from different trees (genotypes) of a single species may be quite different: some responding by induction of growth and differentiation, while others showing minimal or no growth at all. That makes the somatic cell genetics of woody plants somewhat difficult, but at the same time interesting."

This book brings together comprehensive multi-disciplinary knowledge on diverse aspects of the Himalayan treeline ecotone which is considered one of the most sensitive ecosystems to climate change. The contents of this book are based on the results of extensive research and provide a holistic understanding of the treeline ecotone in Himalaya. The book will serve as an important reference manual and a textbook on treeline ecology. The book is unique in the sense that it provides an engaging account of almost all the aspects of the treeline ecotone, such as taxonomic, functional and phylogenetic species diversity, temperature lapse rates, tree phenology, water relations, and stress physiology, tree ring width chronology, and climate relationships and the role of treeline ecotone in human sustenance in the Indian Himalayan region The treelines in the Himalaya, being the highest in the Northern Hemisphere (up to 4900 m), are among the least investigated systems and hence this book is timely and fills all-important knowledge gaps vis-a-vis treeline shifts, physiognomic, structural, and functional changes in mountain landscapes and ecosystems, particularly under the changing climate This book, for the first time, summarizes evidence-based knowledge about various aspects of treeline ecotone in Himalaya that was largely generated through a well-coordinated a team science approach. The book will be of interest to ecologists, climatologists, dendrochronologists, foresters, plant physiologists and resource managers and policy planners for a better understanding of the organization and dynamics of this fragile ecosystem in relation to climate change and other anthropogenic stresses that are rampant in the Himalaya. The book lays a solid foundation for further investigation of the ecology and dynamics of the treeline ecotone in the Himalayas and provides a rationale for pursuing a team science approach for macroecological investigations.

This book presents an analysis of forest politics that employs a broader scope to include non-institutionalized actors. It offers a comparative perspective on various environmental social movements fighting to protect forests around the globe, including indigenous communities in the Amazon and eco-anarchists in Europe. By examining the political goals, motives, and tactics of these sometimes-radical environmentalists, it helps readers understand the commonalities and differences among these "grass-roots forest politicians." In addition, the book highlights the importance of forest-related struggles for a just transition to a carbon-neutral future. Accordingly, it will appeal to scholars of political science, public policy, and political sociology, as well as anyone interested in social movements and forest conservation.

The rapid progress on somatic embryogenesis and its prospects for potential application to improving woody plants prompted us to edit this book initially in three volumes, and now an additional three more volumes. We were all convinced that such a treatise was needed and would be extremely useful to researchers and students. This volume 6 is dedicated to Prof. Harry Waris, Helsinki, Finland, who did pioneer work on somatic embryogenesis during the time when Prof. Steward and others were actively engaged in this area. His former student Prof. Liisa Simols, University of Helsinki, Finland, has written a dedication Harry Waris, a pioneer in somatic embryogenesis' to her teacher Prof. Waris. This volume is divided into three sections and contains a total of 26 chapters. Section A comprises seven chapters covering topics such as: Historical insights into some contemporary problems in somatic embryogenesis (SE); Thin cell layer for somatic embryogenesis induction in woody trees; SE in tropical fruit and forest trees; SE in fruit and forest arid trees; Status of SE in Indian forest trees; SE research in fruit trees in India; Applications of SE for the improvement of tropical fruit trees. Section B comprises 15 chapters, dealing with: SE in oil palm, hazelnut (Corylus avellana L.), pistachio (Pistacia vera L.), Araucaria angustifolia, Quercus suber, Aspidosperma polyneuron, Acacia senegal, Simmondsia chiensis, Cupressus sempervirens, pecan (Carya illinoinensis), rattan (Calamus spp.), tamarillo (Cyphomandra betacea, longan (Dimocarpus longan Lor.), Aegle marmelos, and Euonymus europaeus. Section C comprises three chapters related to cryo-storage of citrus, conifers and rubber. All the chaptershave been peer-reviewed and revised accordingly to improve the quality of the chapters. We are thankful to all: (a) contributory authors for their co-operation in submitting manuscripts in time, and (b) reviewers for spending their valuable time in reviewing the manuscripts.

The idea for this book arose in 1993, after the Free State of Bavaria through its Bayrisches Staatsministerium rur Landesentwicklung und Umweltfragen (Bavarian Ministry of Regional Development and the Environment) decided to discontinue both the Bavarian project management (PBWU) for forest decline research and the multidisciplinary field research on the Wank Mountain in the Alps near Garmisch. Forest decline through the action of ozone and other photooxidants was a main topic of the supported re search in the Alps and will be a topic of new investigations in the Bavarian Forest. Many interesting results were obtained, but the researchers involved have not had sufficient time to allow reliable conclusions to be drawn. It was therefore decided to ask inter national experts for contributions in order to summarize the best available evidence of a possible link between ozone and forest decline - a topic which has been studied in the USA since the late 1950s and in Europe since the early 1980s. The original idea of Waldsterben as an irreversible large-scale dieback of forests in Germany was soon recognized to be wrong (Forschungsbeirat 1989). However, the new criteria used for the official German and European damage inventories (loss or yel lowing of needles or leaves, tree morphology) indicate that per sistently high percentages of damaged spruce and pine remain, and there is an increasing percentage of damaged beech and oak, with a high proportion of biotic disease (Forschungsbeirat 1989; UN-ECE 1995).

These proceedings fonn the outcome of an International Conference on "Impacts of Global change on Tree Physiology and Forest Ecosystems ", held from 26-29 November 1996, at Wageningen, The Netherlands. The conference brought together biologists, ecologists, and forest scientist working in the field of impacts of elevated CO and air pollution on tree physiology and forest ecosystems, and marked the 2 completion of a European COST action on "Impacts of Elevated C02 levels and Air Pollutants on Tree Physiology" (ICAT / COST-614), as well as the conclusion of the frrst phase of an EU-funded project entitled "Long-Term Effects of C02 and Climate Change on European Forests (LTEEF) ", that was carried out under the Environment and Climate Programme of the 4th Framework Programme (contract no's EV5V-CT94-0468 and PECOINIS-CT94-0112). The conference aimed to present an overview of current knowledge of effects of air pollution and climate change, at the biophysical, biochemical and physiological level of trees, against the background of climatic conditions and natural stresses. For the proceedings, we have asked the authors to provide an overview of their recent work, providing an entrance to a particular field of research rather than presenting unpublished material. The meeting took place at the International Agricultural Centre (lAC) with fmancial support provided by the COST-614 secretariat in Brussels. We like to thank mrs. A. van der Bunte of lAC for her support in organising the meeting, mr. A. J. H.