PEEFACE TO THE FIRST EDITION 



The science of plant ecology has been badly in need of a text- 

 book for a number of years. While there are many \aluable books 

 on various phases of the science there has been no single book in 

 the English language that covered the subject in such a way that 

 it could be used as a text in a comprehensive beginning course. 

 The need of a text-book has been recognized for some time but the 

 very rapid growth of the science has resulted in a great deal of 

 disagreement about certain rather fundamental principles and has 

 made the production of a book that would not be subject to severe 

 criticism seemingly impossible. 



The present volume is an attempt to supply the need of a text- 

 book of plant ecology. Criticisms of it will be welcomed and are 

 hereby solicited, for in the criticisms will lie the greatest hope of a 

 better book in the future. The book is based on a course of lectures 

 that has been given for several years to beginning classes in plant 

 ecology at the University of Illinois. It is hoped that it will prove 

 useful in other universities and, more especialh', in colleges and 

 normal schools where plant ecology is, or should be, taught. The 

 text has purposely been made brief and probably many ecologists 

 will not agree that a happy choice has always been made in deciding 

 what to include and what to leave out. The entire field of plant 

 ecology is covered, however, and as much material is included as 

 can be given in a half year course with two lectures a week. 



References to ecological literature are given at the ends of the 

 chapters. Xo attempt has been made to include complete bibli- 

 ographies on any subject. For the most part only some of the more 

 recent publications are listed, very few that were published more 

 than ten years ago being included. Usually the bibliographies in 

 the publications listed will enable anyone to go much deeper into 

 the literature of any phase of ecology in which he may be interested. 



(7) 



