An ecological classification system was developed for west-central Alberta through the analysis of vegetation, soil, site, and forest productivity information. The hierarchical classification system has three levels - ecosite, ecosite phase and plant community type. Forty-four ecosites are described with further detail provided by subdivision into ecosite and ecosite phase and plant community type. A soil type classification system that describes 17 soil types was also developed. Management interpretations were made for drought, excess moisture, soil rutting hazard, soil compaction hazard, puddling hazard, soil erosion hazard, frost heave hazard, soil temperature limitations, vegetation competition, and windthrow hazard. Colour photos and drawings for 106 common plants of west-central Alberta are presented. An index listing common and scientific names of illustrated plants is included. Keys to ecological variables, definitions of soil horizon designations, and a glossary are also included.

Guide to assist in the recognition of vegetation and soil features of forest ecosystems in north-western Ontario using a classification system that enables the allocation of any forest ecosystem to one of 40 vegetation types and one of 22 soil types. Provides an orientation to the vegetation classification; describes the vegetation types and their determination, including a key and factsheets for classifying stands to vegetation types; provides keys and factsheets for classifying soil types; and gives a brief overview of the relationships among vegetation and soil types in north-western Ontario as well as background information on potential applications of the classification. Also contains aids for describing or recognizing important soil features and many of the plant species used in the allocation keys and factsheets.

An ecological classification system was developed for southwestern Alberta through the analysis of vegetation, soil, site, and forest productivity information. The hierarchical classification system has three levels--ecosite, ecosite phase, and plant community type. Thirty-seven ecosites are described with further detail provided by subdivision into ecosite phase and plant community type. A soil type classification system that describes 17 soil types was also developed. Management interpretations were made for drought, excess moisture, soil rutting hazard, soil compaction hazard, puddling hazard, soil erosion hazard, frost heave hazard, soil temperature limitations, vegetation competition, and windthrow hazard. Color photos and drawings are presented for 112 common plants of southwestern Alberta. An index listing common and scientific names of illustrated plants is included. Keys to ecological variables, definitions of soil horizon designations, and a glossary are also included.

Starting with an account of the history and distribution of the conifers, this volume describes the most important areas in Asia, Europe, North and South America with conifer forests. The last in the "Ecosystem of the World" series, it deals with the functional aspects of the conifer forests, such as physiology, production, biomass, and more.

The `Global Biodiversity Strategy' signed in 1992 in Rio de Janeiro, and the resolutions at the Ministerial Conferences on the Protection of Forests in Europe in Strasbourg, 1990, and Helsinki, 1993, commit the signatory states to monitor nationally the state of biodiversity and to sustain the characteristic natural variation in the country. Sustainability and long-term planning are the two terms best describing the philosophy of traditional forest management practices. However, the traditional planning techniques are not primarily developed to maintain sustainability of biodiversity. The gap between the international commitments and the practices in forest assessment and management is obvious. This publication presents experience in methodology for assessing and monitoring the variation of ecosystems and habitats in relation to biodiversity conservation and for integrating biodiversity in regional planning of forest management and land use. The state of the art in the field of natural resource assessments with special reference to forest biodiversity is reviewed, progress in integrating data on biodiversity in forest management planning is presented and the information needs regarding biodiversity conservation and the question to what degree assessment methods for forest biodiversity can be simplified for practical applications are discussed. The book is intended for researchers and practitioners in the field of forest and environmental planning and environmental policies.