Still in preparation is a broad study on the flora and vegetation of mosses and liverworts of the three transects through the three Cordilleras of the Northern Andes (Central, Oriental and Occidental). That study will be published in one of the next volumes of this series, that will be dedicated principally to the Cordilleras Occidental (vol. 6) and Oriental (vol. 7).

We hope that the data presented here and in the other volumes of the series, will contribute to a better understanding of the Tropical Andean orobiome, and also be of benefit for conservation of its ecosystems, vegetation and biodiversity, and for a sustainable (eco-) development.

As little is currently known on the natural composition and distribution of vegetation types of tropical Andean ecosystems, this book constitutes an excellent data base for all those who are interested in South American mountain vegetation and ecology. The Parque Los Nevados transect crosses the Central Cordillera of the Colombian Andes in a west-east direction approximately 4 or 5 degrees north of the equator and is about 150 km long. The 12 chapters are written in either English or Spanish and accompanied by a summary in the other language, respectively. All legends of figures, photos and tables are presented in both languages. The first three chapters describe the vegetation of the transect along an attitudinal gradient (paramo vegetation, rain forests as well as equatorial inter-andean and sub-andean forests), and provide syntaxonomical classifications as well as the corresponding synoptic tables. Several photos as well as detailed drawings on the physiognomy and structure of the vegetation types ease the understanding and conception of the respective formations. Chapter 4 is a reprint of part of J. Cuatrecasas' geobotanical observations from 1932 that comprises information on the study area of the present book. Jose Cuatrecasas was a Spanish botanist whose research was devoted to the discovery, classification, biogeography, and ecology of plants of the paramo and subparamo regions of Andean South America). Chapter 5 contains the basic information to the accompanying vegetation map, including a very detailed description of the plant communities, terrain units and land cover units (Parque National Los Nevados, 1:50.000, highly detailed legend of land cover, substrate and soil types). Chapter 6 describes the recovery of the paramo vegetation after the 1985 eruption of the Ruiz volcano at an altitude of 3800-4400 m asl, while chapter 7 discusses the relationship between landforms, deposits and the current vegetation cover of the same volcano. Specific topics such as palaeoecological studies, marized format. In addition it attempts to combine the data on vegetation, soil and climate in the form of several maps, and identifies the main zonal ecosystems.

The present volume represents a highly valuable, very complete contribution to the vegetation ecology of South American mountain ecosystems. However, in my opinion the authors should have refrained from using such a detailed syntaxonomical classification because the Colombian Central Cordillera is still poorly studied and no adequate and comparable database exists for this region so far. A non-formal classification of vegetation types would have been equally valuable, and would not present future scientists with a confect of nomenclature. In addition, an introduction chapter providing the reader with a general overview of the main aims of the project Ecoandes as well as a summary of the already published volumes of the series "Studies on Tropical Andean Ecosystems" would have facilitated a wider comprehension of the general context. The accompanying map of the Parque los Nevados transect should have been provided with a minor scaled map showing its broader localisation in Colombia, and the literature cited could have been updated. However, a strength of the book lies in the innumerable illustrative black-and-white photographs, most of which are of high quality, as well as many detailed drawings of vegetation units including the names of the prominent species. The quality of a few figures (e.g. Fig. 19, 51, 60-64, 67-70) could have been improved upon before printing.

Despite the slight criticism, the present volume synthesises an impressive amount of information remarkably well and provides a very sound basis for future research. Given the rich design of the book and the solid quality of the hardcover binding, the price - albeit rather expensive - is reasonable. Due to the study region, the book would gain the Interest of a narrow readership, but should nonetheless be at disposal in every library oriented towards South American mountain ecology.

Isabell HENSEN, Halle/Saale