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The article focuses on the ecology and plant distribution pattern of the Forty Acre Wood,in Chippenham Fen. It mentions that the Wood gives the clearest evidence of the operation of drainage factors upon the fen. It describes the woody and herbaceous vegetation occurring in the three zones in the area and states that the relative tolerance of the different tree species to ill-drainage is indicated by the distribution of trees in the zones. The alterations in the woodland brought about by varying drainage periods is also discussed.

Information about the British Ecological Society's Tropical group meeting held at the Westfield College in London, England on November 2, 1965 is presented in which the topic for discussion was the temperature as a factor in tropical ecology. Also, the event gave emphasis on the main contributions in ecology which include, papers about river fauna and forests.

Finding the most biologically meaningful scale at which to describe environmental variation is a persistent problem in ecology. Most studies of forest passerines are conducted at the scale of the habitat or woodland and do not account for environmental variation between individual breeding sites. Here we employ two GIS models, and four spatial scales, to describe environmental variation among 4683 Great Tit Parus major breeding sites occupied over a 32-year period in Wytham Wood, Oxford, UK, and use these data to help explain variation in an environmentally sensitive trait, first egg date. Model 1 used Thiessen polygons to generate individual spatial scales for each breeding pair, while Model 2 used a range of predetermined radial scales around each breeding site. Environmental variables included local altitude and aspect estimated from a Digital Terrain Model, and the number of Oak Quercus robur trees around each nest-site, used here as a surrogate for local food (caterpillar) availability. In a Linear Mixed Model, Model 2 explained the most variation in lay-date at a scale of 25 m from each nestbox. However, the model that returned the lowest Akaike Information Criterion (AIC) contained environmental variables from Model 2, but measured at different fixed spatial scales of between 25 and 75 m. Results from this final model showed that birds breeding in low-altitude, north-facing and Oak-rich areas bred earlier than those in high-altitude, south-facing and Oak-poor areas, at radial scales of 25, 75 and 75 m from each nestbox, respectively. In addition, birds in interior sites bred earlier than those nearer the woodland edge, although this edge effect was only apparent on north-facing slopes. Thus, the current study demonstrates that a range of GIS models can be effectively used to scale and describe environmental variation between individual breeding sites, and that fine-scale topographic variation, food availability and edge proximity can affect the breeding date of Great Tits. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Wealden strata of southern England provide a range of evidence for Early Cretaceous non-marine environments and their inhabitants, and a climate of warm to hot, ‘Mediterranean’ aspect. Because of its exposure, and its range of facies, distinguishing a variety of sedimentary environments, the Wealden has long fascinated geologists intent on providing an environmental model. This article is one of two intended to give an overview of Wealden environments, providing the geological framework of these strata. In this article, the type-succession in the Weald Sub-basin of south-east England is summarized and briefly interpreted. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article presents an account of observations made on the ecology of Endymion nonscriptus in woods in central Warwickshire, England where some very luxuriant societies are to be found. It notes the factors that might restrict Endymion nonscriptus to woodland habitats, namely, poor dispersal, lack of seed dormancy and of conditions suitable for germination and subsequent development of the seedling. The specie's flower production was earlier in the southern and western margins of woods and beneath trees. The only serious competitor of the specie is the Mercurialis perennis. Bombus is the most important pollinators of Endymion nonscriptus.

The provides information on the joint meeting between the British Ecological Society and the forestry societies of Great Britain in the rooms of the Linnaean Society at the Burlington House in Piccadilly, London, England. Chairman Captain C. Diver referred to the growing necessity for liaison between foresters and ecologists. Professor A. G. Tansley welcome the desire of the Forestry Commission to make closer contact with ecology.