Review of NVC Users Handbook by Professor Rob Marrs
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The following review was provided by Professor Rob Marrs, Applied Vegetation Dynamics Laboratory, School of Biological Sciences, Liverpool.
This is a superb little booklet. It is, for the first time, a good, easy to read exposition of the National Vegetation Classification (NVC) of Britain. The NVC is a phyto-sociological assessment of the semi-natural vegetation of Britain, published in five major volumes, edited by the John Rodwell, the author of this booklet. In this volume Rodwell has summarised the rationale behind the NVC, how it was carried out, and how it relates to other conservation assessment methods, classification systems and conservation policies (e.g. Phase 1 Habitat Survey, CORINE, and the EC habitats Directive). The NVC is used routinely by conservation practitioners in the UK as the major classification system for vegetation, and is the industry standard for conservation consultancy.
The main thrust of the book is an explanation of how to sample vegetation for NVC assessment. This is split more or less into two linked parts, The first part is essentially about how to sample and this part covers: (1) locating samples; (2) choosing the size and shape of samples; (3) making other useful information (4) recording both vegetation and environmental data. The second part concentrates on characterising the vegetation into NVC types, how to use keys (manual and expert system) and then finishes with an explanation of plant community description.
In many ways this booklet should have been produced before the five authoritative NVC volumes, as an easy introduction. However, perhaps publication after the others can be justified on the basis that it has benefited from the extensive experience gained in using and teaching the NVC.
The booklet provides an excellent introduction to the NVC, it should be read by all scientists and practitioners working in vegetation or conservation in the UK. However, it will be especially useful for teaching vegetation classification in conservation and ecology courses. It provides excellent examples of good practice in terms of vegetation recording, and hopefully this will help raise recording standards. We have already ordered a supply to help in our teaching at Liverpool.
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who's this for?
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I had hoped that this might be useful but it isn't. There's little in here that isn't in the introductory sections of the 5 NVC volumes. Borrow a copy a read before buying.
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