The NATO Advanced Study Institute on Numerical Taxonomy took place on the 4th - 16th of July, 1982, at the Kur- und Kongresshotel Residenz in Bad Windsheim, Federal Republic of Germany. This volume is the proceedings of that meeting, and contains papers by over two-thirds of the participants in the Institute. Numerical taxonomy has been attracting increased attention from systematists and evolutionary biologists. It is an area which has been marked by debate and conflict, sometimes bitter. Happily, this meeting took place in an atmosphere of "GemUtlichkeit", though scarcely of unanimity. I believe that these papers will show that there is an increased understanding by each taxonomic school of each others' positions. This augurs a period in which the debates become more concrete and specific. Let us hope that they take place in a scientific atmosphere which has occasionally been lacking in the past. Since the order of presentation of papers in the meeting was affected by time constraints, I have taken the liberty of rearranging them into a more coherent subject ordering. The first group of papers, taken from the opening and closing days of the meeting, debate philosophies of classification. The next two sections have papers on congruence, clustering and ordination. A notable concern of these participants is the comparison and testing of classifications. This has been missing from many previous discussions of numerical classification.

How do we group different subjects on a variety of variables? Should we use a classification procedure in which only the concepts are classified (typology), one in which only empirical entities are classified (taxonomy), or some combination of both? In this clearly written book, Bailey addresses these questions and shows how classification methods can be used to improve research. Beginning with an exploration of the advantages and disadvantages of classification procedures including those typologies that can be constructed without the use of a computer, the book covers such topics as clustering procedures (including agglomerative and divisive methods), the relationship among various classification techniques (including the relationship of monothetic, qualitative typologies to polythetic, quantitative taxonomies), a comparison of clustering methods and how these methods compare with related statistical techniques such as factor analysis, multidimensional scaling and systems analysis, and lists classification resources. This volume also discusses software packages for use in clustering techniques.

Portrays the scientific quest regarding nomenclature, identification, interrelationship of different groups of animals along with different aspects of taxonomy from Linnaeus to present day Aspects related with biodiversity, information retrieval, collection and preservation of animals along with recent trends in animal taxonomy and biosystematics which culminates the description of one of the most interesting phenomenon of zoology. Each chapter contains logically organized, easy to understand contents that provides the reader important aspects of animal taxonomy. It is a complete manual for all biologists especially for those interested in understanding the basic concepts of taxonomy and conservation and management of biodiversity. This book will be invaluagle for undergraduate and postgraduate students of zoology as well as for those aspiring for competitive examination.

The field of plant taxonomy has transformed rapidly over the past fifteen years, especially with regard to improvements in cladistic analysis and the use of new molecular data. The second edition of this popular resource reflects these far-reaching and dramatic developments with more than 3,000 new references and many new figures. Synthesizing current research and trends, Plant Taxonomy now provides the most up-to-date overview in relation to monographic, biodiversity, and evolutionary studies, and continues to be an essential resource for students and scholars. This text is divided into two parts: Part 1 explains the principles of taxonomy, including the importance of systematics, characters, concepts of categories, and different approaches to biological classification. Part 2 outlines the different types of data used in plant taxonomic studies with suggestions on their efficacy and modes of presentation and evaluation. This section also lists the equipment and financial resources required for gathering each type of data. References throughout the book illuminate the historical development of taxonomic terminology and philosophy while citations offer further study. Plant Taxonomy is also a personal story of what it means to be a practicing taxonomist and to view these activities within a meaningful conceptual framework. Tod F. Stuessy recalls the progression of his own work and shares his belief that the most creative taxonomy is done by those who have a strong conceptual grasp of their own research.

Scholarly work with lengthy entries followed by references for further reading. Many illustrations. Indexed.