Eilif Dahl, who died in 1993, had one of the most original and creative minds in plant geography. His approach went far beyond the description of distribution patterns and the establishment of correlations between distributions and particular climatic variables. His understanding of physiological mechanisms that influenced and controlled the observed distributional patterns was a key feature of his numerous ideas and hypotheses. He was also aware of the importance of history as an influence on present-day plant distribution, especially in arctic plants. In The Phytogeography of Northern Europe Dahl brings to bear his wide range of interests in physics, chemistry, geology, climatology, meteorology and mathematics, as well as plant ecology and plant systematics, to analyse and explain the distribution of individual plant taxa across north-western Europe. This book will stand as a testament to the ideas and inspiration of a fine scientist.

‘… a book that anyone with an interest in phytogeography, or in the environmental determinants of plant species’ ranges, must read and probably will want to own. It also must find a place in the library of any institution that teaches plant ecology of phytogeography - I will certainly recommend it to students, not as a textbook, which it is not, but to stimulate their interest and encourage them to ask critical ecological and phytogeographical questions. I hope that some at least of them will find it as stimulating as I do and as I found his earlier written work to be when I too was an undergraduate’.

Brian Huntley Source: Diversity and Distribution