International Phytogeographic Excursion

The International Phytogeographic Excursions was a series of international meetings i plant geography that significantly contributed to exchange of scientific ideas across national and linguistic barriers and also to the rise of Anglo-American plant ecology. The initiative was taken by the British botanist Arthur Tansley at the International Geographic Congress in Geneva in 1908. Tansley and another early key figure, Henry C. Cowles, were both much-inspired by the new 'ecological plant geography' introduced by Eugenius Warming and its quest for answering why-questions about plant distribution, as opposed to the traditional, merely descriptive 'floristic plant geography'.

The First International Phytogeographic Excursion was held in the British Isles in 1911. It was organized by Arthur Tansley and went through parts of England, Scotland and Ireland. The participants were:

The Fourth International Phytogeographic Excursion was held in Scandinavia in 1925 (July 2 to August 24). It formed as a trip through Sweden and Norway starting in Lund in southernmost Sweden, passing Stockholm, Uppsala and Abisko, going down through Norway, ending in Oslo. It was organized by G. Einar Du Rietz from Uppsala University [ [http://links.jstor.org/sici?sici=0036-8075%2819251016%29362:1607%3c344:TFIPE%3e2.0.CO%3b2-6&origin=ads Raber, Oran (1925) The Fourth International Phytogeographic Excursion. Science 62 (1607): 344-345] ] [Rübel, E. (ed.) (1927) Ergebnisse der internationalen pflanzengeographischen Exkursion durch Schweden und Norwegen 1925. Veröffentlichungen des geobotanischen Institutes Rübel in Zürich, 4] .

By this time, Warmings 'ecological plant geography' har developed into 88'ecological plant geography' plant ecology and the excursion programme returned to 'floristic plant geography'. Through the 1930'es and after the Second World War, the International Phytogeographic Excursions continued at regular intervals, but now outside the mainstream of ecology. At the same time, scientific exchange between plant ecologists had found other means.

The Fifth International Phytogeographic Excursion was held in Czechoslovakia in 1928. It was organized by Karel Domin [Domin, K. (1928) Introductory Remarks to the Fifth International Phytogeographic Excursion (I.P.E.) through Czechoslovakia. Acta Botanica Bohemica 6-7: 3-76] [Rübel, E. (ed.) (1930) Ergebnisse der internationalen Pflanzengeographischen Exkursion durch die Tschechoslowakei und Polen 1928. Veröffentlichungen des Geobotanischen Institutes Rübel in Zürich, 6] .

The Sixth International Phytogeographic Excursion was held in Romania in 1931 [Rübel, E. (ed.) (1933) Ergebnisse der Internationalen Pflanzengeographischen Exursion durch Rumänien 1931. Veröffentlichungen des Geobotanischen Institutes Rübel in Zürich, 10] .

The Seventh International Phytogeographic Excursion was held in Italy in 1934 [Rübel, E. (ed.) (1936) Ergebnisse der Internationalen Pflanzengeographischen Exkursion durch Mittelitalien 1934. Veröffentlichungen des Geobotanischen Institutes Rübel in Zürich, 12]

The Eighth International Phytogeographic Excursion went to Morocco and western Algeria in 1936 [Rübel, E. & Lüdi, W. (eds) (1936) Ergebnisse der Internationalen pflanzengeographischen Exkursion durch Marokko und Westalgerien 1936. Veröffentlichungen des Geobotanischen Institutes Rübel in Zürich ; 14] .

* 1949 Ireland(9th excursion) [Lüdi, Werner (ed.) (1952) Die Pflanzenwelt Irlands (The flora and vegetation of Ireland): Ergebnisse der 9. Internationalen Pflanzengeographischen Exkursion durch Irland 1949. Veröffentlichungen des Geobotanischen Institutes Rübel in Zürich, 25]
* 1953 Spain (10th excursion) [ [http://dx.doi.org/10.1038/172566a0 Richards, P.W. (1953) Tenth International Phytogeographical Excursion. Nature 172 (4378): 566-568] ] [Lüdi, Werner, Tüxen, Reinhold & Oberdorfer, Erich (ed.) (1956-1958) Die Pflanzenwelt Spaniens: Ergebnisse der 10. Internationalen Pflanzengeographischen Exkursion (IPE) durch Spanien 1953, vol. 1-2. Veröffentlichungen des Geobotanischen Institutes Rübel in Zürich, 31-32]
* 1956 Eastern Alps (11th excursion) [Lüdi, Werner (ed.)Ergebnisse der Internationalen pflanzengeographischen Exkursion durch die Ostalpen 1956. Veröffentlichungen des Geobotanischen Institutes Rübel in Zürich, 35]
* 1958 Czechoslovakia (12th excursion) [Lüdi, Werner (ed.) (1961) Die Pflanzenwelt der Tschechoslowakei : Ergebnisse der 12. Internationalen Pflanzengeographischen Exkursion (IPE) durch die Tschechoslowakei 1958. Veröffentlichungen des Geobotanischen Institutes der ETH, Stiftung Rübel, Zürich 36.]
* 1961 Finland and North Norway
* 1966 French Alps, Switzerland, Eastern Pyrenees
* 1970 Western Alps (14th excursion) [Ozenda, P. & Landolt, E. (eds) (1970) Zur Vegetation und Flora der Westalpen : Ergebnisse der 14. Internationalen pflanzengeographischen Exkursion (IPE) durch die Westalpen. Veröffentlichungen des Geobotanischen Institutes der ETH, Stiftung Rübel, Zürich, 43]
* 1971 mainland Greece and Crete (15th excursion) [Dafis, Sp. & Landolt, E. (eds) (1975-1976) Zur Vegetation und Flora von Griechenland : Ergebnisse der 15. Internationalen Pflanzengeographischen Exkursion (IPE) durch Griechenland 1971, vol. 1-2. Veröffentlichungen des Geobotanischen Institutes der ETH, Stiftung Rübel, Zürich, 55-56]
* 1978 U.S.A. (16th excursion) [Lieth, H., Landolt, E. & Peet, R.K. (eds) (1979-1981) Contributions to the knowledge of flora and vegetation in the Carolinas: proceedings of the 16th International phytogeographical excursion (IPE), 1978, through the SE United States, vol. 1-2. Veröffentlichungen des Geobotanischen Institutes der ETH, Stiftung Rübel, Zürich 68-69 + 77]
* 1983 Argentina (17th excursion) [Eskuche, U. & Landolt, E. (eds) (1986) Contributions to the knowledge of flora and vegetation of northern Argentina : proceedings of the 17th International Phytogeographic Excursion (IPE), 1983, through northern Argentina. Veröffentlichungen des Geobotanischen Institutes der ETH, Stiftung Rübel, Zürich, 91]
* 1984 Japan [Miyawaki, A. & Landolt, E. (eds) (1988)Contributions to the knowledge of flora and vegetation of Japan: proceedings of the 18th International Phytogeographic Excursion (IPE), 1984, through central Japan. Veröffentlichungen des Geobotanischen Institutes der ETH, Stiftung Rübel, Zürich, 98.]
* 1989 Poland (19th excursion) [Zarzycki, K., Landolt, E. & Wojcicki, J.J. (eds) (1991-1992) Contributions to the knowledge of flora and vegetation of Poland: proceedings of the 19th International Phytogeographic Excursion (IPE), 1989, through Poland, vol. 1-2. Veröffentlichungen des Geobotanischen Institutes der ETH, Stiftung Rübel, Zürich, 106-107]

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