List of contributors; Foreword I. Malek and O. V. Zalensky; 1. Introduction J. P. Cooper; Part I. Primary Production in Terrestrial Ecosystems: 2. Primary production of forests T. Kira; 3. Primary production of grazing lands M. M. Caldwell; 4. Primary production of tundra F. E. Wielgolaski; 5. Primary production of deserts E. -D. Schulze and L. Kappen; 5.1 Physiological basis of primary production of perennial higher plants in the Negev desert E. -D. Schulze, O. L. Lange, L. Kappen, M. Evenari and U. Buschbom; 5.2 The biomass production of some higher plants in Near-Eastern and American deserts M. Evenari, S. Bamberg, E. -D. Schulze, L. Kappen, O. L. Lange and U. Buschbom; 5.3 Potential photosynthesis of Central Asian desert plants O. V. Zalensky; 5.4 Primary production of lower plants (lichens) in the desert and its physiological basis L. Kappen, O. L. Lange, E. -D. Schulze, M. Evenari and U. Buschbom; 6. Productivity of agricultural ecosystems R. S. Loomis and P. A. Gerakis; 7. Functioning of the biosphere at the primary production level - objectives and achievements F. E. Eckardt; Part II. Primary Production in Aquatic Ecosystems: 8. Primary production of freshwater macrophytes D. F. Westlake; 9. Primary production of marine macrophytes K. H. Mann and A. R. O. Chapman; 10. Primary production of freshwater microphytes J. F. Talling; 11. Primary production of marine microphytes T. Platt and D. V. Subba Rao; 12. Primary production of aquatic plants - conclusions J. F. Talling; Part III. Distribution of Radiant Energy and CO2 in Relation to Community Structure and Stratification: 13. Distribution of radiant energy and CO2 in terrestrial communities T. Saeki; 14. The roles of nutrient cycling and radiant energy in aquatic communities D. W. Schindler and E. J. Fee; 15. Solar radiation and carbon dioxide in plant communities - conclusions Margaret C. Anderson; Part IV. Photosynthetic Activity of Individual Plants and Tissues: 16. Photosynthetic mechanisms in higher plants J. H. Troughton; 17. Photosynthesis in mosses and lichens P. Kallio and L. Karenlampi; 18. Photosynthetic systems - conclusions Ph. Chartier and J. Catsky; Part V. Use of Assimilates for Maintenance, Growth and Development: 19. Biochemical pathways in unicellular plants G. E. Fogg; 20. Use of assimilates in higher plants F. W. T. Penning de Vries; 21. Source-sink relations and the partition of assimilates in the plant P. F. Wareing and J. Patrick; 22. Beyond photosynthesis - the role of respiration, translocation and growth potential in determining productivity L. T. Evans; Part VI. Influence of Stress Factors and the Use of Assimilates: 23. Water stress, photosynthesis and the use of photosynthates B. Slavik; 24. Influence of mineral nutrition on photosynthesis and the use of assimilates L. Natr; 25. Influence of temperature stress on CO2-gas exchange H. Bauer, W. Larcher and R. B. Walker; 26. Effects of environmental stress on photosynthesis - conclusions D. Koller; Part VII. Actual and Potential Production in Photosynthetic Systems: 27. Control of photosynthetic production in terrestrial systems J. P. Cooper; 28. Crop simulation and experimental evaluation - a case study H. van Keulen, W. Louwerse, L. Sibma and Th. Alberda; 29. Control of photosynthetic production in aquatic ecosystems E. Stengel and C. J. Soeder; 30. Actual and potential photosynthetic production - conclusions W. R. Stern; Part VIII. Conclusions: 31. Photosynthesis and productivity in different environments E. C. Wassink; List of supplementary papers submitted at the IBP Aberystwyth Meeting, April 1973; Index.