Rit (Vísindafélag Íslendinga) - 01.06.1939, Page 3

PREFACE.
In the summer of 1932 I was engaged in investigations into the
vegetation of the Westmann Islands. I then made a survey of the
vegetation in Heimaey and in the other islands. When, subsequently,
I began to go over the results of my investigations it beeame
apparent that the vegetation of the Westmann Islands was in cer-
tain respects peculiar as compared with the vegetation elsewhere
in Iceland, both as regards the distribution of the species and the
development of some of them. It seemed in a cursory examination
to be much more nearly related to the vegetation of the Faröe Is-
lands. As it is intended to bring a large part, or most, of Heimaey
under cultivation in the next few years I returned there in the
summer of 1933 and made more detailed observations of the vegeta-
tion and made measurements of the vegetation in plant-formations
in many places in Heimaey and Bjarnarey, using C. Raunkier’s
method, and the result of these researches is given here.
In conclusion I should like to thank the committee of Menningar-
sjóður for the support which they have afforded my researches, and
also all others who have helped with the publication of this article.
The author.