The Botany of Iceland - 01.12.1930, Blaðsíða 12

aid from the “Japetus Steenstrup Legat” I could continue and verify
my observations from Norholm Heath in the summer of 1924 by a
journey through the dune region along the west coast of Jutland.
When I had taken mj' Masler’s degree in the autumn of 1924,
thanks to testimonials from my teachers Professors C. Raunkiær,
L. Kolderup Rosenvinge and C. H. Ostenfeld, I obtained tinancial
aid from the Carlsberg Foundation and from Dansk-Islandsk Forbunds-
fond for phytogeographical researches in Iceland.
In this work, too, luck befriended me. While making my preparations
for the journey to Iceland, I was able to attend a course of lectures on
the vegetation of Greenland given at the University in the spring term
of 1925 by Professor Ostenfeld. These lectures have been of the
greatest importance to me, partly during my work in Iceland, and partly
during the suhsequent more thorough treatment of the material. Thus
it is to them I owe the impulse to include in my investigations the
vegetation under the various depths of snow-eovering, my original in-
tention being onlj' to investigate the vegetation in the various zones of
moisture. Also the division of the Icelandic flora into species-groups
according to the geographical distrihution of the species, the setting up
of species group spectra on a parallel with the biological spectra, and
the application of the species group spectra for a more thorough cha-
racterisation of the environment, are fruits of these lectures. By these
investigations the conception of the species as chemical combinations
has been further confirmed.
I have regarded the financial aid which rendered possible the re-
searches described in this treatise as a great mark of confidence and, to
the best of my ability, I have endeavoured not to disappoint the trust
placed in me. Through this work I beg the Trustees of the Carlsberg
Foundation and the Trustees of the Dansk-Islandsk Forbundsfond to
accept my respectful thanks. Finally I owe thanks to Miss Annie
I. Fausböll, M. A., who has undertaken the difficult task of the Eng-
lish translation.
Copenhagen, June 1928.