The book by PRECHT, CHRISTOPHERSEN and HENSEL referred to in the text as the first edition was published in German in 1955 with the title Temperatur und Leben. The present volume is a revised version of this book, constructed along the same lines, but it cannot properly be called the second edition because it is in English. Yet another difference is in the number of contributors, who now include two microbiologists, seven botanists, three zoophysiologists, one biochemist, and three human physiologists. We have again endeavored to treat as many problems as possible but the main theme is still the adaptation of organisms to changing temperatures. What was conceived as a chapter on physical and chemical aspects by Professor L. LUMPER of GieBen will be published later as a supplementary volume. A special effort has been made to cover the copious literature published since 1955 though not, of course, exhaustively. The various chapters were completed at different times and those written earlier have footnotes referring to subsequent literature. The botanical contributions by W. LARCHER, K. NAPP-ZINN and A. PISEK were translated by Mrs. JOY WIESER; Dr. J. M. AUGENFELD was the translator of those on poikilotherms by H. D. JANKOWSKY, H. LAUDIEN and H. PRECHT as well as of those on homeotherms by H. HENSEL, K. BRUCK and P. RATHS. The section on limiting temperatures by H. PRECHT was translated by HAZEL PROSSER. We are grateful to them for undertaking this work.

Poikilothermic Organisms.- Microorganisms.- I. Basic Aspects of Temperature Action on Microorganisms.- A. Influence of Temperature on the Growth and Multiplication of Microorganisms.- 1. Growth of Cells.- 2. Effects of Temperature on Reproduction.- 3. Growth Curves.- B. Heat Killing of Microorganisms.- 1. Time Course of Heat Killing of Microorganisms.- 2. The Time-Temperature Relation of Heat Killing.- 3. Factors Affecting the Heat Resistance of Vegetative Bacteria.- a) The Effect of Water.- b) The Effect of Salts and Ions.- c) The Effect of Proteins.- d) The Effect of Oils and Fats.- e) The Effect of pH.- f) The Effect of Age.- g) The Effect of Growth Temperature.- 4. Resistance Adaptation.- a) General Remarks.- b) Mechanisms of Resistance Adaptation.- c) Recovery of Heat-Injured Microorganisms.- C. Adaptive Temperature Responses.- 1. Capacity Adaptation.- 2. Examples of Capacity Adaptation of Microbial Activities.- 3. Mechanisms of Capacity Adaptation.- 4. Time Course of Capacity Adaptation.- D. Response of Microorganisms to Subzero Temperatures.- 1. Influence of Freezing Temperature, Freezing Time, and Freezing Rate.- 2. Influence of Defrosting.- 3. Influence of Repeated Freezing and Thawing.- 4. Sensitivity of Microorganisms to Freezing.- 5. Recovery of Frost-Injured Microorganisms.- 6. Influence of Freezing on the Metabolism of Microorganisms.- 7. Interaction between Microorganisms and Menstrua during Freezing and Defrosting.- a) The Phases of Frost Killing.- b) Protective Action against Frost Killing.- 8. Metabolic Activities of Microorganisms and Microbial Enzymes at Subzero Temperatures.- 9. Mechanisms of Freezing Injury.- 10. Cold Shock.- E. Thermophilic Organisms.- 1. General Remarks.- 2. Cellular Mechanisms of Growth at High Temperatures.- F. Effect of Temperature on Bacterial Spores.- 1. Properties and Heat Resistance of Spores.- 2. Heat Activation of Spores.- 3. Heat Killing of Spores.- II. Genetic Regulation of Temperature Responses.- A. Introduction.- B. Genetic Determination of Heat Stability of Proteins.- C. Loss of Function at Low Temperatures.- D. Mutations which Decrease the Temperature Range for Growth.- E. Biochemical Basis of Cold-Sensitivity.- F. Adaptation to New Temperature Ranges for Growth.- G. Mutations which Extend the Temperature Range of Growth.- H. Direct Temperature Effects on Nucleic Acids.- I. Summary.- References.- Plants.- I. Plant Temperatures and Energy Budget.- A. Introduction.- B. Radiation.- C. Convective Heat Exchange.- D. Transpiration.- E. Energy Budget Equation.- II. The Normal Temperature Range.- A. Effect of Temperature on Metabolic Processes.- A 1. Carbohydrate Metabolism.- 1. Photosynthesis (A. PISEK).- a) Basic Aspects of Photosynthesis.- b) Cardinal Temperatures of Photosynthesis in General.- c) Temperature Curves for Net Photosynthesis.- d) Cardinal Temperatures of Photosynthesis in Various Plants.- ?) Plants from Different Altitudes in the Central European Alps and from their Sub-Mediterranean Southern Foot.- ?) Additional Facts Concerning Temperature Dependence and Cardinal Temperatures of Photosynthesis.- e) Experimental Adaptation: Extent and Speed of the Reactions Involved.- 2. Respiration (A. Pisek).- 3. Transformations and Translocation of Carbohydrates (W. Larcher).- a) Temperature-Dependent Conversions of Carbohydrates.- b) The Influence of Temperature on the Translocation of Carbohydrates.- A 2. Temperature Dependence of other Metabolic Processes (W. Larcher).- 1. The Influence of Temperature on the Water Balance of Higher Plants.- a) Water Uptake.- b) Water Transport.- c) Transpiration.- 2. Influence of Temperature on the Mineral Nutrition of Higher Plants.- B. Effect of Temperature on Growth and Development.- B 1. Dependence of the Growth Processes on Temperature (A. Vegis).- 1. Dormancy of Buds and Seeds.- a) Phases of the Rest Period and the Various Kinds of Dormancy.- b) Temperature Range for Seed Germination and Bud Break in Relation to the Depth of Dormancy during the Rest Period.- ?) Narrowed Range for Germination and Bud Break at Low Temperatures.- ?) Narrowed Range for Germination and Bud Break at High Temperatures.- ?) Narrowed Range for Germination of Seeds and Bud Break at Intermediate Temperatures.- ?) Two Narrow Germination Temperature Ranges.- c) Effect of Alternating Temperatures.- d) The Role of Enclosing Structures in the Induction of Dormancy and in Narrowing the Temperature Range for Germination of Seeds and Bud Break.- e) The Role of Low Temperatures in the Abolition of Dormancy.- ?) Stratification of Seeds.- ?) Chilling Requirements of Buds.- ?) Induction of Flower-Bud Opening by Decrease in Temperature.- 2. Temperature Requirements for the Growth and Development of Plants.- a) Development of Tulipa Bulbs.- b) Development of Iris Bulbs.- c) Development of Hippeasirum.- d) Thermoperiodicity.- B 2. Low Temperature Effect on Flower Formation: Vernalization (K. Napp-Zinn).- 1. Introduction.- 2. The Kinetics of Vernalization.- a) Vernalization in the Strict Sense.- ?) Criteria of Vernalization.- ?) Cold-Requiring Phanerogams.- ?) Cold Requirement and Cold Resistance.- ?) Locus of Perception.- ?) Plants with and without a Juvenile Phase.- ?) The Role of Soaking in the Vernalization of Seed.- ?) Effective Temperatures.- ?) Vernalization and Light Conditions.- b) The Promotion of Later Stages of Flower Formation by Cold.- ?) Flower Initiation.- ?) Sex Determination.- ?) Flower Unfolding.- c) Similar Phenomena in Lower Plants.- 3. The Genetic Basis of Vernalization Requirements.- 4. Physiological Analysis.- a) Kinetic Analysis.- b) Grafting and Decapitation.- c) Nutrition.- d) Breakdown of Reserve Materials.- e) Nucleic Acids, Proteins and Amino Acids.- f) Additional Observations of a Cell-Physiological Nature.- g) Growth Substances.- ?) Auxins and Antiauxins.- ?) Gibberellins and Antigibberellins.- ?) Other Growth Substances.- h) Phytochrome.- i) Concluding Remarks.- III. Limiting Temperatures for Life Functions.- A. Gradual Progress of Damage Due to Temperature Stress (W. Larcher).- 1. Effect of Extreme Temperatures on Protoplasmic Streaming.- 2. Respiratory Behavior.- 3. Depression of Photosynthetic Capacity.- B. Temperature Resistance and Survival (W. Larcher).- 1. Avoidance.- a) Frost Avoidance by Delay or Prevention of Ice Formation in Tissues.- b) Heat Avoidance by Means of Reduction of Radiation Absorption and by Transpirational Cooling.- 2. Tolerance.- a) Variability of Heat an…