Foreword

The Plankton Atlas of the North Atlantic Ocean is based on Sir Alister Hardy's visionary idea and ingenious construction of the Continuous Plankton Recorder. The Atlas provides marine scientists--especially biologists, ecologists, geographers, geologists and climatologists--with a unique set of information, obtained and processed by many people between 1958 and 1999 and supported by numerous sources. Data and text have been carefully edited by G. Beaugrand, M. Edwards, A.W.G. John and J.A. Lindley. The information assembled by Continuous Plankton Recorders represents the most extensive and significant monitoring achievement over wide stretches of time and space so far produced by marine biologists. The potential of such an achievement, for science in particular and humanity in general, is considerable. It will take time to fully explore and utilize the host of data now available. It is a pleasure for Marine Ecology Progress Series (MEPS) to serve as a medium for bringing this milestone endeavor to the attention of a worldwide audience for free