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Résumé :
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It is a widely held belief that a climax vegetation of closed forest system covered the lowlands of Central and Western Europe before humans intervened in prehistoric times to develop pastoral agriculture. If this intervention had not taken place, it would still be there and so if left, the grassland vegetation we see today would revert to its natural closed forest state, although with a reduced number of wild species. This book challenges this view, using examples from pollen analyzes and studies on tree species such as oak and hazel. The book presents the following chapters : General introduction and formulation of the problem. Succession, the climax forest and the role of large herbivores. Palynology, the forest as climax in prehistoric times and the effects of humans. The use of the wilderness from the middle ages up to 1900. Spontaneous succession in forest reserves in the lowlands of Western and Central Europe. Establishement of trees and shrubs in relation to light and grazing. Final synthesis and conclusions.
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