本书反映了我国植被科学的长期基础积累和成果。全书概述了我国陆地植被的主要类型和植物区系构成，揭示了我国植被分布的地带性规律与制约性环境因素，建立了我国陆地植被的分类系统和植被区划方案；对12种主要植被类型的物种组成、群落学特征、定量属性、环境要素、地理分布与生态演替序列进行了分章详细描述和深入分析；对我国植被的保护与合理利用进行了探讨。此外，本书对涉及到的5000余种陆地高等植物的拉丁名学名建立了清单。除上述植物植被相关内容之外，本书对我国土壤、地质历史、地貌、气候气象、水文等相关知识均有较大篇幅的涉及，对我国中新世以来的植被演化状况进行了专门讨论。

Chapter 1 China's Vegetation-An Overview
1.1 Theoretical and practical significance of vegetation science
1.2 Advances in Chinese vegetation studies in recent 40 years
1.2.1 The 1980s
1.2.2 The 1990s
1.2.3 The 2000s
1.2.4 The 2010s
1.3 Natural conditions influencing Chinese vegetation
1.3.1 Geomorphology
1.3.2 Climate
1.3.3 Soils
1.4 Chinese vegetation classification
1.5 Chinese vegetation regionalization
References
Chapter 2 Cold Temperate Coniferous Forest
2.1 Cold temperate deciduous coniferous forest
2.2 Cold temperate evergreen coniferous forests
2.2.1 Spruce and fir forests
2.2.2 Cold-temperate pine forests
2.2.3 Sabina (currently Juniperus) forests
References
Chapter 3 Temperate Coniferous Forests
3.1 Pine formation group
3.2 Platycladus orientalis forest
3.3 Temperate coniferous and broadleaved mixed forests
3.3.1 Pinus koraiensis mixed forests
3.3.2 Tsuga coniferous and broadleaved mixed forests
References
Chapter 4 Warm and Hot Coniferous Forests
4.1 Warm-temperate coniferous forests
4.1.1 Warm deciduous coniferous forests
4.1.2 Warm evergreen coniferous forests
4.2 Hot coniferous forests
References
Chapter 5 Deciduous Broadleaved Forests
5.1 Deciduous broadleaved forests
5.1.1 Typical deciduous broadleaved forests
5.1.2 Deciduous broadleaved miscellaneous forests
5.1.3 Montane forests dominated by Populus and Betula
5.1.4 Riverside deciduous broadleaved forests
5.2 Deciduous and evergreen broadleaved mixed forests
5.2.1 Typical deciduous and evergreen broadleaved mixed forests
5.2.2 Montane deciduous and evergreen broadleaved mixed forests
References
Chapter 6 Broadleaved Evergreen Forests
6.1 Typical broadleaved evergreen forests
6.1.1 Formations dominated by Castanopsis
6.1.2 Formations dominated by Cyclobalanopsis spp
6.1.3 Communities dominated by Lithocarpus species
6.1.4 Formations dominated by Schima species
6.2 Monsoonal broadleaved evergreen forests
6.2.1 Formations dominated by Castanopsis spp.plus Cryptocarya chinensis
6.2.2 Formations dominated by Castanopsis species
6.3 Montane broadleaved evergreen mossy forests
6.4 Sclerophyllous broadleaved evergreen forests
6.5 Monsoonal and typical rain forests
6.5.1 Monsoonal rain forests
6.5.2 Typical rain forests
References
Chapter 7 Bamboo, Mangrove and Scrub Communities
7.1 Bamboo forests
7.1.1 Muted bamboo forests
7.1.2 Warm bamboo forests
7.1.3 Regional patterns
7.2 Mangrove forests
7.2.1 Formations
7.2.2 Regional patterns and controls
7.3 Sorubs
7.3.1 Needle-leaved evergreen scrubs
7.3.2 Evergreen leathery-leaved scrubs
7.3.3 Deciduous broadleaved scrubs
7.3.4 Broadleaved evergreen scrubs
7.3.5 Shrubby tussocks
References
Chapter 8 Deserts
8.1 Dwarf tree deserts
8.2 Shrub deserts
8.2.1 Typical shrub deserts
8.2.2 Steppic shrub deserts
8.2.3 Psammophilous shrub deserts
8.3 Semi-shrub and dwarf semi-shrub deserts
8.3.1 Salt firewood deserts
8.3.2 Succulent salt firewood deserts
8.3.3 Sage deserts
References
Chapter 9 Steppes and Savannas
9.1 Steppes
9.1.1 Meadow steppes
9.1.2 Typical steppes
9.1.3 Desert steppes
9.1.4 Alpine steppes
9.2 Savannas
References
Chapter 10 Meadows and Wetlands
10.1 Meadows
10.1.1 Typical meadows
10.1.2 Marshy meadows
10.1.3 Alpine meadows
10.1.4 Salt meadows
10.2 Wetlands and aquatic vegetation
10.2.1 Primary elements governing the genesis of Chinese wetlands
10.2.2 Vegetal characters of Chinese wetlands
10.2.3 Classification of Chinese wetlands
10.2.4 Major types of wetland vegetation
10.3 Regional and national Patterns and controls
R