Pollen rain–vegetation relationships were studied over a forest–steppe transect in Golestan National Park, NE Iran. The surface pollen percentages were compared to the phytosociological composition of the respective vegetation types in 18 sampling points using both descriptive and numerical approaches. Hyrcanian lowland forests are characterized by pollen assemblages dominated by Quercus, Carpinus betulus and low amounts of Zelkova carpinifolia. Both Parrotia persica and Z. carpinifolia show a very low pollen representation in modern pollen samples, an under-representation that should be taken into account in the interpretation of fossil pollen diagrams. Transitional communities between the forest and steppe including Acer monspessulanum subsp. turcomanicum, Crataegus and Paliurus scrubs, Juniperus excelsa woodlands and shrub–steppe patches are more difficult to distinguish by pollen assemblages but are characterized by higher values of the dominant shrub species. The transitional communities at the immediate vicinity of the forest show also a substantial amount of grass pollen. Many insect-pollinated taxa are strongly under-represented in pollen rains including most of the rosaceous trees and shrubs, and Rhamnus, Paliurus, Acer and Berberis. Artemisia steppes are characterized by very high values of Artemisia pollen and the quasi-absence of tree pollen.

Satellite navigation has demonstrated its ability to enhance the safety and efficiency of multi-modal transport systems and act as a stimulant to economic growth and commercial development. The decision of the Transport Ministers to proceed with the definition stage of Galileo currently being funded by the European Commission and the ESA GalileoSat programme will include the complex question of security and defence considerations. Initial studies were completed over the past year in a Civil Military Interface study and by the GNSS Forum for Security and Defence Considerations. This paper presents the findings of the Civil Military Interface study undertaken for the European Commission, DGVII, that identified the security and military implications of a civil operated and controlled satellite navigation service for Europe.

The exposition NavSat 2000, which will take place on 6–8 June 2000 at the exhibition centre Cnit-Paris-la Défense will bring together the complete spectrum of scientific and industrial advances in satellite navigation. The visitor will be able to measure the nature and diversity of this ever-growing market, follow the progress of the European Galileo programme, and also learn how this new global concept will open access to those numerous applications where security is tantamount.

The FDC company is an independent engineering company whose prime role is to provide governmental agencies and international organisations (EC/DG VII, EC/DG XIII, ESA, EUROCONTROL) with technical assistance and program management service.

In France, the new Common Agricultural Policy will have different regional impacts. There are three types of regions based on agricultural development. The first type is where farms are able to carry on a modernization process; the second type where farms are threatened in spite of their modernization, and the third type where farms are unable to be modernized. These three types of regions are represented in France by Picardy, Languedoc and Savoy. Each region is developing a particular form of pluriactivity in accordance with its own agricultural development. Picardy is setting up a business pluriactivity which uses agricultural resources to increase non-agricultural activities. Languedoc undergoes a rural development pluriactivity by using non-agricultural resources for its modernization. Savoy represents a rural pluriactivity of survival, in which the close combination between agricultural and non-agricultural activities permits the maintenance of rural many-faceted businesses. The three kinds of pluriactivity are very unlike. They show that, in France, agricultural development will in future be linked to rural development to a far greater extent.