The present book is based on the findings of a three-year (1994-1997) mangrove ecological study supported by the Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region. It gives a general description of Hong Kong mangroves. The ecological techniques commonly used in field studies for analyzing mangrove plant and animal communities and their environments, the identification of plants and animals, data entry and interpretation are also clearly explained. We intend to make this book a simple and user-friendly reference for teachers, students and other interested parties who would like to carry out field studies and to appreciate the complexity and uniqueness of mangrove ecosystems. We sincerely hope that with this field guide, more ecological surveys will be conducted and long-term databases on ecological information of the local mangroves be compiled.

The authors wish to express their appreciation to all who assisted in the production of this book and in field studies, in particular, Prof. C.Y. Lu, Xiamen University, People's Republic of China. We would also like to thank Mr. Janson K. F. Wong, Research Assistant, Dr. S. G. Cheung and his Ph.D. student, Mr. W. H. Wong at the City University of Hong Kong for their assistance in field studies and identification of animals. The authors would also like to thank Mr. Desmond K. O'Toole and Elizabeth M. O'Toole for critically reading the manuscript and providing helpful comments on the English and content of the book. Last but not least, we are grateful to the Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, especially Mr. Frank S. P. Lau, Mr. Richard P. K. Chan, Mr. Patrick C. C. Lai and Mr. T. W. Tam, for their advice, continual support and stimulating discussions during the course of the present study. Without their assistance and financial support, the book would not have been completed.