As we bring to a conclusion this fifty-year history of the society, we must ask whether the field has changed. One original emphasis was on acclimatization and Darwinian genetic adaptations of animals and plants (Folk 1966). Interest in these topics has continued to grow. The term "Environmental Physiology" was frequently used and several members of the ISB contributed to the large volume on that topic edited by Fregly and Blatheis (1996).

In about 1985, the Japanese Biometeorology Sociey was formed. Since then, they have been rigorous and active, with many meetings and publications that have proved invaluable to their colleagues in the ISB. They carefully continue with an emphasis on acclimatization and environmental physiology which are major themes in Biometeorology.

We can also derive a concept of the history of change in our society by looking at its jounral. This journal had a slow start; Solco Tromp published the first four editions, one a year for four years, as several large, loose-leaf notebooks into which new copies of the journal could be inserted. The journal has become successful thanks to decades of work by its editors.

If we examine the articles in The International Journal of Biometeorology, we detect a change in theme over the years (Figure 13). In 1960, the emphasis, as we see in the table, was on animal physiology. In the year 2005, in volumes 47–49, we find less emphasis upon animal biometeorology and more on the reactions between plants and the environment. These figures show that biometeorolgy is a vital and changing field, and we look forward to many years ahead for this most successful society.

Portions of this History have been contributed by Dr. Wolf H. Wiehe. His deep affection for the society and his remarkable memory is evident in the extensive material which he provided for this final draft.

Much credit for the early work of this History goes to Rosemary Kueny, as well as to Anjali Sachleva, MFA, who made suggestions for organization and style.

The conscientious typing and formatting of the final draft of this history by Dana Rogers is much appreciated.