Measurement and interpretation of fermion-pair production at LEP energies from 130 to 172 GeV

The data collected with the DELPHI detector at centre-of-mass energies between 130 and 172 GeV, during LEP operation in 1995 and 1996, have been used to determine the hadronic and leptonic cross-sections and leptonic forward-backward asymmetries. In addition, the cross-section ratios and forward-backward asymmetries for flavour-tagged samples of light (uds), c and b quarks have been measured. No significant deviations from the standard model expectations are found. The results are interpreted by performing S-matrix fits to these data and to the data collected previously at the energies near the Z0 resonance peak (88-93 GeV). The results are also interpreted in terms of physics beyond the standard model: contact interactions, R-parity violating SUSY particle exchange and of possible Z' bosons. (orig.)