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Showing papers in "Ecological Monographs in 1957"


Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: It is shown that nature of unit variation is a naajor problenl in systematies, and that whether this variation is diserete, continuous, or in some other form, there is a need for appliGation of (uantitative and statistical methods.
Abstract: INTRODUCTION A renewed interest in objeetive and quantitative approaehes to the elassifieation of plant communities has led, within the past decade, to an extensive exalllination of systematic theory and technique. This examination, ineluding the work of Sorenson (1948), Motyka et al. (1950), Curtis & McIntosh (1951), Brown & Curtis (1952), Ramensky (1952), Whittaker (1954, 1956), Goodall (1953a, 1954b)? deVries (1953), Guinoehet (1954, 1955), Webb (1954), Eughes (1954) and Poore (1956) has acconlpanied theoretie studies in taxonomy [Fisher (1936), Womble (1951), Clifford & Binet (1954), Gregg (1954)] and in statisties (Isaaeson 1954). It is a Gonclusion of many of these studies that nature of unit variation is a naajor problenl in systematies, and that whether this variation is diserete, continuous, or in some other form, there is a need for appliGation of (uantitative and statistical methods. In eeologic elassifieation, an inereased use of ordinate systellls, sr hiGh has been stimulated by the developnlent of more effieient sampling teehniques and the collection of stand data on a large seale, has prompted the proposal of the term \"ordination\" ( Goodall 1953b ) . Goodall (1954a) has defined ordination as \"an arrangenlent of units in a unior multi-dinlensional order\" as synonylllous with \"Ordnung,\" (Ramensky

9,549 citations



Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: The author follows the lead of Miacfadyenr (1948) and believes that onfuslion ofteni results from tire fact that nulr1 try authors to see tire, and a complete picture of the knowledge of communitv metabolism would be tire calse in many other fields.
Abstract: INTRODUCTION The study of conrllurunitv metabolism is one means of making a functional analysis of an ecosystem. Essentially it consistss of the study of energy transformation by the orvanisnIs of aan ecosvstem. It l)lovides a ineasure of the total activity of a comniullity just as a study o t individual inetaholism dloes for ari ill(liVidual organirsll. Tlie p)resemrt studyN, of thle relatively simptles esystem of a cold spriirg wvas undertaken to provide a In:ore exact mea,.*irernent of community nietabolisni thanlia batd beeu available. It should be emrplhasize(d, h(owever, that ill tile l)resent state of our knowledge of communitv metabolism considerably imore assulml)ptions have to be miade in or(der to p)lesenlt a complete picture thanr would be tire calse in many other fields. Studi(s1, of comrullitv tinetabholisllr have beeni gen(rtl'xly imlade either ill terurs of energy ()om of bioImaISS either as liomass itoselt O iii termis of a portion of th(e biomiaIss sUcIh as l)roteill or fat). The author follows the lead of Miacfadyenr (1948) iII believinIg eergv'' 111its to be I)1etelre(l ill studies of commullity Inetabolisill. I1iom11rass 1111its are less suitabl because there is recirculationi of nimitter iti the ecosystenll and ecIaus thle rates oft tirlve alre so different for (lifferert sizes awr(l species of orgoanismns. Miacfadven (1948) has e Shoxn that onfuslion ofteni results from tire fact that nulr1 try authors fc-ail to see tire (listinletionl betweer thre cycle of nra tter ill a Comuirunity and the flow of ener-gy through a 'I comnmunity. For exampl)le, Gerkinog (19.54) states that the variability iII quantity\ of fat in orgainirsIs Irakes calories air unsuitable unit tor p)Iodlluction studies.

286 citations


Journal ArticleDOI

177 citations


Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: Studies in the Gulf of Mexicox and the Thioglycollate Culture Technique show clear trends in the number of infections and the intensity of infections, and these trends are similar to that seen in previous studies on Dermocystidium infection.
Abstract: PAGE INTRODUCTIONa. Studies in the Gulf of Mexicox. Discovery of Dermocystidiumn marinurm in Virginia 2 METHODS OF STUDY 2 The Thioglycollate Culture Technique 2 Rating the Intensity of Infections 3 Definitions of Terms 3 THE OCCURRENCE OF Dermocystidium marinuim IN LIVE OYSTERS 3 Seasonal Incidence of Infections 3 Intensity of Infections 5 Recapitulation ........ 6 THE OCCURRENCE OF Der-mocystidium marinumn IN GAPERS 6 Collection of Gapers 6 Seasonal Incidence ..... 6 Incidence in Gapers from Outlying Trays and Natural Habitats ..... 8 Recapitulation ........ 8 DISTRIBUTION OF Dermocystidium marinum IN CHESAPEAKE BAY 11 FUNGUS INFECTIONS IN RELATION TO AGE AND SouRCE OF OYSTEST.11 Data from Live Oysters . ..... 11 Data from Gapers ......... 12 Recapitulation. 13 EXPERIMENTAL INFECTION OF OYSTERS 14 Infection of Old Oysters ...... 14 Infection of Young Oysters I ........ 14 PAGE

177 citations




Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: The contribution made by overgrazing to drought losses was largely overlooked by pioneers as discussed by the authors, who observed a higher carrying capacity of range land during wet periods and great decreases in drought.
Abstract: INTRODUCTION Drought on the prairies of the Great Plains is a common occurrence. Vegetation on this vast expanse of rolling topography had its development under great diversity of climatic conditions. During wet cycles the prairie plants thrived and produced a maximum yield but when drought came much of the wet cycle gain was lost. Pioneers observed a higher carrying capacity of range land during wet periods and great decreases in drought, but the contribution made by overgrazing to drought losses was largely overlooked.

43 citations



Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: Weaver and Albertson as discussed by the authors conducted a detailed deseription of their study of their p laInt e0o11lunities in Calladianl grasslands.
Abstract: The mixell p)lailie fro1m Canada to leixeo has heen the subject of IlUmlerOUs ilnvestigatiolns. Coupland (1950) gaVe a detailed deseription of their p laInt e0o11lunities in Calladianl grasslands. Hanson & Whitinan (1938) listed 9 Inajol' grasslands hased on valriatioens ill soil and topl)ograp)hy ill western North Dakota. Rangel ty)pes iIm. eastern \\Vonligllo' u1(l eastern Colra(lo were reeor(led by Costello (1944). H1opkins (1.951) vorkillon oil thle l)essial soils oft entral Nehraska (lividletl the a tra into short '-ras, I -liXe(1 grass, htlidl and1(1 tall grass, and western wheatolrass (collImullities. Ill his study oi thle vegetation of Oklaioinha, 811111evl (198J1) (lescrihele tle nm ixed prairie and short grtIss r1e1 0gion1ls. Cottle (19:31 ) (escri hed thle vegetatiol of souitheiast Texas, a p1r1It of which wa1s originally (loIlniiated hy mixed(1 1)p (liie vegetation. These tilne stnflies 11Xe (overed ntt(IaIv of thle principal plant eofllIltllhlities ot tlte mixedl )rairie, hut they have not ilclUdle(l sonilc 01 the, less (Xtehlsi ye l0s. M111any ecologic al sttudlics have l)een made of gras.slanldls of miixedil prairies mltla H avs, KamInstl. Alhert"oII (19:37) condluctedl a studylv of emvironmenOital1 tartors an(l vegetation tylles of a muixel prairie ill this a rca. With the exception (if drought studies over a wide rangle, ( Weaver & Albertson 1940a, 1940h Alhertson & Weaver, 1942, 1944, 1946), IllOst of the ilivestigations ill Nvesternt Kansas have been limited to thle vicinity o Fl ays. There fale maianlv grasslamnds in western Kansas, however, that are different from those near Fays, rin cipally hecallse of Valriation ini soil and(l top-I ra11h1. Within the gemelltla region of the central (r tIcat Plains there are many types ot nlixe(l prairies. The PAGE

27 citations



Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: FLEAS 49 Account of species 49 Host specificity of fleas 50 Fleas of insectivores ..... . 50 Flea of cricetine rodents .... . 51 FleasOf microtine rodents 51 Seasonal distribution of flea 51 Environmental distribution offleas 52.
Abstract: FLEAS 49 Account of species 49 Host specificity of fleas 50 Fleas of insectivores ..... . 50 Fleas of cricetine rodents .... . 51 Fleas of microtine rodents 51 Seasonal distribution of fleas 51 Environmental distribution of fleas 52


Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: The method used by most authors to collect mites and other small arthropods from nests is an automatic collecting device such as a Berlese (Berlese 1905) or Tullgren (Tullgren 1917) apparatus.
Abstract: E NTRODUCTION Nests of small mammals and birds are favorable habitats for many kinds of mites. Bishopp (1923), Sambon (1928), Garman (1937), Linsley (1944), Hughes (1928), Woodruffe & Southgate (1951), Woodruffe (1953) and others have reported that nests are sources of domestic pests and Acarina which are of medical and economic importance. The acarine fauna, of nests of rodents has been studied by several investigators. Oudemans (1913) described many species of mites from moles' nests in Germany. The arthropod inhabitants of the pocket gopher in Texas were studied by Ross (1944). Wharton (1946) collected over 30 species of mites from the general nest area of rats on the island of Guam. Vysotska (1947) collected mites from the nests of Microtus arvnalis Pallas in Russia. Walters & Roth(1950) collected representatives of 12 families of Acarina from nests of the dusky-footed wood rat. Also from the inner nests of the dusky-footed wood rat Linsdale & Tevis (1951) collected representatives of 14 families of Acarina. Allred & Beek (1953) collected representatives of 43 families of mites from nests of two species of Neotoma in Utah. The method used by most authors to collect mites and other small arthropods from nests is an automatic collecting device such as a Berlese (Berlese 1905) or Tullgren (Tullgren 1917) apparatus. These devices use heat and/or light to drive the arthropods from the nests. A nest is brought in from the field, placed in a funnel, and then a light is suspended above the funnel or hot water is forced through a jacket which surrounds the funnel. The mites are collected in a small vial placed beneath the narrow end of the funnel. Norberg (1936), in a study of faunal-host relationships of bird nests, used a Tullgren apparatus to collect 272 species of Acarina from nests of 56 species of birds. He also used a different collecting method