---- malcolm McCallum <[email protected]> wrote: > Regardless if you want to put it at 1930, 1830, or even 1730, the time > frame for the study of physics as a science is way way longer. As for > remembering it properly, whether or not these studies constitute > modern ecology or natural history is subject to conjecture. I > actually agree with you that they are ecology, but many ecologists > would not. This is why most consider the thrust of ecology to have > begun in the mid 20th century.
Malcolm, most do not consider "the thrust of ecology to have begun in the mid 20th century." I don't know how you reached that conclusion. Poll the list, but if you do, be sure to ask age and level of training. Anyone who thinks that Volterra, Clements, Forbes, Cowles, Shelford et al were not ecologists, well I'm sorry, but they're wrong. Though it falls short of the entirety of our science's development, I highly recommend to you an edited compilation (Real, Leslie A. and James H. Brown, eds., 1991. Foundations of ecology, classic papers with commentaries. The University of Chicago Press, Chicago and London). Ecology is a new science, but it wasn't born in the mid-20th century. It was experimental and modeled well before then, if those are the requisites for being born as a science (they're not). DMc > > On Sun, Nov 7, 2010 at 6:35 AM, <[email protected]> wrote: > > I'll grant you that ecology is a new science, but not that it began only in > > the second half of the twentieth century. Ernst Haeckel mistook the > > rootstock of modern biology, natural history, for one of its branches and > > gave it the term ecology in 1869. He gave this "new" science essentially > > its current definition. A good deal of what we call ecology was being > > practiced by then. Many consider Charles Darwin to be the "Father of > > Ecology." Certainly, his treatise on earthworms and soil formation was > > ecology. He initiated what many still consider to be the only actual > > "theory" in ecology. By the early 20th century there were intense > > interdisciplinary arguments over the scope of ecology, and the Ecological > > Society of America was founded in 1915. Elton authored textbooks with > > "Ecology" in the title by 1930. Cowles work on Indiana dunes was published > > in the late 19th century. > > > > Surely our history is important enough for us to remember it properly. > > > > David McNeely > > > > ---- malcolm McCallum <[email protected]> wrote: > > > >> Conversely, ecology is generally accepted as a new science appearing > >> only in the second half of the 20th century! > > > > > > -- > Malcolm L. McCallum > Managing Editor, > Herpetological Conservation and Biology > "Peer pressure is designed to contain anyone with a sense of drive" - > Allan Nation > > 1880's: "There's lots of good fish in the sea" W.S. Gilbert > 1990's: Many fish stocks depleted due to overfishing, habitat loss, > and pollution. > 2000: Marine reserves, ecosystem restoration, and pollution reduction > MAY help restore populations. > 2022: Soylent Green is People! > > Confidentiality Notice: This e-mail message, including any > attachments, is for the sole use of the intended recipient(s) and may > contain confidential and privileged information. Any unauthorized > review, use, disclosure or distribution is prohibited. If you are not > the intended recipient, please contact the sender by reply e-mail and > destroy all copies of the original message. -- David McNeely
