While the present analysis at the program level shows bureaus 

 working in the same general areas, a detailed project and task analysis 

 is required to determine true duplication. In an area as complex as 

 ecological research such replication may be valuable if the results are 

 accurately compared. 



2. Agency Activities in 



Ecological Research 



Department of 



Agriculture 



Agriculture needs ecological information for the management of 

 renewable resources in order to maximize sustained yields of selected 

 products. Production of food, fiber, feed crops, and timber have high 

 priority. Other research areas include habitats for wildlife and live- 

 stock, recreation, amenities and services for rural living, flood control, 

 and preservation of natural areas with unusual qualities. 



Ecological research programs are multidisciplinary and largely 

 problem-oriented with major emphasis on pest and disease manage- 

 ment; development of alternatives to pesticides; improved biological 

 production of food, timber, and fiber; and conservation of soil, water, 

 vegetation, and ecosystems. Research is conducted on recycling and 

 waste management and on the effects of pollution on forests, crops, and 

 horticultural plants. 



Atomic Energy 

 Commission 



The ecological research program includes terrestrial and aquatic 

 studies on baselines and interrelations of organisms and populations 

 with their environment, especially to predict the fate and effects of all 

 relatively long-lived radionuclides within ecosystems. This work 

 includes research on pathways, rates of movement, and distribution of 

 radioactive substances in the natural environment and in man's food 

 chain. Also included are studies on thermal additions and pollutant 

 emissions, ecosystem analysis, and the capacity of the environment to 

 absorb pollutants. 



Department of 

 Defense 



Studies are conducted primarily with environmental and ecological 

 modifications brought about by engineering construction. Research is 

 conducted on the stability of ecosystems and the effects of pollutant 

 emissions on organisms and the environment. 



Ecological research is conducted on pest management, including the 

 impact of alternative methods of pest management. Ecological studies 

 are conducted on vector diseases of man and animals in nature. The 

 Army Quartermaster Corps has conducted biome studies in tropical 

 forests of Thailand and Panama. 



Corps of Engineers Research includes studies on impact assessment, management and 



conservation of ecosystems, engineering construction to control the 

 environment, and industrial siting. Studies are made to determine the 

 impact that these activities have on organisms and on the environ- 

 ment and the effects that operation and maintenance of completed 

 projects have on ecosystems. Methods are developed for aquatic weed 

 control, waste disposal, and management of pollution associated with 

 dredging, thermal effects, and eutrophication. 



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