National Science Foundation. — The principal 

 research effort has sought to estabhsh the role of 

 diversity of biota in ecological systems, determine rates 

 and trends of succession (e.g., from fire or abandoned 

 land), and assess functional relationships among the 

 major part of the biome studies of the International 

 Biological Program, for which the NSF is the head 

 agency. 



Large, integrated research efforts funded by the 

 Foundation have been studying the composition of, and 

 interactions within, ecosystems to gain an 

 understanding of their stability in the face of various 

 land management practices. Grasslands, desert. 

 Eastern decidious forest, Western coniferous forest, and 

 arctic tundra are the biomes included. The approach 

 has been to develop mathematical models of the 

 structure and dynamics of these ecosystems that can 

 simulate the effects of diverse land-use practices. 



1971 1972 1973 



$4.17 $5.60 $5.40 



National Aeronautics and Space Admin- 

 istration.— Multispectral airborne and spaceborne 

 photographic and electrical techniques are employed to 

 investigate the relationship between organisms and 

 their environment in oceanic, coastal, and terrestrial 

 ecosystems. Included are studies to identify plant and 

 animal communities, to detect elemental deficiencies 

 and diseases, to identify environmental parameters 

 (marine and soil), to identify pollutants and their 

 effects, and to determine the important interactions 

 among these parameters. 



1971 1972 1973 



$0.20 $0.20 $0.24 



III. Problems Associated with Regulating Organisms 



a. Pest and Disease Management 



Department of Defense.— Ecological research is 

 conducted on pest management, including the impact 

 of alternative methods of pest management in tropical 

 ecosystems. 



1971 1972 1973 



$0 $0.40 $0 



Department of Health, Education and Wel- 

 fare.— The Communicable Disease Center research 



60 



