HISTORICAL DEVELOPMENT OF THE CONCEPT 19 



interest, it will probably continue to be known as oceanography. The 

 essential identity of the two has been clearly recognized by Russell 

 (1932) with respect to fishery research in particular. He states that 

 the latter in point of view and methods is simply a branch of ecology, 

 and its special problems are those of marine ecology. The soundness 

 of this view is shown by the topics discussed, each of which represents 

 an important phase of ecology on land, namely: (1) census of fish 

 populations, (2) fluctuation and prediction, (3) distribution and mi- 

 gration of fish in relation to environmental factors, (4) food chains 

 and animal communities. 



Bigelow (1931) advances a similar point of view in his discussion 

 of the scope and aims of oceanography, even though ecology is not 

 specifically mentioned. This is revealed not only by the emphasis 

 placed upon unity as a basis for research and hence upon the synthesis 

 inherent in ecology, but also by the clear recognition of the para- 

 mount role taken by the habitat in the control of life and by the 

 reaction of organisms on it. He is furthermore in complete accord 

 with modern ecology in its insistence upon dynamics as the guide to all 

 relations but especially to the cause-and-effect interaction of habitat 

 and community. 



