440 



THE COMMUNITY 



Table 30. Comparison of the Cell Doctrine and Organismal Doctrine with the Communitij 



Doctrine 



Cell 



Composed of definitive proto- 

 plasms 

 Has anatomy (cytological) 



Has sj^mmetry and gradients 



Has ontogeny (cell development) 



Has limitations of protoplasmic 

 amounts (size, surface- volume 

 ratio) 



Regeneration of parts 



Division of labor between proto- 

 plasms 



Cycles of protoplasmic behavior 



Self-sustaining organization (dy- 

 namic equilibrium) 



Successful integration of whole 

 determines survival of parts 

 and repetition of parts 



Homology of cytological parts 



Senescence and rejuvenescence 

 of cell 



Phylogeny of gene pattern 



Selection of whole cell unit de- 

 termines survival of gene pat- 

 tern 



Controls internal protoplasmic 

 environment and establishes 

 optima 



Selects or rejects protoplasmic 

 building materials 



Retrogressive evolution of cyto- 

 logical structure (chloroplasts) 



Multicellular Organism 



Community 



Composed of definitive cells 

 and tissues 



Has anatomy (tissues and or- 

 gans) 



Has symmetry and gradients 



Has ontogeny (embryology) 

 Has limitations of cell numbers 

 (size, surface-volume ratio) 



Regeneration of parts 

 Division of labor between cells 



Cycles of cellular behavior 



Self-sustaining organization 

 (dynamic equilibrium) 



Successful integration of whole 

 determines survival of parts 

 and repetition of parts 



Homology of tissues and organs 



Senescence and rejuvenescence 

 of organism 



Phylogeny of cellular pattern 



Selection of whole organismic 

 units determines survival of 

 cell pattern 



Controls intercellular environ- 

 ment and establishes optima 



Selects or rejects tissue-build- 

 ing materials 



Retrogressive evolution of tis- 

 sue structure and of organs 

 (eyes of cave fish) 



Composed of definitive organ- 

 isms and species 



Has anatomy (pyramid of 

 numbers) 



Has aspects of symmetry and 

 gradients (stratification) 



Has ontogeny (succession) 



Has limitation of population 

 numbers 



Regeneration of parts 



Division of labor between or- 

 ganisms and species 



Cycles of organismic and spe( ies 

 behavior 



Self-sustaining organization 

 (dynamic equilibrium) 



Successful integration of whole 

 determines survival of parts 

 and repetition of parts 



Homology of phylogenetically 

 related species in different 

 communities 



Senescence and rejuvenescence 

 of community 



Phylogeny of species pattern 



Selection of whole community 

 determines species and organ- 

 ism pattern 



Controls environment within 

 community and establishes 

 optima 



Selects or rejects organisms 

 (species) that harmonize or 

 do not harmonize with com- 

 munity 



Retrogressive evolution through 

 species elimination 



guishing criterion for these highly organ- 

 ized assemblages (Emerson, 1938, 1939). 

 Certain phases of their special activity pat- 

 tern are to be discussed later. At this point 

 we are concerned in observing the diffi- 

 culty that may arise in establishing the 

 functional boundary of certain communi- 

 ties. 



The majority of major communities are 

 clearly defined and, in a sense, self-sustain- 

 ing assemblages. It has been suggested also 

 that there are exceptions to the definiteness 

 of functional boundary, and to the self-sus- 



ining aspect of the food supply. Such ex- 



ceptions do not impair the major commun- 

 ity concept; they are to be expected in such 

 a universal, slowly evolving system. Thus 

 the cell doctrine is not impaired by the lack 

 of structural boundaries in a syncytium, and 

 the concept of the organism is not harmed 

 by the problem of organismal limits in co- 

 lonial protozoans (Volvocidae, Vorticelli- 

 dae), colonial rotifers, bryozoans, sponges, 

 and colonial tunicates. 



Thus cells, organisms, populations, so- 

 cieties, and communities are progressively 

 complex biological systems. All five are 

 protoplasmic, interdependent integrations 



