306 CARNEGIE INSTITUTION OF WASHINGTON. 



regeneration in the forest, and of crop production in arid and semi-arid 

 regions. As a consequence of earlier recommendations, the Forest 

 Service has already established a large number of permanent quadrats 

 at its experiment stations and grazing reserves. It is now proposed to 

 incorporate these into a definite system for obtaining annual evidence 

 as to the direction of climatic movement and its effect upon the vari- 

 ous types of conmiunities. Such a cUmatic series will require the estab- 

 lishment and charting of at least one permanent quadrat for each year 

 of the cycle. In this way an actual record will be made of the yearly 

 changes of population for the entire period, while the annual charting 

 of the quadrat established will afford a complete picture of the changes 

 in one spot. Certain quadrats will be grazed, cut, burned, or denuded 

 and will thus furnish detailed evidence as to variations in carrying 

 capacity or crop production as well as to the invasion of less valuable 

 species in the case of overgrazing or denudation. Quite apart from 

 their climatic and economic value, such quadrats will prove invaluable 

 as an experimental record of succession. It is hoped to establish cli- 

 matic series of quadrats on the National Forests and at the experiment 

 stations and substations of the Western States as rapidly as possible. 

 Some important areas, especially in Bad Lands, dunes, swamps, and 

 saline basins, can not be handled in this way. It is expected to locate 

 and chart these in connection with plans now being matured for doing 

 the basic experimental work in synthetic ecology at the Alpine Labora- 

 tory at Pike's Peak and for carrying the results out in extensive fash- 

 ion into the climax grasslands and forests of the West. 



