A HISTORICAL STUDY OF FOREST ECOLOGY; ITS 



DEVELOPMENT IN THE FIELDS OF BOTANY 



AND FORESTRY^ 



By Dr. R. H. Boerker^ 



contents 



I. Introduction. 



II. The historical development of plant ecology. 

 The philosophical trend of the science. 

 The historical development of the study of vegetation. 

 Modem plant ecology. 



III. The historical development of silviculture. 



The development of sUviculture based upon empiricism. 

 The development of the ecological phases of silvicultiire. 

 The beginning of forest investigations and the establishment of forest 



experiment stations. 

 The determination of light values. 



The application of modern forest ecology to silviculture. 

 The influence of modem forest ecology upon silvicultural management. 

 The progress of investigations in forest ecology in the United States. 



IV. Historical summar>^ 

 V. Bibliography. 



I. INTRODUCTION 



In a recent paper (91)' the author attempted to point out in a 

 general way the scope and the methods of forest ecology and to 

 show how this new science can help the silviculturist to work out 

 his problems. The present paper, which is intended to supple- 

 ment my former article, will attempt to treat the subject of 

 forest ecology in a historical manner, and it is hoped that this 

 study will lead to a clearer understanding of the subject and 

 will suggest to the forest ecologist problems for investigation. 



It is becoming generally recognized by foresters, and especially 

 by teachers of silviculture, that a thorough knowledge of forest 

 ecology is essential in the practice of silviculture. Hence, in 

 order to apply forest ecology in all its phases, it is necessary to 

 be familiar with the principles, methods, and aims of the main 

 body of ecological thought, namely, plant ecology. It is logical, 

 therefore, for silviculturists to study plant ecology before forest 



- Being the introductory portion of a series of investigations in forest 

 ecology carried on in 1914-15 by the author, at the University of Nebraska, 

 for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy. 



2 Forest Examiner, U. S. Forest Service. 



3 Numbers in parentheses refer to Bibliography at end of article, p. 430. 



380 



