Research methods in ecologyClements, Frederic E. (Frederic Edward)
Science
Research methods in ecology
Clements, Frederic E. (Frederic Edward)
Plant ecology; Plant ecology -- Methodology
always made from right to left, and the plates are used in the numerical
order of their holders. For the same reason the landmarks are described
and numbered in their proper order. The prints obtained are mounted on a
card in sequence. The view map may be preserved in this form, or it may
be reduced or enlarged by making a copy to the size desired. Outline
maps of topography may be traced from the resulting negative, and the
formations filled in by means of the proper colors. The most
satisfactory method, however, is to have the original views or the copy
printed “light” and to color the formations just as they appear there,
with all the wealth of topographic and vegetational detail. If a
detailed topographic map alone is desired, this is traced directly from
the large copy.
=234. Continental maps.= A method of determining the general outlines of
regions, provinces, and vegetational zones as a preliminary to their
detailed study has been used successfully for several years.[22] This is
based upon provincial and continental maps on which are traced the
geographical areas of the species of genera typical of the various
formations. Detail topographic maps of the prairie province and the
North American continent have been used for this purpose. A number of
the facies of extensive and representative formations of the different
portions of the continent are selected and grouped according to genera.
One map is devoted to each genus, unless the number of species is large.
In this case a number of maps are used, since the limits are apt to
become confused. The range of each species is determined from all the
reliable sources, and a corresponding line is drawn upon the map to
delimit its geographical area. The limits of the area of each species
are drawn in a different color, and the name of the species printed in
the same color in the legend. Although this work has as yet been done
only for the trees of North America, and for the grasses and principal
species of the prairie province, it promises to constitute a final
method for the limitation of vegetational divisions. It is clear that if
the original data concerning ranges are accurate, the increasing study
of formations will do little more than rectify the detailed course of
the limiting line, since in most cases facies and formations coincide in
distribution. The limiting line or ecotone of a zone or province is a
composite obtained from the limits of certain representative facies and
principal species, and checked by the limits of species typical of the
contiguous vegetations. Thus, the boreal-subalpine zone is clearly
outlined by combining the limits of _Populus tremuloides_, _Larix
americana_, _Pinus banksiana_, _Abies balsamea_, _Picea mariana_, _Picea
canadensis_, and _Betula papyracea_, and checking the results by the
areal limits of the hardwoods and grasses to the southward.
PHOTOGRAPHY
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