4/PSH NEWS Apr > I| TA 2«, T 1992 Professor recounts early days of ecology Matt Hunt Capital Times Staff Sharon Kingsland, .an associate professor from Johns Hopkins University, spoke to a group of students and faculty at the Student Center of Penn State Harrisburg on March 31. The lecture focused on the early days of ecology. Kingsland teaches both graduate and undergraduate courses in the history of science department at the college, she described ecology as a branch of biology that developed in the United States in the early 1900 s. "That's when Carnegie Foundation funded a research laboratory in Tucson, Arizona, dedicated to ecology," Kingsland said. "The early ecologists were a combination of scientist and adventurer. People came from all over to do ecological research." In the early 1900 s, the researchers were welcomed by Daniel McDoogel, the director of the laboratory. This was because, "it was necessary to show ecology had all the trappings of real science," Kingsland said. "One of the main people responsible for ecology gaining respect as a real science was Fredrick Clemens, who was the most vocal advocate of ecology as a science,” she explained. "Clemens created a new language for ecology. He knew ecology needed it (the new language) to be taken seriously," she said. Hillcrest Women's Medical Center 234-4994 843-0911 2709 N. Front St. ImBH 742 S. George St. Harrisburg mSM York Abortion Twilight Sleep & Local Anesthesia First Trimester & Mid-Trimester Early Pregnancy Tests Pregnancy Counseling Birth Control 1-800-245-2040 "Clemens also created an elaborate classification system," Kingsland said. "Clemens and McDoogel tried to push ecology as a real science and make sure it was not made into fad or a part of agriculture." Kingsland explained how people's interest in ecology began to grow as there was a larger need and desire for understanding. "In the ’3os, ecology seemed to have a very practical application with the appearance of the Dust Bowl," Kingsland said. The Dust Bowl was an area of farms hit by a severe drought. An estimated 24,000 farms could not be plowed. Carnegie lent Clemens out to government to help the farmers, she said. As the Dust Bowl grew worse, the government relied more and more on ecologists, she said. This was at a period of time when ecology was not a popular science, Kingsland said. While Clemens believed ecological theory could solve all problems, he was proved wrong, Kingsland said. The Dust Bowl problems were solved by a combination of rain, relocating people and better farm management, not Clemens’ theories. According to Kingsland, this marked the changing point of ecology, and ecologists moved away from academic learning and long-range experiments. Sharon Kingsland, an associate professor from John Hopkins University, informs an audience of the early days of ecology during her lecture in the Student Center of the Capital Union Building on March 31. ( Capital Times j Edltor-in-Chief... Karen M. Putt Assistant Editor... Elin Marcel Sports Editor... Michael Givler Photography Editor... Mike Starkey Staff Artist... TVev Stair Advertising Manager... Lee Bitler Adviser... Dr. Peter Parisi Staff: Lee Ashton, Sharon Barris, Lawrence Bates, Ann Feeney-McGovern, Celia Fox, Matt Hunt, Jason Sandhaus, Stacey Simmers, Michael Stone, Angela West, and Terry Wolf Capital Times is published by students of Penn State Harrisburg. Concerns regarding the con tent of any issue should be directed to the editor in room W-341 of the Olmsted Building or by call ing 944-4970. Opinions expressed are those or the author and are not representative of the college administration, faculty or student body. Capital Times welcomes signed letters from readers. No unsigned submissions will be printed; however, a writer's name may be withheld upon request. ce Starkey
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