The Vegetation of Wisconsin: An Ordination of Plant Communities

Foreword to the second printing

Foreword to the second printing When The Vegetation of Wisconsin was first published in 1959, it aroused controversy among the critics. There was unanimous agreement that the subject was treated with thoroughness, the data were assembled and presented with care, and the writing was graceful and clear. The book was praised as the most comprehensive study of the vegetation of a state ever published, and recognized as being of more than local significance. Many reviewers, like R. Elfyn Hughes in Ecology, seeing Curtis' work as a "major contribution to the development of plant ecology," expressed the belief that "the application and elaboration of his methods and concepts elsewhere should do much to advance ecological research." At the same time, however, other scholars voiced doubts about the basic concepts and methodology of the book. The position they took is indicated by the comment of E. W. Tisdale, writing in the Journal of Wildlife Management: "The ordination of vegetation stands along an environmental gradient has much to recommend it in theory. Whether we possess sufficient knowledge of either plants or environment to develop such patterns is another matter. In addition, the analytical methods on which the present work is based will raise doubts in the minds of many students of vegetation. . .. Whether this approach is conducive to sound biological results is open to question." The principles on which The Vegetation of Wisconsin was based did not originate with Curtis. He readily acknowledged the work of Copyrighted Material VI FOREWORD many scientists, particularly that of H . A. Gleason, who as early as 1916 had presented the theories on which Curtis based much of his own work. The major contribution of The Vegetation of Wisconsin to plant ecology was its documentation -the study and analysis of over 1,400 stands, and the synthesis of these data into a convincing exposition of the relationships of the vegetation of a large area. "The general conclusions," wrote Stanley Cain in Forest Science, "carry force not only by the reasonableness of the ideas; the weight of data is convincing. Perhaps for the first time since the turn of the century ... American ecology again has a school." As might be expected, the publication of this book was the stimulus for a large amount of research. In the twelve years since its appearance , many papers dealing with the concepts and methods presented in The Vegetation of Wisconsin have been published. Methodologies have been refined, especially methods of computation of ordinations based on the rapidly improving capabilities of computers. Acceptance of the basic theories has been widespread. Controversy still abounds, which is good, because it generates still more research and discussion of the mechanisms by which vegetation sorts itself, and ultimately leads to a better understanding of that vegetation. Professor Curtis died shortly after The Vegetation of Wisconsin was published, and this book is a summary of his work and thought. It is tragic that the science of ecology has been denied the benefits that the continuing work of this perceptive ecologist might have produced . But by itself, this work has had a lasting influence on the development of modern ecology. It is an ecological classic. Madison, Wisconsin March 1,1971 Copyrighted Material GRANT COTTAM ...