Research Programs Constituting U.S. Participation in the International Biological Program

DOCUMENT RESUME ED 059 903 SE 013 412 TITLE Research Programs Constituting U.S. Participation in the International Biological Program. INSTITUTION National Academy of Sciences--National Research Council, Washington, D.C. Div. of Biology and Agriculture. REPORT NO R-4 PUB DATE 71 NOTE 121p. EDRS PRICE 4F-$0.65 HC-$6.58 DESCRIPTOPS *Biology; *Ecology; Environmental Education; Genetics; Interdisciplinary Approach; International Programs; Program Descriptions; Resource Materials; Social Sciences; *Urban Population; Zoology IDENTIFIERS *Human Biology; International Biological Program ABSTRACT The United States contribution to the International Biological Program, which aims to understand more clearly the interrelationships within ecosystems, is centered on multidisciplinary research programs investigating the biological basis of ecological productivity and human welfare. Integrated research programs have been established for the analysis of ecoystems; the study of biological productivity in coastalupwelling ecosystems; the provision of data needed for marine mammal management; the comparison of different ecosystems with similar physical features; the population genetics of South American Indians; the biology of high altitude human populations; and the study of circumpolar peoples. Co-ordirlted research projects have been established on the ecology of nitrogen; the biological control of insect pests; aerobiology; phenology; ecosystem conservation; the conservation of plant genetic materials; the biosocial adaptation of migrant and urban human populations; human nutritional adaptation; and human biological rhythms. For each program there are statements of the research objectives, a summary of progress, a list of publications, and the names of participants. (m) U.S. DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH EDUCATION & WELFARE _ OFFICE OF EDUCATION THIS DOCUMENT HAS BEEN REPRO DUCED EXACTLY AS RECEIVED FROM THE PERSON OR OF NI2ATION ORIG INATING IT. POIN1- VIEW OR OPIN IONS STATED DO No NECESSARILY REPRESENT OFFICIAL OFFICE OF EDU CATION POSITION OR POLICY Alit'PROG RV1 ATI HE TER Tif GICAL PR REPORT NO. 4 OF THE U.S. NATIONP L COMMITTEE FOR THE INTERNATIONAL BIOLOGICAL PROGRAM U.S. National Committee for the International Biological Program Division of Biology and Agriculture National Research Council NATIONAL ACADEMY OF SCIENCES Washington, D.C.1971 PRERACE This report summarizes progress in organizing the research programs that constitute U.S. participation in the International Biological Program and describes the status of research within these multidisciplinary studies. It follows a report entitled Research Studies Constituting the U.S. Contribution to the International Biological Program, which was published in two parts. It differs from the previous report in that it is devoted exclusively to the research programs. The earlier reports included projects judged to be "IBP-related"; files and indices of these are maintained in the office of the U.S. National Committee. International coordination is accomplished through the Program Directors and through the Executive Committee of the U.S. National Committee for the IBP. Those interested in the work of a given program are encouraged to communicate with the appropriate Director. Support for the research is provided directly to the individual programs by a number of federal agencies: National Science Foundation, Department of Agricultuf,..n, Atomic Energy Commission, Smithsonian Institution, Department of the Interior, Depai talent of Com- merce, Department of Defense, Department of Health, Education, and Wellare, and Na- tional Aeronautics and Space Administration. Several private foundations and industrial organizations provide support for components of the programs. The Executive Committee of the U.S. National Committee for the IBP acknowledges with gratitude the efforts of the Program Directors and their colleagues and of the scien- tists in other countries who have contributed in many ways to the development of the research effort. Executive Committee of the U.S. National Committee for the IBP Contents INTRODUCTION INTEGRATED RESEARCH PROGRAMS 3 Environmental Component Analysis of Ecosystems 5 Biological Productivity in Upwelling Ecosystems 37 Marine Mammals 44 Origin and Structure of Ecosystems 46 Human Adaptability Component Population Genetics of South American Indians 53 Biology of Human Populations at High Altitudes 60 International Study of Circumpolar Peoples 65 COORDINATED RESEARCH PROGRAMS 71 Environmental Component Biology and Ecology of Nitrogen 73 Biological Control of Insect Pests 75 Ae robiology 78 Phenology 83 Conservation of Plant Genetic Materials 89 Conservation of Ecosystems 92 Human Adaptability Component Biosocial Adaptation of Migrant and Urban Populations 94 Nutritional Adaptation to the Environment 98 Chronobiology 114 APPENDIXES 117 A Organization of the IBP in the United States 119 B Officers and Members of the Special Committee for the International Biological Program 120 C Countries Participating in the IBP, with Chairmen of National Committees 121 Introduction During the discussions from which the International cidate the biological basis of productivity and human Biological Program emerged, it was recognized that mul- welfareis zentered on the multidisciplinary research tidisciplinary approaches appropriate to the IBP should programs. Two types of research programs have been or- be encouraged and that these studies would almost cer- ganized: integrated research programs and coordinated tainly continue beyond the formal life of the IBP. research programs. The overall goal is to understand more clearly the inter- Each of the integrated research programs has: relationships within and among ecosystems by: Demonstrated that it is necessary to integrate a Advancing knowledge of the genetic adaptations of number of research projects if the scientific goals of the man. program are to be realized. Advancing knowledge of the physiological and be- Posed questions of appreciable scientific signifi- havorial adaptations of man. cance, thus giving coherence and direction to the suite of Formulating a basis for better understanding the research projects in the program. interactions of components of representative biological Devised a system for coordination and rapid ex- systems. change of information and data so that as work proceeds Exploiting the urderstanding of biological system each participant will profit from the efforts of others. to the end of increasing biological productivity. Provided a means of synthesizing the results of in- Providing bases for predicting the consequences of cluded projects, thus enhancing the total achievement. environmental stresses, whether man-made or natural. Coordinated research programs are an association of Enhancing our ability to better manage our natural related research that when taken collectively make a con- resources. tribution to the field. The emphasis is on coordination of The U.S. response to the challenge of the I BPto elu- closely related, usually ongoing, research. II MI 'DO IFI IIE /OIL Ft 11-11 IF° FRC, IFt WI ENVIRONMENTAL COMPONENT Analysis of Ecosystems The analysis-of-ecosystems program is designed to pro- reasonably satisfactory so long as the goals of manage- vide basic informatio:i on ecological systems through a ment are centered on single species or populations. comparative study of six major habitat types (biomes). The multiple use of natural renewable resources is in- This knowledge will be useful for solving problems of creasing steadily, however, often combining timber pro- biological production, resource management, and envi- duction, hunting, fishing, and recreation; management ronmental quality. programs attempt to maximize these uses simultaneously. Past studies have analyzed a number of aspects of eco- The contribution of the analysis-of-ecosystems program systems, including kinds of organisms present, their abun- to resource management rests in the manipulation dance, their arrangement in soce, and their food; flow of planned in ecological systems ;--id the production data energy through the system; and cycling of nutrients. Al- that will result. though the data describe what happens, they do not ex- The quality of the environment is another facet of plain why it happenswhy so many species live together, this program. Some types of environmental deterioration why so much plant production is not eaten by animals, are evident to the most casual observer; others of equal why mortality rates are so high among most herbivores, Dr even greater importance are less visible and exert their or why systems persist year after year although individual ?.ffects over decades. As examples of this, one !night list population levels fluctuate between extremes. Finding the thinning of the soil, the decreasisig quality of water the explanations requires more than analysis. It requires supplies, the increasing number of pest species, the dense a synthesis of information into working models describ- algal blooms in lakes, the decreasing number of game fish, ing the structure and functions of whole ecosystems. and other changes in the number and abundance of na- We know that green plants, herbivores, predators, and tive species. decomposers are all interconnected and that production Many problems of environmental deterioration cannot at one level may be greatly influenced by activity in other be understood without a profound knowledge of ecolog- parts of the system. However, little is known about the ical systems. The relationship

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