| For the ecologist systematic units are actors in a play. Whatever their christian- and family-names may be — it is their role, whether master or servant, whether villain or hero — which determines the character of the performance. This performance has, moreover, the property of being both continuous and simultaneous: all scenes are given at once. Such a continuous and simultaneous performance is called a biocoenosis. In a great many ways, a biocoenosis reminds us of an organism. For the coördination between organs or tissues, or even cells is also continuous and simultaneous. A biocoenosis is a higher vital unit, and may be approached by the same methods which we use for the study of organisms (V. D. KLAAUW (24)). In the systematic approach we establish... |
