Ecology grew from a minor science, in 1900, into a major discipline in the 20th century. This book describes this development. A dramatic increase in ecological knowledge was accompanied by the formation of ecological professional societies.

Frank Egerton graduated from Duke University with major in zoology and informal minor in botany. He has had a long interest in ecology and has taught history of science at Carnegie Mellon University and then at University of Wisconsin-Parkside, Kenosha. He has also taught American environmental history and authored Roots of Ecology: Antiquity to Haeckel and A Centennial History of the Ecological Society of America. His long running series of short historical vignettes, which have appeared in the Bulletin of the Ecological Society of America, form the basis of this new book.

Chapter 1. Introduction: Before 1900. Chapter 2. Formalizing Ecological Sciences. A. Plant Ecology. B. Animal Ecology. C. Limnology. D. Marine Ecology. Chapter 3. Some Specializations. A. Organizing Ecologists before 1946. B. Symbiosis Studies. C. Succession, Community, Continuum. D. Ecosystems, Systems, Productivity. Chapter 4. Aquatic Ecology. A. Limnology in America, 1930s-90s. B. North America's Great Lakes. C. Marine Ecology, 1920s-90s. a. Beebe, Bigelow, Ricketts. b. Carson, Riley, Cousteau, Clark. c. Conclusions. Chapter 5. Aspects of Animal Ecology. A. Physiological Animal Ecology. B. Ethology. C. Animal Population Ecology. D. Saving Habitats and Managing Wildlife in North America. Chapter 6. Biogeography. A. 1700-1840. B. 1840-1940s. C. Marine Biogeography, 1697-1940s. D. 1950-80. Chapter 7. Biosphere Ecology