Henry Allan Gleason Knowing the man by knowing the work

The Individual Lived from Lived from Active in the scientific community about Active in the scientific community about Primary association was with New York Botanical Gardens Primary association was with New York Botanical Gardens

His education Through NYBG and Columbia University, Gleason attends the Graduate Studies Program to receive advanced botanical training Through NYBG and Columbia University, Gleason attends the Graduate Studies Program to receive advanced botanical training Receives a PhD in 1906 for his work on Trillium Receives a PhD in 1906 for his work on Trillium systematics

After school… University of Illinois is his first place of employment University of Illinois is his first place of employment At the University of Michigan he becomes a faculty member At the University of Michigan he becomes a faculty member Returns to NYBG and from is the Head Curator, then Assistant Director, and in 1951 is granted Head Curator Emeritus Returns to NYBG and from is the Head Curator, then Assistant Director, and in 1951 is granted Head Curator Emeritus NYBG grants H. A. Gleason award to those who are really cool botany people NYBG grants H. A. Gleason award to those who are really cool botany people

Publications 1917: “The structure and development of the plant association.” Bulletin of the Torrey Botanical Club 1917: “The structure and development of the plant association.” Bulletin of the Torrey Botanical Club 1926: Revised and renamed “The individualistic concept of the plant association” Bulletin of the Torrey Botanical Club 1926: Revised and renamed “The individualistic concept of the plant association” Bulletin of the Torrey Botanical Club 1939: Revised and published under same title in American Midland Naturalist 1939: Revised and published under same title in American Midland Naturalist

…and more Revision of New Britton and Brown Illustrated Flora Revision of New Britton and Brown Illustrated Flora Manual of Vascular Plants of Northeastern United States and Adjacent Canada, coauthored with Arthur Cronquist (really cool botany guy, did a lot with Poaceae) Manual of Vascular Plants of Northeastern United States and Adjacent Canada, coauthored with Arthur Cronquist (really cool botany guy, did a lot with Poaceae) The Natural Geography of Plants, also with Cronquist published in (in CWU library) The Natural Geography of Plants, also with Cronquist published in (in CWU library)

Community involvement Botanical Society of America Botanical Society of America Treasurer from Treasurer from Vice president in Vice president in President in 1948 President in 1948

The Botanical Review In 1935, founded a journal along with Edmund H. Fulling In 1935, founded a journal along with Edmund H. Fulling Articles published by primarily “invitation only” Articles published by primarily “invitation only” Function: “…to present syntheses of the state of knowledge and understanding of individual segments of botany.” Function: “…to present syntheses of the state of knowledge and understanding of individual segments of botany.” CWU library also has!! CWU library also has!!

The Gleason Moss Collection “or, isn’t the Internet cool” Along with Gleason's’ father, G. A. Gleason, collected a number of moss specimens Along with Gleason's’ father, G. A. Gleason, collected a number of moss specimens Managing the collection fell to Henry’s son, Junior, who published “Mosses and Moss Collecting” in 1950 Managing the collection fell to Henry’s son, Junior, who published “Mosses and Moss Collecting” in 1950 encouraged people world-wide to contribute to the collection encouraged people world-wide to contribute to the collection donated the collection, a number of books, and monographs to Goshen College donated the collection, a number of books, and monographs to Goshen College

Goshen College Located in Goshen, Indiana Located in Goshen, Indiana Received information through contact with one of the professors, Stan Grove Received information through contact with one of the professors, Stan Grove Gleason, Jr.’s son, Allan, apparently once attended this college Gleason, Jr.’s son, Allan, apparently once attended this college This presentation will be sent to the college as a supplemental biography on This presentation will be sent to the college as a supplemental biography on H. A. Gleason H. A. Gleason (not an easy man to trace) (not an easy man to trace) So if you’re ever in Goshen, IN… So if you’re ever in Goshen, IN…

Whew! And now his work… “Thus, the task is not so much to see what no one else has yet seen; but to think what nobody has yet thought, about that which everybody sees.” Erwin Schrödinger – noted physicist “Thus, the task is not so much to see what no one else has yet seen; but to think what nobody has yet thought, about that which everybody sees.” Erwin Schrödinger – noted physicist When one point of view emerges in science, it is only natural that another perspective will shortly follow When one point of view emerges in science, it is only natural that another perspective will shortly follow Ecology is said to have two “fathers” Ecology is said to have two “fathers”

Fathers of Ecology Frederick Clements was one Frederick Clements was one H. A. Gleason was the other H. A. Gleason was the other didn’t necessarily disagree with Clements, just offered an alternative didn’t necessarily disagree with Clements, just offered an alternative many others have and will do the same in the following years many others have and will do the same in the following years

The Individualistic Concept Plant association: “…a discrete grouping of plants that maintains its identity in time and space.” (Univ. of California, Berkeley) Plant association: “…a discrete grouping of plants that maintains its identity in time and space.” (Univ. of California, Berkeley) Vegetation refers to the various plants of an area Vegetation refers to the various plants of an area This leads to the individualistic concept of the plant association This leads to the individualistic concept of the plant association

Opportunistic 1939 paper illustrates 4 main points (not necessarily his own- Buffon, Malthus, etc.) 1939 paper illustrates 4 main points (not necessarily his own- Buffon, Malthus, etc.) Species overproduce Species overproduce Seeds can be dispersed Seeds can be dispersed Environment in flux Environment in flux Must be a niche open for new association to occur Must be a niche open for new association to occur

· a change must occur within the environment, creating the opportunity for new species to utilize the change Example: light gaps in rain forests flood plain, well, flooded · what grows there next (plant succession) depends upon what individuals have been dormant, waiting for specific conditions to occur · so, the way a specific area develops is random, dependent upon many variables and conditions in regards to the individual species present at the time -generally unpredictable -sometimes, there is no pattern

Right or Wrong? How about a happy medium? How about a happy medium? How about a vague “Depends” ? How about a vague “Depends” ? Probably a Probably a continuum between continuum between the two ideas the two ideas