Tansley’s 1917 paper in the Journal of Plant Ecology – what is missing? and why?

Arthur Tansley published a paper in the Journal of Plant Ecology in 1917 titled, On competition between Galium saxatile L. (G. hercynicum Weig.) and Galium Sylvestre Poll. (G. asperum Schreb.) on different types of soil. He claimed in his research that Galium Sylvestre germinates on calcareous sandy soil and acid peat, but Galium saxatile flourishes on all of the soil types studied. He said that calcareous soils had the lowest germination rate, and that the seedlings that are generated there are chlorotic and perish quickly. Those that do make it are usually green, but they can’t compete with Galium Sylvestre. On acid peat and loam soil, both species grow slowly, although both species germinate readily. On calcareous soil, Galium Sylvestre grows normally, while Galium saxatile grows slowly. As a result, competition works by directly suppressing one species, resulting in the other having a rapid development for as long as it is growing on its favoured soil. The research describes two plant species that can be found in a variety of grasslands across the United Kingdom and on a variety of soils, and it demonstrates how biotic interactions and physiological tolerance limit these species.

Missing Content? and Why?

Many research papers now include abstracts, an introduction, materials and methods, and results, with statistics being used to interpret the data. When comparing modern research publications to Tansley’s 1917 work, one element that stands out is the lack of data. Tansley’s study was published in 1917, when statistics had not yet been fully invented. Over the last century, we’ve come a long way in terms of scientific studies and data analysis.

Citation

Tansley, A. G. (1917). On competition between Galium saxatile L. (G. hercynicum Weig.) and Galium Sylvestre Poll. (G. asperum Schreb.) on different types of soil. The Journal of Ecology, 173-179.