author
Frederic E. (Frederic Edward) Clements
1874–1945
A pioneering American plant ecologist, he helped shape early thinking about how plant communities develop and change over time. His work on ecological succession made him one of the most influential voices in ecology in the early twentieth century.
1 Audiobook
Research methods in ecology
by Frederic E. (Frederic Edward) Clements
About the author
Born in Lincoln, Nebraska, in 1874, Frederic E. Clements became an American botanist and one of the early architects of plant ecology. Standard reference sources describe him as a pioneer in the study of vegetation succession, the process by which plant communities change over time.
He studied at the University of Nebraska and went on to influence the young field of ecology through both research and teaching. Britannica notes that he was especially important in shaping ideas about plant communities, while other biographical sources remember him as one of the most influential ecologists of his era.
Clements died in 1945. He is still closely associated with classic ecological theory, especially the idea that vegetation develops through recognizable stages toward a relatively stable community.