- DISC research relevant for forestry is an extension
of that relevant for agricultural crops. Forestry shares
with agriculture many basic disciplinary roots in bio-
chemistry, genetics, botany, soil science, plant
physiology, plant protection and microbiology.
Forestry has profited from discoveries for agriculture.
The flow of basic ideas between agriculture and
forestry has been predominantly from agriculture to
forestry because investments in DISC research relevant
for agriculture have been much larger than those for
forestry. Some DISC research in forestry has benefited
agriculture, however, especially in sampling theory,
ecology, hydrology, soil microbiology and the
economics of intangible values.
 The same basic biological processes control crop and
forest tree growth. Overcoming genetic limitations to
growth constitutes the first biological frontier. Specific
genetic studies should include the following: analysis of
the genetic diversity of populations of forest trees and
range plants, in-depth studies of the genetics of forest
and range pathogens and insects, and determination of
the heritability of traits that affect photosynthetic effi-
ciency, rate of growth, and the distribution and
growth of individual trees.

 Significant genetic improvement of several forest
tree species has occurred during the past 30 years utiliz-
ing conventional approaches. Besides progeny testing,
hybridization and tissue culture methods for mass
clonal propagation of forest and range plants-
including the adaptation of genetic engineering,
protoplast-fusion, and recombinant DNA methods-
have important potentials.
 Special consideration should be given to the physical
and biological limitations to tree growth. These in-
clude the availability of nutrients from both atmos-
pheric and soil sources. Nutritional requirements of
various species in stands of forest and range plants
should be identified, along with the role of mycor-
rhizae and other symbiotic and pathogenic root rela-
tionships. Soil bacteria, fungi and algae and their con-
tributions to nutrient availability constitute a
remarkable microbiological frontier for forest plants
that has scarcely been explored. In forests and
rangelands, there is intense competition among plants,
animals and microorganisms. The growth-limiting
mechanisms of these multicomponent competitive
systems should be identified.
 Forests also offer challenges to ecologists. Aquatic
and terrestrial systems and biogeochemical cycles are
often tightly linked in forestry systems through the
transfer of energy, nutrients and substances common to
all. One subsystem may produce while another con-
sumes. Disciplinary knowledge of these ecological rela-
tionships is important for forest resource management,


because such knowledge is required to understand
nutrient, energy and water transfer processes. Forests
also interact with the earth's chemical climate (acid
rainfall as an example), which is rapidly changing.
Significant changes in resources have also occurred.
The composition of the atmosphere and the quality of
water as a result of industrialization, urbanization and
deforestation should be inventoried. They will have an
increasing impact upon sustained yield of forests and
rangelands.

Subject-Matter Research
in the Animal Sciences
 Animals produce high-quality protein to supplement
large quantities of moderate-quality protein and
economically produced staples in the human diet. In
some economies, they also provide traction for
agriculture and other needs, and manure for fertilizer,
solid fuel and biogas; and they serve as a means of
capital generation, insurance against risk and medium
of exchange. Worldwide, animal products contribute
over 56 million tons of edible protein and over one
billion megacalories of energy annually. With its high
biological value, animal protein is equivalent to more
than 50 percent of the protein produced from all
cereals. Yet the proportion of research funds currently
going into animal production in the United States is less
than 15 percent of the total for agriculture. (Aqua-
culture is treated in this report as part of animal
agriculture.)
 The products of animal agriculture are becoming
increasingly important in meeting world food require-
ments. Three-fourths of the protein, one-third of the
energy, and most of the calcium and phosphorus in the
American diet comes from animal products. People in
both agriculturally developed and developing nations
are seeking improved diets that include increased
quantities of high-quality protein from meat, milk and
eggs. Despite the food shortages of 10 years ago, it is
clear that the world can produce grain for livestock as
well as humans.
 In the animal sciences, there are at least seven major
 areas for SM research: genetic improvement and
 diversity, improved feeding, animal health, land-
 conserving animal husbandry, labor-conserving
 animal husbandry, environmental control, animal
 welfare (Pond, Markel, McGilliard and Rhodes, 1980)
 and aquaculture. One cannot effectively pursue subject
 matter research in any one of these seven areas without
 involving the others. A systems approach is required.
 Genetic Improvement and Diversity- This involves
crossbreeding, embryo transfer and improved repro-
ductive efficiency. The Best Linear Unbiased Pro-
cedure (BLUP) for computerization of performance of