Organized Collections

The International Biological Program (IBP), 1964-1974

Following the success of the International Geophysical Year of 1957-1958, Sir Rudolph Peters, President of the International Council of Scientific Unions (ICSU) and Giuseppe Montalenti, President of the International Union of Biological Sciences (IUBS), in 1959 began discussing possibilities for an international program of biological studies focusing on the productivity of biological resources, human adaptability to environmental change, and environmental change itself. As a result of these discussions, ICSU at its Ninth General Assembly in 1961 established a Planning Committee on the proposed International Biological Program, with Montalenti as chairman. The committee recommended that the IBP focus on the effect on biological communities of changes in the natural environment, and on the conservation and growth of natural resources for human benefit. Accordingly, during a General Assembly held in Paris on 23-25 July 1964 and attended by some 150 participants from scientific academies worldwide, ICSU established a Special Committee for the IBP (SCIBP), which was charged with directing the program.

The IBP’s research structure was established at the Paris meeting as well. Seven program areas, each represented by a SCIBP subcommittee, were identified as providing the focus of the IBP’s scientific activity. These seven were:

  • Conservation of Terrestrial Communities (CT)
  • Human Adaptability (HA)
  • Productivity of Freshwater Communities (PF)
  • Productivity of Marine Communities (PM)
  • Production Processes (PM)
  • Productivity of Terrestrial Communities (PT)
  • Use and Management of Biological Resources (UM)

In the United States, participation in the IBP was facilitated by the National Academy of Sciences-National Research Council. In late 1963, the Academy had organized an Ad hoc US National Committee on the IBP (USNC/IBP), which surveyed American biologists in order to determine the level of interest in and support for the idea of an IBP. In spring 1964 the ad hoc USNC recommended participation in planning for the IBP. Acting on this recommendation, the Academy sent a delegation to the July 1964 IBP organizing assembly, and that delegation recommended that a US National Committee for the IBP (USNC/IBP) be set up under the NAS. In September 1964 the NAS-NRC Governing Board approved the recommendation, and the USNC/IBP was established to oversee US IBP activities.

As with SCIBP, the program component of the USNC/IBP was structured in a series of subcommittees. Originally numbering seven in May 1965, the subcommittees eventually grew to nine:

  • Conservation of Terrestrial Communities (CT)
  • Environmental Physiology (EP)
  • Human Adaptability (HA)
  • Productivity of Freshwater Communities (PF)
  • Productivity of Marine Communities (PM)
  • Production Processes (PM)
  • Productivity of Terrestrial Communities (PT)
  • Systematics & Biogeography (SB)
  • Use and Management of Biological Resources (UM)

With the completion of the IBP’s planning phase (1964 through June 1967), the operational phase began. Originally intended to last the five-year period of 1967-1972, it was ultimately extended to June 1974, at which time a synthesis of results from all participants was to be accomplished.

The National Academy of Sciences’ IBP collection consists mainly of correspondence and meeting minutes pertaining to the activities and administration of the USNC/IBP, as well as program-related newsletters and other published items kept in the USNC/IBP library. The collection also includes some materials pertaining to SCIBP and other IBP participants.

Provenance: The papers making up the IBP Records Group were part of an undifferentiated cache of records originating from the Executive Offices of the NRC Division of Biology & Agriculture and Division of Medicine, and the NAS Office of the Foreign Secretary.

Span dates: 1961-1977
Bulk dates: 1963-1974
Volume: 7 linear feet

 

Series 1: USNC/IBP: Ad hoc Series 6: ICSU
Series 2: USNC/IBP Series 7: Organizations & Individuals
Series 3: USNC/IBP Executive Committee Series 8: Government
Series 4: USNC/IBP Program Components Series 9: IBP Library
Series 5: International Biological Program  

Series 1: USNC/IBP: Ad hoc

Beginning of Program: 1962-1963

Funding: Requests: 1963

Letter to Societies Affiliated with Division of B&A re Interest in IBP: Responses: 1964

Letter to Societies Affiliated with Division of B&A re Interest in IBP: Responses: American Society of Parasitologists: 1964

Letter to Societies Affiliated with Division of B&A re Interest in IBP: Responses: Ecological Society of America: 1964

Letter to Societies Affiliated with Division of Medical Sciences re Interest in IBP: Responses: 1964

Liaison with American Institute of Biological Sciences (AIBS): 1964

Liaison with Government Agencies: 1963-1964

Liaison with International Union of Biological Sciences (IUBS) (Stebbins G L): 1962-1964

Liaison with NAS-NRC: NAS Office of Foreign Secretary: 1962-1964

Liaison with NAS-NRC: General: 1964

Meetings: 16-17 May 1964

Meetings: 13-14 Mar 1964: Report

Meetings: 13-14 Mar 1964: General

Meetings: 1-2 Feb 1964: Minutes

Meetings: 1-2 Feb 1964: General

Meetings: 3-4 Dec 1963: Report

Meetings: 3-4 Dec 1963: General

Membership: 1963-1964

Membership: Cantlon J E: Survey of Biologists re Interest in IBP: 1964

Membership: Chairman: Cain S A: Survey of Biologists re Interest in IBP: 1964

Membership: Davis G K: Survey of Biologists re Interest in IBP: 1964

Membership: Frey D G: Survey of Biologists re Interest in IBP: 1964

Membership: Ketchum B H: Survey of Biologists re Interest in IBP: 1964

Membership: Kramer P J: Survey of Biologists re Interest in IBP: 1964

Membership: Laughlin W S: Survey of Biologists re Interest in IBP: 1964

Membership: Robinson S: Survey of Biologists re Interest in IBP: 1964

Program Planning: 1963-1964

Projects Proposed to Committee: Mammalian Productivity: Calhoun J B: 1964

Publicity: 1964

Report: Evaluation of Proposed IBP: 1964

Report: Evaluation of Proposed IBP: General: 1964

Task Forces: 1964

Task Forces: Use & Management of Biological Resources: 1963-1964

General: 1962-1964

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Series 2: USNC/IBP

Ad hoc Editing Committee: Meetings: Minutes: 18 Sep 1973

Annual Reports: 1968-1972

Descriptive Summaries: 1966-1973

Meetings: 26 Jul 1973

Meetings: Minutes: 16-17 Oct 1972

Meetings: Minutes: 29-30 Jun 1972

Meetings: Minutes: 17-21 Jan 1972

Meetings: Jt w International Environmental Programs Committee (IEPC): Minutes: 3 Dec 1971

Meetings: Joint Task Force w International Environmental Programs Committee (IEPC): Minutes: 5 Nov 1971

Meetings: Minutes: 4-5 Nov 1971

Meetings: Background Materials: 25-26 Sept 1969

Meetings: Minutes: 25-26 Sept 1969

Meetings: Minutes: 11 Dec 1968

Meetings: Agenda: 20-21 Jan 1968

Meetings: Minutes: 20-21 Jan 1968

Meetings: Minutes: 28-29 Oct 1967

Meetings: General: 28-29 Oct 1967

Meetings: Minutes: 17-18 Jun 1967

Meetings: Agenda: 25-26 Feb 1967

Meetings: Minutes: 25-26 Feb 1967

Meetings: 28-31 Oct 1966

Meetings: Agenda: 18-19 Jun 1966

Meetings: Proceedings: 18 Jun 1966

Meetings: 19-20 Mar 1966

Meetings: Minutes: 22-23 Jan 1966

Meetings: Minutes: 29-30 May 1965

Meetings: Minutes: 6-7 Mar 1965

Membership: 1966-1968

Membership: 1964-1965

Membership: Nominations: 1964-1965

NRC Governing Board Items: 1964-1969

Proposals for Support of USNC/IBP: 1967-1970

Proposals for Support of USNC/IBP: 1966

Restructuring: 1968

Structure: Proposed: 1964

Task Forces: Global Network for Environmental Monitoring (GNEM): Ad hoc: Meetings: Minutes: 14-15 May 1970

Task Forces: Global Network for Environmental Monitoring (GNEM): Ad hoc: Report: 1970

Task Forces: Global Network for Environmental Monitoring (GNEM): Ad hoc: General: 1970

Task Forces: Post-IBP Apparatus: 1973

General: 1964-1970

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Series 3: USNC/IBP Executive Committee

Meetings: Minutes: 29 Mar 1974

Meetings: Agenda: 21-22 Feb 1974

Meetings: Minutes: 21-22 Feb 1974

Meetings: Minutes: 9 Nov 1973

Meetings: Jt w Interagency Coordinating Committee (ICC): Minutes: 26 July 1973

Meetings: Agenda: 28-29 Jun 1973

Meetings: Minutes: 28-29 Jun 1973

Meetings: Agenda: 30 Apr-1 May 1973

Meetings: Minutes: 30 Apr-1 May 1973

Meetings: Agenda: 15-16 Feb 1973

Meetings: Minutes: 15-16 Feb 1973

Meetings: 28-29 Nov 1972

Meetings: Agenda: 20-21 Apr 1972

Meetings: Minutes: 20-21 Apr 1972

Meetings: Minutes: 15-16 Jul 1971

Meetings: 12-13 May 1971

Meetings: Agenda: 4 Mar 1971

Meetings: Minutes: 4 Mar 1971

Meetings: Agenda: 28-29 Jan 1971

Meetings: Agenda: Supplement: 28-29 Jan 1971

Meetings: Minutes: 28-29 Jan 1971

Meetings: Agenda: 9-10 Dec 1970

Meetings: Minutes: 9-10 Dec 1970

Meetings: Minutes: 15-16 Oct 1970

Meetings: Jt w Program Committee: 17-18 Aug 1970

Meetings: Jt w International Environmental Programs Committee (IEPC): Minutes: 2 Jul 1970

Meetings: Agenda: 18-19 Jun 1970

Meetings: Minutes: 18-19 Jun 1970

Meetings: Agenda: 21-22 May 1970

Meetings: Minutes: 21-22 May 1970

Meetings: Agenda: 18-19 Mar 1970

Meetings: Minutes: 18-19 Mar 1970

Meetings: Minutes: 18 Feb 1970

Meetings: Agenda: 11-12 Dec 1969

Meetings: Minutes: 11-12 Dec 1969

Meetings: Agenda: 24-25 Jul 1969

Meetings: Minutes: 24-25 Jul 1969

Meetings: Agenda: 22-23 May 1969

Meetings: Minutes: 22-23 May 1969

Meetings: Minutes: 17 Apr 1969

Meetings: Agenda: 20-21 Feb 1969

Meetings: Minutes: 20-21 Feb 1969

Meetings: Minutes: 25-26 Nov 1968

Meetings: Minutes: 26-27 Sep 1968

Meetings: Minutes: 8-9 Aug 1968

Meetings: Minutes: 11-12 Jul 1968

Meetings: Agenda: 30 Apr-1 May 1968

Meetings: Background Materials: 30 Apr-1 May 1968

Meetings: Minutes: 30 Apr-1 May 1968

Meetings: Agenda: 22-23 Mar 1968

Meetings: Minutes: 22-23 Mar 1968

Meetings: Agenda: 4 Feb 1968

Meetings: Minutes: 4 Feb 1968

Meeting w Agricultural Scientists: 26 Jun 1966

Meetings: Minutes: 6 Nov 1965

Membership: 1969-1970

Membership: 1968

Proposal: International Man & Biosphere Program (MAB): 1969

General: 1965

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Series 4: USNC/IBP Program Components

Committee on Migrant & Urban Populations: Ad hoc: 1969

Committee on Phenology: Report: 1972

Conferences: Environment: Quest for Quality: Jt w Public Affairs Council: 1970

Coordinating Offices: Environmental Management: Annual Report: First: 1971

Coordinating Offices: Human Adaptability (HA): Conferences: Man in Ecosystem: Proceedings: Oct 1973

Coordinating Offices: Human Adaptability (HA): Proposal for Support of Integrated & Coordinated Research Programs: 1973

Coordinating Offices: Human Adaptability (HA): Workshops: Energy Flow in Human Communities: Proceedings: 1974

Integrated Research Programs: Aerobiology: 1970-1971

Integrated Research Programs: Grassland Biome: 1969

Integrated Research Programs: Phenology: 1967

Integrated Research Programs: Press Release: 1967

Integrated Research Programs: Tropical Forest Biome: 1970-1971

Panels: Aerobiology: 1967

Panels: Biometeorology: 1966-1967

Program Coordinating Committee: Membership: 1970-1971

Program Directors: Environmental: Meeting: 27 Nov 1972

Program Directors: Human Adaptability: Meeting: 27 Nov 1972

Projects Proposed: Study of Coelacanth: 1967

Standing Committee on Publications: Meeting: Minutes: 2 Nov 1973

Subcommittees: Conservation of Ecosystems: Program Statement: Jan 1967

Subcommittees: Conservation of Ecosystems: General: 1967

Subcommittees: Conservation of Terrestrial Communities (CT): 1966

Subcommittees: Environmental Physiology (EP): Meetings: First: 18 Feb 1966

Subcommittees: Environmental Physiology (EP): Membership: 1966-1967

Subcommittees: Environmental Physiology (EP): Program Statement: Jan 1967

Subcommittees: Human Adaptability (HA): Membership: 1967

Subcommittees: Human Adaptability (HA): Membership: 1966

Subcommittees: Human Adaptability (HA): Program Statement: Jan 1967

Subcommittees: Human Adaptability (HA): General: 1965-1968

Subcommittees: Production Processes (PP): 1966-1968

Subcommittees: Productivity of Freshwater Communities (PF): 1966-1967

Subcommittees: Productivity of Freshwater Communities (PF): Program Statement: Dec 1966

Subcommittees: Productivity of Marine Communities (PM): 1966-1968

Subcommittees: Productivity of Terrestrial Communities (PT): 1966-1967

Subcommittees: Productivity of Terrestrial Communities (PT): Program Statement: Dec 1966

Subcommittees: Systematics & Biogeography (SB): 1966-1968

Subcommittees: Systematics & Biogeography (SB): Program Statement: Jan 1967

Subcommittees: Use & Management of Biological Resources (UM): Program Statement: Jan 1967

Subcommittees: Use & Management of Biological Resources: General: 1966-1967

Task Forces: Biological Control: 1966-1967

Task Forces: Conservation of Aquatic Ecosystems: 1966-1967

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Series 5: International Biological Program

Beginning of Program: Background Material: 1960-1964

Beginning of Program: International Planning: 1961-1964

B&A (Division of Biology & Agriculture) Chairman’s Letters Discussing: 1962-1964

B&A (Division of Biology & Agriculture) Executive Committee Discussions re: 1960-1966

Canadian Participation: 1964

Circular Letters: 1964-1965

Duration: 1969

Finances: 1966-1970

Finances: 1962-1965

General Assemblies: First: Organizing Assembly: NAS-NRC Delegation: Informal Reports: 1964

General Assemblies: First: Organizing Assembly: NAS-NRC Delegation: Membership: 1964

General Assemblies: First: Organizing Assembly: NAS-NRC Delegation: Report: Interim: 1964

General Assemblies: First: Organizing Assembly: NAS-NRC Delegation: Report: Interim: General: 1964

General Assemblies: First: Organizing Assembly: NAS-NRC Delegation: General: 1964

General Assemblies: First: Organizing Assembly: Numbered Documents: 1964

General Assemblies: First: Organizing Assembly: General: 1964

General Assemblies: Second: 1966

General Assemblies: Third: 1968

General Assemblies: Fourth: 1970

General Assemblies: Fifth: Agenda: 1972

General Assemblies: Fifth: Briefing Notations for NAS-NRC Delegation: 1972

General Assemblies: Fifth: Financing: 1971-1972

General Assemblies: Fifth: Observations: 1972

General Assemblies: Fifth: Working Group on Fifth General Assembly: 1971

National Programs: 1966-1969

National Reports: Australia: 1964

National Reports: Canada: 1964

National Reports: Czechoslovakia: 1964

National Reports: Federal Republic of Germany: 1964

National Reports: Netherlands: 1964

National Reports: Poland: 1964

National Reports: United Kingdom (UK): 1964

National Reports: General: 1964

Planning Committee: 1963

Planning Committee: Report: Nov 1963

Planning Committee: Report: Comments: 1963-1964

Planning Committee: General: 1962

Publicity: 1961-1967

Sections: CT (Conservation of Terrestrial Biological Communities): 1963-1967

Sections: HA (Human Adaptability): 1963-1967

Sections: HA (Human Adaptability): Projects: Circumpolar Peoples: 1966-1968

Sections: HA (Human Adaptability): Symposium: Biology of Populations of Anthropological Importance: 1963-1964

Sections: HA (Human Adaptability): Working Party on Assessment of Heat Tolerance: 1963-1964

Sections: PF (Productivity of Freshwater Communities): 1963-1965

Sections: PM (Productivity of Marine Communities): 1963-1968

Sections: PP (Processes of Production of Terrestrial Communities): 1963-1969

Sections: PT (Productivity of Terrestrial Communities): 1963-1965

Sections: UM (Use & Management of Biological Resources): 1964-1968

United Kingdom (UK) Participation: 1963-1965

General: 1968

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Series 6: ICSU

General Assemblies: Tenth: 1963

General Assemblies: Ninth: Draft Resolution on IBP: 1961

International Union of Biological Sciences (IUBS): USNC: 1960-1963

International Union of Physiological Sciences (IUPS): 1963

Special Committee on Antarctic Research (SCAR) 1964

Special Committee on IBP (SCIBP): 1964

Special Committee on IBP (SCIBP): Bureau: 1964-1969

Special Committee on IBP (SCIBP): Constitution: Proposed: 1964-1965

Special Committee on IBP (SCIBP): Finance Committee: 1964

Special Committee on IBP (SCIBP): Meetings: Fourth: 1967

Special Committee on IBP (SCIBP): Meetings: Sixth: 1969

Special Committee on IBP (SCIBP): Membership: 1964-1969

Special Committee on IBP (SCIBP): Termination: 1974

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Series 7: Organizations & Individuals

International Congress of Zoology: XVI: 1962-1964

Royal Society of London: 1963-1964

UNESCO: 1964-1966

World Health Organization (WHO): Scientific Group on Research in Population Genetics of Primitive Groups: 1962-1964

General: 1962-1964

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Series 8: Government

Congress: Subcommittee on Health: Hearings: Statement of USNC/IBP Chairman: 9 Feb 1970

Congress: Subcommittee on Science Research & Development: Counsel: Information on IBP Prepared by NAS: 15 Aug 1967

Congress: Subcommittee on Science Research & Development: Hearings: Statement of USNC/IBP Chairman: 18 Feb 1970

Congress: Subcommittee on Science Research & Development: Information on IBP Prepared by NAS-IBP Staff: 30 Aug 1967

Congress: General: 1967

Interagency Coordinating Committee (ICC): Meetings: Jt w USNC/IBP Executive Committee: 26 Jul 1973

Interagency Coordinating Committee (ICC): Meetings: 28 Jun 1972

Interagency Coordinating Committee (ICC): Meetings: 8 Dec 1971

Interagency Coordinating Committee (ICC): Meetings: 10 Dec 1970

Interagency Coordinating Committee (ICC): Meetings: 10 Feb 1970

Interagency Coordinating Committee (ICC): Meetings: 4 Nov 1968

Interagency Coordinating Committee (ICC): Meetings: 14 May 1968

Interagency Coordinating Committee (ICC): Meetings: 6 Feb 1967

Interagency Coordinating Committee (ICC): Meetings: 10 Jan 1967

Interagency Coordinating Committee (ICC): Meetings: 9 May 1966

Interagency Coordinating Committee (ICC): General: 1966-1968

National Science Foundation (NSF): 1963-1967

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Series 9: IBP Library

Bibliography of US IBP Research: 1971-1972

Coniferous Forest Biome: Program Report: 1973

Directory of National Participation in IBP: Sep 1969

Evaluation of Three Biome Programs: Mitchell R et al: 1976

Grassland/Tundra International Modelling-Sythesis Workshop Summary of Output Workbook: Natural Resources Ecology Lab: 1972

IBP News: 1-25: 1964-1974

IBP Review: 1969-1970

Newsletters: Coniferous Forest Biome: 1968-1973

Newsletters: Eastern Deciduous Forest Biome: 1969-1974

Newsletters: Integrated Pest Management: 1973-1974

Newsletters: Origin & Structure of Ecosystems: 1971-1974

Newsletters: Phenology: 1968-1972

Newsletters: Tundra Biome: 1969-1973

US IBP Directories: 1970-1974

US IBP Ecosystem Analysis Studies: Abstracts: Vol IV # 4: 1977

US IBP Ecosystem Analysis Studies: Abstracts: Vol IV # 3: 1975

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