Bull World Health Organ. 1963;29 Suppl(Suppl):127-33.
One of the primary functions of ecological work is to conduct surveys of those species of vertebrates and/or invertebrates that are involved directly or indirectly in vector-borne diseases of man. The aim in southern Africa has been to contribute to a stable nomenclature at the species level, to determine the range of each species and to make an attempt to single out key environmental limiting factors. Once the taxonomic status and range of the species have been established with some degree of certainty, species may be studied in relation to the distribution and prevalence of any particular disease in order to provide the basis for control. The bio-geographical approach that has been adopted arose when the geographical distribution of human plague derived from wild-rodent sources came to be compared with the distribution of the small mammals and their respective fleas. This threw much light on the factors concerned in the limitation and persistence of plague. These comparative studies were facilitated by plotting the distribution data on grid maps.
生态工作的主要职能之一是对那些直接或间接参与人类媒介传播疾病的脊椎动物和/或无脊椎动物物种进行调查。在南部非洲，目标是为物种水平的稳定命名法做出贡献，确定每个物种的范围，并尝试找出关键的环境限制因素。一旦物种的分类地位和范围得到一定程度的确立，就可以研究物种与特定疾病的分布和流行情况之间的关系，为控制提供基础。当源自野生啮齿动物的人类鼠疫的地理分布开始与小型哺乳动物及其各自的跳蚤的分布进行比较时，所采用的生物地理方法就出现了。这为限制和维持鼠疫的因素提供了很多启示。通过在网格地图上绘制分布数据，这些比较研究得到了促进。
