The production of $K^*+(892)$, $K^{*0}+(892)$, $\rho^{0}(770)$ and $\omega(783)$ vector mesons in $q\bar{q}$ events as well as in the gluonic $\Upsilon(1S)$ decays and $\Upsilon(4S) \to B\bar{B}$ decays has been studied using the ARGUS detector. Combining these results with data on pseudoscalar meson, $\phi$ meson and baryon production collected with the same detector allow comprehensive studies of quark and gluon fragmentation. Model independent information on $s$ quark and vector meson suppression $(s/u = 0.37 \pm 0.04, V/(V+P)_{\pi} = 0.21 \pm 0.04$ and $V/( V+ P)_K = 0.34 \pm 0.03))$ are derived. The data are compared with predictions from the models Jetset 7.3 and UCLA 7.31.