Ramón Margalef
Encyclopedia
Ramon Margalef i López was Emeritus Professor of Ecology
at the Faculty of Biology of the University of Barcelona
. Margalef, unquestionably one of the most important scientists that Spain has produced , worked at the Institute of Applied Biology (1946-1951), and at the Fisheries Research Institute, which he directed during 1966-1967. He created the Department of Ecology of the University of Barcelona, from where he trained a huge number of ecologists, limnologists
and oceanographers
. In 1967 he became Spain's first professor of ecology.
In the late 1950s, with the translation into English of his inaugural lecture as a member of the Barcelona Royal Academy of Arts and Sciences "Information Theory in Ecology", he gained a worldwide audience. Another groundbreaking article, "On certain unifying principles in ecology", published in American Naturalist
in 1963, and his book "Perspectives in Ecological Theory" (1968), based on his guest lectures at the University of Chicago
, consolidated him as one of the leading thinkers of modern ecology
. In the summer of 1958 he was professor of Marine ecology at the Institute of Marine Biology (currently Department of Marine Sciences) of the University of Puerto Rico at Mayagüez and produced the work Comunidades Naturales.
Some of his most important work includes the application of Information Theory
to ecological studies and the creation of mathematical models for the study of populations. Among his books, the most relevant are: Natural Communities (1962), Perspectives In Ecological Theory (1968), Ecology (1974), The Biosphere (1980), Limnology (1983) and Theory of Ecological Systems (1991). He received many scientific awards, including the first edition of the Huntsman Award, the Naumann-Thienemann for Limnology
, the Ramón y Cajal Award, and the Gold Medal
of the Generalitat de Catalunya
(Catalan Government).
Selected publications
Ecology
Ecology is the scientific study of the relations that living organisms have with respect to each other and their natural environment. Variables of interest to ecologists include the composition, distribution, amount , number, and changing states of organisms within and among ecosystems...
at the Faculty of Biology of the University of Barcelona
University of Barcelona
The University of Barcelona is a public university located in the city of Barcelona, Catalonia in Spain. It is a member of the Coimbra Group, LERU, European University Association, Mediterranean Universities Union, International Research Universities Network and Vives Network...
. Margalef, unquestionably one of the most important scientists that Spain has produced , worked at the Institute of Applied Biology (1946-1951), and at the Fisheries Research Institute, which he directed during 1966-1967. He created the Department of Ecology of the University of Barcelona, from where he trained a huge number of ecologists, limnologists
Limnology
Limnology , also called freshwater science, is the study of inland waters. It is often regarded as a division of ecology or environmental science. It covers the biological, chemical, physical, geological, and other attributes of all inland waters...
and oceanographers
Oceanography
Oceanography , also called oceanology or marine science, is the branch of Earth science that studies the ocean...
. In 1967 he became Spain's first professor of ecology.
In the late 1950s, with the translation into English of his inaugural lecture as a member of the Barcelona Royal Academy of Arts and Sciences "Information Theory in Ecology", he gained a worldwide audience. Another groundbreaking article, "On certain unifying principles in ecology", published in American Naturalist
American Naturalist
The American Naturalist is a monthly peer-reviewed scientific journal that was established in 1867. It is published by the University of Chicago Press on behalf of the American Society of Naturalists. The journal covers research in ecology, evolutionary biology, population, and integrative biology....
in 1963, and his book "Perspectives in Ecological Theory" (1968), based on his guest lectures at the University of Chicago
University of Chicago
The University of Chicago is a private research university in Chicago, Illinois, USA. It was founded by the American Baptist Education Society with a donation from oil magnate and philanthropist John D. Rockefeller and incorporated in 1890...
, consolidated him as one of the leading thinkers of modern ecology
Theoretical ecology
Theoretical ecology is the scientific discipline devoted to the study of ecological systems using theoretical methods such as simple conceptual models, mathematical models, computational simulations, and advanced data analysis...
. In the summer of 1958 he was professor of Marine ecology at the Institute of Marine Biology (currently Department of Marine Sciences) of the University of Puerto Rico at Mayagüez and produced the work Comunidades Naturales.
Some of his most important work includes the application of Information Theory
Information theory
Information theory is a branch of applied mathematics and electrical engineering involving the quantification of information. Information theory was developed by Claude E. Shannon to find fundamental limits on signal processing operations such as compressing data and on reliably storing and...
to ecological studies and the creation of mathematical models for the study of populations. Among his books, the most relevant are: Natural Communities (1962), Perspectives In Ecological Theory (1968), Ecology (1974), The Biosphere (1980), Limnology (1983) and Theory of Ecological Systems (1991). He received many scientific awards, including the first edition of the Huntsman Award, the Naumann-Thienemann for Limnology
Limnology
Limnology , also called freshwater science, is the study of inland waters. It is often regarded as a division of ecology or environmental science. It covers the biological, chemical, physical, geological, and other attributes of all inland waters...
, the Ramón y Cajal Award, and the Gold Medal
Gold medal
A gold medal is typically the medal awarded for highest achievement in a non-military field. Its name derives from the use of at least a fraction of gold in form of plating or alloying in its manufacture...
of the Generalitat de Catalunya
Generalitat de Catalunya
The Generalitat of Catalonia is the institution under which the autonomous community of Catalonia is politically organised. It consists of the Parliament, the President of the Generalitat of Catalonia and the Government of Catalonia....
(Catalan Government).
Publications
Selected publications
- Margalef R. 1960. Ideas for a synthetic approach to the ecology of running waters. Int. Rev. ges. Hydrobiol., 45: 133-153.
- Margalef R. 1962. Comunidades naturales. Instituto de Biología Marina de la Universidad de Puerto Rico. Mayagüez. 469 pp.
- Margalef R. 1963. On certain unifying principles in ecology. Am. Nat., 97: 357-374.
- Margalef R. 1968. Perspectives in ecological theory. University of Chicago Press. 111 pp.
- Margalef R. 1974. Ecología. Omega, Barcelona.
- Margalef R., Planas M.D., Armengol J., Vidal A., Prat N., Guisset A., Toja J., Estrada M. 1976. Limnología de los embalses españoles. Dirección General de Obras Hidraúlicas, Madrid.
- Margalef R. 1978. Life-forms of phytoplankton as survival alternatives in an unstable environment. Oceanol. Acta 1: 493-509.
- Margalef R. 1980. La biosfera: entre la termodinámica y el juego. Ed. Omega, Barcelona. 236 pp.
- Margalef R. 1983. Limnología. Omega, Barcelona.
- Margalef R. 1992. Planeta azul, planeta verde. Prensa Científica SA. Barcelona. 265 pp.
- Margalef R. 1994. Limnology now: a paradigm of planetary problems. Elsevier, Amsterdam.
- Margalef R. 1997. Our biosphere. Ecology Institute, Oldendorf.