Ramon Margalef i López (

Barcelona Barcelona ( , , ) is a city on the coast of northeastern Spain. It is the capital and largest city of the autonomous community of Catalonia, as well as the second most populous municipality of Spain. With a population of 1.6 million within ci ...

16 May 1919 - 23 May 2004) was a Spanish

biologist A biologist is a scientist who conducts research in biology. Biologists are interested in studying life on Earth, whether it is an individual Cell (biology), cell, a multicellular organism, or a Community (ecology), community of Biological inter ...

and

ecologist Ecology () is the study of the relationships between living organisms, including humans, and their physical environment. Ecology considers organisms at the individual, population, community, ecosystem, and biosphere level. Ecology overlaps wi ...

. He was Emeritus Professor of

Ecology Ecology () is the study of the relationships between living organisms, including humans, and their physical environment. Ecology considers organisms at the individual, population, community, ecosystem, and biosphere level. Ecology overlaps wi ...

at the Faculty of Biology of the

University of Barcelona The University of Barcelona ( ca, Universitat de Barcelona, UB; ; es, link=no, Universidad de Barcelona) is a public university located in the city of Barcelona, Catalonia, in Spain. With 63,000 students, it is one of the biggest universities i ...

. Margalef, one of the most prominent scientists that

Spain , image_flag = Bandera de España.svg , image_coat = Escudo de España (mazonado).svg , national_motto = ''Plus ultra'' (Latin)(English: "Further Beyond") , national_anthem = (English: "Royal March") , i ...

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 Oceanography (), also known as oceanology and ocean science, is the scientific study of the oceans. It is an Earth science, which covers a wide range of topics, including ecosystem dynamics; ocean currents, waves, and geophysical fluid dynami ...

. In 1967 he became Spain's first professor of ecology.

Career summary

In 1957, 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 ''The American Naturalist'' is the monthly peer-reviewed scientific journal of the American Society of Naturalists, whose purpose is "to advance and to diffuse knowledge of organic evolution and other broad biological principles so as to enhance th ...

in 1963, and his book "Perspectives in Ecological Theory" (1968), based on his guest lectures at the

University of Chicago The University of Chicago (UChicago, Chicago, U of C, or UChi) is a private research university in Chicago, Illinois. Its main campus is located in Chicago's Hyde Park neighborhood. The University of Chicago is consistently ranked among the b ...

, 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 ' ("Natural Communities"). Some of his most important work includes the application of

information theory Information theory is the scientific study of the quantification (science), quantification, computer data storage, storage, and telecommunication, communication of information. The field was originally established by the works of Harry Nyquist a ...

to ecological studies and the creation of

mathematical models A mathematical model is a description of a system using mathematical concepts and language. The process of developing a mathematical model is termed mathematical modeling. Mathematical models are used in the natural sciences (such as physics, ...

for the study of populations. Among his books, the most influential 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 inaugural medal of the

A.G. Huntsman Award for Excellence in the Marine Sciences The A.G. Huntsman Award for Excellence in the Marine Sciences was established in 1980 by the Canadian marine science community to recognize excellence of research and outstanding contributions to marine sciences. It is presented by the Royal Societ ...

, the Naumann-Thienemann Medal from the International Society of Limnology (SIL), the Ramón y Cajal Award of the Spanish Government, and the

Gold Medal of the Generalitat of Catalonia The gold metal of the Generalitat of Catalonia (Catalan: ) is the highest award given by the Generalitat of Catalonia to those people or institutions who have excelled with their work in the political, social, economic, cultural or scientific, and r ...

(Catalan Government). In 2004, the

Government of Catalonia The Executive Council of Catalonia ( ca, Consell Executiu) or the Executive Government of Catalonia (Catalan: ) is the Executive (government), executive branch of the Generalitat of Catalonia. It is responsible for the political action, regul ...

established the

Ramon Margalef Prize in Ecology The Ramon Margalef Prize in Ecology ( ca, Premi Ramon Margalef d'Ecologia) is a prize awarded annually by the Generalitat de Catalunya to recognize an exceptional scientific career or discovery in the field of ecology or other environmental scienc ...

, whereas the Association for the Sciences of Limnology and Oceanography established the Ramón Margalef Award for Excellence in Education in 2008.

Selected publications

Full list of publications by Professor Margalef

Papers

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Books

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References

External links

Biographical page in memory of Ramon Margalef (most of Margalef's scientific papers as PDFs, pictures, awards, etc.)Full list of publications by Professor Margalef
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Espai Margalef
(University of Barcelona Library) {{DEFAULTSORT:Margalef, Ramon 1919 births 2004 deaths Mathematical ecologists Systems ecologists Spanish limnologists Spanish oceanographers Academic staff of the University of Barcelona Spanish ecologists Biologists from Catalonia Foreign associates of the National Academy of Sciences