Ecology
Branches of Biology- Hannah Carhart
Definition of Ecology
Rachel Carson
Rachel Louise Carson was born on the 27th of May in 1907. She was born in Springfield, Pennsylvania. She grew up on a farm in Pennsylvania where she learned about nature and wildlife. She attended Pennsylvania College for Women which she graduated from in 1929. Rachel then continued her studies in zoology at John Hopkins College. She taught at University of Maryland for 5 years before working at the U.S. Fish and Wildlife, which she did in 1936. She worked there in the 1940's, mainly so she could help support her mother and her sisters orphaned daughters. Later on she wrote many famous books that helped her become financially stable. She resigned from her government job in 1952 to spend her time writing. On April 14, 1964, Rachel died of cancer in Silver Spring, Maryland.
Scientific Biography:
Rachel was a scientist and editor for the U.S Fish and Wildlife in 1936. Later she became editor-in-chief for all publications for them. She wrote pamphlets about the conservation of natural resources, but she also did some research. She wrote an article called "Undersea" for the Atlantic Monthly in 1937. She then published a book called Under the Sea-wind in 1941. Her most famous book The Sea Around Us was published in 1952. Following that book she wrote The Edge of the Sea in 1955. Both books were about the ocean and made her a famous naturalist and scientist. She wrote "Help your Child Wonder" and many other books to teach people about the beauty of the living world. During World War 2, she tried warning everybody of the the long term effects of using pesticides. During that time she wrote Silent Spring, which received attention from the government, and new policies were put in place
Biology Legacy:
Rachel had many effects on the environment. Without her we wouldn't know as much about the ocean and the effects of using pesticides. She stood up in front of Congress to get make sure pesticides wouldn't affect the food chain, making sure what we eat is safe.
Sources:
http://www.rachelcarson.org/Biography.aspx#.VezrmCgViko
http://www.biography.com/people/rachel-carson-9239741#environmental-activism
Picture:
http://mises.ca/wp-content/uploads/2012/09/Rachel-Carson.jpg
Alan Rabinowitz
Alan Robert Rabinowitz was born on December 31, 1953 in Brooklyn, New York. Alan had trouble in school. He found it hard to communicate to his peers, so he became interested in wildlife. He went to Western Maryland College where he got his bachelor degree in biology and chemistry. He later got his masters in ecology at the University of Tennessee in 1978. For 30 years, Alan worked as the Executive Director of the Science and Exploration Division of the Wildlife Conservation Society. In 2006, Alan co-founded Pamera, which he continues to work at to this day.
Scientific Biography:
In 1977, Alan discovered four new species of mammals, including the leaf deer in the Myanmar's Hukaung Valley. While also in Myanmar, he started five new protected areas of wildlife. The country's first marine park, Lampi Island National Park, Myanmar's largest national park, Hkakabo Razi, and the country's largest wildlife sanctuary, Hukaung Valley Wildlife Sanctuary he helped establish in Myanmar just to name a few. In Belize, Alan helped established the world's first jaguar sanctuary. Alan has won many awards, his most famous being from the International WIldlife Film Festival. There he won the Lifetime Achievement Award in 2008. Alan greatest achievement was the conceptualization and implementation of the Jaguar Corridor.
Biology Legacy:
Alan was a very famous person for the fight to save wildlife, especially jaguars. Without him we might not have as many wild cats or wildlife as we do now. With his help there are many protected areas for the animals to live without the threat of hunters killing them for the fur or pleasure. His founding of new animals was also very helpful in learning more about the different types of species that exist in the world.
Sources:
http://thechart.blogs.cnn.com/2011/02/22/human-factor-animals-saved-me/
http://www.panthera.org/node/247
http://www.panthera.org/programs/jaguar/jaguar-corridor-initiative
Picture:
http://www.onbeing.org/sites/default/files/styles/width300/public/alan_rabinowitz.jpg?itok=lKkzF0gn
Dian Fossey
Personal Biography:
Dian Fossey was born on the 16th of January in 1932 in San Francisco, California. Dian was very interested in animals at a young age and even took horseback riding lessons starting at the age of 6. She attended college at Marian Junior College taking business class, which her stepfather encouraged her to do. Dian worked at a ranch the summer after her first year of class and decided to change majors. She changed to pre-veterinary and then eventually graduated in occupational therapy from San Jose State College in 1954. She worked in many hospitals, but dreamed of moving to Africa. She stayed in Africa the rest of her life. A few weeks before her 54th birthday, Dian was murdered. She is buried by her deceased gorilla friends.Scientific Biography:
When Dian moved to Africa, she toured many places. She took photographs of gorillas and decided this was what she wanted to do in Africa. She helped stopped poaching of gorillas, taking down over 900 traps poachers set out. She also learned to habituate gorillas. On September 24, 1967 Dain founded the Karisoke Research Center. She had to over come several obstacles for her to be able to research the gorillas. She eventually became a "gorilla". She would eat and walk like gorillas to learn as much as she could about them. She went back to New York and was a visiting professor at colleges. In her free time, she worked on her book Gorillas in the Mist. The book talks about her experiences studying the gorillas.
Biology Legacy:
Dian did a lot for the gorillas. She cared deeply enough for them that she spent her life studying them and acting like one for her research. She aslo made sure they weren't being killed or treated badly. Without the help of Dian, we wouldn't know half of what we know about gorillas.
Sources:
http://gorillafund.org/dian_fossey_bio
http://www.innominatesociety.com/Articles/Karisoke%20Revisited.htm
Picture:
http://media-1.web.britannica.com/eb-media/90/61990-004-AED7AD9D.jpg