Stephen Alfred Forbes
Encyclopedia
Stephen Alfred Forbes was the first Chief of the Illinois Natural History Survey, a founder of aquatic ecosystem
science and a dominant figure in the rise of American ecology
. His publications are striking for their merger of extensive field observations with conceptual insights. Forbes believed that ecological knowledge was fundamental for human well-being.
While already famous as an economic entomologist, Forbes undertook studies of massive fish mortality
in Lake Mendota, Wisconsin. He showed the connection of algae blooms and lake physics to fish kill
s, and embarked on a remarkable research program into lake ecology and river ecology. Many of his insights about lake ecology were collected in an influential paper, “The Lake as a Microcosm”. Notable for both conceptual creativity and the use of innovative quantitative methods, his work foreshadowed the ecosystem concept
as well as modern ideas of behavioral ecology
and food web dynamics.
Born into a pioneer family, he spent his youth near Freeport, Illinois
, in Stephenson County. Beyond his common school education up to age 14, Forbes’ only formal studies at the secondary level were three months during the winter term of 1859–1860 at Beloit Academy in Wisconsin, a year at Rush Medical College in Chicago after the United States Civil War, and the spring term of 1871 at Normal University, Normal, Illinois
.
Shortly after his fourteenth birthday in 1858, young Stephen witnessed one of the eight famous Lincoln and Douglas Debates staged throughout Illinois for a seat in the U.S. Senate. Forbes, apparently emboldened by the contentious atmosphere of the occasion, embarrassed his family and fellow citizens by publicly scolding Douglas from the audience for what he perceived as a Douglas insult to Lincoln. At the age of 17 (in 1861) Forbes would enter the Union Army
with his brother and serve with distinction until the end of hostilities in 1865.
Following his year of medical school at Rush College, Forbes farmed and taught school in southern Illinois. During this time he began his first studies in natural science in his leisure hours. His first published works appeared in American Entomologist and Botanist in 1870, and a new plant species, which he was the first researcher to describe, was named Saxifraga forbesei in his honor.
Forbes’ work in natural history came to the attention of John Wesley Powell, then the curator of the museum of the Illinois Natural History Society in Normal. After Powell’s departure from the state to pursue studies in the American West, the Illinois Natural History Society was disbanded and metamorphosed into the state-supported State Laboratory of Natural History.
Forbes was named director of the new State Laboratory of Natural History in 1877, and in 1882 he became both the Director of the State Laboratory of Natural History and the State Entomologist. Forbes moved from Normal to Urbana in 1885 to accept a position with the Illinois Industrial University (soon to be University of Illinois
). He was also able to gain approval from the state legislature to transfer the State Laboratory of Natural History and its staff, library, and research collections to Urbana. In 1917, the State Laboratory of Natural History and the Office of the State Entomologist were combined by the General Assembly, as the Illinois Natural History Survey. Stephen Forbes became director (Chief) and held this position until his death in 1930.
He was elected to the National Academy of Sciences
in 1918. As President of the Ecological Society of America in 1921, he championed the practical uses of basic ecological science for the betterment of humankind.
To Forbes the word “survey” meant more than a censusing of organisms or publishing lists showing their distribution. He felt that any study should define the relationships between living organisms and their environment—an ecological survey. This theory prevailed in his work and underlined the early research done at the Illinois Natural History Survey. In 1880 Forbes stated:
Today, the Illinois Natural History Survey is still housed on the campus of the University of Illinois, but is a division of the Illinois Department of Natural Resources.
From 1884 to 1886, while a student at the University of Illinois, Entomologist Charles W. Woodworth
was an assistant to S.A. Forbes.
Aquatic ecosystem
An aquatic ecosystem is an ecosystem in a body of water. Communities of organisms that are dependent on each other and on their environment live in aquatic ecosystems. The two main types of aquatic ecosystems are marine ecosystems and freshwater ecosystems....
science and a dominant figure in the rise of American ecology
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...
. His publications are striking for their merger of extensive field observations with conceptual insights. Forbes believed that ecological knowledge was fundamental for human well-being.
While already famous as an economic entomologist, Forbes undertook studies of massive fish mortality
Fish mortality
Fish mortality is a term widely used in fisheries science that denotes the loss of fish from a stock through death. The term is also commonly used in British English as a synonym for fish kill. Fish mortality can be divided into two types:...
in Lake Mendota, Wisconsin. He showed the connection of algae blooms and lake physics to fish kill
Fish kill
The term fish kill, known also as fish die-off and as fish mortality, is a localized die-off of fish populations which may also be associated with more generalised mortality of aquatic life...
s, and embarked on a remarkable research program into lake ecology and river ecology. Many of his insights about lake ecology were collected in an influential paper, “The Lake as a Microcosm”. Notable for both conceptual creativity and the use of innovative quantitative methods, his work foreshadowed the ecosystem concept
Ecosystem
An ecosystem is a biological environment consisting of all the organisms living in a particular area, as well as all the nonliving , physical components of the environment with which the organisms interact, such as air, soil, water and sunlight....
as well as modern ideas of behavioral ecology
Behavioral ecology
Behavioral ecology, or ethoecology, is the study of the ecological and evolutionary basis for animal behavior, and the roles of behavior in enabling an animal to adapt to its environment...
and food web dynamics.
Born into a pioneer family, he spent his youth near Freeport, Illinois
Freeport, Illinois
Freeport is a city in and the county seat of Stephenson County, Illinois, United States. The population was 26,443 at the 2000 census. The mayor of Freeport is George W...
, in Stephenson County. Beyond his common school education up to age 14, Forbes’ only formal studies at the secondary level were three months during the winter term of 1859–1860 at Beloit Academy in Wisconsin, a year at Rush Medical College in Chicago after the United States Civil War, and the spring term of 1871 at Normal University, Normal, Illinois
Normal, Illinois
Normal is an incorporated town in McLean County, Illinois, United States. It had a population of 52,497 as of the 2010 census. Normal is the smaller of two principal municipalities of the Bloomington-Normal metropolitan area...
.
Shortly after his fourteenth birthday in 1858, young Stephen witnessed one of the eight famous Lincoln and Douglas Debates staged throughout Illinois for a seat in the U.S. Senate. Forbes, apparently emboldened by the contentious atmosphere of the occasion, embarrassed his family and fellow citizens by publicly scolding Douglas from the audience for what he perceived as a Douglas insult to Lincoln. At the age of 17 (in 1861) Forbes would enter the Union Army
Union Army
The Union Army was the land force that fought for the Union during the American Civil War. It was also known as the Federal Army, the U.S. Army, the Northern Army and the National Army...
with his brother and serve with distinction until the end of hostilities in 1865.
Following his year of medical school at Rush College, Forbes farmed and taught school in southern Illinois. During this time he began his first studies in natural science in his leisure hours. His first published works appeared in American Entomologist and Botanist in 1870, and a new plant species, which he was the first researcher to describe, was named Saxifraga forbesei in his honor.
Forbes’ work in natural history came to the attention of John Wesley Powell, then the curator of the museum of the Illinois Natural History Society in Normal. After Powell’s departure from the state to pursue studies in the American West, the Illinois Natural History Society was disbanded and metamorphosed into the state-supported State Laboratory of Natural History.
Forbes was named director of the new State Laboratory of Natural History in 1877, and in 1882 he became both the Director of the State Laboratory of Natural History and the State Entomologist. Forbes moved from Normal to Urbana in 1885 to accept a position with the Illinois Industrial University (soon to be University of Illinois
University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
The University of Illinois at Urbana–Champaign is a large public research-intensive university in the state of Illinois, United States. It is the flagship campus of the University of Illinois system...
). He was also able to gain approval from the state legislature to transfer the State Laboratory of Natural History and its staff, library, and research collections to Urbana. In 1917, the State Laboratory of Natural History and the Office of the State Entomologist were combined by the General Assembly, as the Illinois Natural History Survey. Stephen Forbes became director (Chief) and held this position until his death in 1930.
He was elected to the National Academy of Sciences
United States National Academy of Sciences
The National Academy of Sciences is a corporation in the United States whose members serve pro bono as "advisers to the nation on science, engineering, and medicine." As a national academy, new members of the organization are elected annually by current members, based on their distinguished and...
in 1918. As President of the Ecological Society of America in 1921, he championed the practical uses of basic ecological science for the betterment of humankind.
To Forbes the word “survey” meant more than a censusing of organisms or publishing lists showing their distribution. He felt that any study should define the relationships between living organisms and their environment—an ecological survey. This theory prevailed in his work and underlined the early research done at the Illinois Natural History Survey. In 1880 Forbes stated:
“The first indispensable requisite is a thorough knowledge of the natural order—an intelligently conducted natural history survey. Without the general knowledge which such a survey would give us, all our measures must be empirical, temporary, uncertain, and often dangerous.”
Today, the Illinois Natural History Survey is still housed on the campus of the University of Illinois, but is a division of the Illinois Department of Natural Resources.
From 1884 to 1886, while a student at the University of Illinois, Entomologist Charles W. Woodworth
Charles W. Woodworth
Charles W. Woodworth was an American entomologist. He founded the Entomology Department at the University of California, Berkeley, and made many valuable contributions to entomology during his career....
was an assistant to S.A. Forbes.