Scribd
Upload
454 views1 page

Eugene Odum: Pioneer in Ecological Thermodynamics

Eugene Odum was an American zoologist who introduced thermodynamics concepts into ecology through his 1953 textbook Fundamentals of Ecology. He worked with his brother Howard Odum to develop non-rigorous thermodynamic concepts for ecology. Robert Ulanowicz was inspired to switch his career from chemical engineering to theoretical ecology after reading the second edition of Odum's textbook. Ulanowicz later became a professor of theoretical ecology and won an award for his work in the field.

Uploaded by

Anna Qurat
Copyright
© Attribution Non-Commercial (BY-NC)
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as DOCX, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
454 views1 page

Eugene Odum: Pioneer in Ecological Thermodynamics

Eugene Odum was an American zoologist who introduced thermodynamics concepts into ecology through his 1953 textbook Fundamentals of Ecology. He worked with his brother Howard Odum to develop non-rigorous thermodynamic concepts for ecology. Robert Ulanowicz was inspired to switch his career from chemical engineering to theoretical ecology after reading the second edition of Odum's textbook. Ulanowicz later became a professor of theoretical ecology and won an award for his work in the field.

Uploaded by

Anna Qurat
Copyright
© Attribution Non-Commercial (BY-NC)
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as DOCX, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
You are on page 1/ 1

Eugene Odum In ecological thermodynamics, Eugene Pleasants Odum (1917-2002) was an American zoologist noted for his 1953

textbook Fundamentals of Ecology, in which he was the first to incorporate the first two laws of thermodynamics into ecology. [1]

Odum worked on his textbook in partial collaboration with his brother Howard Odum and through their joint writings the Odums introduced a number of non-rigorous thermodynamic conjectures, such as emergy, embodied energy, the maximum power principle, energese (energy systems language), among others. [2]

Students American chemical engineering professor Robert Ulanowicz states that he was inspired to switch careers, from chemical engineering to ecology, and to study theoretical ecology during a reading of American zoologist Eugene Odums Fundamentals of Ecology (1959 second edition). *2+ Specifically, in 1970, after teaching chemical engineering for two years at the Catholic University of America, Ulanowicz switched careers and became a professor of theoretical ecology at the University of Marylands Chesapeake Biological Laboratory, where he is currently professor emeritus. Ulanowicz won the 2007 Prigogine medal for his efforts in ecolology.

References 1. Odum, Eugene P. (1953). Fundamentals of Ecology (pgs. 43-45). Saunders. 2. Mansson, B.A. and McGlade, J.M. (1993). Ecology, Thermodynamics, and Odums Conjectures (Abs), Oecologia, 93, pgs

You might also like