Alfred C. Redfield
Encyclopedia
Alfred Clarence Redfield (November 15, 1890 in Philadelphia
– March 17, 1983 in Woods Hole
) was an American oceanographer
.
He is especially known for having discovered the Redfield ratio
, which describes the ratio between nutrients in plankton and ocean water. In 1966, he received the Eminent Ecologist Award
from the Ecological Society of America
. His research was used by James Lovelock
in the formulation of the Gaia hypothesis
, that "Organisms and their environment evolve as a single, self-regulating system."
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Philadelphia is the largest city in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and the county seat of Philadelphia County, with which it is coterminous. The city is located in the Northeastern United States along the Delaware and Schuylkill rivers. It is the fifth-most-populous city in the United States,...
– March 17, 1983 in Woods Hole
Woods Hole, Massachusetts
Woods Hole is a census-designated place in the town of Falmouth in Barnstable County, Massachusetts, United States. It lies at the extreme southwest corner of Cape Cod, near Martha's Vineyard and the Elizabeth Islands...
) was an American oceanographer
Oceanography
Oceanography , also called oceanology or marine science, is the branch of Earth science that studies the ocean...
.
He is especially known for having discovered the Redfield ratio
Redfield ratio
Redfield ratio or Redfield stoichiometry is the molecular ratio of carbon, nitrogen and phosphorus in plankton. This empirically developed stoichiometric ratio is found to be C:N:P = 106:16:1. This term is named after the American oceanographer Alfred C. Redfield, who first described this ratio in...
, which describes the ratio between nutrients in plankton and ocean water. In 1966, he received the Eminent Ecologist Award
Eminent Ecologist Award
The Eminent Ecologist Award is prize awarded annually to a senior ecologist in recognition of an outstanding contribution to the science of ecology. The prize is awarded by the Ecological Society of America. According to the statutes, the recipient may be from any country in the world. However, in...
from the Ecological Society of America
Ecological Society of America
The Ecological Society of America is a professional organization of ecological scientists. Based in the United States, ESA publishes a suite of publications, from peer-reviewed journals to newsletters, fact sheets and teaching resources. It holds an annual meeting at different locations in the...
. His research was used by James Lovelock
James Lovelock
James Lovelock, CH, CBE, FRS is an independent scientist, environmentalist and futurologist who lives in Devon, England. He is best known for proposing the Gaia hypothesis, which postulates that the biosphere is a self-regulating entity with the capacity to keep our planet healthy by controlling...
in the formulation of the Gaia hypothesis
Gaia hypothesis
The Gaia hypothesis, also known as Gaia theory or Gaia principle, proposes that all organisms and their inorganic surroundings on Earth are closely integrated to form a single and self-regulating complex system, maintaining the conditions for life on the planet.The scientific investigation of the...
, that "Organisms and their environment evolve as a single, self-regulating system."