Warder Clyde Allee
Encyclopedia
Warder Clyde Allee was an American
zoologist
and ecologist
who taught animal ecology. He is best known for his research on animal behavior
, protocooperation
, and for identifying the Allee effect
.
. He received the S.B. degree from Earlham College
in 1908, and the S.M. and Ph.D. degrees from the University of Chicago
in 1910 and 1912. Allee worked as an Assistant Professor in Zoology from 1910 to 1912. Between 1912 and 1921 he taught at the University of Illinois, Williams College
, University of Oklahoma
, Lake Forest College
, and the Marine Biological Laboratory
at Woods Hole, Massachusetts. He returned to the University of Chicago in 1921 as an Assistant Professor of Zoology and was promoted to Professor in 1928. In addition, he served as Dean in the College of Arts, Literature, and Science (1924-1926) and Secretary of the Department of Zoology (1927-1934). After retirement in 1950, he worked at the University of Florida at Gainesville, where he was Head Professor of Biology until his death in March 1955.
, since its founding in 1928, Allee took over as managing editor in 1937 and remained in that position until his death. He also chaired the Committee on the Ecology of Animal Populations of the National Research Council
which was established in 1941 to solicit and administer funds for research projects in the field. He was elected a Fellow of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences
in 1950.
offers the W.C. Allee Award for the best presentation of an ethological work of research by a student in a juried competition held at their annual meeting.
Allee died in Gainesville, Florida
, aged 69, in 1955.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
zoologist
Zoology
Zoology |zoölogy]]), is the branch of biology that relates to the animal kingdom, including the structure, embryology, evolution, classification, habits, and distribution of all animals, both living and extinct...
and ecologist
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...
who taught animal ecology. He is best known for his research on animal behavior
Ethology
Ethology is the scientific study of animal behavior, and a sub-topic of zoology....
, protocooperation
Protocooperation
Protocooperation is where two species interact with each other beneficially; they have no need to interact with each other they interact purely for the gain that they receive from doing this. It is not at all necessary for protocooperation to occur; growth and survival is possible in the absence of...
, and for identifying the Allee effect
Allee effect
The Allee effect is a phenomenon in biology characterized by a positive correlation between population density and the per capita population growth rate in very small populations.-Description:...
.
University career
Allee was born in Bloomingdale, IndianaBloomingdale, Indiana
Bloomingdale is a town in Penn Township, Parke County, Indiana, United States. The population was 335 at the 2010 census.-Geography:Bloomingdale is located at ....
. He received the S.B. degree from Earlham College
Earlham College
Earlham College is a liberal arts college in Richmond, Indiana. It was founded in 1847 by Quakers and has approximately 1,200 students.The president is John David Dawson...
in 1908, and the S.M. and Ph.D. degrees from the University of Chicago
University of Chicago
The University of Chicago is a private research university in Chicago, Illinois, USA. It was founded by the American Baptist Education Society with a donation from oil magnate and philanthropist John D. Rockefeller and incorporated in 1890...
in 1910 and 1912. Allee worked as an Assistant Professor in Zoology from 1910 to 1912. Between 1912 and 1921 he taught at the University of Illinois, Williams College
Williams College
Williams College is a private liberal arts college located in Williamstown, Massachusetts, United States. It was established in 1793 with funds from the estate of Ephraim Williams. Originally a men's college, Williams became co-educational in 1970. Fraternities were also phased out during this...
, University of Oklahoma
University of Oklahoma
The University of Oklahoma is a coeducational public research university located in Norman, Oklahoma. Founded in 1890, it existed in Oklahoma Territory near Indian Territory for 17 years before the two became the state of Oklahoma. the university had 29,931 students enrolled, most located at its...
, Lake Forest College
Lake Forest College
Lake Forest College, founded in 1857, is a private liberal arts college in Lake Forest, Illinois. The college has 1,500 students representing 47 states and 78 countries....
, and the Marine Biological Laboratory
Marine Biological Laboratory
The Marine Biological Laboratory is an international center for research and education in biology, biomedicine and ecology. Founded in 1888, the MBL is the oldest independent marine laboratory in the Americas, taking advantage of a coastal setting in the Cape Cod village of Woods Hole, Massachusetts...
at Woods Hole, Massachusetts. He returned to the University of Chicago in 1921 as an Assistant Professor of Zoology and was promoted to Professor in 1928. In addition, he served as Dean in the College of Arts, Literature, and Science (1924-1926) and Secretary of the Department of Zoology (1927-1934). After retirement in 1950, he worked at the University of Florida at Gainesville, where he was Head Professor of Biology until his death in March 1955.
Involvement in other scientific work
A spinal tumor caused paralysis, and Allee used a wheelchair after 1935. He nevertheless maintained a full schedule of teaching, research and writing. Allee continued to spend summers at the Marine Biological Laboratory at Woods Hole, and served as a trustee from 1932 to 1955. Having been on the editorial board of Physiological Zoology, a journal published by the University of Chicago PressUniversity of Chicago Press
The University of Chicago Press is the largest university press in the United States. It is operated by the University of Chicago and publishes a wide variety of academic titles, including The Chicago Manual of Style, dozens of academic journals, including Critical Inquiry, and a wide array of...
, since its founding in 1928, Allee took over as managing editor in 1937 and remained in that position until his death. He also chaired the Committee on the Ecology of Animal Populations of the National Research Council
United States National Research Council
The National Research Council of the USA is the working arm of the United States National Academies, carrying out most of the studies done in their names.The National Academies include:* National Academy of Sciences...
which was established in 1941 to solicit and administer funds for research projects in the field. He was elected a Fellow of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences
American Academy of Arts and Sciences
The American Academy of Arts and Sciences is an independent policy research center that conducts multidisciplinary studies of complex and emerging problems. The Academy’s elected members are leaders in the academic disciplines, the arts, business, and public affairs.James Bowdoin, John Adams, and...
in 1950.
Publications
Besides articles and research monographs, Allee wrote a number of books, including Animal Aggregations: A Study in General Sociology (1931), Animal Life and Social Growth (1932), The Social Life of Animals (1938), Principles of Animal Ecology, co-authored by Alfred E. Emerson, Orlando Park, Thomas Park, and Karl P. Schmidt (1949), and Cooperation among Animals, with Human Implications (1951).Commemoration and death
The Animal Behavior SocietyAnimal Behavior Society
The Animal Behavior Society is an international non-profit scientific society that encourages and promotes the professional study of animal behavior. It has open membership and also provides a certification and directory for animal behaviorists...
offers the W.C. Allee Award for the best presentation of an ethological work of research by a student in a juried competition held at their annual meeting.
Allee died in Gainesville, Florida
Gainesville, Florida
Gainesville is the largest city in, and the county seat of, Alachua County, Florida, United States as well as the principal city of the Gainesville, Florida Metropolitan Statistical Area . The preliminary 2010 Census population count for Gainesville is 124,354. Gainesville is home to the sixth...
, aged 69, in 1955.
External links
- Biographical sketch
- WC Allee Laboratory of Animal Behavior Biopsychological Research Building at the University of Chicago
- Warder Clyde Allee Papers at the University of Chicago Library