Joseph Grinnell

Biography

He is the son of Fordyce and Sarah Elizabeth born Pratt. His/her father is doctor for the Bureau of the Indian businesses. The family settles in the Dakota in 1880, with Pasadena in 1885, in Pennsylvania in 1888, then, again, in Pasadena in 1891. Joseph Grinnell is interested very young person in nature. He studies in Pasadena High School and is graduate of a Bachelor off Arts in Throop Institute (today California Institute off Technology) in 1897. He then devotes his leisures to the study of the birds of the surroundings. He spends the winter 1896 to Alaska to study avian fauna there.

Of 1897 with 1898, he is instructor attending in zoology Throop Institut. In 1898-1899, it sets out again in Alaska with a group of gold diggers but its principal discoveries are done in the field of the zoology: it observes and studies 113 S of birds. In 1900, he becomes assistant in Embryologie with the Université Stanford where he passes his Master off Arts . From 1901 to 1902, it gives courses in Ornithologie. From 1901 to 1903, he teaches botany and the zoology with the Palo Alto High School. In spring 1903, a serious attack of typhoid fever, stops its preparation of its doctorate in zoology. From 1903 to 1905, he teaches biology in Throop Institut before being titular of 1905 with 1908.

Grinnel directs the museum of zoology of the the University of California of 1908 to 1939, founded by Annie Montague Alexander (1867-1950). As the fish are already the subject of studies by David Starr Jordan (1851-1931) of Stanford, Grinnel centers its research on the terrestrial Vertébré S and restricts its research in California. It offers 2.000 specimens of mammals of its own collection to the natural history museum in 1909, follow-ups, in 1919, of 8.000 specimens of birds. In 1912, he writes with his former professor de Stanford, Charles Henry Gilbert (1859-1928), to inform him of his wish to complete his doctorate. This one encourages it highly. Grinnnell forwards to him a thesis, entitled An Account off the Mammals and Birds off the Lower Colorado Valley with Especial Reference to the Distributional Problems Presented , which is accepted (1913) and is published (1914). Beside these activities, it occupies the functions of professor attending of zoology of 1913 1917, professor associated with 1917 to 1920 then professor of 1920 until its departure with the retirement in 1939.

Grinnel is an untiring researcher, it collects more than 20.000 specimens and writes more than 3.000 pages during its life (either more than 550 publications). It is interested particularly in the questions of Biogéographie and how these factors can influence the distribution of the vertebrate ones. It makes appear with Harvey Monroe Hall (1874-1932) " Life Indicators Zone in California" (1919), with Tracy Irvin Storer (1889-1973) Animal Life in the Yosemite (1924) and " In Revised Life Zone Map off California". It takes again the concept of alive zones worked out by Clinton Hart Merriam (1855-1942) in 1889 and shows that it had a great value to determine the distribution of the species in California. It notes the negative effect of the growth of the Californian population on fauna and the environment. Its recommendations are put in practices in certain zones. It founds, with Stephen Tyng Mather (1867-1930) and Charles Mr. Goethe (1875-1966), a service of guides in the national parks. It also takes part in the improvement of the management of game and fight, at the end of its life, against the use of poison containing Thallium then used to eliminate the rodents. Modeste, it always refused that its portrait is posted in the natural history museum which it directed.

Grinnell can be regarded as one of the first specialists in the ecological communities, but it is also interested in systematic and biogeography.

He is also the d'" author; An Account off the Mammals and Birds off the Lower Colorado Valley with Especial Refers to the Distributional Problems Presented" (1914, with Harold C. Bryant (1886-1968) and T.I. Storer Range Birds off California (1918), Vertebrate Animals off Not Lobos Reserve (1936), with Joseph S. Dixon (1893-1952) and Jean Myron Linsdale (1902-1969) Fur-Bearing Mammals off California … Grinnell takes part moreover in the Cooper Ornithological Society and is the editor of The Condor of 1906 with 1939. He is the librarian of the California Academy off Sciences of 1911 with 1939 and chairs the American Ornithologists' Union of 1929 1931 and the American Society off Mammalogists of 1937 with 1938. He is also member many learned societies like the Academy off Natural Sciences off Philadelphia (corresponding member), the American Academy off Arts and Sciences…

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