Herbert Andrewartha

Professor Herbert George Andrewartha, BS (UWA), MAgSc (Melb), DSc (Adel), FAA, (21 December 1907 – 27 January 1992) was a distinguished Australian research scientist in the fields of entomology, biology, zoology and animal ecology.^[1][2]

Biography

Early years

Andrewartha was born on December 21, 1907 in Perth, Western Australia to George and Elsie, the second of three children. His father was a teacher, and the family moved frequently from school to school in rural Western Australia.

Career

• 1929 Entomologist in the Department of Agriculture of Western Australia
• 1933 Biologist, CSIR, Melbourne and worked the School of Agriculture and Forestry at the University of Melbourne
• 1935-1954 Entomologist at the Waite Agricultural Research Institute
• 1952 President of the Royal Society of South Australia (RSSA)
• 1954 The Distribution and Abundance of Animals published
• 1954-1962 Reader^[3] in Animal Ecology, University of Adelaide
• 1961 Introduction to the Study of Animal Populations published
• 1961 Fellow of the Australian Academy of Science (FAA)
• 1962-1972 Professor of Zoology, University of Adelaide (Emeritus Professor 1973)^[4]
• 1984 The ecological web : more on the distribution and abundance of animals published

Retirement and death

Andrewartha retired in 1972. In 1975 he suffered a serious stroke, but continued writing his last book with Birch. He died on 27 January 1992 at the age of 84. He married Hattie Vevers Steele in Melbourne in 1934. His wife predeceased him: he was survived by his son Graeme and daughter Susan Dutch.

Significant work

• General theory of the distribution and abundance of animals
• The ecology of Thrips imaginis
• The ecology of Austroicetes cruciata
• Diapause
• The Queensland fruitfly Dacus tryoni

Honours and awards

• 1954 David Syme Research Prize of the University of Melbourne (with Charles Birch)
• 1962 Verco Medal of the Royal Society of South Australia
• 1968 Clarke Medal of the Royal Society of New South Wales
• 1987 Gold Medal of the Australian Ecological Society
• 1988 Eminent Ecologist Award of the Ecological Society of America for 1988 to Andrewartha and Birch

Publications

• 1954: The Distribution and Abundance of Animals. Chicago: University of Chicago Press (with Charles Birch)
• 1961: Introduction to the Study of Animal Populations. Chicago: University of Chicago Press; London: Methuen & Co ISBN 0-416-64030-3
• 1971: --do.--2nd ed. Chicago: University of Chicago Press; London: Methuen & Co ISBN 0-226-02029-0
• 1984: The Ecological Web. Chicago: University of Chicago Press ISBN 0-226-02033-9 (with Charles Birch)

Legacy

• The HG Andrewartha Medal of the Royal Society of South Australia,^[5] awarded to recognize outstanding research by an early career young Australian scientist.

References