Edward Forbes
Citation: Edward Forbes | Britannica
Introduction
Edward Forbes (12 February 1815 – 18 November 1854) was a British naturalist and pioneer in biogeography and marine biology. His work on species distribution, marine life, and the links between geology and biology had lasting influence on ecological sciences.
Though his life was relatively short, Forbes’s intellectual output, field experience, and theoretical ideas placed him among the leading naturalists of mid-19th century Britain.
Early Life and Family
Edward Forbes was born on 12 February 1815 in Douglas, Isle of Man (then part of the British Isles). His family was of some means: his father was a banker. As a child, Forbes showed a strong curiosity about nature: he collected insects, shells, minerals, fossils, and plants, and also painted and sketched caricatures.
From age 5 to 11, his frail health prevented him from regular schooling, but in 1828 he entered Athole House Academy in Douglas as a day student.
In his youth he attempted to study art (drawing) in London around 1831, but eventually turned to science.
His brother, David Forbes, later became a noted mineralogist.
Education and Early Scientific Pursuits
In late 1832, Forbes matriculated as a medical student at the University of Edinburgh, where he studied under professors such as Robert Jameson and Robert Knox. However, during this period his interests shifted strongly toward natural history, geology, and zoology.
In 1833, while still a student, Forbes undertook a botanical tour to Norway, publishing results in the Loudon’s Magazine of Natural History (1835–36). This trip solidified his commitment to natural history.
He embarked on multiple expeditions and travels through France, Switzerland, Germany, Algeria, and the Mediterranean region, studying mollusks, marine invertebrates, and biogeographic distributions.
In 1838, he published Malacologia Monensis, a synopsis of mollusks native to the Isle of Man.
Career, Positions & Scientific Contributions
Academic and Institutional Roles
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In 1842, Forbes became curator at the Museum of the Geological Society of London.
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Also in 1842 / 1843, he was appointed professor of botany at King’s College, London.
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In 1844, he became paleontologist to the Geological Survey of Great Britain.
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In 1851, Forbes was appointed professor of natural history at the Royal School of Mines.
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In 1853, he was elected president of the Geological Society of London, being the youngest to hold that role at that time.
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In 1854, shortly before his death, Forbes was awarded the chair of natural history at the University of Edinburgh.
Key Scientific Ideas & Legacy
Biogeography & Species Distribution
One of Forbes’s important contributions was his 1846 essay “On the connexion between the distribution of the existing fauna and flora of the British Isles, and the geological changes which have affected their area”. In it, he argued that many species of plants and animals in Britain migrated there across land bridges before, during, and after glacial epochs. He divided British flora into five geographic groups correlated to migration from continental Europe, mountainous regions, and glacial refugia.
His work preceded and influenced later biogeographic thinking.
Marine Biology, Invertebrates & Dredging
Forbes devoted much of his career to the study of marine invertebrates (starfish, mollusks, echinoderms, jellyfish). In 1841 he published A History of British Starfishes. He also studied “naked-eyed medusae” (jellyfish) and produced detailed illustrations and catalogs.
He pioneered dredging of the sea floor to collect benthic organisms and proposed a vertical zonation of marine life—i.e. that life would decrease with depth.
However, Forbes also introduced the azoic hypothesis (around 1843–44), proposing that below a certain depth (~300 fathoms) life cannot exist. This hypothesis was later shown to be incorrect—and deep-sea life was eventually discovered beyond that limit—but it stimulated research and debate.
Forbes also divided marine regions such as the Aegean Sea into biological zones based on depth, substrate, and species assemblages.
Mentorship & Influence
Forbes was a mentor and supporter to younger naturalists, notably Thomas Henry Huxley. He helped Huxley’s admission to the Royal Society and aided his early career.
He is also credited with laying groundwork in oceanography—his marine work anticipated the more systematic studies of the ocean made by successors.
Final Years & Death
In 1854, Forbes delivered lectures in Edinburgh and served as president of the geological section at a meeting of the British Science Association. Later that year, he contracted an illness and died on 18 November 1854 at Wardie, near Edinburgh. He was buried in Dean Cemetery, Edinburgh.
His posthumous works include The Natural History of the European Seas, edited by R. A. C. Godwin-Austen, published after his death.
Mount Forbes in Canada was named in his honour by James Hector.
Legacy and Significance
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Forbes is remembered as one of the early pioneers of biogeography and of applying geological change to explain species distributions.
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His marine studies (especially dredging, benthic ecology, zonation) anticipated more formal oceanography and marine ecology research.
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Though some of his hypotheses (e.g. the azoic hypothesis) proved incorrect, they stimulated scientific debate and exploration.
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He bridged disciplines—zoology, botany, geology, paleontology—and contributed to the integration of natural history.
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His mentorship to younger scientists and editorial work helped shape the next generations of naturalists.