Joyce Lambert facts for kids

Joyce Mildred Lambert (born June 23, 1916 – died May 4, 2005) was a British scientist. She studied plants (a botanist) and how living things interact with their environment (an ecologist). She is famous for showing that the Norfolk Broads in England were actually made by people, not by nature.

Early Life and Education

Joyce Lambert was born on June 23, 1916, in Herne Hill, London. Her father, Loftus Sidney Lambert, worked for an electrical company. Her mother was Mildred Emma Barker. Joyce grew up in Brundall, Norfolk. She went to school at Norwich High School for Girls.

In 1939, Joyce finished her studies in botany at the University College of Wales, Aberystwyth. After teaching at a school in Norwich, she became a lecturer in botany at Westfield College, London. In the 1940s, two scientists, Ted Ellis and A. R. Clapham, encouraged her. They suggested she study the plants and environment of the fens (wetlands) near the River Yare in Norfolk.

Discovering the Broads' Origin

Joyce Lambert confirmed an important theory about the Norfolk Broads. She proved that these lakes were made by people digging for peat, not by natural processes. Before her work, another scientist, Joseph Newell Jennings, thought the Broads were natural. His book, The Origin Of The Broads, was published in 1952.

How She Proved It

Lambert used a special method called stratigraphy. This means studying layers of earth. She took many core samples of peat using a narrow tool. Her samples showed that the sides of the lakes were almost straight up and down. This shape is typical of something dug by humans, not formed by nature.

Her research also found old records that showed local areas had "turbary rights." These rights allowed people to dig peat in their own sections. Joyce noticed that these digging areas matched the boundaries of old parishes within the Broads.

She also discovered that most of the digging stopped by the end of the 14th century. This was because the areas started to flood more often. This flooding was due to changes in the weather in East Anglia and a rise in sea level. Where people once dug peat, there were now important fishing areas.

Working with Other Scientists

Joyce Lambert worked with Jennings and Clifford Smith on more studies of the Broads. Their findings were published in 1960. The book was called The Making of the Broads: a reconsideration of their origin in the light of new evidence.

In 1950, Lambert became a lecturer in botany at Southampton University. There, she was a pioneer in using computers for plant science. She worked with Bill Williams to use computers to analyze groups of plants.

The Norfolk Record Office keeps a large collection of Dr. Lambert’s papers. These include drawings, maps, photos, and her written works from 1920 to 2005.

Personal Life

Joyce Lambert was a lifelong fan of the Norwich City football club. After she retired in 1980, she moved back to her grandfather's house in Brundall. In her last three years, she lived in a nursing home in Colney, Norfolk. She passed away on May 4, 2005. She never married.

See also

In Spanish: Joyce Lambert para niños