William Pearsall facts for kids

William Harold Pearsall FRS FLS FIBiol (23 July 1891 – 14 October 1964) was an important British scientist. He was a botanist, which means he studied plants. He was especially interested in plants that live in water. He taught botany at University College London from 1944 to 1957.

Studying Water Plants

William Pearsall spent a lot of time studying plants that grow in lakes and rivers. This is called aquatic vegetation. He wanted to understand how these plants lived and grew in their watery homes. He looked at how different things in the water, like nutrients and light, affected them.

Why Water Plants Matter

His research helped us learn why certain water plants grow in some lakes but not others. This was a big step forward for freshwater biology. Freshwater biology is the study of living things in lakes, rivers, and ponds. Pearsall's work made it easier for other scientists to study these important watery places.

Exploring Algae

Pearsall also studied tiny plant-like organisms called algae. Algae are very simple plants that often grow in water. He looked at how they grew and developed. This was a new area of study at the time. His work opened up new ways to understand these tiny but important organisms.

Helping Research Grow

For a while, William Pearsall was the Honorary Director of a special laboratory at Wray Castle. In this role, he helped a lot of research projects get started and grow quickly. He encouraged other scientists to explore new ideas. He also edited a magazine called 'The Yorkshire Naturalist' for many years.

Awards and Recognition

William Pearsall received many important awards for his work. In 1940, he was chosen to be a Fellow of the Royal Society. This is a very high honor for scientists in the United Kingdom. It means his work was recognized as being very important and groundbreaking. He also received the Linnean Medal in 1963.