He was trained at the University of Pavia, Italy, in natural sciences and specialized in studies on the neurophysiology of insects. In collaborations with Rina Monti, Baldi became interested in freshwater biology and particularly in the biology of copepods of alpine waters. In 1937, he became director of the Institute of Comparative Anatomy and Zoology of the University of Milano. At the encouragement and support of Dr. Marco De Marchi, a biologist with interests in plankton living in Pallanza, the Istituto Italiano de Idrobiologia “Dott. Marco De Marchi” was established in 1938, and Professor Edgardo Baldi became its first director. With the exception of a hiatus of imposed military service during the war years, Baldi worked unceasingly to develop the Institute at Pallanza into one of the foremost freshwater hydrobiological laboratories of the world.

He is commemorated by the Baldi Memorial Lecture.

Sources

This profile was written by Robert G. Wetzel.

D’Ancona, U. 1952. Edgardo Baldi. Hydrobiologia 4:294-301.

Armocida, G. 1988. L’Istituto Italiano di Idrobiologia “Dott. Marco De Marchi” Cinquanta anni de ricerche (1938 – 1988). Documenta Ist. Ital. Idrobiol. 16. 115 pp