Michael Ellman Soulé was an American biologist born on May 28, 1936, and died on June 17, 2020. He is known for his work in promoting conservation biology.

He was born in San Diego, California, to Berenice (Ellman) and Herman Herzoff. His father died when he was two years old, and he was adopted by his stepfather, Alan Soulé. He earned his Ph.D. in Biology from Stanford University in 1964 under the guidance of Paul R. Ehrlich. Later, he became a Research Professor (Emeritus) in Environmental Studies at the University of California, Santa Cruz. His Ph.D. thesis, which was 167 pages long, was titled Evolution and population characteristics of the side-blotched lizards (Uta stansburiana and its relatives) on the islands in the Gulf of California, Mexico.

Soulé co-founded and served as the first president of the Society for Conservation Biology, which was established in 1985. He also served on the board of Round River Conservation Studies and the Wildlands Network.

He co-edited a book of essays titled Reinventing nature?: responses to postmodern deconstruction (1995) with Gary Lease. This book responded to arguments made by environmental historian William Cronon and others in Uncommon ground: toward reinventing nature (1995). He has recently spoken out against conservation approaches that do not value species diversity.