Richard Kolkwitz
Encyclopedia
Richard Kolkwitz was a German botanist who was a native of Berlin
. He studied natural sciences at the University of Berlin under Adolf Engler
(1844–1930) and Simon Schwendener
(1829–1919), and from 1895 to 1900 was an assistant at the university under Leopold Kny
(1841–1916). Afterwards, he became a professor of botany in Berlin
, and from 1901 until 1938 was also in charge of the Biological Prussian Experimental and Testing Institute for water supply and sewage disposal. In 1954 he became a professor of botany at the Free University of Berlin
.
Kolkwitz is known for work with Maximilian Marsson (1845–1909) in the development of the "saprobic system" as a biological
determination of water quality and levels of organic waste (pollution) in rivers and streams. Their methodology was a non-chemical analysis that was based on patterns of abundance and distribution of various biological species. They examined the biological patterns of approximately 800 species of water plants and invertebrate
s in their studies, and produced a saprobic index of four zones defining levels of water quality. The term "polysaprobic" was used for river environments with a large amount of decaying organic matter; "oligosaprobic" described locations with the least amount of organic waste, while alpha- and beta-"mesosaprobic" defined moderately polluted habitats. Later, this index was expanded into nine zones, with "xenosaprobic" being the least polluted and "ultrasaprobic" having the highest level of waste.
The genus Kolkwitzia is named after Kolkwitz. It contains one species, Kolkwitzia amabilis
, which is commonly known as a "beauty bush". Also a device known in Germany as a Kolkwitzkammer is named after him, which is an instrument used to determine the quantity of cells and cell aggregates of phytoplankton
.
Berlin
Berlin is the capital city of Germany and is one of the 16 states of Germany. With a population of 3.45 million people, Berlin is Germany's largest city. It is the second most populous city proper and the seventh most populous urban area in the European Union...
. He studied natural sciences at the University of Berlin under Adolf Engler
Adolf Engler
Heinrich Gustav Adolf Engler was a German botanist. He is notable for his work on plant taxonomy and phytogeography, like Die Natürlichen Pflanzenfamilien , edited with Karl A. E...
(1844–1930) and Simon Schwendener
Simon Schwendener
Simon Schwendener was a Swiss botanist who was a native of Buchs in the Canton of St. Gallen.In 1856 he received his doctorate at the University of Zurich, where afterwards he was an assistant to Carl Wilhelm von Nägeli...
(1829–1919), and from 1895 to 1900 was an assistant at the university under Leopold Kny
Leopold Kny
Carl Ignaz Leopold Kny was a German botanist who was born in Breslau. He studied at Breslau, Munich and Berlin, where he was a pupil of Alexander Braun...
(1841–1916). Afterwards, he became a professor of botany in Berlin
Berlin
Berlin is the capital city of Germany and is one of the 16 states of Germany. With a population of 3.45 million people, Berlin is Germany's largest city. It is the second most populous city proper and the seventh most populous urban area in the European Union...
, and from 1901 until 1938 was also in charge of the Biological Prussian Experimental and Testing Institute for water supply and sewage disposal. In 1954 he became a professor of botany at the Free University of Berlin
Free University of Berlin
Freie Universität Berlin is one of the leading and most prestigious research universities in Germany and continental Europe. It distinguishes itself through its modern and international character. It is the largest of the four universities in Berlin. Research at the university is focused on the...
.
Kolkwitz is known for work with Maximilian Marsson (1845–1909) in the development of the "saprobic system" as a biological
Biology
Biology is a natural science concerned with the study of life and living organisms, including their structure, function, growth, origin, evolution, distribution, and taxonomy. Biology is a vast subject containing many subdivisions, topics, and disciplines...
determination of water quality and levels of organic waste (pollution) in rivers and streams. Their methodology was a non-chemical analysis that was based on patterns of abundance and distribution of various biological species. They examined the biological patterns of approximately 800 species of water plants and invertebrate
Invertebrate
An invertebrate is an animal without a backbone. The group includes 97% of all animal species – all animals except those in the chordate subphylum Vertebrata .Invertebrates form a paraphyletic group...
s in their studies, and produced a saprobic index of four zones defining levels of water quality. The term "polysaprobic" was used for river environments with a large amount of decaying organic matter; "oligosaprobic" described locations with the least amount of organic waste, while alpha- and beta-"mesosaprobic" defined moderately polluted habitats. Later, this index was expanded into nine zones, with "xenosaprobic" being the least polluted and "ultrasaprobic" having the highest level of waste.
The genus Kolkwitzia is named after Kolkwitz. It contains one species, Kolkwitzia amabilis
Kolkwitzia amabilis
Kolkwitzia amabilis is a species of woody flowering plant in the honeysuckle family known in the US by the common name Beauty Bush, for amabilis, "lovely". The plant originated in Central China, where it was twice discovered, once by the Jesuit missionary Giuseppe Giraldi in Shensi and then in...
, which is commonly known as a "beauty bush". Also a device known in Germany as a Kolkwitzkammer is named after him, which is an instrument used to determine the quantity of cells and cell aggregates of phytoplankton
Phytoplankton
Phytoplankton are the autotrophic component of the plankton community. The name comes from the Greek words φυτόν , meaning "plant", and πλαγκτός , meaning "wanderer" or "drifter". Most phytoplankton are too small to be individually seen with the unaided eye...
.