Richard Maack
Encyclopedia
Richard Otto Maack was a 19th century Russian
naturalist
, geographer
, and anthropologist
. He is most known for his exploration of the Russian Far East
and Siberia
, particularly the Ussuri
and Amur River valleys. He wrote some of the first scientific descriptions of the natural history of remote Siberia and collected many biological specimens, many of which were original type specimens of previously unknown species.
Ethnically Maack was an Estonian
; however, the Russian Empire
controlled this country during his lifetime. He was a member of the Siberian branch of the Russian Geographical Society
.
He studied natural sciences at the University of St. Petersburg. In 1852 he became a professor of natural sciences at the Gymnasium in Irkutsk
and later director of the school. From 1868 to 1879, he was the superintendent of all schools of northern Siberia.
During the 1850s he undertook a number of expeditions in Siberia including those to the Amur River valley (1855–1856) and the Ussuri River
(1859). He also participated in a Russian Geographical Society's first expedition (1853–55) to describe the orography, geology and population of the Vilyuy and Chona River basins.
He is credited with discovering Syringa reticulata var. amurensis
simultaneously and independently of Carl Maximowicz
.
Russia
Russia or , officially known as both Russia and the Russian Federation , is a country in northern Eurasia. It is a federal semi-presidential republic, comprising 83 federal subjects...
naturalist
Natural history
Natural history is the scientific research of plants or animals, leaning more towards observational rather than experimental methods of study, and encompasses more research published in magazines than in academic journals. Grouped among the natural sciences, natural history is the systematic study...
, geographer
Geography
Geography is the science that studies the lands, features, inhabitants, and phenomena of Earth. A literal translation would be "to describe or write about the Earth". The first person to use the word "geography" was Eratosthenes...
, and anthropologist
Anthropology
Anthropology is the study of humanity. It has origins in the humanities, the natural sciences, and the social sciences. The term "anthropology" is from the Greek anthrōpos , "man", understood to mean mankind or humanity, and -logia , "discourse" or "study", and was first used in 1501 by German...
. He is most known for his exploration of the Russian Far East
Russian Far East
Russian Far East is a term that refers to the Russian part of the Far East, i.e., extreme east parts of Russia, between Lake Baikal in Eastern Siberia and the Pacific Ocean...
and Siberia
Siberia
Siberia is an extensive region constituting almost all of Northern Asia. Comprising the central and eastern portion of the Russian Federation, it was part of the Soviet Union from its beginning, as its predecessor states, the Tsardom of Russia and the Russian Empire, conquered it during the 16th...
, particularly the Ussuri
Ussuri River
The Usuri ula is a river in the south of the Outer Manchuria and east of Inner Manchuria . It rises in the Sikhote-Alin range, flowing north, forming part of the Sino-Russian border based on the Sino-Russian Convention of Peking in 1860, until it joins the Amur River at Khabarovsk . It is...
and Amur River valleys. He wrote some of the first scientific descriptions of the natural history of remote Siberia and collected many biological specimens, many of which were original type specimens of previously unknown species.
Ethnically Maack was an Estonian
Estonians
Estonians are a Finnic people closely related to the Finns and inhabiting, primarily, the country of Estonia. They speak a Finnic language known as Estonian...
; however, the Russian Empire
Russian Empire
The Russian Empire was a state that existed from 1721 until the Russian Revolution of 1917. It was the successor to the Tsardom of Russia and the predecessor of the Soviet Union...
controlled this country during his lifetime. He was a member of the Siberian branch of the Russian Geographical Society
Russian Geographical Society
The Russian Geographical Society is a learned society, founded on 6 August 1845 in Saint Petersburg, Russia.-Imperial Geographical Society:Prior to the Russian Revolution of 1917, it was known as the Imperial Russian Geographical Society....
.
Biography
Irkutsk
Irkutsk is a city and the administrative center of Irkutsk Oblast, Russia, one of the largest cities in Siberia. Population: .-History:In 1652, Ivan Pokhabov built a zimovye near the site of Irkutsk for gold trading and for the collection of fur taxes from the Buryats. In 1661, Yakov Pokhabov...
and later director of the school. From 1868 to 1879, he was the superintendent of all schools of northern Siberia.
During the 1850s he undertook a number of expeditions in Siberia including those to the Amur River valley (1855–1856) and the Ussuri River
Ussuri River
The Usuri ula is a river in the south of the Outer Manchuria and east of Inner Manchuria . It rises in the Sikhote-Alin range, flowing north, forming part of the Sino-Russian border based on the Sino-Russian Convention of Peking in 1860, until it joins the Amur River at Khabarovsk . It is...
(1859). He also participated in a Russian Geographical Society's first expedition (1853–55) to describe the orography, geology and population of the Vilyuy and Chona River basins.
He is credited with discovering Syringa reticulata var. amurensis
Syringa reticulata
Syringa reticulata is a species of Lilac, native to eastern Asia, in northern Japan , northern China, Korea, and far southeastern Russia....
simultaneously and independently of Carl Maximowicz
Carl Maximowicz
Carl Johann Maximowicz was a Russian botanist. Maximowicz spent most of his life studying the flora of the countries he had visited in the Far East, and naming many new species...
.
Plants named after him
Maack is most famous for collecting previously unknown species and sending specimens back for scientific descriptions and naming. A number of those he found on his Amur River expedition bear his name.- Maackia amurensisMaackia amurensisThe tree species Maackia amurensis is commonly known as the Amur maackia. The species epithet and common names are from the Amur River region, where the tree originated....
— Amur maackia - Lonicera maackiiLonicera maackiiLonicera maackii is a species of honeysuckle in the family Caprifoliaceae, native to temperate Asia in northern and western China , Mongolia, Japan , Korea, and southeastern Russia .It is listed as an endangered species in Japan...
— Amur Honeysuckle - Prunus maackiiPrunus maackiiPrunus maackii, commonly called the Manchurian cherry or Amur chokecherry, is a species of cherry native to Korea and both banks of the Amur River, in Manchuria in northeastern China, and Amur Oblast and Primorye in southeastern Russia....
— Amur choke cherry
Plants named by him
- Nymphaea tetragona var. wenzelii (Maack) F.Henkel et al.
- Pleopeltis ussuriensis Regel & Maack
- Rubia chinensis Regel & Maack
Selected publications
- Puteshestvie na Amur/Путешествие на Амур (Travels on the Amur). 1859. St. Petersburg.
- Puteshestvie po doline ryeki Ussuri/Путешествие в долину реки Уссури (Journey through the Ussuri river valley). 1861 St. Petersburg.
- Вилюйский округ Якутской области (Vilyuysky District Yakut area) (1877–86)
- Очерк флоры Уссурийской страны (Essay flora Ussuri country) 1862.
- Енисейская губерния (Yenisei province) in the "List of settlements Russian Empire".