Prof. Dr. Rainer Matyssek
- Tree ecophysiology
- Stress physiology
- Dendrology
- Global change and effects of immissions
Peter Schütt (1926 - 2010)
With Peter Schütt forest pathology and dendrology regained importance in teaching and research. In 1970 Schütt was appointed by Saarbrücken to a chair vacant for 4 years. His key activities were mainly influenced by the appearance of the "dying forests" topic at the beginning of the 80s. In a period of over 10 years numerous papers on the etiology and symptomatology of damage to pine, spruce, oak and beech trees as well as on the closely connected topics root biology and pathology were published. However Schütt was especially devoted to dendrology. The 'Enzyclopädie der Holzgewächse' set off by Schütt and covering over 400 descriptions of tree species, promises to become the most comprehensive and extensive dendrological work which will include all wood plants on a long-term.
Bruno Huber (1899 - 1969)
Like its predecessor, Bruno Huber was appointed to Munich away from Tharandt. He received his education in Austria, followed by first stages of his academic career in Greifswald, Darmstadt and Freiburg. His main areas of interests included the fields of physiology and anatomy of plants. The roots of both the modern gas exchange physiology and the tree-ring chronology in Europe go back to Bruno Huber and his staff.
Especially the tree-ring chronology was all his love.The creative power of Bruno Huber is documented by over 200 publications. Especially water balance in the broader sense and wood and bark anatomy played hereby a prominent role.
Ernst Münch (1876 - 1946)
After studying in Aschaffenburg and Munich (among others with Robert Hartig), Ernst Münch was an assistant of Carl Freiherr von Tubeuf. Before Münch was appointed to professor in 1933, he worked at the Reichsanstalt für Land- und Forstwirtschaft in Berlin and was director at the Institute of Forest Botany of the Royal Saxon Academy of Forestry in Tharandt. His key activities were within the areas of physiology, dendrology and pathology. Most famous is hereby his theory of the transport of assimilates in plants ("Pressure flow hypothesis"), but also numerous works on tree breeds, pine resin, blue stain fungi or disease susceptibility were important for future research in the fields of forest botany.
Carl Freiherr von Tubeuf (1862 - 1941)
After studying forestry in Aschaffenburg and Munich, Carl Freiherr von Tubeuf was assistant to Robert Hartig. From 1898 to 1901 he was working at the Imperial Health Office in Berlin. Afterwards he was appointed as the successor of his deceased father-in-law to the chair of anatomy, physiology and pathology of plants in 1902. Freiherr von Tubeuf's main areas of work were the fields of dendrology and pathology (including diseases of cereals). His versatility is demonstrated by numerous publications like his still fundamental monograph on the mistletoe. His lifetime achievements were honoured by the the American Phytopathological Society under the title 'Carl Freiherr von Tubeuf: Pioneer in Biological Control of Plant Diseases'.
Robert Hartig (1839 - 1901)
Robert Hartig was the head of the chair of anatomy, physiology and pathology of plants, as well as the director of the botanical department of the Forest Research Institute and came from a family with a history in forestry. Hartig was both influenced by his grandfather Georg Ludwig Hartig (who is considered to be the founder of Forestry Science) as well as his father Theodor Hartig (a famous forester and botanist). Consistent with the former name of the chair, his main research topics were anatomy, physiology and pathology of plants, especially of forest plants. Hartig is considered the co-founder of the scientific wood science, however even more groundbreaking were his work and findings in the field of pathology. Along with Moritz Will, Hartig deserves to be referred to as the father of Forest Phytopathology.