Richard Maack facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Richard Maack
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| Born | September 4, 1825 Kuressaare, Governorate of Livonia
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| Died | November 25, 1886 (aged 61) |
| Occupation | Naturalist, geographer, botanist, and educator |
Richard Otto Maack (also known as Richard Karlovic Maak) was an important Russian naturalist, geographer, and anthropologist in the 1800s. He is best known for exploring the far eastern parts of Russia and Siberia, especially the areas around the Ussuri and Amur rivers. He wrote some of the first scientific descriptions of nature in these remote places. He also collected many plant and animal samples, including some that were completely new to science.
Maack was a Baltic German from Estonia. During his lifetime, Estonia was controlled by the Russian Empire. He was a member of the Siberian branch of the Russian Geographical Society, a group that studies geography and explores new lands.
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Richard Maack's Life and Explorations
Richard Maack studied natural sciences at the University of St. Petersburg. In 1852, he became a professor of natural sciences at a high school in Irkutsk, Russia. Later, he became the director of that school. From 1868 to 1879, he was in charge of all schools in northern Siberia.
During the 1850s, Maack went on several important trips in Siberia. These included expeditions to the Amur River valley (1855–1856) and the Ussuri River (1859). He also joined the Russian Geographical Society's first expedition (1853–1855). This trip aimed to describe the mountains, geology, and people of the Vilyuy and Chona River areas.
He is also known for discovering a type of plant called Syringa reticulata var. amurensis. He found it at the same time as another scientist, Carl Maximowicz, but they worked independently.
Plants Named After Richard Maack
Maack is famous for finding new species of plants and sending them to scientists. These scientists would then describe and name them. Many plants he found on his Amur River trip were named in his honor.
- Maackia amurensis — This is known as the Amur maackia.
- Lonicera maackii — This plant is called the Amur Honeysuckle.
- Prunus maackii — This is known as the Amur choke cherry.
- Iris maackii — This is a type of Iris that can grow in wet areas.
- Aster maackii
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Amur maackia is a small tree.
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Amur Bush Honeysuckle
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Amur choke cherry is a small tree.
Animals Named After Richard Maack
One animal species was named after Richard Maack:
- Pelodiscus maackii (Brandt, 1857) — This is a type of turtle called the Amur softshell turtle.
See also
In Spanish: Richard Maack para niños
