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Christen C. Raunkiær

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Christen C. Raunkiær
c. 1930
Born29 March 1860
Lyhne,Jutland,Denmark
Died11 March 1938(1938-03-12)(aged 77)
Copenhagen,Denmark
NationalityDanish
Alma materUniversity of Copenhagen
Known forRaunkiær life forms,Raunkiær's frequency law
Scientific career
FieldsPlantecology,botany
InstitutionsUniversity of Copenhagen
Doctoral advisorEugen Warming
Doctoral studentsJohannes Iversen
Carsten Olsen
Author abbrev. (botany)Raunk.
Signature

Christen Christensen Raunkiær(29 March 1860 – 11 March 1938) was aDanishbotanist,who was a pioneer ofplant ecology.He is mainly remembered for his scheme of plant strategies to survive an unfavourable season ( "life forms" ) and his demonstration that the relative abundance of strategies in floras largely corresponded to the Earth's climatic zones. This scheme, theRaunkiær system,is still widely used today and may be seen as a precursor of modern plant strategy schemes, e.g.J. Philip Grime'sCSR system.

Life

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He was born on a small heathland farm, named Raunkiær, in Lyhne parish in westernJutland,Denmark.He later took his surname after it. He succeededEugen Warmingas professor in botany at theUniversity of Copenhagenand the director of theCopenhagen Botanical Garden,a position he held from 1912 to 1923. He was married to the author and artistIngeborg Raunkiær(1863–1921), who accompanied him on journeys to the West Indies and the Mediterranean and made line drawings for his botanical works. They divorced in 1915, the same year as their only sonBarclay Raunkiærdied. Raunkiær later married the botanistAgnete Seidelin(1874–1956).

Raunkiær's research axiom was that everything countable in nature should be subjected to numerical analysis, e.g. the number of male and female catkins inmoneciousplants and the number of male and female individuals indioeciousplants. Raunkiær also was an early student ofapomixisin flowering plants andhybrid swarms.In addition, he studied the effect ofsoil pHon plants and plants on soil pH, a work his apprenticeCarsten Olsencontinued.

After his retirement, C. Raunkiær made numerical studies of plants and flora in the literature ( "The flora and the heathland poets", "The dandelion in Danish poetry", "Plants in the psalms" ). In these studies, he applied strict quantitative criteria, like in his ecological studies. For example, he defined a poet as a person who has written 1,000 or more lines of verse.

Legacy

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Life form spectra

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Main article:Raunkiær plant life-form

Raunkiær devised a system for categorising plants bylife-formas a way of ecologically meaningful comparison of species and vegetation in regions having differentfloras.

Raunkiær compared statistically local life form spectra (relative abundance) with the world average, which he called "the normal spectrum" (Raunkiær 1918 – see below). Thereby, he devised the first null model in the history of ecology. Raunkiær was a keen naturalist, who described thefloraandfungiofDenmark,theVirgin Islands,Tunisia,and other countries. In contrast to many contemporary naturalist, however, he strongly promoted quantitative and numerical approaches and experimentation. He devised a method to quantify the abundance of plants in vegetation as frequency in subplots and used it for quantitative studies of a range of plant communities.

Raunkiær's law

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Main article:occupancy frequency distribution

When plotting the number of species in a plant community that fell in each 20-percentile frequency class from very frequent, i.e. numerically dominant, to very infrequent, Raunkiær discovered that most species were either very common or very rare. This came to be known as "Raunkiær's law" and is related toR. A. Fisher's logseries distribution and toFrank W. Preston's lognormal distribution of the number of individuals of each species in a community.[1][2]The significance of his idea was, however, disputed already by some of his contemporaries.[3]

Leaf size in plant geography

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As a further experiment in characterizing plant communities, Raunkiaer devised a numerical scheme based on leaf size classes and leaf type (simple orcompound) that was extended byL. J. Webb[4]and is used as a way to classify forest types more simply than by lists of component species.[5][6][7]

The standardauthor abbreviationRaunk.is used to indicate this person as the author whencitingabotanical name.[8]
Raunkiær in 1896
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Farley Mowat,in his book,Never Cry Wolf,described using a Raunkiær's Circle in making a "cover degree" study to determine the ratios of various plants one to the other. He spoke of it as "a device designed in hell."[9]

Scientific publications

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  • Raunkiær, C. (1887)Frøskallens Bygning og Udviklingshistorie hosGeraniaceerne.Botanisk Tidsskrift16, 152–167.
  • Raunkiær, C. (1888–89)MyxomycetesDaniae eller Danmarks Slimsvampe.Botanisk Tidsskrift17, 20-105 Description in English of some new and of some unsatisfactorily known species of Myxomycetes described in the preceding treatise.Botanisk Tidsskrift17, 106–110.
  • Raunkiær, C. (1889) Notes on the vegetation of theNorth-Frisian Islandsand a contribution to an eventual flora of these islands.Botanisk Tidsskrift17, 179–196.
  • Raunkiær, C. (1893)Vegetationsorganernes Morphologi og Biologi hos de danskeCyperaceer- Bestøvning og Frugtsaetning hos de danskeCyperaceer.Botanisk Tidsskrift18, 19–23.
  • Raunkiær, C. (1895)De danske Blomsterplanters Naturhistorie.l. Enkimbladede. Gyldendalske Boghandels Forlag, København.
  • Raunkiær, C. (1901)Om Papildannelsen hosAira caespitosa.Botanisk Tidsskrift24, 223–238.
  • Raunkiær, C. (1902)Statistisk Undersøgelse over Forholdet mellem Han- og Hunrakler hos voreAlnus-arter.Botanisk Tidsskrift24, 289–296.
  • Raunkiær, C. (1903) Anatomical Potamogeton-Studies andPotamogeton fluitans.Botanisk Tidsskrift25, 253–280.
  • Ostenfeld, C.H.& Raunkiær, C. (1903)Kastreringsforsøg medHieraciumog andreCichorieae[English summary].Botanisk Tidsskrift25, 409–413.
  • Raunkiær, C. (1904)Comment les plantes géophytes à rhizomes apprécient la profondeur où se trouvent placés leurs rhizomes.Oversigt over DetKongelige Danske Videnskabernes SelskabsForhandlinger, 1904, 330–349.
  • Raunkiær, C. (1904)Om biologiske typer, med hensyn til planternes zilpasninger til at overleve ugunstige aarstider.Botanisk Tidsskrift26, XIV. THIS PAGE DOES NOT CONTAIN A PAPER BY RAUNKIAER WITH THAT TITLE NOR DOES THE ENTIRE VOLUME. Ch. 1 in Raunkiær (1934): Biological types with reference to the adaption of plants to survive the unfavourable season, p. 1.
  • Raunkiær, C. (1905)Types biologiques pour la géographie botanique.Oversigt over DetKongelige Danske Videnskabernes SelskabsForhandlinger, 1905, 347–438.THIS PAGE RANGE SEEMS DOUBTFUL, BUT IS REPEATED ON UMPTEEN ONLINE PAGES.
  • Raunkiær, C. (1905)Om Talforholdene mellem Kønnene hos tvebo Planter og om Talforholdet mellem hanlige og hunlige individer i Afkommet af Hunplanter og tvekønnede Planter hos Gynodiøcister.Botanisk Tidsskrift26, 86–88.
  • Raunkiær, C. (1906)Edderkopper og blomsterbesøgende Insekter.Botanisk Tidsskrift27, 313–316.
  • Raunkiær, C. (1906)Sur la transmission par hérédité dans les espèces hétéromorphes.Oversigt over DetKongelige Danske Videnskabernes SelskabsForhandlinger, 1906, 31–39.
  • Raunkiær, C. (1907)Planterigets Livsformer og deres Betydning for Geografien. Gyldendalske Boghandel - Nordisk Forlag, København and Kristiania.132 pp. Ch. 2 in Raunkiær (1934): The life-forms of plants and their bearings on geography, p. 2-104.
  • Raunkiær, C. (1907)Om Livsformen hosTussilago farfarus.Et lille Bidrag til Følfodens Naturhistorie.Botanisk Tidsskrift28, 210. Ch. 3 in Raunkiær (1934): The life-form ofTussilago farfarus,p. 105-110.
  • Raunkiær, C. (1908)Livsformernes Statistik som Grundlag for biologisk Plantegeografi.Botanisk Tidsskrift29, 42–43. German translation:Statistik der Lebensformen als Grundlage für die biologische Pflanzengeographie.Beiheft zum Bot. Centralbl., 27 (2), 171-206 (1910). Ch. 4 in Raunkiær (1924): The statistics of life-forms as a basis for biological plant geography, p. 111-147.
  • Raunkiær, C. (1908)Fungifrom theDanish West Indiescollected 1905–1906.Botanisk Tidsskrift29, 1–3.
  • Raunkiær, C. (1909)Livsformen hos Planter paa ny Jord.Kongelige Danske Videnskabernes SelskabsSkrifter - Naturvidenskabelig og Mathematisk Afdeling, 7.Rk., 8, 1-70. Ch. 5 in Raunkiær (1934): The life-forms of plants on new soil, p. 148-200.
  • Raunkiær, C. (1909a)Formationsundersøgelse og Formationsstatistik.Botanisk Tidsskrift30, 20–132. Ch. 6 in Raunkiær (1934): Investigations and statistics of plant formations, p. 201-282.
  • Raunkiær, C. (1911)Det arktiske og antarktiske Chamaefyteklima.In: Biologiske Arbejder tilegnedeEug. Warmingpaa hans 70 Aars Fødselsdag den 3. Nov. 1911. Kjøbenhavn. Ch. 7 in Raunkiær (1934): The Arctic and Antarctic chamaephyte climate, p. 283-302.
  • Raunkiær, C. (1912) Measuring-apparatus for statistical investigations of plant-formations.Botanisk Tidsskrift33, 45–48.
  • Raunkiær, C. (1913)Formationsstatistiske Undersøgelser paaSkagensOdde.Botanisk Tidsskrift33, 197–243. Ch. 8 in Raunkiær (1934): Statistical investigations of the plant formations ofSkagens Odde(The Skaw), p. 303-342.
  • Raunkiær, C. (1914)Sur la végétation des alluvions méditerranéennes françaises.Mindeskrift i Anledning af Hundredeaaret forJapetus SteenstrupsFødsel (eds H. F. E. Jungersen &E. Warming), pp. 1–33. København. Ch. 9 in Raunkiær (1934): On the vegetation of the French mediterranean alluvia, p. 343-367.
  • Raunkiær, C. (1916)Om Bladstørrelsens Anvendelse i den biologiske Plantegeografi.Botanisk Tidsskrift34, 1–13. Ch. 10 in Raunkiær (1934): The use of leaf size in biological plant geography, p. 368-378
  • Raunkiær, C. (1916)Om Valensmetoden.Botanisk Tidsskrift34, 289–311.
  • Raunkiær, C. (1918)Om Løvspringstiden hos Afkommet af Bøge med forskellig Løvspringstid[English summary]: On leaftime in the descendants frombeecheswith different leaftimes].Botanisk Tidsskrift36, 197–203.
  • Raunkiær, C. (1918)Recherches statistiques sur les formations végétales.Biologiske Meddelelser /Kongelige Danske Videnskabernes Selskab,1 (3), 1-80. Ch 11 in Raunkiær (1934): Statistical researches on plant formations, p. 379-424.
  • Raunkiær, C. (1918)Über das biologische Normalspektrum.Biologiske Meddelelser /Kongelige Danske Videnskabernes Selskab,1 (4), 1–17. Ch. 12 in Raunkiær (1934): On the biological normal spectrum, p. 425-434.
  • Raunkiær, C. (1918)Über die verhältnismässige Anzahl männlicher und weiblicher Individuen beiRumex thyrsiflorusFingerh.Biologiske Meddelelser /Kongelige Danske Videnskabernes Selskab,1 (7), 1–17.
  • Børgesen, F.& Raunkiær, C. (1918)Mosses and Lichens collected in the former Danish West Indies.Dansk Botanisk Arkiv2 (9): 1–18.
  • Raunkiær, C. (1919)Über Homodromie und Antidromie insbesondere beiGramineen.Biologiske Meddelelser /Kongelige Danske Videnskabernes Selskab,1 (12), 1-22.
  • Raunkiær, C. (1920)Egern, Mus, og Grankogler.En naturhistorisk Studie. Biologiske Meddelelser /Kongelige Danske Videnskabernes Selskab,2 (4), 1-90.
  • Raunkiær, C. (1920)Om Kryptogamernes Betydning for Karakteriseringen af Planteklimaterne.Botanisk Tidsskrift37, 151–158. Ch. 13 in Raunkiær (1934): On the significance of Cryptogams for characterizing Plant climates, p. 435-442.
  • Raunkiær, C. (1922)Forskellige Vegetationstypers forskellige Indflydelse paa Jordbundens Surhedsgrad (Brintionkoncentration).Biologiske Meddelelser /Kongelige Danske Videnskabernes Selskab,3 (10), 1-74. Ch. 14 in Raunkiær (1934): The different influence exercised by various types of vegetation on the degree of acidity (Hydrogen-ion concentration), p. 443-487.
  • Raunkiær, C. (1926)Nitratindholdet hosAnemone nemorosapaa forskellige Standpladser.Biologiske Meddelelser /Kongelige Danske Videnskabernes Selskab,5 (5), 1-47. Ch. 15 in Raunkiær (1934): The Nitrate content ofAnemone nemorosagrowing in various localities, p. 488-516.
  • Raunkiær, C. (1926)Om danske Agropyrum-Arter.(Isoreagent-Studier II).Botanisk Tidsskrift39, 329–347.
  • Raunkiær, C. (1926)Vegetationen paa Maglehøj (vest for Arresø) og lidt om vore Kaempehøjes Flora i det hele taget.Botanisk Tidsskrift39, 348–356.
  • Raunkiær, C. (1928)Dominansareal, Artstaethed og Formationsdominanter.Biologiske Meddelelser /Kongelige Danske Videnskabernes Selskab,7 (1), 1-47. Ch 16 in Raunkiær (1934): The area of dominance, species density, and formation dominants, p. 517-546.
  • Raunkiær, C. (1928)Myxomycetesfrom theWest Indian IslandsSt. Croix,St. ThomasandSt. Jan.Dansk Botanisk Arkiv5 (16), 1–9.
  • Raunkiær, C. (1930)Variation hosTussilago farfarus L.Botanisk Tidsskrift41, 257–258.
  • Raunkiær, C. (1934)Om de danske Arter afStellaria media-Gruppen.Botaniske Studier, 1. haefte (ed C. Raunkiær), pp. 3–30. J.H. Schultz Forlag, København.
  • Raunkiær, C. (1934)The Life Forms of Plants and Statistical Plant Geography.Introduction byA.G. Tansley.Oxford University Press, Oxford. 632 pp. Collection of 16 of Raunkiær's publications plus one new.
  • Raunkiær, C. (1934) Botanical studies in theMediterranean region.Ch. 17 in The Life Forms of Plants and Statistical Plant Geography, pp. 547–620.
  • Raunkiær, C. (1935) The vegetation of the sand dunes north ofSousse.Botaniske Studier, 3. haefte (ed C. Raunkiær), pp. 244–248. J.H. Schultz Forlag, København.
  • Raunkiær, C. (1936) The life-form spectrum of some Atlantic islands. Botaniske Studier, 4. haefte (ed C. Raunkiær), pp. 249–328. J.H. Schultz Forlag, København.
  • Raunkiær, C. (1937)Artstal, Artstaethed og Praedominanter i danske Plantesamfund.Botaniske Studier, 5. haefte (ed C. Raunkiær), pp. 357–382. J.H. Schultz Forlag, København.
  • Raunkiær, C. (1937)Hudcellepapiller hosCarex arenaria.Botaniske Studier, 5. haefte (ed C. Raunkiær), pp. 329–336. J.H. Schultz Forlag, København.
  • Raunkiær, C. (1937) Life-form, genus area, and number of species. Botaniske Studier, 5. haefte (ed C. Raunkiær), pp. 343–356. J.H. Schultz Forlag, København.
  • Raunkiær, C. (1937)Plantago intermediaogPlantago major.Botaniske Studier, 5. haefte (ed C. Raunkiær), pp. 337–342. J.H. Schultz Forlag, København.

Reviews and biographies

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  • Fuller G.D. (1935). "Raunkiaer's ecological papers".Ecology.16(1): 111–113.doi:10.2307/1932864.JSTOR1932864.
  • Smith W.G. (1913)."Raunkiaer's" life-forms "and statistical methods".Journal of Ecology.1(1): 16–26.doi:10.2307/2255456.JSTOR2255456.
  • Biography by O.G. Petersen in: Dansk Biografisk Lexikon, 1st edn 1887-1905 (ed. Carl Frederik Bricka)
  • Biography byCarl Christensenin: Dansk Biografisk Leksikon, 3rd edn 1979-1984 (ed. Svend Cedergreen Bech).

References

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  1. ^Preston F.W. (1948). "The commonness, and rarity, of species".Ecology.29(3): 254–283.doi:10.2307/1930989.JSTOR1930989.
  2. ^Papp L., Izsák J. (1997). "Bimodality in occurrence classes: a direct consequence of lognormal and logarithmic series distribution of abundances – a numerical experimentation".Oikos.79(1): 191–194.doi:10.2307/3546107.JSTOR3546107.
  3. ^Gleason H.A.(1929). "The significance of Raunkiaer's law of frequency".Ecology.10(4): 406–408.doi:10.2307/1931149.JSTOR1931149.
  4. ^Webb, Leonard James(1959), "A Physiognomic Classification of Australian Rain Forests",Journal of Ecology,47(3): 551–570,doi:10.2307/2257290,JSTOR2257290
  5. ^Mesophyll rainforests of the wet tropics bioregion(PDF),wettropics.gov.au,retrieved13 December2015
  6. ^Tracey, J. G. (John Geoffrey);Webb, L. J. (Leonard James)(1975),Vegetation of the Humid Tropical Region of North Queensland
  7. ^Tracey, J. G. (John Geoffrey)(1982),The Vegetation of the Humid Tropical Region of North Queensland,pp. 13–70
  8. ^International Plant Names Index.Raunk.
  9. ^Mowat, Farley.Never Cry Wolf.Amazon Kindle Edition (electronic): Open Road Media. p. 220.
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