Wilhelm Barthlott

Wilhelm Barthlott ( born June 22, 1946 in Forst ( Baden) ) is a German botanist and bionics. Its official botanical author abbreviation is " Barthlott ".

Barthlott work areas are the systematics and biodiversity research with a focus on tropical ecosystems and the global distribution of biodiversity.

He is one of the pioneers of biological and technical interface research. From his systematic research on scanning electron microscopy of plant surfaces, he developed self-cleaning ( lotus effect ) and permanent air retaining in recent years under water fern (Salvinia effect) technical surfaces. They led to a paradigm shift in certain areas of materials science and enabled the development of biomimetic superhydrophobic surfaces. Under the brand name Lotus - Effect ®, they were an economic success.

His work has been honored with numerous awards and prizes such as the German Environmental Award. He is a full member of the Academy of Sciences and Literature in Mainz, the North Rhine- Westphalian Academy of Sciences and Arts Dusseldorf and the National Academy of Sciences Leopoldina and "Foreign Member" of the Linnean Society of London.

  • 4.1 Selected Publications Biodiversity Research and Tropical Ecology
  • 4.2 Selected Bibliography of Systematic and Evolutionary
  • 4.3 Selected Bibliography Bionics and Interfaces

Life

Wilhelm Barthlott studied biology with a minor in physics, chemistry and geography at the University of Heidelberg and received his PhD in 1973 on the systematics and biogeography of epiphytic cacti. After his habilitation he became Professor at the Free University of Berlin and was there from 1982 - 1985 Head of Department at the Institute of Systematic Botany and Plant Geography. In 1985 he took up an appointment at the Rheinische Friedrich- Wilhelms-Universität Bonn as Director of the Botanical Institute and the Botanical Gardens. Since 2003 he was managing director and founder of the Nees Institute for Biodiversity of Plants and also the director of the Botanical Gardens of the University of Bonn. The garden and the Institute were restructured by him sustained and expanded.

Since 2011, Barthlott Emeritus, but continued to operate as is director of the Research Center "Biodiversity in Change ", a long-term project of the Academy of Sciences and Literature in Mainz and the State of North Rhine -Westphalia. He is a founding member of several national and international committees and associations that are active in the context of biodiversity research, the Botanical Gardens and national and international organizations.

Work

Biodiversity Research and Tropical Ecology

Extensive research, especially in the Andean South America with numerous works on the taxonomy and morphology of neotropical cacti and bromeliads based on analyzes of their surface structures using the scanning electron microscope, the structure and status of vegetation in Madagascar and tropical West Africa as well as for the elucidation of mechanisms for the control and distribution of biodiversity in the tropics. Studies of tropical ecosystems such as model tropical island mountains and epiphytic plants in the canopy of tropical rain forests. Current works mainly concentrate on the global mapping of biodiversity and its macroecological causal dependencies. As part of the run by him BMBF - BIOTA AFRICA project biodiversity patterns in Africa were analyzed as a model continent and examines the potential impacts of climate change.

Systematics and evolution

Systematic / taxonomic work by Wilhelm Barthlott focus on the exploration of the diversity of certain groups of angiosperms. The focus was on the cacti, but also the orchids (especially systematic features of the ultrastructure of the seed coats ). Within his group today are molecular systematic work in the foreground. Systematic and ecological interests are linked in the work area Carnivorous plants. This led to the discovery of the first plant of the protozooenfangenden Reuse traps ( Genlisea ), which also has the highest evolutionary rates and, moreover, the smallest known genome of all flowering plants. The naming of the trap event Genlisea barthlottii honors his achievements in this field.

Furthermore, the monotypic genus Barthlottia madagascariensis and seven other species have been named after him.

Interfacial

Wilhelm Barthlott was the first botanist who began the systematic scanning electron microscopy since 1970 on the elucidation of plant surfaces. This resulted in numerous papers and especially the mid-70s the discovery of the self-cleaning effect of superhydrophobic micro-and nanostructured surfaces that have been implemented technically under the brand name Lotus - Effect ® from 1998. The resulting products are sold worldwide today. Patents and brand name Lotus - Effect ® are today at the company Sto AG.

The biological interface research and bionic are now a central work area in which, above all, the Atomic Force Microscopy is used. The current work deals with permanent air -retaining surfaces modeled on the water fern Salvinia, which is an extremely complex physical principle ( Salvinia ® effect ) is based. A technical implementation would, for example in shipping conceivable: By reducing the frictional resistance of ships could save about 10% of their fuel consumption, a number of high environmental relevance.

Honors and Awards

Works

The bibliography of Wilhelm Barthlott includes over 400 papers, including a dozen books.

Selected Publications Biodiversity Research and Tropical Ecology

  • Márquez, JRG, Dormann, CF, Summer, JH, Schmidt, M., Thiombiano, A., Da, SS, Chatelain, C., Dressler, S. & W. Barthlott (2012 ): A methodological framework to quantify the spatial quality of biological databases. Biodiversity and Ecology 4: 25-39
  • Barthlott, W. ( 2011): Alexander von Humboldt and the discovery of the cosmos biodiversity. In: Albach, H. & E. Neher ( Eds.): Alexander von Humboldt and Charles Darwin - Two reluctant revolutionaries. Wallenstein -Verlag, Göttingen, 35-42
  • Mutke, J., Sommer, JH, Kreft, H., Kier, G. & Barthlott W. (2011): Vascular Plant Diversity in a Changing World: Global Centres and Biome -Specific Patterns. In: Zachos, FE & JC Habel (eds. ): Biodiversity Hotspots - Evolution and Conservation. Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg 2011, Part 1, 83-96
  • Sommer, JH, Kreft, H., Kier, G., Jetz, W. Mutke, J. & W. Barthlott (2010): Projected impacts of climate change on regional Capacities for global planning species richness. Proceedings of the Royal Society B 277: 2271-2280
  • Kier, G., Kreft, H., Lee, TM, Jetz, W., Ibisch, P., Nowicki, C., Mutke, J. & W. Barthlott (2009): A global assessment of endemism and species richness across Iceland and mainland regions. PNAS 106: 9322-9327
  • Barthlott, W., Szarzynski, J., Vlek, P., Lobin, W. & N. Korotkova (2009): A torch in the rain forest: thermogenesis of the Titan arum ( Amorphophallus titanum ). Plant Biol 11: 499-505
  • Kreft, H., Jetz, W., Mutke, J., Kier, G. & Barthlott W. (2008): Global diversity of floras from a macroecological perspective Iceland. Ecology Letters 11: 116-127
  • Barthlott, W., Hostert, A., Kier, G., cooper, W., Kreft, H., Mutke, J., Rafiqpoor, MD, Summer, JH (2007): Geographic patterns of vascular plant diversity at continental to global scale. Geography 61: 305-315
  • Kreft, H., Sommer, J. H. & W. Barthlott (2006): The Significance of geographic range size for the explanation of spatial diversity patterns. Ecography 29: 21-30
  • Küper, W., Sommer, JH, Lovett, JC, Mutke, J., Linder, HP, Beentje, HJ, Van Rompaey, RSAR, Chatelain, C., Sosef, M. & W. Barthlott (2004): Africa's hotspots of biodiversity redefined. Ann. Missouri Bot Gard. 91: 525-535
  • Nieder, J. & Barthlott W. (eds. ) (2001 ): Epiphytes and canopy fauna of the Otonga rainforest (Ecuador) Results of the Bonn - Quito epiphyte project, funded by the Volkswagen Foundation. Books on Demand GmbH Vol 1-3
  • Barthlott, W. & M. Winick (eds. ) (2001 ): Biodiversity. A Challenge for development research and policy. Springer, Berlin Heidelberg New York Tokyo, pp. 429 1st edition 1998, second edition 2001
  • Porembski, S. & W. Barthlott (eds. ) (2000 ): Island Mountain: biotic diversity of isolated rock outcrops in tropical and temperate regions. Ecological Studies Vol 146 Springer -Verlag, Berlin Heidelberg New York Tokyo, pp. 528
  • Barthlott, W., Lauer, W. & A. Placke (1996 ): Global distribution of species diversity in vascular plants: towards a world map of phytodiversity. Geography 50: 317-327

Selected Bibliography of Systematic and Evolutionary

  • Korotkova, N., Borsch, T., Quandt, D., Taylor, NP, Muller, K. & W. Barthlott (2011): What does it take to resolve relationships and to identify species with molecular markers? An example from the epiphytic Rhipsalideae ( Cactaceae ). Am. J. Bot 98: 1549-1572
  • Korotkova, N., Zabel, L., Quandt, D. & W. Barthlott (2010): A phylogenetic analysis of Pfeiffera and the reinstatement of Lymanbensonia as to Independently evolved lineage of epiphytic Cactaceae within a new tribe Lymanbensonieae. Willdenowia - Annals of the Botanic Garden and Botanical Museum Berlin- Dahlem, 40: 151-172
  • Müller, K., Borsch, T., Legendre, L., Porembski, S. & W. Barthlott (2006): Recent progress in understanding the evolution of carnivorous Lentibulariaceae ( Lamiales ). Plant Biology 8: 748-757
  • Greilhuber, J., Borsch, T., Müller, K., Worberg, A., Porembski, S. & W. Barthlott (2006): Smallest angiosperm genomes found in Lentibulariaceae, with chromosomes of bacterial size. Plant Biology 8: 770-777
  • Barthlott, W., Porembski S., Seine, R. & I. Theisen (2004): carnivores. Biology and culture of carnivorous plants. Verlag Eugen Ulmer, Stuttgart (English edition: Barthlott, W., Porembski, S., Seine, R. & I. Theisen (2007): .. The curious world of carnivorous plants A comprehensive guide to Their biology and cultivation Timber Press )
  • Borsch, T., Hilu, KW, Quandt, D. Wilde, V., Neinhuis, C. & W. Barthlott (2003) Noncoding plastid trnT - trnF sequences reveal a well resolved phylogeny of basal angiosperms. Journal of Evolutionary Biology 16: 1-19
  • Barthlott, W., Porembski, S., Fischer, E. & B. Gemmel (1998): First protozoa -trapping plant found. Nature 392: 447
  • Barthlott, W. & NP Taylor ( 1995): Notes towards a monograph of Rhipsalideae ( Cactaceae ). Bradleya 13: 43-79
  • Barthlott, W. & D. R. Hunt ( 1993): Cactaceae. In: Kubitzki, K. ( ed.) The families and genera of vascular plants, Vol II, Springer, Berlin Heidelberg New York Tokyo, pp 161-197

Selected Bibliography Bionics and Interfaces

  • . Yan, YY, Gao, N. & W. Barthlott (2011): Mimicking natural superhydrophobic surfaces and grasping the wetting process: A review on recent progress in preparing superhydrophobic surfaces. Advances in Colloid and Interface Science 169: 108-105
  • Cerman, Z., Barthlott, W. & J. Low (2011): Inventions of nature. Bionic - What we can learn from plants and animals. Rowohlt Paperback Publisher
  • Barthlott, W. & K. Koch ( 2011): Biomimetic materials. Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2: 135-136
  • Barthlott, W. & K. Koch ( eds. ) ( 2011): Biomimetic materials, Thematic Series, Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2
  • Balmert, A., Bohn, HF, Ditsche - Kuru, P. & W. Barthlott (2011): Dry Underwater: Comparative Morphology and Functional Aspects of Air - Retaining Insect Surfaces. Journal of Morphology Vol 272:442-451
  • Koch, K., Bhushan, B., & W. Barthlott (2010): Functional plant surfaces, smart materials. In: B. Bhushan ( Ed. ) Handbook of Nanotechnology, 3rd Ed. Springer, Heidelberg London New York, p. 1961, pp. 1399-1436
  • Konrad, W., Apeltauer, C., woman servant, J., Barthlott, W. & A. Roth- fog Sick ( 2009) Applying methods from differential geometry to devise stable and persistent air layers attached to objects immersed in water. Journal of Bionic Engineering 6: 350-356
  • Koch, K. & W. Barthlott (2009): superhydrophobic and superhydrophilic plant surfaces: an inspiration for biomimetic materials. Review Phil Trans R. Soc. A 367: 1487-1509
  • Koch, K., Bushan, B. & W. Barthlott (2008): Diversity of structure, morphology and wetting of Plant Surfaces. Soft Matter 4: 1943-1963
  • SOLGA, A., Cerman, Z., Striffler, BF, Spaeth, M. & Barthlott, W. ( 2007): The dream of staying clean: Lotus and biomimetic surfaces. Bioinspiration & Biomimetics 2, 1-9
  • Barthlott, W., Neinhuis, C., Cutler, D., Ditsch, F., Meusel, I., Theisen, I. & H. Wilhelmi (1998): Classification and terminology of plant epicuticular waxes. Botanical Journal of the Linnean Society 126: 237-260
  • Barthlott, W. & C. Neinhuis (1997): Purity of the sacred lotus, or escape from contamination in biological surfaces. Planta 202: 1-8
  • Neinhuis, C. & W. Barthlott (1997): Characterization and distribution of water - repellent, self-cleaning plant surfaces. Annals of Botany 79: 667-677
  • Barthlott, W. ( 1990): Scanning electron microscopy of the epidermal surface in plants. In: CLAUGHER, D. ( ed.): Application of the scanning EM in taxonomy and functional morphology. Systematics Association 's Special Volume. Clarendon Press, Oxford, pp. 69-94
  • Barthlott, W. & N. Ehler (1977 ): Scanning electron microscopy of the epidermal surface of Spermatophyta. Tropical and subtropical flora 19, Acad. Lit Mainz. Franz Steiner Verlag, Stuttgart

Evidence

  • Curriculum Vitae on the website of the Nees Institute for Biodiversity of the Rheinische Friedrich- Wilhelms-Universität Bonn, online
  • Complete list of publications on the website of the Nees Institute for Biodiversity of the Rheinische Friedrich- Wilhelms-Universität Bonn, online
Forst (Baden) Assimilative capacity Botanische Gärten der Friedrich-Wilhelms-Universität Bonn Monadnock International Plant Names Index Integrated Authority File Bruchsal
5855
de