Walter Kubiëna

Walter Ludwig Konstantin Ritter von Kubiëna (born June 30, 1897 in Neutitschein , Moravia , † December 28, 1970 in Klagenfurt ) was an Austrian soil scientist . He is considered to be the founder of micromorphological soil research .

Life path

Walter Kubiëna studied agriculture at the University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences in Vienna and geology at the University of Vienna . In 1927 he did his doctorate at the University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences with the dissertation " Pedological Structure of the Upper Austrian Lake Foreland ". He then worked as a scientific assistant to Hermann Kaserer at the chair for agricultural crop production at the University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences in Vienna, where he initially dealt with questions of fertilization, but then turned to soil micromorphological studies. In 1931 he received the Venia legendi for the subject " Plant cultivation with special consideration of agricultural soil science " at this university . After several research stays in the USA , he was entrusted in 1937 as an associate professor with the management of the chair for geology and soil science at the University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences in Vienna. In 1941 he was appointed full professor and director of the institute of the same name. He worked here until 1945.

In 1948 Kubiëna took over the management of the Soil Science Department at the Federal Research Center for Alpine Agriculture in Admont ( Styria ). In 1950 he followed a call to Madrid , where he developed an active research and teaching activity as an honorary member of the Spanish Research Council. From 1955 to 1966 he was head of the soil science department at the Federal Research Institute for Forestry and Wood Management in Reinbek near Hamburg and at the same time honorary professor at the University of Hamburg . Even in retirement, he remained active in research and went on numerous research trips.

Research services

During several research stays in the USA (1931/33), Kubiëna examined new crystal formations in soil cavities using microscopic methods . The ground thin section method he used gave him new insights into the diversity of forms in the pedosphere . Soil micromorphology became his central research area for the next few decades . His book " Micropedology ", the first standard work on soil micromorphology , emerged from guest lectures at Iowa State College in Ames ( USA ) in 1938 . With this work he opened up a new dimension in soil science and had a lasting influence on international research in the fields of soil genesis , soil systematics and soil geography .

Kubiëna has published over a hundred articles in specialist journals and other fundamental books on this new perspective on soil research, including soil micromorphological methods. His work on the development of the soil , published in 1948, is considered to have had the greatest impact . His most important methodological work is the handbook " The micromorphometric soil analysis " published by him and other colleagues in 1967 .

Kubiëna undertook numerous research trips , especially to tropical regions. Here he studied questions of weathering and soil formation , as well as the decomposition of forest litter . As one of the first soil scientists, he demonstrated the importance of soil animals for humus formation . Essential findings of his research work have found their way into the currently valid systematics of German soils. His achievements in the field of soil geography are best documented in the book " Basic features of geopedology and the change in shape of soils " published by F. Blümel and F. Solar in 1986 from his estate .

honors and awards

Kubiëna has received numerous honors and awards for his scientific life's work. In 1954 he was awarded the Justus von Liebig Prize of the Alfred Toepfer Foundation . Kubiëna was an honorary member of the Spanish Supreme Research Council as well as the Austrian, German and International Soil Science Society. He was also a member of the German Academy of Sciences Leopoldina in Halle / Saale and honorary professor at the University of Santa Maria Rio Grande do Sul (Brazil).

In 1989 the Austrian Soil Science Society donated a Walter Kubiëna Research Prize in his memory. The prize, currently endowed with € 400, is awarded annually to students for outstanding achievements in the field of soil science.

Major works

• Micropedology . Collegiate Press Ames, Iowa 1938.
• Development theory of the soil . Springer-Verlag Vienna 1948.
• Identification book and systematics of soils in Europe. Illustrated help book for easy diagnosis and classification of the most important European soil formations taking into account their most common synonyms . F. Enke-Verlag, Stuttgart 1953 - English-language edition under the title The Soils of Europe ... . Madrid and London 1953.
• The micromorphometric soil analysis . As editor and with two own contributions: Influence of the soil on the intensity of the spread and development of plant diseases in the tropics; Micromorphology and Micromorphometry. F. Enke-Verlag Stuttgart 1967.
• Micromorphological Features of Soil Geography . Rutgers University Press, New Brunswick, NJ (USA) 1970.
• Basics of geopedology and the change in shape of soils . From the estate of Walter L. Kubiëna, edited by Franz Blümel and Franz Solar. Österreichischer Agrarverlag (among others) Vienna 1986.

literature

• Laatsch, W., 1967. W. Kubiëna 70 years old . In: Forstarchiv 38, 129–131 (with picture and list of writings).
• Mückenhausen, E., 1967. The scientific work of Prof. Prof. hc Dr. Dr. hc Walter L. Kubiëna . In: Geoderma 1, 165-174.
• Schimitschek, E., 1971. Professor Dipl.-Ing. Dr. Dr. hc Walter Kubiëna in memory . In: Anzeiger fur pest science and plant protection 44, 76–77.
• Stoops, G., 2009. Evaluation of Kubiëna's Contribution to Micropedology. At the Occasion of the Seventieth Anniversary of His Book “Micropedology” . Eurasian Soil Science 42, 693-698.
• Stoops, G., 2009. Seventy Years' “Micropedology” 1938-2008: The Past and Future. Journal of Mountain Science 6, 101-106.
• von Buch, MW, Schmidt-Lorenz, Zöttl, HW, 1971. Walter L. Kubiëna † . In: Journal of Plant Nutrition and Soil Science Vol. 130, before p. 193, I-IV (with picture).
• Zöttl, HW, 1951. Walter L. Kubiëna † . In: Forstarchiv 42, p. 51 (with list of publications since 1967).

Web links

• Walter Kubiëna in Spain