Jump to content

Pieter Baas

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Pieter Baas
Baas in a 2005 portrait by Carla Rodenberg [nl]
Born(1944-04-28)28 April 1944
Wieringermeer, Netherlands
Died29 April 2024(2024-04-29) (aged 80)
NationalityDutch
Alma materLeiden University
AwardsRoyal Netherlands Academy of Arts and Sciences (2000)
Linnean Medal (2003)
Scientific career
FieldsBotany, plant systematics, wood anatomy
InstitutionsLeiden University, National Herbarium of the Netherlands
Thesis Comparative anatomy of Ilex, Nemopanthus, Sphenostemon, Phelline, and Oncotheca  (1975)

Pieter Baas (28 April 1944 – 29 April 2024) was a Dutch botanist and an emeritus professor of plant systematics at the Leiden University, who served as director of the Rijksherbarium [nl] of Leiden University between 1991 and 1999. When the institute was faced with budget cuts in 1993 he managed to preserve the collection by joining it with the university collections of Wageningen and Utrecht. This led to the founding of the National Herbarium of the Netherlands in 1999. Baas subsequently became director of the institute and served until 2005. As a botanist, Baas specialised in wood anatomy, and was an elected fellow of the International Academy of Wood Science.

Early life and career

[edit]

Baas was born on 28 April 1944 in the municipality of Wieringermeer.[1] He attended the MULO and later the HBS.[2]

Baas grew up with a broad interest in science. At age 17, while harvesting potatoes he saw a Natterjack toad crossing a path, appreciated the beauty of nature and decided to study natural history after earlier having contemplated studying history.[2][3]

In 1962 Baas started studying biology at Leiden University.[3] In his first year of biology Baas hated plant systematics as he hardly knew any plants or animals. He preferred plant anatomy and physiology.[2] While studying he was offered a job at the Rijksherbarium [nl], the herbarium of Leiden University, by its director Cornelis Gijsbert Gerrit Jan van Steenis. Baas rejected the offer, having no interest in working in a herbarium.[3] For his final year of studying Baas wished to stay at the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. Van Steenis agreed to this if Baas took up a course of systematics.[2] Between 1968 and 1969 Baas studied at the Jodrell Laboratory of the Royal Botanic Gardens under Professor Charles Russell Metcalfe.[4][5] On his return from the United Kingdom Baas approached Van Steenis and asked to be employed as a wood anatomy expert.[3] In 1969 Baas became an employee of the Rijksherbarium.[3][6]

In 1975 Baas earned his PhD in wood anatomy, with a thesis entitled: Comparative anatomy of Ilex, Nemopanthus, Sphenostemon, Phelline, and Oncotheca.[1][6] In 1987 he became professor (Bijzonder hoogleraar [nl], paid from non-university funds) of plant systematics at Leiden University. In 1989 he was chairman of the organizing committee for the first Flora Malesiana Symposium. In 1991 he became a regular professor, succeeding Cornelis Kalkman.[1][3][5]

National Herbarium of the Netherlands

[edit]

In 1991 Baas became scientific-director of the Rijksherbarium.[6] Baas was pressured to take over the position from Cornelis Kalkman. Although content as a researcher and not very interested in directing and managing, Baas took up the position of director out of a sense of duty.[3]

Two years after starting as director, the Rijksherbarium was faced with a plan of the dean of the University Faculty of Mathematics and Natural Sciences to slash the budget by half, which would have forced Baas to fire all scientific staff.[2] Baas informed Queen Beatrix of the Netherlands of the plan. Beatrix discussed the matter with the Minister of Education, Culture & Sciences, Jo Ritzen.[3] Ritzen preferred to see the pieces of the collection returned to their countries of origin.[2] A six-year struggle ensued, after which the Ministry set aside money for broad-value biological collections. Baas called this "his finest moment".[3]

The university board and the Royal Netherlands Academy of Arts and Sciences aided Baas in his wish to see the collection preserved and a special fund was established.[2] In 1999 the National Herbarium of the Netherlands was formed from the collections of the herbariums of the universities of Leiden, Utrecht University and Wageningen.[6] Ritzen subsequently denied the influence of Beatrix in the matter while Baas was convinced that Beatrix helped with the formation of the institute.[7] Baas became director of the newly formed National Herbarium.[6]

During his term as director, Baas managed to improve digitalization efforts and nature conservancy projects at the institute.[3] Furthermore, a start at DNA sequencing the collection was made. The National Herbarium also joined forces with the Naturalis Biodiversity Center, the Zoological Museum Amsterdam, and the Centraalbureau voor Schimmelcultures to become a biodiversity research centre.[2]

Baas retired as professor in April and as director in September 2005, and was succeeded by Erik Smets [nl].[1][2][5] Until age 65, he maintained a zero-hour contract at the institute, and then returned to his research on wood anatomy.[3] As of 2013 he was still active as professor emeritus and honorary staff member at the Naturalis Biodiversity Center, the successor institute to the National Herbarium of the Netherlands.[4]

Research

[edit]

Baas's principal research was in the evolution of anatomical diversity in wood and in the significance of tree biology as it relates to global environmental change. He was also interested in plant anatomy, both systematic and phylogenetic, wood culture, biodiversity, biohistory, conservation, as well as in microscopic wood identification. He studied the role of botanical gardens in education and research.[4]

As of 1976 Baas was Editor-in-Chief of the International Association of Wood Anatomists Journal.[4] As an expert on wood anatomy, Baas was at times asked to be a scientific expert on police investigations regarding wooden weapons or tools.[8]

Awards, honours and personal life

[edit]

In 1987 Baas became a corresponding member of the Botanical Society of America[9] and a member of the Royal Netherlands Academy of Arts and Sciences in 2000.[10] He was an elected fellow of The International Academy of Wood Science.[11] In 2003 he won the Linnean Medal of the Linnean Society of London.[12] Baas became a Knight in the Order of the Netherlands Lion in 2005.[13] Ilex baasii and Baasoxylon are named after him.[5]

While in Sri Lanka in 2004, Baas survived the Indian Ocean tsunami.[2] He died on 29 April 2024, at the age of 80.[14]

The standard author abbreviation Baas is used to indicate this person as the author when citing a botanical name.[15]

References

[edit]
  1. ^ a b c d "Pieter Baas" (in Dutch). Leiden University. Retrieved 1 December 2015.
  2. ^ a b c d e f g h i j Marian Tjaden (20 May 2005). "'Ik had enorm de pest aan systematiek'" (in Dutch). Bionieuws. Retrieved 30 November 2015.
  3. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k Christiaan Weijts (6 October 2005). "Pieter Baas neemt afscheid als directeur van het Herbarium" (in Dutch). Mareonline. Retrieved 30 November 2015.
  4. ^ a b c d "The Academy Lecture – The Evolution of Wood Anatomical Diversity and its Significance". International Academy of Wood Science. Retrieved 1 December 2015.
  5. ^ a b c d Roos, Marco (14 December 2005). "Pieter Baas Retires". Blumea - Biodiversity, Evolution and Biogeography of Plants. 50 (3). Naturalis Biodiversity Center: 413–424. doi:10.3767/000651905x622662. ISSN 0006-5196.
  6. ^ a b c d e "Baas directeur Nationaal Herbarium" (in Dutch). Wageningen University and Research Centre. 7 January 1999. Retrieved 25 November 2015.
  7. ^ "KRO Brandpunt Reporter" (in Dutch). Beeld en Geluid. 22 March 2009. Retrieved 30 November 2015.
  8. ^ "Wat heb je aan gedroogde planten?" (in Dutch). Museum Boerhaave. 17 January 2010. Retrieved 30 November 2015.
  9. ^ "Corresponding members". Botanical Society of America. Retrieved 25 November 2015.
  10. ^ "Pieter Baas". Royal Netherlands Academy of Arts and Sciences. Retrieved 25 November 2015.
  11. ^ "Fellows". The International Academy of Wood Science. Archived from the original on 25 December 2022.
  12. ^ "The Linnean Medal". The Linnean Society of London. Archived from the original on 27 May 2015. Retrieved 25 November 2015.
  13. ^ "Hall of fame 2005; bijzondere prijzen en onderscheidingen" (in Dutch). Leiden University. 24 March 2010. Archived from the original on 19 September 2015. Retrieved 1 December 2015.
  14. ^ "Professor Dr. Pieter Baas death notice". Retrieved 1 May 2024.
  15. ^ International Plant Names Index.  Baas.
Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Pieter_Baas&oldid=1222008356"