VASILY VASILYEVICH SAPOZHNIKOV - AN OUTSTANDING RUSSIAN GEOHGRAPHER AND NATURALIST
E.E. Timoshok1, I.I. Gureyeva2
1Institute of Monitoring of Climatic and Ecological Systems, Siberian Branch, Russian Academy of Sciences, Tomsk, Russia
2National Research Tomsk State University, Tomsk, Russia
Keywords: V.V. Sapozhnikov, expeditions, Altai, Dzhungarian Alatau, Tarbagatai, Tien Shan
Abstract
The life path and scientific heritage of the outstanding Russian scientist, botanist and geographer, naturalist, researcher of the nature of Siberia and Central Asia, organizer of science and education, professor of Tomsk State University Vasily Vasilyevich Sapozhnikov are briefly described. The contribution of V.V. Sapozhnikov to geographical science is considered. Among them are his expeditions to the Russian Altai (1895, 1897, 1898, 1899, 1905, 1911, 1920, and 1921), to the Mongolian Altai (1905, 1906, 1908, and 1909), to Semirechye (now it is the territory of Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan) (1902, 1904, 1912, 1913, and 1914), to Turkish Armenia (now it is the territory of Turkey) (1916). It is pointed out that V.V. Sapozhnikov’s expeditions gathered extensive botanical, zoological and mineralogical collections, made instrumental measurements of altitudes on all routes, obtained meteorological observations and observation of modern and ancient glaciation of Altai, discovered new glaciers as well as providing results of measurements and mapping of all glaciers in all of the mountain systems studied. His scientific heritage makes it possible to judge changes in climate and vegetation, the retreat of glaciers and the rate of their melting, and to describe new plant species even after 100 years.
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