Carl von Linné

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Carl von Linné

Carl Linnaeus (23 May 1707 – 10 January 1778), also known after his ennoblement as Carl von Linné, was a Swedish botanist, physician, and zoologist who formalized the modern system of naming organisms called binomial nomenclature. He is known as the "father of modern taxonomy" and is also considered one of the fathers of modern ecology.

Biography

Carl Linnaeus was born in Råshult, Sweden, in 1707. He enrolled at the University of Lund in 1727 but transferred to the University of Uppsala a year later. Linnaeus was deeply interested in botany and medicine, fields that were closely linked during his lifetime. His early work focused on improving the classification of plants based on their reproductive organs, a method he detailed in his 1735 publication Systema Naturae.

Contributions to Science

Linnaeus's most significant contribution to science was the development of a hierarchical system of classification of nature. He introduced a binomial system of nomenclature, wherein each species is given a two-part name consisting of a generic name and a specific name. His work laid the foundation for the modern system of scientific classification.

Systema Naturae

In Systema Naturae, first published in 1735, Linnaeus proposed a new system for classifying plants, animals, and minerals. Over time, he expanded this work to include more categories and species, with the tenth edition (1758) considered the starting point of zoological nomenclature.

Species Plantarum

In 1753, Linnaeus published Species Plantarum, a comprehensive list of plant species that had been described to that date. This work is recognized as the basis for botanical nomenclature.

Legacy

Linnaeus's system of classification has been refined but remains the foundation of modern biological classification. He is credited with describing and classifying over 7,000 plant species and over 4,000 animal species. His approach to classification and nomenclature has influenced not only biology but also the development of other sciences.

Linnaeus also made significant contributions to the field of ecology, particularly in his later works, where he began to incorporate ecological relationships into his classification system.

Honors and Memorials

Linnaeus was ennobled by the Swedish King in 1761, adopting the name Carl von Linné. His legacy is honored worldwide with numerous species, a genus of plants (Linnaea), and even a lunar crater named after him.

See Also

• Binomial nomenclature
• Taxonomy
• Ecology
• Systema Naturae
• Species Plantarum