Helmut Gams

Helmut Gams (1893–1976) was a central European botanist. Born in Brno, he moved to Zürich as a child. He studied at the University of Zurich, being awarded a PhD in 1918. During his career, he worked at the University of Munich and the University of Innsbruck. His research saw him pursue fieldwork around Europe and Asia. He was a geobotanist who specialized in the associations of different species of mosses and lichens with each other and the environment.[1][2] Gams coined the terms 'biocoenology' and 'phytocoenology' in his 1918 PhD thesis.[3][4]

Two species named after Gams are Phacus gamsii and Rumex gamsii.[5]

The standard author abbreviation Gams is used to indicate this person as the author when citing a botanical name.[6]
  1. ^ Pitschmann H (1977). "Nachruf auf em. o. Univ.-Prof. Dr. phil. Helmut Gams (1893-1976)" (PDF). Berichte des Naturwissenschaftlich Medizinischen Vereins in Innsbruck (in German). 64: 207–222.
  2. ^ Franz H (1978). "In memoriam Univ.-Prof. Dr. Helmut Gams" (PDF). Verhandlungen der Zoologisch-Botanischen Gesellschaft in Österreich (in German). 116–7: 5–6.
  3. ^ Rabotnov TA. 1970-1979. Phytocoenology. In: The Great Soviet Encyclopedia, 3rd ed.
  4. ^ Gams, Helmut (27 March 1918). "Prinzipienfragen der Vegetationsforschung. Ein Beitrag zur Begriffsklärung und Methodik der Bioeaenologie" (PDF). Vierteljahrsschrift der Naturforschenden Gesellschaft in Zürich. 63 (1): 293–493. Retrieved 6 October 2020.
  5. ^ Hertel, Hannes; Gärtner, Georg; Lőkös, László (2017). "Forscher an Österreichs Flechtenflora" [Investigators of Austria's lichen flora] (PDF). Stapfia (in German). 104 (2): 47.
  6. ^ International Plant Names Index.  Gams.