Alexander von Humboldt

Prussian naturalist whose Andean expeditions founded plant biogeography by mapping vegetation zones against altitude and climate.

Core Principles & Analysis

• Climbed Chimborazo in 1802 and charted how vegetation changes with altitude in his Tableau physique.
• His 1807 Essay on the Geography of Plants founded the discipline of plant biogeography.
• More species and places are named after Humboldt than after any other person.

Specifications & Metrics

• ERA: 1769-1859