Teuvo Tapio Ahti
Teuvo ‘Ted’ Tapio Ahti was born in 1934. His wide scientific activity is demonstrated by more than 250 publications, in many fields of botany and mycology and with a special focus on the Cladoniaceae. I would like to point out one of his works published this year, which is an impressive study about the family Cladoniaceae from the Neotropics, which includes 184 species. He has also published on non-lichenized fungi, mosses, as well as contributed articles in vegetation sciences. He has done extensive field work in Europe, Asia, Canada and South America.
Ted Ahti defended his doctoral thesis ‘Taxonomic studies on reindeer lichens (Cladonia subgenus Cladina)’ in 1961, and was appointed curator of cryptogams at the Botanical Museum (H). He also worked there as deputy head curator of phanerogams between 1965–1968, and continued as head curator of the division of cryptogams by 1969. Ted became Professor of Cryptogamic Taxonomy at the University of Helsinki in 1979, and Research Professor of the Academy of Finland in 1991. Between 1975 and 1981 he was president and is currently Honorary President of the IAL.
An important point I would like to raise is that Teuvo Ahti shares his vast knowledge with a great humanity. All of us who had the fortune to meet him were impressed by his personality and charisma. He is always ready to help anyone and his advice has always been a great value for all of us. So, by this my sincere congratulations.
– Ana Rosa Burgaz, Madrid