Dieter Eckstein's bibliography and legacy of connection to wood biology and tree-ring science

Abstract

Prof. Dr. Dieter Eckstein (1939 - 2021) significantly influenced the global development of dendrochronology and the underlying science of wood biology. Eckstein’s research areas included dendroclimatology, xylogenesis, ecophysiology, and quantitative wood anatomy. His personal and collaborative work continues to improve our understanding of both the natural environment and human cultural development. The techniques he developed and championed resolved long-standing difficulties in the application of tree-ring science to understand both natural processes and human effects on tree and forest development. As importantly, he nurtured and promoted both the careers and the lives of many fellow scholars and students around the world. Here we present a systematic bibliography of more than 280 publications that illustrates the development of tree-ring research in Europe and elsewhere throughout the almost 50 years of Eckstein’s career. Throughout his scientific career, Eckstein pioneered, developed, and promoted research opportunities with his students and co-workers at the University of Hamburg and beyond. His greatest legacy for his students and colleagues, and which we are challenged to continue, is to continue to build the international spirit of a "dendrofamily".