Exploring unknown plants in the tropics of South America
"For me, it's been about curiosity and exploring something that is totally unknown," says Bertil Ståhl. Photo: Daniel Olsson
VIDEO. Professor of Biology Bertil Ståhl has taught on Gotland for many years but has devoted his research career to exploring scientifically unknown plants in tropical South America. His research is helping to map the diversity of the biosphere – and one of his most unique discoveries, a new plant from the Ecuadorian rainforest, now bears his name.
By studying old herbaria, Bertil Ståhl has found clues to new species. He is driven by curiosity and the thrill of discovering the unexplored.
“For me, it's been about curiosity and exploring something
that is totally unknown. You get goosebumps
when travelling in the tropics and arrive in an area where
no one has been to before. And you know that out here
there are unknown species that no other scientist has seen,” says Bertil Ståhl.
“Of course, there are indigenous people in these areas who might know about these plants and so on, and you have to respect that. On a scientific level, they may be totally unknown and you can expect to find almost anything.”
Annica Hulth