Richard Vollenweider

Richard Albert Vollenweider (June 22 1922, Zürich, Switzerland–January 20 2007, Burlington, Ontario, Canada) was a notable limnologist.

Richard Vollenweider has written several widely cited academic works about lake eutrophication management. His pioneering work included a technical report from 1968, which related inputs of total phosphorus to chlorophyll a concentrations (a common proxy measure of algal bloom intensity).

His findings have thereby laid the ground for predicting expected environmental effects on the Secchi depth and algal bloom intensity from phosphorus abatement, e.g., in sewage treatment plants.

He also played an important role in restoring several eutrophicated lakes, such as the Great Lakes of North America.

Richard Vollenweider was awarded the Tyler Environmental Prize (1986), the Naumann-Thiennemann Medal by SIL (1987), the Global 500 Roll of Honor by UNEP (1988), and the Premio Internationale Cervia for his advisory on eutrophication of the Adriatic Sea (Italy).

Reference

Boavida, M. J. L., 2007. Richard A. Vollenweider, in memoriam. Limnetica, 26(1):i-ii.http://www.limnetica.com/Limnetica/limne26a/L26a_00_Richard_Vollenweider_memorian.pdf

Vollenweider, R. A., Munawar, M., Stadelmann, P., 1974. A comparative review of phytoplankton and primary production in the Laurentian Great Lakes. J Fish Res Can, 31: 739-762.http://md1.csa.com/partners/viewrecord.php?requester=gs&collection=ENV&recid=7508137