MIKHAIL ANTONOVICH SHEMBERG AND HIS SCIENTIFIC HERITAGE (CELEBRATING 70TH BIRTHDAY, 14.03.1951 - 22.01.2001)

Article analyzes the scientific achievements and heritage of Mikhail Antonovich Shemberg, a well-known dendrologist, who made a great contribution to the study of Siberian forests. He carried out a critical taxonomic treatment of birch Betula L. genus, developed new methodological approaches based on population-taxonomic analysis. M. A. Shemberg was the first who studied the variability of different features of birch species growing on the territory of Siberia and the Far East, revealed the patterns of their variability in individuals, populations, different parts of the area. He carried out a diagnostic assessment of these characteristics for the purposes of taxonomy and revealing of the intraspecific structure. The approaches of Mikhail A. Shemberg are widely used by specialists in the study of various generic complexes of woody plants. The pedagogical and public activity of Mikhail A. Shemberg is characterized. A list of major scientific works and list of theses defended under his supervision are given.