Right Reverend Johan Ernst Gunnerus | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Born | (1718-02-26)26 February 1718 |
| Died | 25 September 1773(1773-09-25) (aged 55) |
| Education | University of Copenhagen,University of Halle,University of Jena |
| Known for | Flora Norvegica |
| Title | Bishop |
| Parent(s) | Erasmus Gunnerus and Anna Gerhard |
| Awards | Foreign member of theRoyal Swedish Academy of Science |
| Scientific career | |
| Fields | Bishop, botanist, zoologist |
| Institutions | Bishop of theDiocese of Nidaros,Trondheim; University of Copenhagen |
| Author abbrev. (botany) | Gunnerus |
| Author abbrev. (zoology) | Gunnerus |
Johan Ernst Gunnerus (26 February 1718 – 25 September 1773) was aNorwegianbishop andbotanist. Gunnerus was born atChristiania. He was bishop of theDiocese of Nidaros from 1758 until his death and also a professor oftheology at theUniversity of Copenhagen.
Gunnerus was born and raised inChristiania inNorway. He enrolled at theUniversity of Copenhagen inDenmark in 1737, but had to postpone his studies for three years because of poverty. He studied in Copenhagen from 1740, atHalle in Germany from 1742, and atJena from 1744, where he received his Magister degree in 1745 and in 1753 was admitted to the Faculty of Philosophy. At Jena he published extensively, notably a work on natural and international law in eight volumes. In 1754 he was recalled to Denmark and appointed Professor and Rector at Herlufsholm. In 1758 he became Bishop of theDiocese of Nidaros inTrondheim, Norway.[1]
Gunnerus was very interested innatural history and accumulated a large collection of specimens from visits to central and northern Norway. He also encouraged others to send him specimens. Together with the historiansGerhard Schöning andPeter Frederik Suhm he founded the Trondheim Society in 1760. In 1767 it received royal recognition and became theRoyal Norwegian Society of Sciences and Letters.
Gunnerus was vice President and Director Perpetuus of the Society from 1767 to 1773. The society began publishing its journal in 1761, entitledDet Trondhiemske Selskabs Skrifter, still published today asDet Kongelige Norske Videnskabers Selskabs Skrifter. In 1765 Gunnerus published a description of abasking shark in this journal, giving it the scientific nameSqualus maximius.
Gunnerus was the author ofFlora Norvegica (1766–1776). He contributed notes on the ornithology of northern Norway toKnud Leem'sBeskrivelse over Finmarkens Lapper (1767), translated into English in 1808 asAn Account of the Laplanders of Finmark. In this Gunnerus was the first person to give a scientific name to theGreenshank. Gunnerus discussed a number of his findings withCarolus Linnæus, mainly known as Carl von Linné, with whom he was in correspondence. The original letters from Carolus Linnæus are held at the Royal Norwegian Society of Sciences and Letters in Trondheim, while the ones from Gunnerus to Linnæus are found at theLinnean Society of London.[2]
Gunnerus was the first to suggest that since thenorthern lights were caused by theSun, there also had to beauroras around themoon,Venus andMercury.
In 1766, Gunnerus was elected a foreign member of theRoyal Swedish Academy of Sciences.
The plant genusGunnera was named after him,[a] as well as theGunnerus Library.
| Church of Norway titles | ||
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| Preceded by | Bishop ofTrondhjem 1758–1773 | Succeeded by |
