Hans Pretzsch
| Function |
| Professor emeritus and previous Chair of Forest Growth and Yield Science |
| Contact |
| Email: hans.pretzsch(at)tum.de / Tel: +49 8161 71 4711/ Room: 1.3.2.12 |
| Links |
| Google Scholar / ORCID |
Biography |
| Prof. Pretzsch (b. 1957) explores growth regularities of pure and mixed forest stands from organ to stand level. In particular, he examines growth reactions under stress conditions and integrates the processes and structures he uncovers into dynamic system overview models. An important source of data for his research comes from the network of long-term forest study sites in Bavaria. These have been monitored since 1860 and Prof. Pretzsch is currently overseeing the work. Prof. Pretzsch studied forest science and biostatistics at Munich’s Ludwig Maximilian University (LMU) and Albert Ludwig University in Freiburg. He obtained his doctorate in forest science at LMU in 1985, followed by a period as a research assistant. From 1992 to 1994, he was Head of Forest Growth at the North-West Germany Forest Research Center (NW-FVA) in Göttingen. He completed his lecturer qualification in forest growth, biometry and modeling in 1992. Since 1994, Prof. Pretzsch has been Director of the Chair of Forest Yield Science, initially at LMU and since 1999 at TUM. |
Research interests |
| Growth patterns in pure and mixed stands at the tree and stand level, tree and stand growth under stress, and the model-based representation of processes and structures. |
Key publications |
Liang J (et al.): "Positive biodiversity-productivity relationship predominant in global forests". Science. 2016; 354 (6309): aaf8957-1-aaf8957-12. Pretzsch H, Biber P, Schütze G, Uhl E, Rötzer Th: "Forest stand growth dynamics in Central Europe have accelerated since 1870". Nat. Commun. 2014; 5:4967 Pretzsch H: Forest dynamics, growth and yield. From measurement to model. Berlin, Heidelberg: Springer, 2010. Pretzsch H: “Species-specific allometric scaling under self-thinning. Evidence from long-term plots in forest stands”. Oecologia. 2006; 146, 572-583. Pretzsch H, Biber P, Dursky J: “The single tree-based stand simulator SILVA: construction, application and evaluation“. Forest Ecology and Management. 2002; 162(1): 3-21. Prices2024 Honorary Doctorate (Dr. h.c.) from the University of Valladolid (UVA), Spain 2021 Ernst Otto Fischer Teaching Award 2021 for innovative teaching at the Technical University of Munich (TUM) 2016 Awarded the 2015 Silvicultural Award by the Institute of Royal Chartered Foresters, Edinburgh, United Kingdom 2009 Awarded the Bavarian State Prize for exemplary forest management 2008 Honorary Doctorate (Dr. h.c.) from the Czech University of Life Sciences, Prague 2004 Awarded the Wilhelm Leopold Pfeil Prize from the Toepfer Foundation F.V.S. 2001 Honorary Professor (Prof. h.c.) at the Czech University of Life Sciences, Prague 1995 Danzer Research Award 1991 Biometry Research Award |
Education and professional experience |
| Since 1994 Head of the Chair of Forest Growth Studies, first at Ludwig Maximilian University of Munich, then at the Technical University of Munich.sociate Professor, Chair of Tree Growth and Wood Physiology, Technical University of Munich, DE |
| 1989-1992 Habilitation with the venia legendi (teaching authorization) in the subjects of "Forest Growth, Biometry, and Modeling" |
| 1992-1994 Head of the Forest Growth Department at the Northwest German Forest Research Institute in Göttingen |
| 1985-1989 Research Assistant at the Faculty of Forest Sciences at Ludwig Maximilian University of Munich |
| 1983-1985 Doctorate at the Faculty of Forest Sciences at Ludwig Maximilian University of Munich |