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Arch. Biol. Sci., Belgrade, 61 (2), 347-349, 2009 IN Me­Mo­RIAM DR. Vo­JISLAV MIŠIĆ (1922-2009) udc 929 Mišić V.: 581.9 061.75 Mišić V. Doctor Vojislav Mišić, a prominent sci- ers, Dr. Mišić took part in the realization entist and phytoecologist, passed away of a number of projects, including the fol- on January 27, 2009 in Belgrade. He was lowing: "Idioecological Studies of born on August 6, 1922 in Belgrade, Economically Important Plant and Serbia, where he received his primary Animal Species"; "Biocenotic Investi- and secondary education and enrolled gations"; "Anthropogenic Disturbances of in biology at the University of Belgrade's Living Communities and Habitats"; Faculty of Science. He graduated with "Allelopathy in Economically Significant highest marks from that faculty upon Plant Species"; "Man and the Environment"; submitting an undergraduate thesis "Phytocoenological, Experimental, Bioce- entitled "The Vegetation of Mt. Avala". n-logical, and Idioecological Investi- During his studies, he worked on a vol- gations"; and "Multidisciplinary Investi- untary basis at the Botany Department of the Natural gations of Ecosystems at the Research Station on Mt. History Museum, where the renowned scientist Dr. Jastrebac". At the Faculty of Science in Belgrade, he Pavle Černjavski was employed at the time. The taught graduate courses in phytoecology, phytoce- presence of this scientist was of crucial significance nology, and plant idioecology from 1964 to 1973. He for Vojislav Mišić as a botanist. Later (from 1947 served as adviser in the preparation of two doctoral onward), Mišić worked as a volunteer at the Institute theses and two post-graduate theses. Among his of Ecology and Biogeography of the Serbian Academy other activities, Dr. Mišić participated in the work of of Sciences and Arts, participating in team research seminars for biology teachers. He delivered more on forest vegetation. On completing his undergrad- than 50 lectures on ecology to high school teachers uate studies, he received a scholarship from the at gatherings organized by the Serbian Biological Institute, where he served as a Research Assistant. Society. Apart from that, he published two hand- Successfully defending a dissertation entitled books on ecology, one in the area of phytocenology "Variability and Ecology of the Beech in Yugoslavia", entitled "The Plant Community and Habitat Vojislav Mišić earned his doctoral degree from the Principles of Phytocenology" (1964); and the other University of Belgrade's Faculty of Science, after in the area of phytoidioecology entitled "Ecological which he was appointed to the post of Scientific Factors and Their Significance for the Plant World" Associate. That same year, he published a mono- (1964). In addition, he took part in many congresses graph on the Balkan beech, which was awarded a and symposia at home and abroad. In 1972, the prize by the Republic of Serbia's Council on Culture. Serbian Biological Society awarded him a medal for He earned the title of Scientific Adviser in 1961, a success in research, teaching, and participation in year in which he also became Chairman of the the Society's activities. He chaired the Department Department of Phytoecology in what later became of Phytoecology until his retirement in 1987. To the the Siniša Stanković Institute for Biological Research. end of his life, he continued to take an active part in In 1973, he was granted the title of Senior Scientific scientific work. Known for his characteristic enthu- Adviser. In collaboration with other scientific work- siasm, encyclopedic knowledge, and interest in 347 348 everything around him, Dr. Mišić carried out suc- munities of eastern hornbeam with lilac. In the third cessful research in different scientific spheres, volume of the series (subtitled "Forest Communities including classical phytocenology, experimental 2"), published in 2006, he described Norway spruce phytocenology, phytogeography, idioecology of plant forests and subalpine and alpine bush vegetation. species, plant microsystematics, allelopathy, vegeta- Doctor Mišić was a member of the scientific board tion mapping, and environmental protection. In the of the federally funded macro project "Vegetation area of plant ecology, Dr. Mišić studied a great many Map of Yugoslavia" and the editorial board of this scientifically and economically important species, project. He was also one of the authors of the "Map focusing on their ecology, range, variability, and of Potentially Useful Vegetation of Yugoslavia" (on a participation in community formation. In a mono- scale of 1: 1,000,000), which was published in 1983 graph entitled "Ecological Differentiation of Forest by the Military-Geographical Institute in Belgrade. Tree Species in Serbia" (2004), he synthetically pre- Apart from classical phytocenology, Dr. Mišić with sented the results of research on the ecology and his collaborators participated in development of the variability of beech, Norway spruce, Turkish hazel, scientific discipline of experimental phytocenology. European nettle-tree, laurel cherry, and other spe- In a highly significant pioneer work entitled cies. In the sphere of phytocenology, Dr. Mišić con- "Ecological study of subalpine bush vegetation of ducted significant investigations of the forest vegeta- Mt. Kopaonik" (1960), he presented the results of tion of characteristic mountains and regions of long-term experiments involving removal of the Serbia such as Kopaonik, Stara Planina, Avala, overground and underground organs of whortle- Fruška Gora, Zlatar, Golija, Iron Gate, and others. In berry, dwarf juniper, and other plant species and 1978, he and his collaborators received the October synusia. He also conducted experimental phytoce- Award of the City of Belgrade for the monograph nological investigations of the effects of trees, shrubs, "Plant Communities and Habitats of the Stara and herbaceous plants on regeneration of the Norway Planina Mountains", published by the Serbian spruce forest on Mt. Kopaonik. Together with his Academy of Sciences and Arts (SASA). Doctor collaborators, Dr. Mišić published many papers in Mišić devoted particular attention to the relict veg- the sphere of allelopathy. He discovered certain reg- etation present in refugia in Serbia, where numerous ularities governing the stimulatory or inhibitory relict species, relict forest communities, and whole influence of dominant plant species on other species vegetation series rare in Europe were sheltered dur- within forest ecosystems. Most of these works per- ing unfavorable climatic periods in the ancient past. tained to dominant species in oak forests, species They not only help to create the existing great abun- such as perfoliate honeysuckle and others. In coop- dance and diversity of forest vegetation, but also eration with the Nature Protection Institute of throw light on its origin, historical development, Serbia, Dr. Mišić took part in long-term projects and impoverishment. These problems were treated involving complex biocenotic research in the in many published scientific papers, the most inter- Obedska Bara Reserve and investigation of ecosys- esting of which were "Forest vegetation in gorges tems in the Đerdap region. In this period, his sig- and canyons of Eastern Serbia" (1981) and "Relict nificant work "Phytocenological investigations in polydominant forest communities in Serbia" (1982). the vicinity of Lepenski Vir" was published as part of As part of his regular responsibilities, Dr. Mišić was the book "Lepenski Vir" by Dragoslav Srejović a member of the SASA Council on Flora and (1969). With his knowledge of the vegetation of Vegetation and the editorial board for the multivol- mountains and regions in Serbia such as Fruška ume publication "The Vegetation of Serbia". The Gora, Kopaonik, Stara Planina, Golija, Tara, and first volume of this work (published in 1984) con- Iron Gate, Dr. Mišić provided valuable assistance to tains a contribute to vegetation of Serbia (subtitled workers of the Institute in selecting areas in need of "Forest Communities 1"), which was published in protection as reserves, particularly regions with for- 1987, where Dr. Mišić described highland beech est communities of special significance for conser- forests, relict forests with Turkish hazel, and com- vation. Especially valuable was his original carto- 349 graphic documentation of the vegetation in several tled "Naturalist on the Mountain". Among other protected regions of Serbia, namely Iron Gate citations and acknowledgments, Dr. Mišić was National Park, the Golija-Studenica Biosphere awarded a charter from Matica Srpska in Novi Sad Reserve, and others. The results of his research with (1976); the Medal with Red Banner for Meritorious collaborators from the Nature Protection Institute Service (1988); a special acknowledgment from the were published in the national scientific journal Serbian Biological Society for work in the area of fundamental and applied ecology (1996); and a "Protection of Nature". In the course of his long charter from the Nature Protection Institute of career, Dr. Mišić published seven monographs, more Serbia (1998). than 300 scientific papers, and 50 popular scientific articles. He also published a book for children enti- Dr. Anka Dinić.

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