Professor Dr Aino Käärik (1918-2021)

 

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Professor Dr Aino Käärik (born Mathiesen), Sweden, passed away on 15 July 2018 at the age of nearly 103 years. She was born on 20 November 1918 in the village of Sejla in Estonia

She got her Masters in Science in 1942 from Tartu University in Estonia, where her father was professor. In 1945 she arrived in Sweden after escaping Estonia in connection with the occupation by Soviet Union. Studies in botany and microbiology at Uppsala University led to a Ph D in 1960. After that she joined the Royal College of Forestry in Stockholm, since 1977 the Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, where she ended her career as full professor 1979-1985.

Her early studies concerned the ecology and taxonomy of sapstain fungi associated with bark borer beetles. Later her research focused on the taxonomy, ecology and identification of wood-decaying basidiomycetes. The colonisation by wood decay fungi of tree stumps, wooden poles and stakes from field trials were followed. Every autumn she went with a small team to forested areas of Sweden with the aim of collecting fruit bodies of basidiomycetes  growing on woody substrates. Back at the laboratory she cultured as many as possible on agar media. This led to a large collection of mycelia of several decay fungi. The main aim was to find methods for identification of mycelia by using microscopy. She co-authored an atlas of air-borne fungal spores.
Professor Käärik was member of the IRG between 1974 and 1986 and participated in the meetings 1974-1978 and 1982. She contributed with nine papers, focusing mainly on monographic and terminology information related to decay and sapstain fungi, and as co-author of four papers related to remedial treatment.

At her 100 year jubilee a new fungal family and a new species were named after her. The genus Kaarikia and the species Kaarikia abrahomsonii.

Professor Käärik was a very friendly and helpful person. Many, when new in the field, remember her introduction to the world of wood decay fungi. In her private life she took an ever increasing interest in gardening. She imported seeds of trees and other plants. She generously shared small plants that she had raised. One of us (Tomas) got a small seedling of a tulip tree (Liriodendron). The tree is now very large and serves as a fantastic memory of a life serving wood science.

Tomas Nilsson (former SLU colleague) and Jöran Jermer (former IRG Secretary-general)

This Memorial was written for inclusion with the October 2021 IRG Newsletter.