Walther, Johannes

Born July 20, 1860, in Neustadt; died May 4, 1937, in Berlin. German geologist. Graduated from the University of Jena (1882).

Walther was a professor at the University of Jena from 1890 to 1896 and the University of Halle from 1896 to 1929. His principal works are in the area of lithology, paleoecology, studies of fascia, paleogeography, pedology, and biology. He studied the geology of undrained areas and the conditions for the origin of fossils and modern deserts. Walther established that the formation of layers takes place upon the movement of fascia, which is always accompanied by a change in the lithological composition of the sediment. He devoted much attention to the development of methods of geological study, particularly the method of actualism. His works on marine biology became the basis for the development of oceanology and ecology. He became an honorary member of the Academy of Sciences of the USSR in 1930.