Position Title
In Memoriam
Professor Emeritus, Department Chair
1942-2021
MICHAEL G. BARBOUR
Birth: February 24, 1942, Jackson, Michigan
Death: January 7, 2021, Winters, California
Education:
- B.S., Botany, Michigan State University, 1963
- Ph.D., Botany, Duke University, 1967
Employment:
- UC Davis, 1967-2007
- Departments: Botany, Plant Biology, Environmental Horticulture, Geography, and Plant Sciences
- Chair, Department of Botany
Honors, Awards and Professional Societies:
- Guggenheim Fellow
- Fulbright Fellow (Australia; Portugal)
- Chair, Vegetation Section, Ecological Society of America
- Chair, North American Chapter, International Association for Vegetation Science
- Chair, National Panel on Vegetation Classification
- Founding Chair, CNPS Vegetation Committee
Research Contributions and Impact
Barbour’s research focused on how plants and vegetation adapt to environmental stress. From desert scrublands to alpine forests, his studies explored ecological questions such as:
- What determines where plants grow?
- Why are certain plant communities unique to specific environments?
His fieldwork took him from California to landscapes across the globe: Argentina's deserts, Portugal's coastal dunes, and the Canary Islands' highlands. Notable research areas included:
- Creosote bush ecology in North and South American deserts
- Salt tolerance in coastal dune and marsh plants
- Fire ecology and forest dynamics in the Sierra Nevada and Canary Islands
- Vernal pool vegetation in California, leading to landmark conservation classifications
He was also key in developing California’s first systematic vegetation classification through the California Native Plant Society, which remains central to state conservation planning.
Publications and Scholarly Leadership
Barbour authored or edited more than 25 books and 150 scientific publications. Among the most influential:
- Terrestrial Plant Ecology (3 editions)
- Terrestrial Vegetation of California (co-edited with Jack Major)
- Vegetation of North America (with mentor W.D. Billings)
His textbooks, including Botany: An Introduction to Plant Biology, were widely used in college classrooms nationwide.
Beyond publishing, Barbour served as editor for Ecology and Ecological Monographs and was instrumental in founding the ESA Panel on Vegetation Classification—efforts that helped standardize vegetation research nationally.
Teaching and Mentorship
Michael Barbour was known as a passionate educator, earning UC Davis’s Distinguished Teaching Award in 1988. His course on California plant communities blended field immersion with classroom learning, inspiring generations of students. Over the years, he mentored more than 50 graduate students and many others who benefited from his encouragement and support.
A gifted communicator, Barbour’s lectures were known for their clarity and charm. Students recalled his use of colored chalk, hand-drawn illustrations, and captivating storytelling to bring the natural world to life.
Collaboration and Community
Known for his collegiality and humility, Barbour led by example. Whether guiding a new field course, editing a significant textbook, or helping establish classification standards, he approached each endeavor with generosity, respect, and curiosity. “I don’t like to compare people,” he once said, reflecting his inclusive philosophy.
Even after retirement, he remained active—writing, editing, participating in vegetation science excursions worldwide, and staying engaged with students and colleagues.
His impact continues through his students' work, many of whom now hold leadership roles in universities, natural resource agencies, and conservation organizations.
References
For additional tributes, interviews, and biographies, see the following resources: