Congress on the foundation of the Institute for the study if Siberia (january 15-26, 1919): the challenges related to studies of botany, zoology and agriculture

This article explores the activity of botany, zoology and agriculture sections of Congress on the foundation of the Institute for the Study of Siberia on the basis of proceedings of the First Siberian Meteorological Congress, proceedings of Congress on the foundation of the Institute for the Study of Siberia and archival materials found in Tomsk Region State Archives and Tomsk State University Scientific Library. The purpose of this article is to explore key challenges in the fields of botany, zoology and agriculture, raised on Congress on the foundation of the Institute for the Study of Siberia, and solutions proposed by congress members. Despite some research success achieved in the fields of botany, zoology and agriculture, the pre-revolutionary studies were not comprehensive and systematic. There was a need of a single research coordinating center. The first attempt at foundation of such center is connected with the history of foundation and activity of the Institute for the Study of Siberia (ISS) in Civil War period. It is noted that the congress carried out its work in Tomsk from January 15 to January 25, 1919. The challenges in the fields of botany, zoology and agriculture were discussed during the work of their respective sections. Among the botany section members were such researchers as: P.N. Krylov, V.V. Sapozhnikov, M.I. Rozhanets, B.N. Gorodkov and others. Section members deliberated the foundation of centralized organization for the study of Siberia in botany and geography fields. Other challenges were related to phytoecology field in botany, soil science development, microbiology, medical herb gathering, etc. The biology section had such members as: M.D. Ruzski, G.E. Iohanzen, V.C. Dorogostaiski and others. In the spotlight of this section was the challenges of arranging a systematic zoology research of Siberia. The challenges in developing the hunting and fishing industries were also important. The agriculture section had such members as: A.P. Vydrin, V.V. Teis, M.G. Aleksandrovski and others. In this section, the main question was related to establishing agriculture research organizations. Also, the section discussed the problems of land reclamation, forest science establishment, etc. It is concluded that as a result of the botany, zoology and agriculture sections of Congress on the foundation of the Institute for the Study of Siberia, an ambitious project was planned, that, if undertaken, could greatly rose the industry and culture of Siberian region. The congress became a stage from which its members proclaimed the necessity of organizing a wide range of studies. It was not only about putting new methods (in the fields of phytoecology, agriculture, etc.) to practice, but, more importantly, institutionalizing a number of research fields: agronomy, soil science, microbiology, pharmacy and forest science, and establishing their corresponding departments in the future Institute for the Study of Siberia.

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