Mercury Ghilarov

Academician
Mercury Sergeyevich Ghilarov
Гиляров, Меркурий Сергеевич
Born(1912-03-06)March 6, 1912
DiedMarch 2, 1985(1985-03-02) (aged 72)
Resting placeNovodevichy Cemetery
Citizenship Soviet Union
EducationKiev State University
ChildrenAlexey Ghilarov
FatherSergey Ghilarov
Scientific career
FieldsSoil biology
InstitutionsSevertsov Institute of Ecology and Evolution
Notable studentsN. M. Chernovna
Signature

Mercury Sergeyevich Ghilarov (also written as Merkurii Giliarov, 6 March 1912 – 2 March 1985) was a Soviet soil scientist who was a pioneer of soil biology, the life in the soil including insects and other small invertebrates. Ghilarov laid emphasis on the soil as a peculiar medium that consisted of a mix of liquid, solid, and gas phases and therefore suggested that it was the zone of evolutionary transition between aquatic and terrestrial life forms.