Luonnonhistorian

Luonnonhistorian (Finnish term meaning "natural historian") refers to a scholar who studies natural history, the field that investigates plants, animals, minerals, geology, and the processes shaping the natural world. A natural historian observes, describes, and documents nature, collects specimens, and works with classification and narrative accounts, often through fieldwork and the preparation of monographs.

Historically, natural historians emerged in antiquity and developed in the early modern period. Aristotle and Pliny the Elder laid early groundwork, while figures such as Carl Linnaeus, Buffon, Humboldt, and Darwin advanced taxonomy, biogeography, geology, and paleontology. Their work combined careful observation with systematic naming, description, and interpretation of natural phenomena, contributing to the basis of modern biology and earth science.

In the 18th and 19th centuries, natural history played a central role in exploration and education, influencing museums, field guides, and the organization of knowledge about species and landscapes. Over time, the term has become more historical, and contemporary usage relies on more specific disciplines such as biology, geology, paleontology, or ecology.

In Finnish-language contexts, the concept is primarily of historical interest; modern terminology typically uses more specific designations such as biologi, geologi, or paleontologi.

See also natural history, taxonomy, field guide.