Matthias Schröter

Biodiversity and People

The Biodiversity and People research group focuses on the emerging field of ecosystem services and biodiversity conservation in a changing world.

As the ecosystem service concept links biodiversity, ecosystem functions and human well-being, we follow inter- and transdisciplinary approaches. This includes facilitating participatory methods and knowledge exchange at the science-policy interface.

Our current research covers three interlinked themes. We assess spatio-temporal distribution of biodiversity and ecosystem services, we explore the interrelationship of biodiversity, ecosystem function processes, and components of ecosystem services using experimental and landscape scale studies as well as investigating large-scale databases, and we operationalize the ecosystem approach by developing effective strategies and tools to safeguard biodiversity and ecosystem services to meet national and international targets.

In addition we are leading the citizen science capacity building for Germany (GEWISS) in collaboration with the Museum für Naturkunde Berlin and the wider GEWISS consortium to foster approaches to co-design and co-production in science.

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