Fengzhi He

Fengzhi He is a Professor at the Northeast Institute of Geography and Agroecology, Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS), and a Guest Scientist at the Leibniz-Institute of Freshwater Ecology and Inland Fisheries (IGB) in Germany. His research focuses on freshwater megafauna conservation, biodiversity patterns in riverine ecosystems, and anthropogenic impacts on freshwater systems. He holds a Ph.D. in River Science from Freie Universität Berlin and Queen Mary University of London (2015–2019), and prior degrees from Chinese institutions. He has held postdoctoral roles at Aarhus University, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, and IGB.

His work includes projects like 'Freshwater Megafauna Futures,' exploring megafauna's ecological roles and threats, and the SMART Joint Doctorate program for river system management. He has authored/co-authored over 50 peer-reviewed publications, focusing on hydropower impacts, biodiversity loss, and restoration strategies. Key contributions involve global analyses of free-flowing rivers' importance to megafauna and meta-analyses of stressor effects on freshwater ecosystems.

He collaborates internationally, addressing conservation challenges through interdisciplinary approaches. His projects emphasize ecosystem restoration and policy-relevant science to safeguard freshwater biodiversity.