Ingolf Steffan-Dewenter

Ingolf Steffan-Dewenter is Professor and Chair of the Department of Animal Ecology and Tropical Biology (Zoology III) at the Biocenter of the University of Würzburg, Germany. With over two decades of academic leadership, he directs a research group focused on understanding ecological processes across multiple scales, from local habitat management to global environmental change. His work bridges fundamental ecological research with practical applications for sustainable land use and biodiversity conservation.

Dr. Steffan-Dewenter's research spans animal ecology, population and community dynamics, agroecology, and tropical landscape ecology. His work examines how habitat fragmentation, land use intensification, climate change, and invasive species affect insect diversity and their biotic interactions, particularly focusing on plant-pollinator relationships. He investigates biodiversity-ecosystem functioning relationships across spatial and temporal scales, with special emphasis on pollination services, biological pest control, and sustainable agricultural practices. His research combines field experiments, long-term monitoring, and advanced statistical modeling to address critical questions in conservation biology and ecosystem management.

Analysis of Steffan-Dewenter's recent publications reveals a strong focus on pollinator conservation under global change, with particular attention to climate change impacts on pollinator communities, landscape management for biodiversity conservation, and sustainable agricultural systems that support both production and ecological integrity. His work increasingly integrates multi-trophic perspectives, examining how changes at one trophic level cascade through ecosystems. The research demonstrates a shift toward more interdisciplinary approaches, combining ecological field studies with social science components to develop practical conservation strategies.

Professor Steffan-Dewenter leads multiple significant research initiatives including BetaFor (forest biodiversity), ANDIV (Andean insect diversity), SAFEGUARD (wild pollinator conservation), BeeConnected (honeybee colony monitoring), BayÖkotox (ecotoxicology), UPSCALE (sustainable agriculture in Africa), VILLAGES BEES (pollinator promotion), DIFFCacao (cacao diversification), FARMS4Biodiversity (agroecological research), and LANDKLIF (climate change effects). These projects involve extensive international collaborations across Europe, Africa, and South America, securing substantial research funding from various national and international sources.

His laboratory operates within the Department of Animal Ecology and Tropical Biology at the University of Würzburg's Biocenter, featuring state-of-the-art facilities for ecological research. The department maintains long-term research sites across Germany, Tanzania (Mount Kilimanjaro), and Peru, enabling comparative studies across different biomes and climate zones. The research group includes numerous PhD students, postdoctoral researchers, and technical staff working on diverse aspects of insect ecology, landscape ecology, and conservation biology.