Prof. Dr. rer. nat. Aletta Bonn

Head of the department

German Centre for Integrative Biodiversity Research (iDiv)
Halle-Jena-Leipzig

Puschstraße 4
04103 Leipzig

Aletta Bonn



Research Interests

I am interested in the linkages of biodiversity and people. How does nature benefit people? How do we perceive and experience biodiversity? How do people impact on biodiversity, and how can we assess change? How can we jointly create knowledge and develop solutions for healthy ecosystems and healthy people?

Working in the fields of participatory conservation, biodiversity and health and knowledge management I relish the challenges at the science-policy interface. Having worked for the International Union for Conservation of Nature and in several ecosystem assessments, I value opportunities for joint working with experts from society and science across disciplines including e.g. ecology, psychology and health sciences, economics and political sciences to arrive at societally relevant biodiversity research.
A key focus is on citizen science and participatory research - doing science together!

My research focusses on

  • Biodiversity and ecosystem service change
  • Biodiversity and human health
  • Citizen science and Biodiversity
  • Urban Ecology


Scientific Career

since 2014

Joint Appointments
Professor, Head of Department Ecosystem Services
Helmholtz - Centre for Environmental Research – UFZ , Leipzig
Friedrich-Schiller-Universität Jena
German Centre for Integrative Bioidiversity Research (iDiv) Halle-Jena-Leipzig

2012 - 2014

Research Fellow, Department of Economics,
Helmholtz - Centre for Environmental Research – UFZ , Leipzig

2012 - 2013

Research Fellow, Institute of Biology, Plant Ecology,
Freie Universität Berlin

2009 - 2012

Research Manager
IUCN UK Peatland Programme  

2010 - 2011

Visiting Fellow, Rural Economy and Land Use Programme (RELU)

2003 - 2012

Honorary Research Associate, University of Sheffield, UK

2003 - 2009

Research Manager, Peak District National Park, UK

2001 - 2003

Postdoctoral Research Associate
University of Sheffield, Biodiversity and Macroecology Group, KJ Gaston

1997 - 2000

PhD in conservation biology, Technische Universität Braunschweig
(Deutsche Bundesstiftung Umwelt PhD grant)

1996 - 1997

Researcher, Technische Universität Braunschweig

1996

Biology Diplom, Technische Universität Braunschweig

1993

M.Sc. Marine Environmental Protection (DAAD grant)
University of Wales, Bangor, UK

1992

Biology & English Vordiplom / Zwischenprüfung
Freie Universität Berlin

Since 2024 Member of the German Advisory Council on Global Change (WGBU)
Since 2021 Berlin State Commissioner for Conservation and Landscape Planning
Since 2021 Member of Scientific Advisory Board UN Decade Ecosystem Restoration (Federal Conservation Agency - BFN)
2020 - 2022 Scientific Advisory Board Alexander von Humboldt Climate Protection Fellowships
Since 2019 Associate editor ‘People and Nature’ Journal of British Ecological Society
Since 2019 Member DFG German Committee for Sustainability Research
2018 - 2020 Co-Chair ‘Global Commons’ WG, Science Platform Sustainability wpn2030
Since 2018 Scientific Advisory Board Thünen Institute (Federal research institution supporting the Ministry of Agriculture)
2017 - 2021 Member, Advisory Board, German Federation for Biological Data (GFBio)
2016 - 2019 Member British Ecological Society meetings committee
2016 - 2018 Lead author IPBES assessment on Land Degradation and Restoration (LDRA) and Advisor in 2018 to German Government regarding IPBES input to LDRA
Since 2015 Founding Board member Ecosystem Service Partnership Germany ESP-DE
2015 - 2016 Associate Member, German Committee for Sustainability in Future Earth (DKN Future Earth)
2014 - 2018 Founding Directorate Board member European Citizen Science Association (ECSA); Lead PI for Development of Citizen Science Strategy 2020 for Germany
Since 2014 Co-Chair of IPBES working group of Ecological Society of Germany, Austria and Switzerland (GfÖ); Lead Author, IPBES assessment ‘Land Degradation and Restoration Assessment’ and review editor for IPBES ‘Catalogue of policy support tools and methodologies’
Since 2014 Member, International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Commission of Ecosystem Management
Since 2013 Member IUCN-CEM Ecosystem Services Thematic Group

Publications

Index:

You could use our publication index for further requests.

2025 (11)

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2024 (33)

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2023 (17)

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2022 (29)

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2021 (14)

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2020 (14)

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2019 (21)

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2018 (22)

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2017 (25)

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2016 (23)

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2015 (17)

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2014 (9)

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2013 (4)

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Further Publications

Lorenz, S., Stadler, J., Korn, H., Kabisch, N., Mantel, M., Braubach, M., Brodner, B., Cortinovis, C., Gatting, S., Hagenau, C., Hamelmann, C., Heiland, S., Lovell, R., Martens, D., Mues, A.W., Nahm, H., Scheer, M., Schmauck, S., Treudler, R., Marselle, M. & Bonn, A. (2017) Urban Biodiversity and Health in the Face of Climate Change – Opportunities, challenges and evidence gaps – towards management and policy recommendations. European Expert Workshop Report, Vilm, 05-06 October 2016. . pp. 55. Federal Agency of Conservation (BfN). Vilmworksphop_gesamt.pdf

Pe‘er, G., Lakner, S., Müller, R., Passoni, G., Bontzorlos, V., Clough, D., Moreira, F., Azam, C., Berger, J., Bezak, P., Bonn, A., Hansjürgens, B., Hartmann, L., Kleemann, J., Lomba, A., Sahrbacher, A., Schindler, S., Schleyer, C., Schmidt, J., Schüler, S., Sirami, C., von Meyer-Höfer, M. & Zinngrebe, Y. (2017) Is the CAP fit for purpose? An evidence-based fitness check assessment. German Centre for Integrative Biodiversity Research (iDiv), Halle-Jena-Leipzig, Leipzig. peer_et_al_2017_cap_fitness_check_final_20-11.pdf