Dr. Rui Ying Rachel Oh
Deputy
German Centre for Integrative Biodiversity Research (iDiv)
Halle-Jena-Leipzig
Puschstraße 4
04103 Leipzig
Email
Tel.
Web
Research Interests
I am a conservation ecologist interested to understand how human activities have impacted the natural world, and how their destructive effects can be reversed. My work is deeply interdisciplinary, and I work to provide tangible solutions to real-world environmental challenges. To optimise success for these strategies, I also actively engage with people and their behaviours. Currently, my research focuses on exploring the complex relationships between people’s biodiversity experiences, their connection to nature, environmentally protective attitudes/behaviour, and the health and wellbeing outcomes that result. I am particularly interested in how these dynamics play out in the context of extreme urbanisation and climate change. While my existing work spans different countries, I continue to strengthen knowledge from South America, African and Asian contexts. I very much enjoy working across cultures and various non-English languages, and in integrating perspectives from public health, epidemiological and conservation science to build a stronger evidence base for nature-health connections. I also work to contribute to the development of policies and strategies that benefit both people and nature. If these topics resonate with you, I'd love to connect and explore potential collaborations!
Scientific Career
since April 2021
Post-doctoral Researcher, Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research – UFZ and German Centre for Integrative Biodiversity Research (iDiv) Halle-Jena-Leipzig
2015 - 2018
Urban Ecology Researcher; National Parks Board of Singapore - my research focused on (i) using conservation genetics to mitigate extinction lag in bird species; (ii) improving outdoor thermal comfort in tropical greenspaces; and (iii) investigating the inter-relationships between greenspace use and health and wellbeing outcomes
2018 - 2021
PhD - University of Queensland (Biological Sciences)
Thesis: The interplay among nature experiences, nature connection, social influences, and health and wellbeing outcomes
2013 - 2014
Master of Philosophy - National University of Singapore (Geography)
Thesis: Surface elevation is a predictor of mangrove rehabilitation success in Indonesia
2008 - 2012
Bachelor of Science (Honours) - National University of Singapore (Biological Sciences)
Thesis: Biotic and abiotic barriers to natural forest succession on American Samoa
Publications
Index:
You could use our publication index for further requests.
2025 (3)
- Cuentas Romero, A.G., Rozario, K., Marselle, M., Oh, R.R.Y., Müller, S., Becker, O.A., Schröger, E., Meemken, M.-T., Scherer-Lorenzen, M., Bonn, A. (2025):
Sense of place matters: Mental well-being effects of acoustic diversity differ for local and non-local forest soundscapes
PsyArxiv 10.31234/osf.io/yqcwp - Oh, R.R.Y., Suarez Castro, A.F., Fuller, R.A., Tervo, M., Rozario, K., Peters, B., Chowdhury, S., von Gönner, J., Friedrichs-Manthey, M., Berger, A., Schultz, T., Dean, A.J., Tulloch, A., Bonn, A. (2025):
Using nature-based citizen science initiatives to enhance nature connection and mental health
Front. Environ. Sci. 13 , art. 1461601 10.3389/fenvs.2025.1461601 - Wendelboe-Nelson, C., Fisher, J.C., Straka, T.M., Sousa-Silva, R., Menzel, C., Alejandre, J.C., de Bell, S., Oh, R.R.Y., Bonn, A., Marselle, M.R. (2025):
Outdoor health intervention for refugees, migrants, and asylum-seekers: A mixed-methods pilot study
Health Place 91 , art. 103387 10.1016/j.healthplace.2024.103387
2024 (12)
- Arenas-Castro, H., Berdejo-Espinola, V., Chowdhury, S., Rodríguez-Contreras, A., James, A.R.M., Nussaïbah, B.R., Dunne, E.M., Bertolino, S., Emidio, N.B., Derez, C.M., Drobniak, S.M., Fulton, G.R., Henao-Diaz, L.F., Kaur, A., Kim, C.J.S., Lagisz, M., Medina, I., Mikula, P., Narayan, V.P., O'Bryan, C.J., Oh, R.R.Y., Ovsyanikova, E., Pérez-Hämmerle, K.-V., Pottier, P., Powers, J.S., Rodriguez-Acevedo, A.J., Rozak, A.H., Sena, P.H.A., Sockhill, N.J., Tedesco, A.M., Tiapa-Blanco, F., Tsai, J.-S., Villarreal-Rosas, J., Wadgymar, S.M., Yamamichi, M., Amano, T. (2024):
Academic publishing requires linguistically inclusive policies
Proc. R. Soc. B-Biol. Sci. 291 (2018), art. 20232840 10.1098/rspb.2023.2840 - de Bell, S., Alejandre, J.C., Menzel, C., Sousa-Silva, R., Straka, T.M., Berzborn, S., Bürck-Gemassmer, M., Dallimer, M., Dayson, C., Fisher, J.C., Haywood, A., Herrmann, A., Immich, G., Keßler, C.S., Köhler, K., Lynch, M., Marx, V., Michalsen, A., Mudu, P., Napierala, H., Nawrath, M., Pfleger, S., Quitmann, C., Reeves, J.P., Rozario, K., Straff, W., Walter, K., Wendelboe-Nelson, C., Marselle, M.R., Oh, R.R.Y., Bonn, A. (2024):
Nature-based social prescribing programmes: opportunities, challenges, and facilitators for implementation
Environ. Int. 190 , art. 108801 10.1016/j.envint.2024.108801 - Gillerot, L., Rozario, K., De Frenne, P., Oh, R., Ponette, Q., Bonn, A., Chow, W., Godbold, D., Steinparzer, M., Haluza, D., Landuyt, D., Muys, B., Verheyen, K. (2024):
Forests are chill: The interplay between thermal comfort and mental wellbeing
Landsc. Urban Plan. 242 , art. 104933 10.1016/j.landurbplan.2023.104933 - Oh, R.R.Y., Fuller, R.A., Peters, B., Dean, A.J., Pachana, N.A., Callaghan, C.T., Sockhill, N.J., Bonn, A., Suarez-Castro, A.F. (2024):
Enhancing the health and wellbeing benefits of biodiversity citizen science
Front. Environ. Sci. 12 , art. 1444161 10.3389/fenvs.2024.1444161 - Oh, R.R.Y., Fuller, R., Peters, B., Dean, A.J., Pachana, N.A., Callaghan, C.T., Sockhill, N.J., Bonn, A., Suarez-Castro, A.F. (2024):
Enhancing the health and wellbeing benefits of biodiversity citizen science [Data set]
Zenodo 10.5281/zenodo.13284070 - Pienkowski, T., Keane, A., Booth, H., Kinyanda, E., Fisher, J.C., Lawrance, E., Oh, R., Milner-Gulland, E.J. (2024):
Nature’s contributions to social determinants of mental health and the role of conservation
One Earth 7 (7), 1213 - 1227 10.1016/j.oneear.2024.05.004 - Rozario, K., Oh, R.R.Y., Marselle, M., Schröger, E., Gillerot, L., Ponette, Q., Godbold, D., Haluza, D., Kilpi, K., Müller, D., Roeber, U., Verheyen, K., Muys, B., Müller, S., Shaw, T., Bonn, A. (2024):
The more the merrier? Perceived forest biodiversity promotes short-term mental health and well-being - A multicentre study
People Nat. 6 (1), 180 - 201 10.1002/pan3.10564 - Rozario, K., Shaw, T., Marselle, M.R., Oh, R.R.Y., Schröger, E., Botero, M.G., Frey, J., Ştefan, V., Ștefan, V., Müller, S., Scherer-Lorenzen, M., Jaroszewicz, B., Verheyen, K., Bonn, A. (2024):
Perceived biodiversity: is what we measure also what we see and hear?
bioRxiv 10.1101/2024.04.03.587905 - Sheard, J.K., Adriaens, T., Bowler, D.E., Büermann, A., Calaghan, C.T., Camprasse, E.C.M., Chowdhury, S., Engel, T., Finch, E.A., von Gönner, J., Hsing, P.-Y., Mikula, P., Oh, R.R.Y., Peters, B., Phartyal, S.S., Pocock, M.J.O., Wäldchen, J., Bonn, A. (2024):
Emerging technologies in citizen science and potential for insect monitoring
Philos. Trans. R. Soc. B-Biol. Sci. 379 (1904), art. 20230106 10.1098/rstb.2023.0106 - Suarez-Castro, A.F., Oh, R.R.Y., Tulloch, A.I.T., Bonn, A., Fuller, R.A., Rhodes, J.R. (2024):
Landscape structure influences the spatial distribution of urban bird attractiveness
Landsc. Ecol. 39 (8), art. 149 10.1007/s10980-024-01950-9 - Valdez, J., Damasceno, G., Oh, R.R.Y., Quintero Uribe, L.C., Barajas Barbosa, M.P., Ferreira Amado, T., Schmidt, C., Fernandez, M., Sharma, S. (2024):
Strategies for advancing inclusive biodiversity research through equitable practices and collective responsibility
Conserv. Biol. 38 (6), e14325 10.1111/cobi.14325 - Wu, M.Y., Chong, H.W., Tan, Y.Y., Lim, B.T.M., Wong, A.M.S., Oh, R.R.Y., Lee, J.G.H., Ng, E.Y.X., Rheindt, F.E. (2024):
Genomic data reveal shift in geographic source of an illegally traded songbird
Conserv. Genet. 25 (1), 179 - 187 10.1007/s10592-023-01564-9
2023 (3)
- Benra, F., Nahuelhual, L., Felipe-Lucia, M.R., Oh, R.R.Y., Kachler, J., Bonn, A. (2023):
Mismatches in the ecosystem services-wellbeing nexus: a case study for Chilean Patagonia
Ecosyst. People 19 (1), art. 2224448 10.1080/26395916.2023.2224448 - Gillerot, L., Rozario, K., De Frenne, P., Oh, R., Ponette, Q., Bonn, A., Chow, W., Godbold, D., Steinparzer, M., Haluza, D., Landuyt, D., Muys, B., Verheyen, K. (2023):
Dataset S1 used for the paper "Forests are chill: The interplay between thermal comfort and mental wellbeing"
figshare 10.6084/m9.figshare.24420487.v1 - Sheard, J.K., Büermann, A., Chowdhury, S., Engel, T., Finch, E.A., Oh, R.R.Y., Bonn, A. (2023):
Survey: CITIZEN SCIENCE TECHNOLOGIES - How can we harness and improve the use of technologies in citizen science? (1.0.0) [Data set]
Zenodo 10.5281/zenodo.10051199
2022 (5)
- Gillerot, L., Landuyt, D., Oh, R., Chow, W., Haluza, D., Ponette, Q., Jactel, H., Bruelheide, H., Jaroszewicz, B., Scherer-Lorenzen, M., De Frenne, P., Muys, B., Verheyen, K. (2022):
Forest structure and composition alleviate human thermal stress
Glob. Change Biol. 28 (24), 7340 - 7352 10.1111/gcb.16419 - Oh, R.R.Y., Zhang, Y., Nghiem, L.T.P., Chang, C.-C., Tan, C.L.Y., Quazi, S.A., Shanahan, D.F., Lin, B.B., Gaston, K.J., Fuller, R.A., Carrasco, R.L. (2022):
Connection to nature and time spent in gardens predicts social cohesion
Urban For. Urban Green. 74 , art. 127655 10.1016/j.ufug.2022.127655 - Pottier, P., Lin, H.-Y., Oh, R.R.Y., Pollo, P., Rivera-Villanueva, A.N., Valdebenito, J.O., Yang, Y., Amano, T., Burke, S., Drobniak, S.M., Nakagawa, S. (2022):
A comprehensive database of amphibian heat tolerance
Sci. Data 9 , art. 600 10.1038/s41597-022-01704-9 - Sockhill, N.J., Dean, A.J., Oh, R.R.Y., Fuller, R.A. (2022):
Beyond the ecocentric: Diverse values and attitudes influence engagement in pro-environmental behaviours
People Nat. 4 (6), 1500 - 1512 10.1002/pan3.10400 - Tulloch, A.I.T., Oh, R.R.Y., Gallegos, D. (2022):
Environmental and public health co-benefits of consumer switches to immunity-supporting food
Ambio 51 (7), 1658 - 1672 10.1007/s13280-021-01693-w
2021 (2)
- Amano, T., Berdejo-Espinola, V., Christie, A.P., Willott, K., Akasaka, M., Báldi, A., Berthinussen, A., Bertolino, S., Bladon, A.J., Chen, M., Choi, C.-Y., Bou Dagher Kharrat, M., de Oliveira, L.G., Farhat, P., Golivets, M., Hidalgo Aranzamendi, N., Jantke, K., Kajzer-Bonk, J., Çisel Kemahlı Aytekin, M., Khorozyan, I., Kito, K., Konno, K., Lin, D.-L., Littlewood, N., Liu, Y., Liu, Y., Loretto, M.-C., Marconi, V., Martin, P.A., Morgan, W.H., Narváez-Gómez, J.P., Negret, P.J., Nourani, E., Ochoa Quintero, J.M., Ockendon, N., Oh, R.R.Y., Petrovan, S.O., Piovezan-Borges, A.C., Pollet, I.L., Ramos, D.L., Reboredo Segovia, A.L., Rivera-Villanueva, A.N., Rocha, R., Rouyer, M.-M., Sainsbury, K.A., Schuster, R., Schwab, D., Şekercioğlu, Ç.H., Seo, H.-M., Shackelford, G., Shinoda, Y., Smith, R.K., Tao, S.-D., Tsai, M.-S., Tyler, E.H.M., Vajna, F., Valdebenito, J.O., Vozykova, S., Waryszak, P., Zamora-Gutierrez, V., Zenni, R.D., Zhou, W., Sutherland, W.J. (2021):
Tapping into non-English-language science for the conservation of global biodiversity
PLoS Biol. 19 (10), e3001296 10.1371/journal.pbio.3001296 - Oh, R.R.Y., Fielding, K.S., Chang, C.-C., Nghiem, L.T.P., Tan, C.L.Y., Quazi, S.A., Shanahan, D.F., Gaston, K.J., Carrasco, R.L., Fuller, R.A. (2021):
Health and wellbeing benefits from nature experiences in tropical settings depend on strength of connection to nature
Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 18 (19), art. 10149 10.3390/ijerph181910149
Further Publications
2021- Oh RRY, Fielding KS, Nghiem LTP, Chang C-C, Shanahan DF, Gaston KJ, Carrasco RL & Fuller RA. (2021). Factors influencing nature interactions vary between cities and types of nature interactions. People and Nature. https://doi.org/10.1002/pan3.10181
- Berdejo-Espinola V, Suarez-Castro AF, Amano T., Fielding KS, Oh RRY & Fuller RA (in press) Urban green spaces during a time of stress: A case study of social resilience during the COVID-pandemic in Brisbane, Australia
2020
- Oh RRY, Fielding KS, Carrasco RL & Fuller RA. (2020). No evidence of an extinction of experience or emotional disconnect from nature in urban Singapore. People and Nature. https://doi.org/10.1002/pan3.10148
- Nghiem LTP, Zhang Y, Oh RRY, Chang C-C., Tan CLY, Shanahan DF, Lin BB, Gaston KJ, Fuller RA & Carrasco, L. R. (2021). Equity in green and blue space availability in Singapore. Landscape and Urban Planning, 210, 104083.
- Tan CLY, Chang C-C., Nghiem LTP, Zhang Y, Oh RRY, Shanahan DF, Lin BB, Gaston KJ, Fuller RA & Carrasco, L. R. (2021). The right mix: Residential urban green-blue space combinations are correlated with physical exercise in a tropical city-state. Urban Forestry & Urban Greening, 57, 126947. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ufug.2020.126947
- Chang C-C, Oh RRY, Nghiem LTP, Zhang Y, Tan CLY, Lin BB, Gaston KJ, Fuller RA & Carrasco LR. (2020). Life satisfaction linked to the diversity of nature experiences and nature views from the window. Landscape and Urban Planning, 202, 103874. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.landurbplan.2020.103874
- Meng YW, Forcina G, van Grouw H, Oh RRY & Rheindt FE. (2020) Historic and modern genomes unveil a domestic introgression gradient in a wild red junglefowl population. Evolutionary Applications, 00, 1 – 16. https://doi.org/10.1111/eva.13023
- Chang C-C, Cheng GJYC, Nghiem LTP, Song XP, Oh RRY, Richards DR & Carrasco LR. (2020) Social media, nature, and life satisfaction: global evidence of the biophilia hypothesis. Scientific Reports, 10, 4125. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-020-60902-w
- Cros E, Ng EYX, Oh RRY, Tang Q, Benedick S, Edwards D, Tomassi S, Irestedt M, Ericsson P & Rheindt F. (2020) Fine-scale barriers to connectivity across a fragmented Southeast Asian landscape in six songbird species. Evolutionary Applications. 1, 1 – 11. https://doi.org/10.1111/eva.12918
- Wanger TC, Ainun N, Brook BW, Friess DA, Oh RRY, Rusdin A, Smithers S & Tjoa A. (2020) Ecosystem-Based Tsunami Mitigation for Tropical Biodiversity Hotspots. Trends in Ecology & Evolution. 35(2), 96 – 100. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tree.2019.10.008
- Richards DR, Law A, Tan CSY, Shaikh SFEB, Carrasco LR, Jaung W & Oh RRY. (2020). Rapid urbanisation in a tropical city-state causes a shift from provisioning and regulating to cultural ecosystem services use over 50 years. Ecosystem Services, 46, 101193. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ecoser.2020.101193
2019 and earlier
- Richards DR, Masoudi M, Oh RRY, Yando ES, Zhang J, Friess DA, Gret-Regamey A, Tan PY & Edwards P. (2019) Global variation in climate, human development, and population density as implications for urban ecosystem services. Sustainability, 11(22), 6200. https://doi.org/10.3390/su11226200
- Oh RRY, Yee ATK & Richards DR (2018) Community-driven skyrise greenery in a dense tropical city provides biodiversity and ecosystem service benefits. Landscape and Urban Planning, 169, 115 – 123. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.landurbplan.2017.08.014
- Ng EYX, Garg KM, Low GW, Chattopadhyay B, Oh RRY, Lee JGH & Rheindt F (2017) Conservation genomics identifies impact of trade in a threatened songbird. Biological Conservation, 214, 101 – 108. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.biocon.2017.08.007
- Oh RRY, Friess DA & Brown MB (2017) Surface elevation as a predictor of mangrove rehabilitation success in abandoned aquaculture ponds, Sulawesi, Indonesia. Ecological Engineering, 100, 325 – 334. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ecoleng.2016.12.021
- Richards DR, Passy P, & Oh RRY (2017) Impacts of population density and wealth on the quantity and structure of urban green space in tropical Southeast Asia. Landscape and Urban Planning, 157, 553-560. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.landurbplan.2016.09.005
- Friess DA, Phelps J, Leong RC, Lee WK, Wee AKS, Sivasothi N, Oh RRY, Webb WL (2012) Mandai mangrove, Singapore: Lessons for the conservation of Southeast Asia’s mangroves. The Raffles Bulletin of Zoology, 25, 55 – 65. https://lkcnhm.nus.edu.sg/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/app/uploads/2017/06/s25rbz055-065.pdf