Prof. Dr. Teja Tscharntke is a world-renowned agroecologist whose pioneering work has transformed our understanding of ecological processes in agricultural landscapes. He currently serves as Professor and Head of the Department of Agroecology at the Georg-August-Universität Göttingen, a position he has held continuously since 1993. After completing dual studies in Sociology and Biology at the Universities of Marburg and Gießen, he earned his Diplom in Sociology from Marburg in 1978 and his PhD in Biology from the University of Hamburg between 1981 and 1986. His academic trajectory culminated with his Habilitation in Zoology at the University of Karlsruhe in 1992, which led to three competing professorship offers before he accepted the position at Göttingen. Throughout his distinguished career, Professor Tscharntke has established himself as a leading authority on the integration of ecological principles into sustainable agricultural practices.
Professor Tscharntke's groundbreaking research on biodiversity, pollination, and biological pest control has generated over 130,000 citations, reflecting his substantial impact on the field of agroecology. His extensive body of work has fundamentally reshaped understanding of how ecological processes function within agricultural systems, demonstrating the critical importance of landscape complexity for maintaining ecosystem services. As Editor-in-Chief of Basic and Applied Ecology from 2000 to 2023, he significantly influenced the direction of ecological research as the official journal of the Ecological Society of Germany, Austria and Switzerland. His scholarship has been instrumental in developing practical approaches for enhancing biodiversity conservation within working agricultural landscapes while maintaining productivity. To date, he has supervised more than 90 doctoral students who have gone on to become influential researchers and practitioners in the field of agroecology.
Beyond his individual research accomplishments, Professor Tscharntke has played a pivotal role in shaping global agroecological research through his leadership in numerous international collaborations and initiatives. He serves on the scientific advisory board of the Stability of Altered Forest Ecosystems project in Malaysia and has contributed to tropical agroecosystem research since 2010. His commitment to academic excellence extends to his role in coordinating the Resource Management program at Göttingen from 2000 to 2020 and his ongoing mentorship of early-career scientists through the Dorothea-Schlözer Mentoring Program since 2012. Professor Tscharntke continues to lead innovative research that bridges theoretical ecology with practical agricultural applications, addressing pressing challenges of food security and environmental sustainability. His enduring contributions have established him as a cornerstone of modern agroecology, with his work providing essential frameworks for developing agricultural systems that harmonize productivity with ecological integrity.
