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Topforscher und Menschenfreund: Biodiversitätsforscher Josef Settele ist tot

Von Tagfalter-Monitoring bis Weltbiodiversitätsrat: Josef Settele prägte die Forschung zum Artenschutz weit über Deutschland hinaus.

Topforscher und Menschenfreund: Biodiversitätsforscher Josef Settele ist tot

Halle, Germany - Renowned German biodiversity researcher Josef Settele has died at the age of 65, according to the Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research (UFZ). Settele, who was known for his work as an agrarian ecologist by profession and his passion for biodiversity and insects, passed away suddenly and unexpectedly on October 9th.

He was the director of the Nature Conservation Department at the UFZ and an adjunct professor at Martin-Luther-University Halle-Wittenberg. Settele was one of the key scientists of the Intergovernmental Science-Policy Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services (IPBES) and one of the three co-chairs of the global report on biodiversity.

He was also a lead author for the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC). Settele's work extended beyond research, as he was a strong advocate for insect conservation and science communication. He was instrumental in establishing Day-Flying Moth Monitoring Germany, a citizen science project that involves monitoring butterflies. His contributions to science were recognized through several books, including a butterfly guide.

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