Frontiers Planet Prize: Göttingen biodiversity researcher one of three German candidates

No. 7.6 - 11.03.2026

Dr Gustavo B. Paterno nominated for specialist article on oil palm landscapes

The Berlin-Brandenburg Academy of Sciences and Humanities has nominated three German candidates for the global final round of the Frontiers Planet Prize 2026, which is endowed with one million US dollars. Among them is ecologist and biodiversity researcher Dr Gustavo B. Paterno from the University of Göttingen. Paterno has been nominated for an article published in the journal Science in November 2024. In it, he shows that embedding ‘tree islands’ in large-scale oil palm landscapes is an effective strategy for enhancing both native species diversity and functional and evolutionary diversity – a key foundation for the long-term resilience of ecosystems.

The Frontiers Planet Prize recognises scientific breakthroughs that contribute to stabilising the planet's ecosystems. Its aim is to accelerate international competition for the best solutions to global ecological crises and to promote scientific collaboration. Three people per country are nominated for the global final, from which a jury of 100 first selects one national ‘champion’ each. These will be announced on 22 April 2025 (Earth Day). In June 2026, the three global ‘champions’ will be named from this group and honoured in a ceremony. The institutions of the three winners will each receive one million US dollars for further research.

on the three German candidates in the global final of the Frontiers Planet Prize (website in German)

to the press release issued by the University of Göttingen in November 2024