Jean-Paul Metzger: The Ecologist in the Landscape

Accomplished scientists fall into two categories: those perched in their ivory towers and those who share their passion for research over coffee. Jean-Paul Metzger, a professor at the University of São Paulo, belongs to the second group. His groundbreaking dissertation on the fragmentation of tropical forests quickly propelled him into the ranks of renowned ecologists. The topic, still new in 1995 when he earned his doctorate, would become very fashionable, and his work would set the standard for concepts of connectivity and ecological corridors. He was, in fact, one of the first to document how landscape fragmentation and the isolation of natural patches—due to human activities—lead to a loss of biodiversity. A key factor is the inability of species to recolonize isolated areas. “It wasn’t just about recording the loss of individuals and species, but also about understanding how landscapes influence biodiversity and how to maintain or restore it,” explains the researcher.

Jean-Paul Metzger stumbled into landscape ecology while pursuing a DESS degree through a UNESCO chair affiliated with the Paris Institute of Agronomy, the University of Toulouse, and the University of Montpellier. For the young biologist, “landscape ecology, satellite imagery—all of that was very new.” When he first came to live in France, the Franco-Brazilian student didn’t imagine he’d continue in research after earning his degree in land-use planning. But, against all odds, the academic world proved easier to enter than the job market.  “In Brazil, the early 1990s were marked by the crisis under the government of Fernando Collor. I had no job prospects. But I did find Brazilian funding to pursue a Ph.D.,” the scientist explains. Enrolled in Toulouse, he wrote his dissertation on the Atlantic Forest, a tropical rainforest that runs along the entire Brazilian coast: “I became passionate about my subject; my love for research came to me as I was doing it.” And the academic world rewarded him handsomely, as he landed a position right away, at age 31, at the University of São Paulo.

Rain gardens

After studying the human impacts on ecosystems, Jean-Paul Metzger turned his attention to the services that ecosystems provide to humans. In other words, ecosystem services—an approach to the economic valuation of biodiversity that has taken center stage in ecology since the 2000s. He works on coffee crops that cannot do without pollinators, as pollination is an indispensable service provided by bees to these crops. Always in tune with current scientific concepts, the biologist is now working on nature-based solutions and the One Health concept—the latest trends in research aimed at reminding humans that they must learn to live in harmony with the rest of the living world. He is particularly driven by science-society issues. In São Paulo, he has assembled a team of about a hundred people—including researchers, activists, and local government officials—to collaboratively develop solutions to the environmental problems facing the state of São Paulo.

This group works using a knowledge synthesis approach—a participatory method that relies on collective effort to draw insights from available data, identifying avenues for new research and practical solutions to the challenges at hand. One of the proposals that emerged from this work to improve the quality of life for city dwellers and their city’s resilience to climate change is the installation of new rain gardens, urban green spaces that capture stormwater. “These mini-water retention areas reduce the risk of flooding. The vegetation also provides shade and coolness in a city where temperatures are currently reaching 40°C, and filters pollution. But it is also the quality of the landscape and the beauty of the surroundings that contribute to improved mental health.” The positive psychological effect on city dwellers of living near parks is now recognized by numerous scientific studies.

Scenic Beauty and Urban Health

As part of São Paulo State’s climate action plan, another proposal has emerged to balance climate change adaptation and mitigation. The idea is to locate afforestation projects aimed at carbon sequestration on the outskirts of cities, since the restoration of peri-urban areas—particularly in zones at risk of flooding and landslides—has an immediate positive impact on local residents. “In particular, this can prevent the establishment of favelas on steep slopes or in floodplains, where landslides and flooding pose a life-threatening danger,” explains Jean-Paul Metzger, who is deeply committed to land-use planning.

And what about his move to France in late 2023? The opportunityUM MAK’IT (Montpellier Advanced Knowledge Institute on Transitions) programUM spend three months in Montpellier sparked his interest in joining a renowned scientific community focused on tropical ecology and agronomy. But it was ultimately at the Center for Synthesis and Analysis of Biodiversity (Cesab)—the FRB’s flagship program—that the researcher was able to launch meaningful collaborations. He also leaves behind a Brazilian doctoral student, Douglas Cirino, who is using the analytical tools developed by Cesab to advance his research on the links between scenic beauty and urban health. As for him, the proximity of Pic Saint-Loup and the entire Montpellier hinterland has greatly contributed to his well-being, far from a megacity of over 12 million Paulistanos.