About

Rodolfo Dirzo is a professor in the Department of Biology at Stanford University, where he is involved in the Faculty of the Human Biology program. His research focuses on biological sciences, contributing to the understanding of human biology within the broader context of evolutionary and ecological processes. As a faculty member, he is engaged in teaching and mentoring students, and his work is integral to the academic community at Stanford in the field of biology.

Research topics

• Political Science
• Ecology
• Geography
• Law
• Biology
• Environmental ethics
• Business
• Environmental planning
• Sociology
• Environmental resource management
• Environmental science
• Philosophy
• Epistemology
• Public relations
• Economics

Selected publications

• Circling the drain: the extinction crisis and the future of humanity

  Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society B Biological Sciences · 2022 · 106 citations

  1st authorCorresponding
  • Political Science
  • Sociology
  • Environmental ethics

  Humanity has triggered the sixth mass extinction episode since the beginning of the Phanerozoic. The complexity of this extinction crisis is centred on the intersection of two complex adaptive systems: human culture and ecosystem functioning, although the significance of this intersection is not properly appreciated. Human beings are part of biodiversity and elements in a global ecosystem. Civilization, and perhaps even the fate of our species, is utterly dependent on that ecosystem's proper functioning, which society is increasingly degrading. The crisis seems rooted in three factors. First, relatively few people globally are aware of its existence. Second, most people who are, and even many scientists, assume incorrectly that the problem is primarily one of the disappearance of species, when it is the existential threat of myriad population extinctions. Third, while concerned scientists know there are many individual and collective steps that must be taken to slow population extinction rates, some are not willing to advocate the one fundamental, necessary, 'simple' cure, that is, reducing the scale of the human enterprise. We argue that compassionate shrinkage of the human population by further encouraging lower birth rates while reducing both inequity and aggregate wasteful consumption-that is, an end to growthmania-will be required. This article is part of the theme issue 'Ecological complexity and the biosphere: the next 30 years'.

  DOI

• Human-mediated impacts on biodiversity and the consequences for zoonotic disease spillover

  Current Biology · 2021 · 109 citations

  • Biology
  • Environmental planning
  • Environmental resource management
  DOI

• Underestimating the Challenges of Avoiding a Ghastly Future

  Frontiers in Conservation Science · 2021 · 528 citations

  • Political Science
  • Environmental ethics
  • Public relations

  We report three major and confronting environmental issues that have received little attention and require urgent action. First, we review the evidence that future environmental conditions will be far more dangerous than currently believed. The scale of the threats to the biosphere and all its lifeforms—including humanity—is in fact so great that it is difficult to grasp for even well-informed experts. Second, we ask what political or economic system, or leadership, is prepared to handle the predicted disasters, or even capable of such action. Third, this dire situation places an extraordinary responsibility on scientists to speak out candidly and accurately when engaging with government, business, and the public. We especially draw attention to the lack of appreciation of the enormous challenges to creating a sustainable future. The added stresses to human health, wealth, and well-being will perversely diminish our political capacity to mitigate the erosion of ecosystem services on which society depends. The science underlying these issues is strong, but awareness is weak. Without fully appreciating and broadcasting the scale of the problems and the enormity of the solutions required, society will fail to achieve even modest sustainability goals.

  DOI

• Biodiversity and ecosystem services in the Campo Rupestre: A road map for the sustainability of the hottest Brazilian biodiversity hotspot

  Perspectives in Ecology and Conservation · 2020 · 93 citations

  • Environmental resource management
  • Environmental planning
  • Geography

  Global sustainability rests on a myriad of benefits provided by natural ecosystems that support human livelihoods and well-being, from biodiversity persistence to climate regulation. The undeniable importance of conserving tropical forests has drawn most of the conservation spotlight towards it. However, open ecosystems such as the Brazilian Campo Rupestre (rupestrian grassland), have been historically overlooked despite their high diversity and key associated ecosystem services. We highlight major current threats to the persistence of the Campo Rupestre emphasizing its ecological, social, cultural, geo-environmental, and economic importance. We call attention to the importance of the Campo Rupestre as a reservoir of biodiversity and ecosystem services and offer priority actions that resulted from discussions involving scientists, industry representatives, environmental managers, and other members of civil society. Proposed actions include efforts related to ecological restoration, sustainable ecotourism, protection of traditional ecological knowledge, identification of emerging research questions, and development of tailored public policies. Such issues are integrated into a framework that collectively represents a road map to safeguard the Campo Rupestre from further degradation and steer its historical overexploitation towards sustainable management. Safeguarding the future of non-forest biomes like this poses a challenge to current paradigms of nature conservation. By establishing priorities and guidelines, we propose an actionable plan, which we hope can support informed decision-making policy towards a sustainable use of the Campo Rupestre.

  DOI

Recent grants

• Dissertation Research: Allochthonous inputs as invasion mechanism of C. nucifera

  NSF · $12k · 2008–2010

• DISSERTATION RESEARCH: The effects of removing large herbivores on the ecology of infectious diseases

  NSF · $15k · 2009–2011

Frequent coauthors

• Hillary S. Young

  University of California, Santa Barbara

  121 shared

• Douglas J. McCauley

  75 shared

• Kristofer M. Helgen

  Australian Museum

  57 shared

• Éric F. Lambin

  Stanford University

  41 shared

• Robert M. Pringle

  Princeton University

  41 shared

• Daniel J. Salkeld

  Colorado State University

  39 shared

• Ralph P. Eckerlin

  National Museum of Natural History

  37 shared

• Mauro Galetti

  Florida International University

  36 shared

Education

• Ph.D., Ecology

  Stanford University

  1980

• M.S., Ecology

  University of California, Santa Barbara

  1975

• B.S., Zoology

  University of California, Santa Barbara

  1973

Similar researchers at Stanford University

• Yi Cuih-287
• Zhenan Baoh-224
• Karl Deisserothh-218
• Michael Snyderh-215
• Roger Blandfordh-205