Biodiversity and Coexistence in East Africa: Two PhD Defences with Global Relevance

Biodiversity and Coexistence in East Africa: Two PhD Defences with Global Relevance

How can people, livestock and wildlife coexist sustainably in one of the world's most iconic ecosystems? This question lay at the heart of the doctoral research conducted by Yuhong Li and Michael Kimaro, who obtained their PhDs from the University of Groningen on 9 June 2026. Their research was carried out within the international CoCoST programme (Corridors, Coexistence, Synergies, Transitions and Training), with support from the Ubbo Emmius Fund.

Their work focused on the Greater Serengeti-Mara Ecosystem, a vast transboundary landscape spanning northern Tanzania and southern Kenya. Home to the world-renowned Serengeti National Park and Maasai Mara National Reserve, the region is celebrated for its extraordinary biodiversity and the annual migration of millions of wildebeest, zebras and other large herbivores. At the same time, it is a landscape where protected areas, agricultural land and the livelihoods of local communities are closely interconnected.

Against this backdrop, both researchers explored how nature conservation and human land use interact in a landscape where wildlife, livestock and people share the same space.

Yuhong Li investigated how livestock grazing influences the composition and quality of grasslands and how these changes affect wild herbivores. Her research provides new insights into the complex relationship between pastoralism and biodiversity conservation in protected ecosystems.

Michael Kimaro examined the effectiveness and ecological consequences of a fence designed to reduce human-elephant conflict in areas where agricultural land and wildlife habitats intersect. His findings contribute to the development of strategies that support both local livelihoods and wildlife conservation.

The CoCoST programme brings together researchers from Africa, Europe and Asia, combining fundamental research with capacity building and knowledge exchange. In doing so, it contributes to the development of evidence-based solutions to the complex challenges faced by protected areas and the communities that surround them across the globe.

The Ubbo Emmius Fund warmly congratulates Yuhong Li and Michael Kimaro on this significant academic achievement and wishes them every success in their future careers. Their work demonstrates how international collaboration and scientific research can contribute to a future in which biodiversity conservation and human development go hand in hand.

An in-depth article about this research and its key findings can be found in the Stories section of the Ubbo Emmius Fund website.